Question 1

Adi Shankaracharya established four mathas. These mathas are situated at ________.

Accepted Answer

Shankaracharya was an early 8th century Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He established four major mathas in different regions of India - Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, Sringeri. He established them to propagate the philosophy of advaita vedanta and to promulgate the concept of Sanatana dharma.

Question 2

The introduction of token currency by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq did not succeed because __________.

Accepted Answer

Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. In 1330, after his failed expedition to Deogiri, he issued token currency, that is coins of brass and copper were minted whose value was equal to that of gold and silver coins. Use of token coins can be successful when the government alone makes them and takes people into confidence, but Tughlaq failed to check counterfeiting of currrency.

Question 3

Match the following.List I(Term)List II(Meaning)A. Ariz-i-Mumalik1. Head of the military departmentsB. Diwan-i-Risalat2. Head of State New AgencyC. Diwan-i-Insa3. Controller of the royal householdD. Barid-i-Mumalik4. It dealt with the religious matterE. Wakil-i-Dar5. It dealt with the state correspondence

Accepted Answer

India has had invaders from Central Asia since ancient times, what made the Muslim invasions different is that unlike the preceding invaders who assimilated into the prevalent social system, the successful Muslim conquerors retained their Islamic identity and created new legal and administrative systems that challenged and usually in many cases superseded the existing systems of social conduct and ethics, even influencing the non-Muslim rivals and common masses to a large extent, though the non-Muslim population was left to their own laws and customs. They also introduced new cultural codes that in some ways were very different from the existing cultural codes. This led to the rise of a new Indian culture which was mixed in nature, different from ancient Indian culture. Some of the departments during this period were-1) A-1: Ariz-i-Mumalik- Head of the military department2) B-4: Diwan-i- Risalat- It dealt with the religious matter3) C-5: Diwan-i-Insa- It dealt with the state correspondence4) D-2: Barid-i-Mumalik- Head of state New Agency5) E-3: Wakil-i-Dar- Controller of the royal household.

Question 4

The following persons came to India at one time or another:1) Fa-Hien      2) I-Tsing     3) Megasthenes     4) Hiuen-TsangThe correct chronological sequence of their visits is _______.

Accepted Answer

Many  travellers such as Fa Hsien, Sung Yun, Hsuan Tsang and I Tsing, Megasthenes visited India. These travellers also introduced their culture to India. The correct chronological sequence of their visits is Megasthenes(4th cent. BC) - Fa-Hien(400AD) - Hieun Tsang(ard 632 AD) - I-Tsing(673AD)

Question 5

Nicolo de Conti, the Italian traveller visited Vijaynagar empire during the time of _______.

Accepted Answer

Nicolo de Conti was a Venetian merchant who traveled in the east from 1414 until 1438. He visited the Vijaynagar Kingdom during the time of Dev Raya II and left an account in the Travels of Nicolo Conti. Deva Raya I was the son of Harihara. he succeeded the throne of Vijayanagar empire in 1404.

Question 6

The Qutub Minar was completed by the famous ruler __________.

Accepted Answer

The founder of the Slave dynasty, Qutub-ud-din Aibak started the construction of the Qutub Minar in the memory of the famous Sufi saint Khawaja Qutubuddin Bhaktiyar Kaki. But he could complete only the first storey of the building. The Qutub Minar was later completed by Iltutmish.

Question 7

Consider the following.The arrival of Babur into India led to the:1. introduction of gunpowder in the sub-continent.2. introduction of the arch and dome in the region's architecture.3. establishment of Timurid dynasty in the region.Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

Accepted Answer

Gunpowder was introduced much earlier in the subcontinent, probably in the 13th century by Mongols. Arch and dome architecture was widely prevalent during the Delhi Sultanate time much earlier than arrival of Babur, who established the Timurid dynasty in India in the 16th century.

Question 8

The Sultan who refused to recognize the authority of Caliph was __________.

Accepted Answer

After Malik Kafur's murder, the nobles offered the post of regent to Mubarak Shah. However, Mubarak Shah believed that as a regent, his life would be in constant danger. Initially, he rejected the offer and instead requested to be allowed to flee to another country with his mother. Nevertheless, the nobles persuaded him to accept the regency. Mubarak Shah thus became the regent of his younger step-brother Shihabuddin.

Question 9

The Sultan who desecrated the Puri Jagannath Temple and Jwalamukhi Temple at Kangra was ________.

Accepted Answer

Firoz Shah Tujhlaq had become orthodox and bigoted towards the later part of his reign. He destroyed the Puri Jagannath temple while on an expedition to Jajnagar in 1360. Jwalamukhi temple of Kangra was destroyed during the expedition to Nagarkot.

Question 10

Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq shifted his capital from Delhi to Devgiri (Daulatabad).

Accepted Answer

There were repeated Mongol invasions on Delhi during his reign.

Medieval India - Prashastis and Land Grants

Rate