Ancient India: practice set 1

Among the four main forms of existence of life recognized in Jainism, which one of the following is not included?

Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period:

I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to expand away from flood plains and strips on river margins into the present Punjab and Haryana plains having underground water levels reasonably close to the surface.

II. Draught-animal power was employed to draw up water out of the wells.

Which of the following information support/supports the above statements?

1. 1.There is evidence in the Rigveda of the use of ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) to draw up water.
2. 2.Mention has been made in the Rigveda of the use of implements like parashu/kulisha (axe) and datra/sreni (sickle).
3. 3.There is a history of the use of ox, even before the Rigveda, for ploughing the land and pulling the carts.

Select the answer using the code given below:

In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni (‘mistress of the field’) originate?

Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabhara'?

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk, who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on:

With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
2. 2.Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
3. 3.Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Which one of the following explains the practice of ‘Vattakirutal’ as mentioned in Sangam poems?

With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts:

1. 1.Nettipakarana
2. 2.Parishishtaparvan
3. 3.Avadanashataka
4. 4.Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana

Which of the above are Jaina texts?

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct?

1. 1.A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.
2. 2.If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
3. 3.If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master's son.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?

1. 1.The Guptas of Magadha
2. 2.The Paramaras of Malwa
3. 3.The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar
4. 4.The Maukharis of Kanauj
5. 5.The Yadavas of Devagiri
6. 6.The Maitrakas of Valabhi

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

"Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely."

With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct description of the term 'paramitas'?

With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements:

1. 1.Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga.
2. 2.Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana.
3. 3.Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta – II.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

Consider the following:

1. 1.Deification of the Buddha
2. 2.Treading the path of Bodhisattvas
3. 3.Image worship and rituals

Which of the above is/are the feature/features of Mahayana Buddhism?

With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. 1.Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.
2. 2.Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron.
3. 3.Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The concept of Bodhisattva is central to Hinayana sect of Buddhism.
2. 2.Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment.
3. 3.Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories and epic tales was the profession of who of the following?