Prelims 1996 · archive
EasyWhich one of the following is an important historical novel written during the latter half of the nineteenth century?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Durgesh Nandini
Durgesh Nandini, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's first notable Bengali novel (1865), is a historical romance. Rast Goftar, Maratha and Nibandhamala are a newspaper, a newspaper and an essay series.
- ✓ (b) Bankim's Durgeshnandini features a Rajput hero and a Bengali heroine.
- ✗ (a) Rast Goftar was a Parsi journal.
- ✗ (c) Maratha was a newspaper of Tilak.
- ✗ (d) Nibandhamala was V. K. Chiplunkar's Marathi essay journal.
Remember · Bankim Chandra: Durgeshnandini (1865), Anandamath (1882).
Sources
- Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Britannica ↗ · reference work “His first notable Bengali work was the novel Durgeś nandinī, which features a Rajput hero and a Bengali heroine.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 1996, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 1996: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·