1. Where is located the “Hazur Sahib” Gurudwara, which is one of the five takhts of Sikhism?
[A] Amritsar
[B] Patna
[C] Nanded
[D] Bhatinda
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Nanded ]
Notes:
The location of the five Takhts is as follows: Akal Takht, at Amritsar, Keshgar Sahib, at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, Patna Sahib, at Patna, Hazur Sahib, at Nanded and Damdama Sahib, at Talwandi Sabo, Bhatinda or Bathinda.
2. The annual “Royal Kathina Ceremony” is associated with which of the following religions?
[A] Jainism
[B] Buddhim
[C] Parsi
[D] Sikhism
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Buddhim]
Notes:
The Royal Kathina Ceremony is observed every year by Buddhist. It is observed in only one Buddhist temple outside Thailand and this year the Namphake Buddhist temple of Assam was selected. Kathina offering is an ancient Buddhist Tradition of offering special robe and other necessities to monks who maintain strict discipline of retreat during the rainy season. The main purpose of the ceremony is not merely for religious belief but also to strengthen the relationship between Thailand and other countries.
3. Yājñavalkya Smrti was written in which among the following era?
[A] Vedic Period
[B] Later Vedic Period
[C] Maurya Period
[D] Gupta Period
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Gupta Period]
Notes:
The Yājñavalkya Smrti is a Dharma-related texts of Hinduism composed in Sanskrit. It is dated to between the 3rd to 5th-century CE, and belongs to the Gupta period.
4. Which among the following is not correctly matched?
[A] Aga Khan Palace – Pune
[B] Bharat Bhawan – Bhopal
[C] Akal Takht – Amritsar
[D] All are correct
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All are correct]
Notes:
All the above places are correctly matched.
5. Which of the following Sikh guru founded Swarna Mandir ?
[A] Guru Arjun Dev
[B] Guru Nanak
[C] Guru Govind Singh
[D] Guru Teg Bahadur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Guru Arjun Dev]
Notes:
The 5th guru of Sikhs, Guru Arjun Dev ji built the Swarna Mandir (or Golden temple) in Amritsar and compiled Adigranth, the holy scripture of Sikhism. He was executed by Mughal emperor Jahangir on charges of helping his rebel son, Prince Khurram with money and prayer.
6. The temple architecture of which among the following has shown a transition from the Rock Cut Architecture to the Stone built temples?
[A] Cholas
[B] Cheras
[C] Chalukyas
[D] Pallavas
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Pallavas]
Notes:
The Pallava architecture shows the transition from the Rock Cut Architecture to the Stone built temples. § The earliest examples of the Pallava art are the rock cut temples of the 7th century AD, while the later examples are of structural temples built in 8th and 9th century. § The rock cut reliefs of the Pallavas are the earliest surviving royal portraits after the Kushana images. § At the end of 6th century, King Harsha ruled in the North and he patronized the Buddhist Institutions. In South, Pallavas expanded themselves from the much of the Andhra Pradesh of today to much of Tamil Nadu. The Pallava Kings are known to be one of the greatest patrons of the art, music, architecture, dance and literature. King Mahendravarman was a poet and a playwright who wrote a satire on contemporary life titled “Mattavilasa Prahasana”. Another King of Pallava Dynasty named Rajsimha (Narsimhamvaraman) was such a great lover of art that he used the title “Kalasamudra” for himself.
7. Jamini Roy is associated with which of the following fields?
[A] Singing
[B] Dancing
[C] Painting
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Painting]
Notes:
Jamini Roy was an Indian painter best known for combining traditional Indian and Western art styles to create unique, complex works. After graduating, Roy adopted the simple forms, flat colors, and humble paints of Bengali folk artists.
8. Who among the following wrote the national song of India?
[A] Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
[B] Rabindranath Tagore
[C] Lord Mountbatten
[D] Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bankim Chandra Chatterjee]
Notes:
The national song is called “Vande Mataram…”. The first Political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. It was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
9. Match the following people with their respective century:
|
A. Amir Khusro
|
1. 14th century
|
|
B. Kabir
|
2. 13th century
|
|
C. Abul Fazal
|
3. 15th century
|
|
D. Tukaram
|
4. 16th century
|
|
|
5. 17th century
|
| |
|
A B C D (UPSC Prelims 1985)
[A] 3 4 2 5
[B] 5 2 1 4
[C] 2 3 4 5
[D] 1 3 5 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [2 3 4 5]
Notes:
• Ab’ul Hasan Yamin ud-Din Khusrau is better known as Amir Khusrow Dehlavi. He was a Sufi musician, poet and scholar from India.
• Kabir was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings, according to some scholars, influenced Hinduism’s Bhakti movement.
• Shaikh Abu al-Fazal ibn Mubarak is also known as Abul Fazal. It was the Grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar and author of the Akbarnama.
• Tukaram is also referred to as Sant Tukaram. He was a 17th-century Hindu poet and sant of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra.
10. According to Gunas theory, how many gunas( attributes) are present in all beings?
[A] Three
[B] Four
[C] Five
[D] Six
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Three]
Notes:
Gunas theory of Yoga-Samkhya School states that three gunas (innate tendency, attributes) are present in all beings. These three are sattva guna (goodness, constructive, harmonious), rajas guna (passion, active, confused), and tamas guna (darkness, destructive, chaotic).