UPSC CSE PRE ANCIENT HISTORY

Consider the following statements:

1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in the early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition against Sailendra empire of South-East Asia and conquered some of the areas.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation:The Chola kingdom of the Sangam periodextended from modern Tiruchi district to southernAndhra Pradesh. Their capital was first located atUraiyur and then shifted to Puhar. Karikala was afamous king of the Sangam Cholas. Pattinappalaiportrays his early life and his military conquests. In the Battle of Venni he defeated the mighty confederacyconsisting of the Cheras, Pandyas and eleven minorchieftains.

The Chola emperor launched a successful navalexpedition against the sailendra kingdom.

Emperor Harsha’s southward march was stopped on the Narmada river by:

(a) Pulakesin-I
(b) Pulakesin-II
(c) Vikramaditya-I
(d) Vikramaditya-II

Ans: (b) Pulakesin-II

Explanation:Emperor Harsha’s southward march wasstopped on the Narmada river by Pulakesin II, theChalukya king of Vatapi in northern Mysore.

The ancient Indian play Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutt has its subject on:

(a) a conflict between Gods and Demons of ancient Hindu lore
(b) a romantic story of an Aryan prince and a tribal woman
(c) the story of the power struggle between two Aryan .
(d) the court intrigues at the time of Chandragupta

Ans: (d) the court intrigues at the time of Chandragupta

Explanation:The Mudrarakshasa (“The Signet of the Minister”),a historical play in Sanskrit by Vishakhadatta (4thcentury CE) narrates the ascent of the kingChandragupta Maurya to power in Northern India.

In ancient Indian Buddhist monasteries, a ceremony called Pavarana used to be held. It was the:

(a) occasion to elect the Sanghparinayaka and two speakers one on Dhamma and the other on Vinaya
(b) confession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy season
(c) ceremony of initiation of new person into the Buddhist Sangha in which the head is shaved and when yellow robes are offered
(d) gathering of Buddhist monks on the next day to the full-moon day of Ashadha when they take up a fixed abode for the next four months of the rainy season

Ans: (b) confession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy season

Explanation:Pavarana is a Buddhist holy day celebrated onthe full moon of the eleventh lunar month. It marksthe end of the month of Vassa, sometimes called”Buddhist Lent.” This day marks the end of the rainyseason in some Asian countries like Thailand, whereTheravada Buddhism is practiced. On this day, eachmonk (Pali: bhikkhu) must come before the communityof monks (Sangha) and atone for an offense he mayhave committed during the Vassa.

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

(a) The statue of Gomateshwara at Shravana Belagola represents the last Tirthankara of Jains.
(b) India’s largest Buddhist monastery is in Arunachal Pradesh.
(c) Khajuraho temples were built under Chandela kings.
(d) Hoysaleswara temple is dedicated to Siva.

Ans: (a) The statue of Gomateshwara at Shravana Belagola represents the last Tirthankara of Jains.

Explanation:The Statue of Gomateshwara was built indeference to Jain deity Bahubali, It does not representlast Tirthankara of Jains. India’s largest Buddhistmonastery is Tawang Monastery located inArunachal Pradesh. It is the second largest in theworld after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

Match List-I (Ancient site) with List-II (Archaeological finding) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

List-I(Ancient site)	List-II (Archaeological finding)
A. Lothal	1. Ploughed field
B. Kalibangan	2. Dockyard
C. Dholavira	3. Terrcotta replica of a plough
D. Banawali	4. An inscription comprising ten large sized signs of the Harappan script

Codes:
(a) A – 1; B – 2; C – 3; D – 4
(b) A – 2; B – 1; C – 4; D – 3
(c) A – 1; B – 2; C – 4; D – 3
(d) A – 2; B – 1; C – 3; D – 4

Ans: (b) A – 2; B – 1; C – 4; D – 3

Explanation:

List-I(Ancient site)	List-II (Archaeological finding)
A. Lothal	2. Dockyard
B. Kalibangan	1. Ploughed field
C. Dholavira	4. An inscription comprising ten large sized signs of the Harappan script
D. Banawali	3. Terrcotta replica of a plough

Which one of the following animals was not represented seals and terracotta art of the Harappan culture?

(a) Cow
(b) Elephant
(c) Rhinoceros
(d) Tiger

Ans: (a) Cow

Explanation: Cow, camel, horse and lion were not depicted on seals. Unicorn (bull) was the animal most commonly represented on the seals.

Who among the following presided over the Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kanishka at Kashmir ?

(a) Parsva
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Sudraka
(d) Vasumitra

Ans: (d) Vasumitra

Explanation:Vasumitra and Ashavaghosh together presidedover the fourth c ounc il. In this c ounc il Buddhists weredivided into Mahayanists and Hinayanists.

Which one of the Chola kings conquered Ceylon?

(a) Aditya-I
(b) Rajaraja-I
(c) Rajendra
(d) Vijayalaya

Ans: (c) Rajendra

Explanation:In 1017, Rajendra conquered Ceylon (Srilanka).Earlier Rajaraja I conquered only half of it.

Assertion (A) and Reason (R)

Assertion (A): Harshavardhana convened the Prayag Assembly.
Reason (R): He wanted to popularize only the Mahayana form of Buddhism.

(a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Ans: (b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A

Explanation:To popularize the Mahayana form of Buddhism.Harshavardhana convened an assembly at Kannauj.The Prayag assembly was convened to popularizehimself.