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PART-I
ANCIENT INDIA
HISTORY
THE BEGINNING OF INDIAN HISTORY  The Harappan script remains undeciphered till
date, it was definitely not alphabetical as it has
just too many signs.
Topics
 Ruler (King) has an important role in Harappan
 Sources of Indian History Civilisation. All the complex decisions were taken

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 Indus Valley Civilization by him. Climatic change, excessive floods,
 Vedic Period shifting or drying up of rivers, etc. were some of
the reasons of decline of this civilisation.
 Mahajanapadas
 Two archaeologists Daya Ram Sahni and Rakhal
Das Banerji gave a great contribution in the
POINTS TO REMEMBER/IMPORTANT TERMS, FACTS, discoveries of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

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FIGURES AND DATES  People of Indus Valley worshipped Mother Goddess
 Harappan seal is probably the most unique artefact and Proto-Shiva. Conical stone objects, which have
of the Harappan Civilisation. It is made of stone been found, are classified as Lingas.
which is called steatite. Seals contain the animal  A stone statue was found here and was labelled as
motifs and signs from a script that remains the “priest king” because archaeologists were
undeciphered. We, the people of the world, know a familiar with the Mesopotamian history and its
great deal about the lives of the people who lived in “priest-kings”.
this great region in the past from what they left behind
Pictures of ships and boats have also been found
ra - their houses, pots, jewellery, tools, weapons and seals.

on seals which throw light on Harappan contacts
Now, it is a matter of interest what we know about this
with far off places.
civilisation. How the archaeologists interpreted the
materials and what changes have taken place. Yes MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN HARAPPAN
there are some aspects of the culture that are still
unknown and some may remain.
ARCHAEOLOGY
 The Indus Valley Civilisation is also called the NINETEENTH CENTURY
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Harappan Culture. This civilisation is dated
1875 Report of Alexander Cunningham on
between C. 2600 and 1900 BCE.
Harappan seal.
 Main centres of this civilisation were Harappa,
Mohenjodaro, Lothal, Dholavira, Kalibangan, etc. TWENTIETH CENTURY
 Evidences of canal irrigation in Harappan 1921 M.S. Vats begins excavations at Harappa.
Civilisation, have been found at a site called 1925 Excavations begin at Mohenjodaro.
Shortughai in Afghanistan.
1946 R.E.M. Wheeler excavates at Harappa.
 Mohenjodaro was a city laid down in a planned
1955 S.R. Rao begins excavations at Lothal.
manner. Roads and streets intersected each
other at right angles. Houses were made of bricks 1960 B.B. Lal and B.K. Thapar begin excavations
at Kalibangan.
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and were in the lower town of the city.

 One great bath, one citadel, warehouse and other 1980 A team of German and Italian archaeologists
important structures have been found in the Fort begins surface explorations at Mohenjodaro.
of Mohenjodaro. They were used for public purposes. 1986 American team begins excavations at Harappa.
 Some burials have also been found in Harappa 1990 R.S. Bisht begins excavations at Dholavira.
where the dead were buried. Some graves were
 In 1921, Dayaram Sahni first discovered Indus
found which contain pottery and ornaments.
valley city, Harappa in the Montgomery district of
 Mesopotamian texts mention contact with the Punjab (now in Pakistan).
region of Magan and Meluhha, probably the name
 Dr. R.D. Banerjee found another Indus city, Mohenjodaro
given to the Harappan region. They mentioned
in Larkana district of Sindh (now in Pakistan).
the products such as; lapis lazuli, carnelian, gold,
copper and varieties of wood.  A chief feature of Mohenjodaro is its superb town planning.

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 Mohenjodaro was obviously a cosmopolitan city  Society now got divided into four Varnas–
with people of different races—Proto-Austroloid, Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
Mediterranean, Alpine and Mongoloid.  In Later Vedic Period wheat and rice became the
 The city of Mohenjodaro is also famous for its Great Bath. staple crops.
 Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Lothal (Gujarat),  I n this time sacrifices rather than prayers
Chanhudaro, Banawali (Haryana), Surkotada became more important.
(Gujarat), Bhimbetka, Dholavira are important  Vedic literatures include the Vedas, the Brahamanas,
sites of Indus valley civilization. the Arayankas, the Upanishads, the Smritis, the
 The beginning and end of the I ndus valley Vedangas, Darshanas and Upavedas.
civilization are both a matter of debate because  The Vedas are four–Rigveda, Samveda, Yajur, Veda and
people could not have emerged completely with Atharvaveda.
their perfect town planning etc.  The Brahmanas are Kaushetki, Aitreya, Taitriya,
A popular theory which is most accepted is that Shatpata, Panchvish, Jaimneya and Gopath.

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
the people of the Harappan or I ndus valley  Arayankas were written mainly for the hermits
civilization were chased out by the Aryans. and students living in forest.
 The Upanishads are philosophical texts emphasising on
VEDIC PERIOD the value of right belief and knowledge and criticized useless
 Vedic period is broadly divided into two periods. rituals and sacrifices. Upanishads are 108 in number.
Early Vedic Period (1500-1000 BC) and Later Vedic  Smritis explain rules and regulations in Vedic

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Period (1000-500 B.C.). period. Manusmriti is a famous smriti.
 Aryans’ political system was mainly tribal system of  Darshanas are schools of Indian philosophy. They
government in which the military element was strong. are Nyaya Darshana, Vaiseshika Darshana,
 Tribes under Aryan society were known as Jan and Rajan. Sankhya Darshana, Yoga Darshana, Purva
Mimansa, Uttara Mimansa and Lokayata.
 Aryans worshipped Nature gods like Indra, Vayu,
Sun, Soma, Agni etc. There were no temples or  There are four Upavedas Dhanurveda, Gandharvaveda,
idol worship. These gods were appeased by prayers Shilpaveda and Ayurveda.
and sacrifices. – Number of Upanishads : 108

raCow was standard unit of exchange. Gold coins – Number of Mahapuranas : 18
were known as Nishka, Krishnal and Satmana. – Number of Vedangas : 6
 Aryans’ staple crop was yava (barley). MAHAJANAPADAS
 Rivers play an important role in life and economy  Before the birth of Buddha in 6th century B.C.,
of Aryans. Some of these rivers are as under: India was divided into sixteen provinces known
as Mahajanapadas. These are as under:
RIVER RIGVEDIC NAME
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Jhelum Vitasta S.NO NAME CAPITAL REGION/LOCATION
Chenab Asikni 1. Anga Champa Bhagalpur (Bihar)
Indus Sindhu 2. Magadha Rajgriha Patna, Gaya (Bihar)
Ravi Parushni 3. Kashi Varanasi Near Varanasi (U.P.)
Beas Vipasa 4. Vatsa Kaushambi Near Allahabad (U.P.)
5. Vajji Vaishali Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga
Satluj Sutudri
(Bihar)
Saraswati Sarasvati 6. Kosala Sravasti Faizabad (U.P.)
Ghaggar Prishdavati 7. Malla Kushavati/ Devoria (U.P.)
Kushinagar
 During Later Vedic Period, Aryans expanded from
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8. Panchala Ahichatra Barelley, Badayun (U.P.)

Punjab over the whole of western Uttar Pradesh
9. Chedi Shaktimati Bundelkhand (U.P.)
covered by the Ganga-Yamuna Doab.
10. Kuru Indraprastha Delhi, Meerut (U.P.)
 Chief sources of knowledge of Vedic period are and Haryana
the Vedas, the epics-the Mahabharata and 11. Avanti Ujjaini Malwa (M.P .) an d
Ramayana which through their stories and hymns Nirmar (M.P.)
tell us about the expansion of the Aryans. 12. Matsya Viratnagar Near Jaipur (Raj)
 The caste system under Aryans was a loose social 13. Kamboja Hatak Rajori a n d Ha zara
system where people could move up and down the region (U.P.)
social scale. 14. Sursena Mathura Mathura (U.P.)
 In Later Vedic Period king became more powerful. 15. Ashmaka Patali/Patan Godavari basin
His position strengthened by rituals like 16. Gandhara Taxila Rawalpindi and Peshawar
Ashwamedha and Vajapeya Yajnas. (Pakistan)

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 Among the above sixteen Mahajanapadas the  Crafts and Industry: Industrial centres were
Magadha was very powerful because of its rich developed in cities and towns. Many articles were
resource base. produced by the people from copper, bronze, lead,
RIG VEDIC GODS silver, gold and beads were used for ornaments.
Lothal was famous for bead factories. Weaving was
The early Vedic religion was naturalistic. Evidently,
an important industry. Spinning of cotton and wool
there was neither temples nor idols. The mode of prayer
was common.
was recitation of mantras. Sacrifice was offered for Praja
(children), Pasu (cattle) and Dhana (wealth) and not for  Trade and commerce: People of Harappan Culture
spiritual upliftment or against misery. developed Mohenjodaro as a great trading centre
for internal as well as external trade. They extended
GOODS their trade upto Afghanistan, Iran, Sumer, Babylon,
Vayu : Wind God Tibet, Oman, Dilmun, etc. Articles like seals proved

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Dyaus : Father of Heaven it as they are found there. Trade was established
Aditi : Mother of Surya through both land and sea.
Maruts : Storm spirits EPICS
Gandharvas : Divine musicians  Though the two epics-the Mahabharata and the
Ashavins : Healers of diseases and experts in Ramayana were compiled later, they reflect the

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surgical art state of affairs of the Later Vedic Period.
Ribhus : Gnomes  The Mahabharata, attributed to Vyasa, is
considered older than the Ramayana and describes
Apsaras : Mistresses of Gods.
the period from the tenth century BC to the fourth
Rudra : An archer God, whose anger brought century AD. It is also called Jaisamhita and
disease Satasahasri Samhita has one lakh verses.
Female Deities  The Ramayana, attributed to Valmiki, has 24,000
ra
Usha : Goddess of Dawn verses. Its composition started in the fifth century
Aditi : Mother of Goods BC and passes through five stages; the fifth stage
ended in the twelfth century AD.
Prithvi : Earth Goddess
Aryani : Forest Goddess PURANAS
Saraswati : The River deity  These include mythology, cosmogony, various
legends, genealogical accounts, folk beliefs, law
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ECONOMIC LIFE OF HARAPPAN PEOPLE codes and miscellaneous topics.
The excavations pointed out that in past there  The Puranic literature is thus a unique outcome
existed a rich and well developed culture in India. of the ever-continuing synthesis of various socio-
From the ruins of various buildings, streets, baths economic formations operative between the 5th
a nd from th e la rg e nu mb e r of a nt iq ui ti es l ik e century BC and the 12th century AD.
fig ur in es , se al s, t ools , toys , be ad s, w ea pons ,  Every addition in the Puranic literature brought
te rr ac ot ta p ot te ry an d ot he r ar te fac ts t ha t ar e in numerous new deities with images and
unearthed. These enable us to visualise the Harappan temples, pilgrimages and vows, sects etc.
people and the style of their lives.  The change in the mode of worship (from sacrifice
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Economy of Harrapan people may be explained as follows: to worship of idols), visual appeal of the deities as
 Agriculture: Soil was fertile. Agriculture was the against the worship of ideas, the fact of idol worship
chief occupation of the people. They cultivated being more satisfying than yajna or sacrifice,
revulsion to the violence and bloodshed involved
barley, wheat, cotton and rice. Plenty of water
in animal sacrifices-all these explain the socio-
made irrigation easy for their crops. The big
religious- economic transformations taking place
granaries were made to stock the grains. in the Aryan society.
 The study of seals indicate that people reared  The Puranas may be regarded as a unique record
cattle. It indicates that animal husbandry was of the outcome of continual clash and friction,
their another occupation. Some animals were readjustment and mobilization, conservatism and
domesticated such as—bulls, buffalo, dogs, goats, the accommodating spirit of the Indian society,
sheep and elephants. keen to come to terms with its evolving ethos.

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ASHRAMAS  Excavation reveals that the city was flooded more
 The ashrama system is found mentioned for the than seven times.
first time in the Aitareya Brahmana. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF MOHENJODARO
 Meant mainly for regulating the life of the male
members of the higher castes, they consisted for The most unique feature of the Lower Town at
four stages: (a) Brahmachari or student life; (b) Mohenjodaro provides example of residential buildings.
Grihastha or life of the householder; (c) Many were centred on a courtyard, with rooms on all
Vanaprastha or partial retirement and (d) Sanyasi sides. The courtyard was probably the centre of activities
or complete retirement (ascetic life). such as cooking and weaving, particularly during hot
and dry weather. What is also interesting is that
 Full recognition of the fourth stage was done only
apparent concern for privacy: there are no windows in
in the Post-Vedic period. the walls along the ground level. Every house has its
own bathroom paved with bricks, with drains connected
MAJOR HARAPPAN SITES

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through the wall to the street drains. Some houses have
remains of staircases to reach a second storey or the
HARAPPA (PAKISTAN)
roof. Many houses had wells, often in a room that could
 The great granary is the largest and the most be reached from the outside and perhaps used by
remarkable structure found at Harappa. passers-by. Scholars have estimated that the total
 So far 891 seals have been recovered from number of wells in Mohenjodaro was about 700.

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Harappa, that is 40% of the total number of seals
KALIBANGAN (RAJASTHAN)
belonging to Indus Valley Civilization which have
been found.  Has pre-Harappan as well as Harappan cultural phases.
 A red sandstone naked male torso has been found,  Less developed compared to Mohenjodaro.
which shows traces of Jainism.  There is evidence of mud-brick fortification.
 Between the granary and the citadel, there have  Pre-Harappan phase here shows that the fields
been found a series of circular platforms, probably were ploughed unlike the Harappan period.
for the pounding of grain. Archaeologists have discovered two platforms

raAt a lower level below the granary, platforms and
(within the citadel) with fire altars suggesting the
practice of cult sacrifice.
the citadel, were crowded one- room dwellings,
 The existence of wheel conveyance is proved by a
which suggest slave habitats. cartwheel having a single hub.
MOHENJODARO (PAKISTAN) BANAWALI (HARYANA)
 In Sindhi language, the word Mohenjodaro means  Like Kalibangan, Amri, Kot Diji and Harappa
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‘mound of the dead’.
Banawali also shows two cultural phases-pre
 It is the largest of all Indus cities. Harappan and Harappan.
 The Great Bath is the most important public place.  Here we find large quantity of barely, sesamum
Located at the center of the citadel, it is and mustard.
remarkable for beautiful brickwork. Its floor is
made of burnt bricks set in gypsum and mortar. It DHOLAVIRA (GUJARAT)
must have served as a ritual bathing site.
 It is the latest and one of the two largest Harappan
 Remains have been found of an oblong multipillared
settlements in India. The other being Rakhigarhi
assembly hall and a big rectangular building, which in Haryana.
must have served administrative purposes.
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 The other Harappan towns were divided into two

 Most of Mohenjodaro houses are built of kiln-fired bricks. parts-Citadel and the Lower Town, but Dholavira
 The major streets are 33 feet wide and run north- was divided into three principal divisions, two
south, intersecting subordinate ones, running which were strongly protected by rectangular
east- west at right angles. fortifications.
 The evidence of Indian ships (figured on a seal) and a  There are two inner enclosures-the first on
piece of woven cloth have been discovered from here. hemmed in the citadel (which probably housed the
 Parallel rows of two-roomed cottage found. The highest authority) and the second one protected the
workmen or poor sections of the society perhaps middle town (meant for the close relatives of the
used these cottages. rulers and other officials). The existence of this
 A bronze dancing girl, steatite statue of a priest middle town, apart from the lower town, is the
and a seal bearing Pashupati have been found here. exclusive feature of this city.

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LOTHAL (GUJARAT) wall, probably for flood protection.

 Only Indus site with an artificial brick dockyard.  Lothal has evidence of the earliest cultivation of
It must have served as the main seaport of the rice (1800 BC). The only other Indus site where rice
Indus people. It was surrounded by a massive brick husk has been found is Rangpur near Ahmedabad.

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Social Life Economic Life Religious Life

Family was the basic unit. The Main occupations-Agriculture, Worshipped Lord Shiva, Mother
family might have been varied animal rearing, trade and craft Goddess, Animals and Trees
production

ck Social stratification Ruling

class, middle class and lower
class

People take different kinds of

Major achievement-Usage of
weights and measures.
Their religious belief
incorporated in Hinduism
ra diets. They wore cotton dresses
and were fond of wearing jewellery

Fire altars, indicating the probable existence of a DECLINE OF HARAPPAN OR INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
fire cult, have been found.  There are different viewpoins of the historians
Aerracotta figurine of a horse has been found here. on the decline of Harappan civilization. Some of
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 Occupation Based Four Varnas the reasons are as follow:
1. Brahmanas Teachers and priests  Floods: Some scholars believe that many towns
2. Kshatriyas Rulers and warriors of the Harappan civilisation were destroyed
3. Vaishyas Farmers, bankers, merchants because of the floods in the Indus River. With
the passage of time, they were buried beneath
4. Sudras Artisans and labourers
the sands of rivers.
 Important Terms Used in Vedic Age
 Earthquakes: It is also believed that many
Vedic Name Modern Name earthquakes might have jolted various cities.
Vriti Rice They might have dashed many towns to the
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Usta Camel ground.

Saraba Elephant  Droughts and Epidemics: Some scholars think
that the sites of Harappan civilisation might have
Duhitri Daughter
been hit by acute droughts or deadly epidemics.
Gopa King These might have resulted in the destruction of
Gomat Wealthy Man various towns.
Charvana Blacksmith  Aggressions by the Aryans: Many historians
Hiranyaka Goldsmith believe that the people of Harappan civilisation
Sangahetri Treasurer had to face many aggressions by the Aryans. It
Goghna Guest led to the decline of Harappan civilisation.

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RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS AND RISE OF  The traditions of erecting stupas probably prevailed
MAGADHA before Buddha but it became associated with
Buddhism. Since they contained relics regarded
Topic
as sacred, the entire stupa came to be venerated
 Growth of Jainism and Buddhism as an emblem of both Buddha and Buddhism.
 The Rise of Magadha Kingdom  The early stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut were plain.
POINTS TO REMEMBER/IMPORTANT TERMS, They had along stone railings and gateways. Stone
railings resembled a bamboo or wooden fence.
FACTS, FIGURES AND DATES
Gateways, which were installed at the four
 A number of thinkers emerged during mid-first cardinal points, were richly carved.
millennium B.C.E. like Zarathustra in Iran, Kong Zi  Ar t hist or ians need to take help from the
in China, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle in Greece and hagiographies of the Buddha in order to understand

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Mahavira and Gautama Buddha in India. All these the Buddhist sculpture. Many early sculptors did not
tried to understand the mysteries of the existence. show the Buddha in human form as they showed
 The Buddhist, Jain and the ‘Brahmanical texts, his presence through the medium of symbols.
monuments and inscriptions are some of the  Mahayana tradition emerged in Buddhism
important sources of the age C. 600 B.C.E. 600 C.E. during Kanishka's age. Supporters of Mahayana
 Sanchi was an important Buddhist centre. The r egar ded ot her Buddhist s as f ollow er s of

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discovery of Sanchi has greatly changed our H i n ay a n a . M o de r n Hi n d u is m h a s t w o
understanding of early Buddhism. These days, it traditions—Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
is a live example of successful preservation of a  The period between 7th and 5th century BC was
key archaeological site by the Archaeological turning point in the intellectual and spiritual
Survey of India. development of the whole world, for it witnessed
 Rigveda is a collection of hymns in praise of many the emergence of early philosophers of Greece,
deities like Agni, Indra and Soma. Some of these the great Hebrew poets, Confucius in China and
hymns are chanted at the time of yajnas. Zoroaster in Persia.

raSome of the ideas found in Upanishads show that  It was at this time that Jainism and Buddhism
people were curious to know the meaning of life arose in India, each based on a distinctive set of
and the possibility of life after death (rebirth). doctrines and each laying down distinctive rule
 Some of the thinkers, including the Mahavira and of conduct for attaining salvation.
the Buddha, raised questions about the authority
CAUSES OF EMERGENCE OF NEW MOVEMENTS
of Vedas. They also suggested that men and
women themselves could try to attain liberation.  Vedic philosophy had lost its original purity.
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 The most important idea of Jainism is that the  Vedic religion had become very complex and
whole would is animated. It has been assumed degenerated into superstitions, dogmas and rituals.
that life exists even in stones, rocks and water.  Supremacy of the Brahmanas created unrest in
Non-violence towards living beings including the society and Kshatriya reacted against the
humans, animals, plants and insects is the Brahmanical domination.
central point of Jaina philosophy.  Introduction of a new agricultural economy in
 Buddha’s childhood name was Siddhartha. He was eastern India.
the son of a chief of Sakya clan.  The desire of Vaishyas to improve their social
 Disciples of Buddha, soon, increased to a great position with the increase in their economic
extent. That is why he founded a Sangha. It was an position due to the growth of trade.
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institution of those monks who became teachers of

BUDDHISM
Dhamma. These monks lived a simple life.
 Buddha’s disciples belonged to many social groups.  Gautama, the Buddha was also known as
They included kings, wealthy persons, Grihapati and Siddhartha, Sakyamuni and Tathagata.
common masses like workers, slaves and craftsmen.  Born in 563 BC (widely accepted), on the
 There is a mention of Chaityas in the Buddhist Vaishakha Purnima day at Lumbini, near
literature. It also describes the place associated with Kapilvastu, capital of the Sakya republic.
the life of Buddha, i.e., where he was born (Lumbini),  Married to Yasodhara and had a son Rahul.
place where he attained enlightenment (Bodh Gaya),  Left home at the age of 29 and attained Nirvana
place where he gave his first sermon (Sarnath) and place at the age of 35 at Bodh Gaya.
where he attained nibbana (nirvan) (Kusinagara).  Delivered his first sermon at Sarnath.

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 He attained Mahaparinirvana at Kusinara in 480 BC. in establishment of intimate contacts between
India and other countries.
THE DHAMMA
 Buddhism proved to be one of the greatest civilising
The Four Great Truths forces, which India gave to the neighbouring countries.
 The world is full of sorrow and misery. Difference Between Two Sects of Buddhism
 The cause of all pain and misery is desire. Mahayana Hinayana
 Pain and misery can be ended by killing or They treated Lord Buddha : They treated Lord Buddha
controlling desire. as deity and worshipped as a symbol of idealism and
 Desire can be controlled by following the Eight Fold Path. his idol. purity.
(i) Right Understanding (ii) Right Thought They over stressed : They believed in the religious
(iii) Right Action (iv) Right Livelihood on belief and devotion. teachings only after
(v) Right Efforts (vi) Right Speech

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getting it confirmed on
(vii) Right Mindfullness the basis of debate.
(viii) Right Concentration They used Sanskrit. : Their entire literature
was in Pali language.
BELIEF IN NIRVANA They thought it essential : They stressed on pure and good
When desire ceases, rebirth ceases then nirvana to follow the religious conduct to attain the
is attained i.e., freedom from the cycle of birth, death

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rules to attain the objective of life.
and rebirth is gained by following eight fold path.
objective of life.
BUDDHIST LITERATURE The word meaning of : The word meaning of Hinayana
In Pali language commonly referred to as Tripitakas, Mahayana is the greater is the lesser yana (or shorter
i.e., ‘three fold basket’. yana (or bigger ship). ship). The followers of this sect
(i) Vinaya Pitaka – Rules of discipline in Buddhist The sect believes that believes that everybody should
monasteries. everybody should care care only for his own 'nirvana'
ra
(ii) Sutta Pitaka – Largest, contains collection of for his own 'nirvana' as or salvation because this
Buddha's sermons. well as for the salvation philosophical thought is
(iii) Abhidhamma Pitaka – Explanation of the of others. concerned to every person
philosophical principles of the Buddhist religion. individually.
BUDDHIST COUNCILS  Principles of Jainism
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Buddhist Time Place Chairman Patron
– Jainism rejected the authority of Vedas and
First 483 BC Rajagriha Mahakashyapa Ajatshatru
the Vedic rituals.
Second 383 BC Vaishali Sabakami Kalashoka
Third 250 BC Patliputra Moggaliputta Ashoka – Did not believe in God.
Tissa – Believed in karma and the transmigration of soul.
Fourth AD 72 Kundalavana Vasumitra, – Laid great emphasis on equality.
Ashwaghosha Kanishka
 Sects in Jainism
Causes of Decline of Buddhism – It is believed that about two hundred years after
 Use of Sanskrit, the language of intellectuals, in the death of Mahavira a terrible famine broke
out in Magadha.
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place of Pali, the language of the common people.

Revival of Hinduism. – Chandragupta Maurya along with his followers
went to Karnataka Sthulbahu in charge of the
Contribution of Buddhism Jainas that remained in Magadha.
 The doctrine of Ahimsa so strongly stressed, devotely – The Jainas who went to Karnataka were called
preached and sincerely practised by the Buddhists, Digambaras and Magadha Jains were called
was incorporated in Hinduism in later days. Shvetambaras.
 The practice of worshipping personal Gods, The Tirthankaras of Jainism and their teachings about Jainism
making their images and erecting temples in
their honour became a part of the later Hinduism. Jainism has 24 tirthankaras. It had the following
most important tirthankaras:
 Buddhism broke the isolation of India and helped
 Rishabhnath: He was the first tirthankar of

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Jainism. According to a tradition, he was a king. Jainism do not believe in casteism. According to
He left his throne for his son named Bharat. them, all the people are equal. No one can be high
 Parshvanath: He was the 23rd tirthankar of or low on the basis of caste.
Jainism. He was the son of Ashavsen, the King of  Belief in the theory of Karma: According to
Kashi. He renounced the world at the age of thirty. Jainism, the cycle of birth and re-birth is shaped
He attained true enlightenment after a deep through Karma. The next birth depends on the
meditation for only three months. He spent the deeds done in the present life. So we should
rest of his life as a Dharam Guru. He died at the perform good deeds.
age of hundred.
 Vardhman Mahavira: He was the 24th and the last THE RISE OF MAGADHA KINGDOM
tirthankar of Jainism. He was born at Vaishali in
the 6th century BCE. His childhood name was Haryankas
Vardhman. The name of his father was Siddharth

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 The first dynasty that ruled Magadha was
and the name of his mother was Trishala. He was Haryanka dynasty.
married to Yashoda when he was quite young. He
was blessed with a son. He left his house at the  Bimbisara was the founder of this dynasty. His
age of thirty. He practised penance for many years. capital was situated at Rajgir.
He attained enlightenment at the age of forty two.  He had three wives. His second wife Chellana was
He spent the rest of his life in preaching religion. a Lichchhavi princess from Vaishali who gave

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He died at the age of seventy two. birth to Ajatasatru.
 Ajatashatru laid the foundation of a new capital
Teachings of Jainism at Pataligrama.
The religion that the tirthankaras preached came to  Ajatashatru was succeeded by Udayin who ruled
be known as Jainism. The main teachings of this from Patliputra.
religion are as follows :
 Tri-Ratna: According to Jainism, the ultimate aim Shishunaga Dynasty
of human life is the attainment of Nirvana or The Shishunaga dynasty faded fast af ter
ra salvation. There are three means to attain this Ajatasatru. The last recorded ruler of the family was
nirvana—pure knowledge, pure character and Kakavarna who was put to death by Mahapadmananda
pure philosophy. These principles of Jainism are of the Nanda dynasty, which followed the shishunagas.
known as the Triratna. The Nandas are know n f or t heir age of
 Belief in Penance: The followers of Jainism magnificence and immense wealth (which they
believed in asceticism and penance. They gave amassed by huge taxation). They were of lowborn
more and more torture to their bodies. They
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sudra stock and hence had the odds stacked against
believed that salvation could be achieved by giving them right from the start. The Nandas, were very
more and more pain to the human body. powerful with a huge standing army and a grand court.
 Non-violence: Jainism has emphasised on ahimsa The most famous of this dynasty was Dhanananda.
or non-violence in life. The followers of this religion He started his own downfall by insulting a certain
believe that all things of this world are animate. unsightly looking Brahmin, who unfortunately for
So they considered it a sin to cause any injury to
Dhanananda, turned out to have surprising vision,
any human-being, animal, plant or insect.
intellect and Machiavellian cunning.
 No Faith in God: The followers of Jainism do not
believe in God though they accept the existence Alexander’s Invasion
of God. They worship their Tirthankaras in
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Alexander, the son of Phillip of Macedonia

place of God.
(Greece), invaded India in 326 BC. His major battle
 No Faith in the Vedas: The disciples of Jainism
was with Poras, the king of Punjab on the banks of
do not consider the Vedas as having divine
river Jhelum. Alexander emerged victorious. It was
knowledge. They do not consider the means of
the result of Alexander's invasion that the link between
salvation mentioned in the Vedas as important.
They believed that Yajnas were futile. India and the West was initiated.
 Belief in Soul: The followers of Jainism accept the Nandas
existence of soul. According to them the soul is
immortal. Though it is in the body yet it is distinct  The Shishunagas were succeeded by the Nandas
and different from the body. who proved to be most powerful rulers of Magadha.
 No Faith in Caste System: The followers of  Mahapadma Nanda founded the Nanda Dynasty,

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He captured whole of North India. MAURYAN EMPERORS
 Dhanananda was the last king of Nanda Dynasty. Chandragupta Maurya
He was the king when Alexander attacked India
 In 305 BC, Chandragupta defeated Seleucus
in 326 B.C.
Nikator, who surrendered a vast territory.
Factors Responsible for Growth of Magadha  Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador sent to the
court of Chandragupta Maurya by Seleucus.
 Magadha was located in the Gangetic basin, where
the soil was very fertile and yield good agricultural  Chandragupta became a Jain and went to
produce. Shravanabelagola with Bhadrabahu, where he
died by slow starvation (Salekhan).
 Land was fertile which yield good harvest. Land
revenue was high and it provided huge income  Under Chandragupta Maurya, for the first time,
for the kingdom. the whole of northern India was united.

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 Trade flourished, agriculture was regulated,
 The thick forests supplied timber and elephants.
weights and measures were standardized and
Timber was used in the construction of houses
money came into use.
while elephants were used in the army.
 It had large deposits of copper and iron ore. The  Taxation, sanitation and famine relief became the
iron was used to make weapons and agricultural concerns of the State.
implements. Bindusara

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 It had a flourishing trade with other regions.  Bindusara extended the kingdom further and
Profits from trade helped Magadha to maintain a conquered the south, as far as Mysore.
large army.
 Bindusara asked Antiochus I of Syria to send some
 It was ruled by a powerful king. sweet wine, dried figs, and a Sophist. Antiocus I
 It enjoyed a favourable geographical location. It's sent wine and figs but politely replied that Greek
oldest capital Rajagriha was surrounded by hills philosophers are not for sale.
on three sides.

raThe new capital, Pataliputra was situated on the
 Bindusara patronized Ajivikas.
bank of the river Ganga which provided natural Ashoka
barrier against any attack on kingdom.  According to the Buddhist tradition Ashoka usurped
the throne after killing his 99 brothers and spared
Maurya Dynasty
Tissa, the youngest one. Radhagupta a minister of
Between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE, Bindusara helped him in fractious struggle.
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Magadha (Bihar) became the most power ful
mahajanapada. Modern historians explain this  Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire reached its
development in a variety of ways. climax. For the first time, the whole of the
 Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially subcontinent, leaving out the extreme south, was
productive. Besides, iron mines were accessible and under imperial control.
provided resources for tools and weapons.  Ashoka fought Kalinga war in 261 BC in the 9th
 Elephants, an important component of the army, year of his coronation. The king was moved by
were found in forests in this region. The Ganga massacre in this war and therefore abandoned
and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and the policy of physical occupation in favour of policy
convenient communications. of cultural conquest. In other words, Bherighosha
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 Early Buddhist and Jaina writers attributed its was replaced by Dhammaghosha.
power to the policies of individuals like Bimbisara,  Ashoka was not an extreme pacifist. He did not
Ajatashatru and Mahapadma Nanda who were
pursue the policy of peace for sake of peace under
ruthlessly ambitious kings and their ministers,
all conditions. Thus, he retained Kalinga after its
who helped them to implement their policies.
conquest and incorporated it into his empire.
 Rajagaha was the capital of Magadha, a fortified
settlement located among hills. Later in the 4th  Ashoka sent missionaries to the kingdoms of
century BCE, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra Cholas and Pandyas, and five states ruled by Greek
(i.e., Patna) commanding routes of communication kings. We also know that he sent missionaries to
along the Ganga. Ceylon and Suvarnabhumi (Burma) and also parts
of South East Asia.

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Some Facts about Mauryas  Atrocities by the officials: In the remote and distant
 During Mauryan rule, though there was banking villages of the Mauryan Empire, the administration
system in India, yet usury was customary and the rate was not good. The government official committed a
lot of atrocities on the common people. Their
of interest was 15% per annum on borrowing money.
atrocities increased so much that in many areas,
In less secure transactions (like sea voyages etc.) the
the people revolted against these officials.
rate of interest could be as high as 60% per annum.
 Lack of Military Power: After the Kalinga war,
 During Mauryan period, the punch marked coins
Ashoka made up his mind not to wage any war in
(mostly of silver) were the common units of transactions.
future. He renounced war. So he did not give much
 Tamralipti in the Gangetic delta was the most
prosperous port on the east coast of India. attention to strengthen his army. As a result, the
 Megasthenes in his ‘Indica’ had mentioned 7 Mauryan power was on a decline.
castes in Mauryan society. They w ere  Foreign Aggressions: Finding the Mauryan empire

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philosophers, farmers, soldiers, herdsmen, as weak and crumbling, the foreign invaders started
artisans, magistrates and councillors. attacking the border areas of the empire. They gave
a strong jolt to the Mauryan power. In this way,
The Decline of Mauryan Empire Mauryan empire declined slowly and steadily.
 Mauryan Empire lasted a little over a century and  Enmity of Brahmanas: The Hinduism witnessed
broke up fifty years after the death of Ashoka. a great decline during the reign of Ashoka. The
Brahmanas could not tolerate it. So they became

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 In 185 BC, Mauryan king was overthrown by
antagonistic towards the Mauryan empire. At last,
Pushyamitra Shunga, an ambitious commander- the last ruler of the Mauryan empire was
in-chief of armed forces. murdered by a Brahman commander. Hence the
 He started Shunga dynasty in Magadha. Mauryan empire completely declined.
 Mauryan Empire ushered in a dream that was to
survive and echo again and again in centuries to come. Features of the Mauryan Administration
The Mauryan empire declined on account of the  There were five major political centers in the empire.
following reasons:

ra Incapable Inheritors: After Ashoka, the reign went
 Pataliputra was the capital of the empire.
 Provincial centers were Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali
in the hands of rulers like Dashrath, Samprati
and Suvarnagiri.
and Brihadrat ha. All these rulers w ere
incompetent to govern.  Suvarnagiri was important for tapping gold mines
 Vast Empire: The Mauryan empire had witnessed of Karnataka.
a phenomenal expansion during the reign of  Taxila and Ujjayini were probably used for long
Ashoka. However those who inherited his legacy distance trade routes.
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proved to be very weak rulers. They failed to  Administrative control was strongest in areas
protect the vast empire. around the capital and provinces.
 Lack of Law of Succession: There was no specific  Capital centers were carefully chosen.
law of succession in the Mauryan dynasty. So  Communication along both land and water was of
when a ruler died, the princes started fighting vital importance for existence of the empire.
against each other to get the way to throne.
 Army was important means for ensuring safety
Ashoka himself had killed his 99 brothers to get
an access to the throne. The Mauryan power and security.
became very weak due to such civil wars.  Megasthenes mentions a committee with six
 Internal Incohesion: After the death of Ashoka, subcommittees for coordination of military activity.
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there was an internal rebellion in the empire.  Ashoka tried to hold the empire by dhamma.
Many provincial gov ernor s had declared  Dhamma ensured well being of the people in this
themselves as independent. Consequently the world and the next.
Mauryan empire started crumbling.  Ashoka appointed special officers known as Dhamma
 Lack of Money: Money is very important in the Mahamatta to spread the message of Dhamma.
governance of a state. But Ashoka spent  According to Megasthenes, Officers were appointed
generously in preaching and spreading Buddhism.
to different work. Such as some superintended
He also spent a lot on public welfare activities. As
a result, there was no money in the royal treasury. the rivers, measure the land; inspect the sluices
It loosened the grip on the administration. The by which water is let out from the main canals
subsequent rulers failed to nip the rebellion into branches, so everyone may have equal supply
because of lack of money in the treasury. of it. Some officers collect the taxes.

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Mauryan Contribution to Indian Art and Architecture  Jewellery: The art of jewellery was also advanced. Some
During the Mauryan period significant progress was ornaments of Ashokan period (250 B.C.) have been
made in the fields of craft, architecture, sculpture, stone found during the excavation at Taxila. They testify
polishing, engineering and jewellery making, etc. the skill of the Mauryan craftsmen and goldsmiths.
 Craft and Architecture: The grand palaces built Alexander The Great
by the Mauryan emperors struck foreign travellers
with amazement. As most of these structures were  He reached India through Khyber Pass in 326 B.C.
built of wood so none of their fine specimen have  He constructed a bridge on the India River at
survived to this day. But we know on the authority Ohind about 24 km above Attock.
of the contemporary Greek writer that the  Alexander first met with Ambhi, the king of Taxila.
Mauryan palaces were unique in beauty. The  He defeated Porus who ruled the region between
Chinese traveller Fahein says that Asoka’s palace Jhelum and Chenab.
was so beautiful that it could have been built only

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 He came upto river Beas and then returned back
by gods and not by human beings. as his army revolted against him.
Besides the royal palaces, the Mauryan emperors  He reached back to Susa in Persia in 324 B.C.
built several thousand stupas throughout the empire.  He died at the age of 32 in Babylon.
These stupas were built with brick or stones and
were domeshaped whose diameter decreased as the Maurya Stone Sculptures
building rose higher. Of these stupas those of Sanchi Stone Elephant Dhauli (Odisha)

ck
and Bharhut are notable for their grandeur.
Yakshi Didarganj (Bihar)
 Sculpture: The greatest stride was made by the art
Yaksha Parkhama (Mathura)
of chiseling stone columns, the beautiful icons and
caves. Ashokan pillars are the best specimen of Four Lion Capital Sarnath (Sanchi)
Mauryan art. Their pillars are 50-60 feet high Single Lion Capital Lauria Nandangarh (Rampurva-I)
weighing about 50 tons. It is amazing how such Single Bull Capital Rampurva-II
huge pillars were carved from a single rock. In spite
Some Officers Under Mauryas
of their huge size these pillars have a capitol head
ra carved with the unique figures of birds and animals.  Amatyas Highest civil or military servants.
The four headed iron capitol at Sarnath, which has  Samharta Chief controller of taxes.
been adopted as the official seal or national emblem  Sannidhata Chief treasurer.
of India, is the living example of Mauryan art.  Dwarika Head of Royal palace.
Another unique feature of Mauryan sculpture is the  Rajukas Officers measuring land and fixing
rock cut cave which was a herculean feet their boundaries.
accomplished by Mauryan craftsmen.  Pradeshika Head of the district administration.
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 The art of polishing: The art of polishing hard rock  Nagarika Officer incharge of the city.
was so advanced during the Mauryan period that  Dandapala Chief commandant.
even today we are far behind in this field. The  Raksinah The police.
cave walls near Gaya are so well polished that they
shine like a mirror. The Ashokan pillar in SUBCONTINENT AFTER MAURYAS
Ferozshah Kotla at Delhi was mistaken by an
English Bishop Heber, as made of metals. It was TOPIC
all because of its mirror like shine.  Post Mauryan Period
 Engineering Skill and Technology: Huge rocks were  The Age of Guptas
cut, preserved and chiselled into pillars which were
Ancient South India
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
as high as 50 feet and as heavy as 50 tons. These
huge rocks were cut probably from the Chunar Hills  Sangam Period
and from here they were carried to distant  Post Gupta Period
destinations. It was a marvellous feat to transport
such huge rocks to such distances. It can be easily POINTS TO REMEMBER/IMPORTANT TERMS,
imagined from the fact that in 1356 A.D., King Firoz
Tughlak desired to carry an Ashokan pillar from
FACTS, FIGURES AND DATES
Topara in Ambala to Delhi. It is said that he
The Post-Mauryan Period
employed 8,400 men to carry it on a huge carriage
fitted with 42 wheels. Thus there were 200 men to  In the post-Mauryan period, three dynasties
pull each wheel on an average. It proves the jostled, came and went with astonishing speed on
advanced skill of the Mauryan engineers. the Magadhan throne. The first among these were

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the Sungas, under whom the country made The Cholas
certain progress. The Sunga rulers were also The Chola kingdom called as Cholamandalam was
quite successful in checking foreign invasions. situated to the north-east of Pandya kingdom between
Art and culture also flourished considerably under Pennar and Vellar riv ers. Their capital was
the Sungas who were particularly known to be Kaveripattanam/Puhar.
great patrons of both. The Cheras
 The Sungas were followed by the Kanvas, who were Their capital was Vengi. It owed its important trade
almost like a blip in the scene of Indian history, with Romans.
lasting only 45 years in all. The other important The Sangam Age
dynasty of this Post-Mauryan confusion was the Sangam Age corresponds to the post-Maurya and pre-
Andhras or the Satavahanas. Gupta period. Sangam was a college or assembly of

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According to traditional sources, they were Tamil poets held under Royal Patronage.
apparently Dasyus (as opposed to Aryans) from Three Sangams were held–
south India. Even in Ashoka’s time, this dynasty
1. At Madurai chaired by Agastya.
had risen to quite a bit of prominence along the
2. At Kapatpuram, chaired by Tolkappiyar.
southwest regions. Though the dynasty was
3. At Madurai, chaired by Nakkirar.
founded by Simuka (235-213 BC), it had 30 kings

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 Sangam literature was written over a period of
in all. One of the most famous rulers of this three to four centuries.
dynasty was Sri Satkarni (194- 184 BC), who had  In ancient times, poets and scholars used to
a kingdom covering almost all of south India, down assemble at the capital of Chola kings.
to the Andhra region and around with his capital  They presented their poems in the assembly.
as the present Aurangabad.  All poems were compiled in book form known as
 The next important dynasty to step into the scene Sangam literature.
‘Kural’ by Thiruvalluvar is called the Fifth Veda
ra were the Kushanas, about whom not much is 
or the Bible of Tamil Land.
known. Though there is controversy even over the
date of accession of their most important king Kanishka of Kushana Dynasty
Kanishka, he most probably ruled sometime in  Kanishka (78-101 AD) succeeded Kadphises-II.
the first century AD. Kanishka has been greatly Kanishka was the most known and greatest king
associated with Buddhism and his reign made the among all the Kushana kings.
He founded Saka era (78 A.D.).
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religion popular again. Much artistic, cultural, 
spiritual and literary activity was encouraged by  His capital was Purushapur i.e., modern Peshawar.
him to promote the religion.  He was the follower of Mahayana sect of
Buddhism. Fourth Buddhist Council was held
It was in his reign that Buddhism split into two
during Kanishka’s reign.
sects, Hinayana (the older simpler religion when
 He constructed the Peshawar stupa.
Buddha was not considered God) and Mahayana  Kanishka’s court was adorned by the presence of
(the more ritualistic Buddhism, which worships some eminent scholars as Parsva, Nagarjuna,
the Buddha). The latter was the state religion of Ashvaghosha, Vasumitra and Charaka.
the Kushanas, who were Indo- Greek by origin.  Mathura and Gandhara schools of Art attained
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their peak in his reign.

THE KANVA DYNASTY (73 BC-28 BC)  Sushruta Samhita, a book on surgery was written
In 73 B.C. Devabhuti, the last ruler of the Sunga by Sushruta during his time.
Dynasty was murdered by his minister Vasudeva, who
Gupta Empire (320-550 A.D.)
usurped the throne and founded the Kanva Dynasty.
 Srigupta was the founder of the Gupta Dynasty.
The Pandyas Srigupta's son Ghatotkacha succeeded him.
The capital of Pandyas was Madurai. The Pandyas were  After the Kushanas, India saw political unity only
first mentioned by Megasthenes, famous for pearls. under the second great dynasty of ancient Indian
The Pandyas had trade relation with Roman empire history after the Mauryas, the Guptas. The
and sent embassies to Emperor Augustus. imperial Guptas were great conquerors, efficient
administrators and renowned patrons of arts,

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science and culture. What is more, they lasted  Allahabad pillar inscription mentions the title
for long; they had at least six strong rulers. Their Dharma Prachar Bandhu for him that he was the
reign is called the Golden Age of ancient Indian upholder of Brahmanical religion.
history. It is during their reign that the Hinduism  After all his military triumphs, he performed the
was revived. To revive the glory of the ‘old’ culture, Ashwamedha, which is evident on some of his
which had been obscured by the so-called foreign
coins. Ashwamedha gave him the coveted title of
rulers, must have been a matter of pride for them.
Maharajadhiraj, the supreme king of kings. His
The Gupta Emperors greatest achievement can be described as the
political unification of most of the India or
Chandragupta I 320-335 AD Aryavarta into a formidable power.
Samudragupta 335-375 AD  Coins—Archer types, Tiger type and Battle type.
Ramgupta 375-380 AD On some of his gold coins he is represented playing

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Chandragupta Vikramaditya 380-413 AD the Veena.
Kumargupta Mahendraditya 415-455 AD Chandragupta-II
Skandagupta 455-467 AD  Mehrauli inscription on iron pillar near Qutub
Minar is related to him.
Later Guptas  His court was adorned by Navratnas, the chief
being Kalidasa and Amarsimha. Fa-hien, Chinese

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 Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Baladit ya,
Pilgrim (AD 399-414) visited during his reign.
Kumaragupta II, Buddhagupta, Bhanugupta,
 He defeated Saka Kshatrap Rudrasimha III.
Harshagupta, Damodargupta, Mahasenagupta.
 Chandragupta II also succeeded in killing
Chandragupta-I Ramgupta, and not only seized his kingdom but
also married to his widow Dhruvdevi. He was the
 He was the first Gupta ruler to assume the title of first Gupta ruler to issue the silver coins in the
Maharajadhiraja. memory of victory over Sakas and adopted the

raHe strengthened his kingdom by matrimonial titles Sakari and Vikramaditya. The Gupta age is
called Golden Age of Indian history and issued
alliance with the powerful family of Lichchhavis
who were the rulers of Mithila. His marriage to largest number of gold coins.
Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi, brought an Kumargupta-I
enormous power, resources and prestige. He took  Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son
advantage of the situation and occupied the whole Kumargupta I.
of fertile Gangetic valley.
Kumargupta was the worshipper of God Kartikeya.
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
 He started the Gupta Era in 319-20 AD.
 He founded the ‘Nalanda Mahavihara’ which
Samudragupta developed into a great centre of learning.
 Samudragupta was perhaps the greatest king of Skandagupta
Gupta dynasty.  Skandagupta is the last great ruler of the Gupta
 His name appear in Javanese text Tantrikamandaka, dynasty. During his reign the Gupta empire was
and Chinese writer, Wang-Hiuen-Tse refers that invaded by the Huns.
an ambassador was sent to' his court by King  Success in repelling the Huns seems to have been
Meghvarma of Sri Lanka, who had asked his celebrated by t he assumption of the title
permission to build a Buddhist monastery at Bodh ‘Vikramaditya’ (Bhitari Pillar Inscription).
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Gaya for the monks travelling from Sri Lanka.

 The most detailed and authentic record of his reign Position of Women Under Guptas
is preserved in the Allahabad pillar inscription,  The position of women deteriorated further.
composed by his court poet Harisena.  Polygamy was common.
 Samudragupta believed in policy of war and  The first example of sati appears in Gupta time in
conquest and has been termed as the Napoleon of 510 AD in Eran in Madhya Pradesh.
India by Vincent A. Smith.
 The women of higher orders did not have access
 When he died his mighty empire bordered with to independent source of livelihood.
Kushana of West ern pr ovince (modern
 Women lacked property rights. However stridhana
Afghanistan and Pakistan) and Vakatakas in
was considered her property.
Deccan (modern southern Maharashtra).

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Trade and Coinage  Rajendra I (AD 1014-1044) annexed whole Sri
 In Gold content, Gupta coins are not as pure as Kushanas. Lanka, took the title of Gangaikonda and founded
 The Guptas also issued good number of silver coins Gangaikondacholapuram.
for local exchange.  Dancing Figure of Shiva (Nataraja) belongs to
 The Gupta copper coins are very few as compared Chola period.
to Kushanas, which show that use of money did
not touch common people. Chalukyas (543-757 AD)
 Chalukyas established their capital at Vatapi
The Post Gupta Period
(Modern district of Bijapur in Karnataka).
 From the decline of Guptas four major kingdoms
 First Chalukyan king was Pulakeshin I. The most
flourished in North India:
important king was Pulakeshin II.

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Pallavas (560-903 AD)  Pulakeshin II was able to check Harsha’s desire
 There is controversy regarding the origin of to conquer Deccan.
Pallavas. Possibly the Pallavas were a local tribe  The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang visited his kingdom.
who established their authority in the Tondainadu  Aihole was called the cultural capital of the Chalukyas.
or the land of creepers.
 They were orthodox Brahmanical Hindus and their Economic Condition of the People During the Gupta Period

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capital was at Kanchi.
 As regards to the economic condition of the people
 Both Chalukyas and Pallavas tried to establish their in the Gupta period, a lot of progress was made in
supremacy over land between Krishna and Tungabhadra. agriculture, industry, trade, business and banking.
 Pallava king Narasimhavarman (630-68 AD)  From the inscriptions of the Gupta period dealing
occupied Chalukyan capital at Vatapi in about 640 with land, it is clear that it was not easy to secure
AD and assumed the title Vatapikonda. any fallow, uncultivated or un-settled land for
charitable purposes.
Harshavardhana (606-647 AD)

ra Harsha belonged to Pushyabhuti dynasty, which
 It appears that there were separate guilds or shrenis
or nigamas for industry, trade and banking.
ruled from Thanesvar. Pushyabhutis were the
feudatories of the Guptas, but had assumed  There are references of guilds to shresthis or bankers,
independence after Huna invasions. kulikas or artisans, sarthavahas or traders.
 His regin is comparatively well-documented, thanks  Banking was an important function of the guilds.
to his court poet Bana Bhatta, who was the author of  The latter accepted donations which were
works such as Harshacharita (an account of Harsha’s permanent and irrevocable.
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rise to power), Kadambari and Parvatiparinay.
 Out of this money, the guilds made payment to be
Chola Empire (9th-12th Century) beneficiaries named by the donors.
 The founder of Chola dynasty was Vijayalaya who  The Gupta rulers issued currency of different
was at first feudatory of the Pallavas. He captured designs, types and denominations.
Tanjore in 850 AD.  Coins were also of different metals viz- gold, silver
 The greatest Chola rulers were Rajaraja and his and copper.
son Rajendra I.  Works of public utility were constructed at many places.
 The Chola empire was divided into Mandalams
 The Sudarshana reservoir was constructed by
(provinces) and these in turn was divided into
daming the flow of river down the hills near Girnar
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Valanadu and Nadu.

in Saurashtra.
 The last ruler of Chola kingdom was Rajendra III.
 In the Gandhara inscription, there is a reference
 The Rajaraje built a Shiva temple of Rajrajeshwar
in Tanjore. to the amenities of a city such as wells, tanks,
temples with halls, storage of drinking water,
 Aditya I wiped out Pallavas and weakened Pandyas.
parks, lakes, causeways etc.
 Parantaka I captured Madurai but defeated by
Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna III at the Battle of Takkolam. The Sources used for Reconstructing the History of the Gupta Rulers
 Rajaraja I (AD 985-1014) led a naval expedition against  Histories of the Gupta rulers have been
Shailendra empire (Malaya Peninsula) and conquered reconstructed from literature, coins and inscriptions
Northern Sri Lanka, constructed Rajarajeshwara (or including prashastis, composed in praise of kings
Brihadeshvara) Shiva temple at Tanjore. in particular, and patrons in general, by poets.

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What did subjects think about their rulers ? were inspired by Chinese rulers who called
Historians have tried to solve this problem by themselves as sons of heaven.
examining stories contained in anthologies such  A picture of king has been shown on coins _ of
as the Jatakas and the Panchatantra. Kushana rulers. There is a picture of a deity
 From the early centuries of the Common Era, we on other side of this coin. This type of coins
find grants of land being made, many of which were issued to express their divine status.
were recorded in inscriptions. Some of these
inscriptions were on stone, but most were on II. Gupta Rulers
copper plates which were probably given to those  Second development in the notion of kingship
who received the land, as a record of the took place during the Gupta age. Many
transaction. The records that have survived are evidences of large states have been found by
generally about grants to religious institutions/ the 4th century including the Gupta empire.
individuals. Most inscriptions were in Sanskrit. Many of these empires depended upon

er
 There are several interesting issues that an Samantas w ho wer e those men who
inscription opens up. According to Sanskrit, it is maintained themselves through local
resources which included control over land.
also possible that the provisions of the legal texts
Samantas respected their kings and provided
were not implemented in many cases. While most military support to the rulers. Few powerful
land grants document transactions between men, Samantas became king as weak rulers were
there are some, from different parts of the reduced to the position of subordinates.

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subcontinent, which record transaction in which  Literature, coins and inscriptions were used
women participated as an active agents. to reconstruct history of the Gupta rulers.
Prashastis were used for this purpose as they
The Notions of Kingship developed in the post-Mauryan Period were composed in praise of kings or their
 The ideas which were developed about Kingship patrons. While historians generally try to draw
in the post-Mauryan period have a very distinctive facts from these compositions, those who
feature and that was ‘Divine Theory of Kingship’. composed and read them generally kept them
Kings started to associate themselves with Gods and as works of poets instead of accounts which
ra Goddesses to achieve higher status. Kushana rulers, are really true. For example, we can take the
who ruled from Central Asia upto western India, Prayaga Prashasti which is famous by the
used this method in better way. Kushana history name of Allahabad Pillar Inscription. Its writer
was reconstructed through inscriptions and literary Harisena, described Samudragupta, his
traditions. The notion of kingship which Kushanas patron, as the most powerful Gupta ruler. This
wished to project is perhaps best evidenced in the type of views express new ideas of kingship.
coins and sculptures.
Ajanta Paintings
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I. Kushana Rulers  They are located in Aurangabad district of
 Colossal statues of Kushana rulers have been Maharashtra.
found in Matt near Mathura. Some scholars are  The style of paintings is fresco.
of opinion that Kushanas might have considered  Out of 29 caves, paintings of only six caves
themselves God-like. Many Kushana rulers also
are found intact.
adopted the title of Deveputra. They probably
 Most of the paintings are based on Buddhism.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQ)

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PART-I 3. Which Indus city was known as 5. The Harappan civ ilizat ion
‘city of the dead’? covers an area of almost 1600
1. Once India was called as– (a) Harappa (b) Lothal km east-west and ________
(a) Land of preachers (c) Mohenjodaro north-south.
(b) Land of seven rivers (d) None of the above (a) 800 km (b) 1100 km
(c) Land of spices 4. The city of Mohenjodaro was (c) 1200 km (d) 1400 km
(d) Land of prosperity famous for its– 6. The ruins of Mohenjodaro was
2. Basically Aryans life style was– (a) Urban character first discovered by–
(a) Rural (b) Urban (a) Dayaram Sahni
(b) Town planning
(c) Tribal (b) R.D. Bannerjee
(c) Cleanliness
(d) All of the above (c) John Marshal (d) B.B. Lal
(d) Huge population

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7. Which of the pairs are correctly 16. The Vedic deity Indra was the 24. In Early Vedic Society, the God
matched? God of– of plants was–
(a) The village–Grama (a) Rain and thunder (a) Indra (b) Soma
(b) The family–Kula (b) Fire (c) Pushan (d) Pashu
(c) The clan-Vis 25. Later Vedic Society was divided
(c) Wind (d) Eternity
(d) All of the above into four–
17. Match the following and select
8. The Rigvedic people w ere (a) Varnas (b) Ashramas
settled in– the correct answer from the
given codes:- (c) Castes (d) Groups
(a) Yamuna valley
(b) Saraswati valley 26. In Later Vedic Society the staple
Veda Subject Matter crops were–
(c) Indus valley
A. Rigveda 1. Musical hymns (a) Barley, wheat
(d) Ganga valley
B. Yajurveda 2. Hymns and rituals

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9. Under the Aryan Society the (b) Maize, wheat
head of a grama was known as– C. Samaveda 3. Charms and spells (c) Wheat, rice
(a) King D. Atharvaveda 4. Hymns and prayers (d) All of the above
(b) Grama Pramukh Codes:- A B C D 27. Among the four Vedas, most
(c) Mukhiya (d) Gramini (a) 4 2 1 3 important one is–
10. The Rigvedic society comprised (a) Samaveda
(b) 3 2 4 1

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four varnas. This classification
(c) 4 1 2 3 (b) Atharvaveda
of society was based on–
(a) Occupation (b) Religion (d) 2 3 2 4 (c) Rigveda (d) Yajurveda
(c) Birth (d) Status 18. The Great Bath of the Indus 28. The philosophical texts
11. Which of the following Vedic Valley Civilization was found in– emphasing value of right belief
texts recommend retirement to and knowledge, criticized rituals
(a) Lothal (b) Harappa
forests as essential to those and sacrifies are known as–
who seek t he highest (c) Mohenjodaro
(a) Vedas (b) Upanishads
raknowledge? (d) None of the above (c) Puranas (d) Vedangas
(a) Vedas (b) Puranas 19. Which one of the pairs is 29. Which one of the following is
(c) Upanishads (d) correctly matched? not a Smriti?
Aranyakas (a) Kalibangan – Sindh (a) Manu (b) Narad
12. Which of the following pair is
(b) Lothal – Gujarat (c) Yagyavalkya(d) Bhrigu
correctly matched?
(c) Banawali – Rajasthan 30. Which one of the following is a
Mahajanapada Capital correct pair?
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(d) Harappa – Punjab
(a) Gandhara Taxila River Rigvedic Name
20. Of the sixteen Mahajanapadas
(b) Matsya Mathura (a) Chenab Vipasa
which was very powerful and
(c) Magadha Champa prosperous? (b) Indus Vitasta
(d) Vaji Sravasti (c) Sutluj Sutudri
(a) Magadha (b) Kuru
13. The god with three heads and (d) Beas Purushni
(c) Malla (d) Sursena
horns, surrounded by animals 31. The literal meaning of the word
21. Which one of the following is ‘Aranyaka’ is–
represented on a seal from not a Rigvedic river? (a) Valley (b) Forest
Mohenjodaro is known as– (a) Sindu (b) Ganga (c) Habitat
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(a) Indra (b) Varuna (c) Saraswati (d) Beas (d) None of the above
(c) Vishnu (d) Pashupati 22. In Aryan Society, Nishka and 32. Ved Vyasa is the author of
14. In ancient India, the largest Satamana were the names of– which ancient text?
urban centre was– (a) Tribes (a) Puranas (b) Mahabharata
(a) Taxila (b) Kanauj (c) Gita (d)Smritis
(b) Administrative units
(c) Kaushambi(d) Pataliputra 33. Choose the correct pair.
(c) Coins (d) Warriors
15. The early Vedic society was– Darshan Related with
23. The staple crop in Early Vedic (a) Lokayata Jaimini
(a) based on monogamy
Period was–
(b) matriarchal (b) Sankhya Kapila
(a) Wheat (b) Rice (c) Nyaya Charvaka
(c) a tribal society
(d) patriarchal (c) Maize (d) Barley (d) VaisheshikaGautam

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34. Choose the correct pair. 43. The metal first discovered by 51. The Indus site Kalibangan was
Upaveda Deals with Aryans was– first discovered by–
(a) Ayurveda Medicine (a) Copper (b) Silver (a) D.R. Sahni
(b) Shilpveda Art and music (c) Iron (d) Tin (b) R.D. Banerjee
(c) Gandharv- Art of warfare (c) B.B. Lal (d) S.R. Rao
44. It was worshipped as god of
aveda 52. Which one of the following animals
mediation between man and god–
(d) Dhanurveda Architecture was not known by Aryans?
(a) Fire (b) Wind (a) Sheep (b) Goat
35. Choose the correct one.
(c) Vishnu (d) Prajapati (c) Dog (d) Nilgay
Gods Associated with
(a) Indra God of eternity 45. Which Yajna was performed in 53. God who is most prominent in
the time of king's accession to Rigveda is-
(b) Varuna God of wind
the throne in Later Vedic Period? (a) Indra (b) Agni

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(c) Vishnu God of rain and
(a) Rajsuya (c) Pasupati (d) Vishnu
thunder
(b) Ashwamedha 54. Magadha was also known for
(d) Soma God of animals
its great emperor–
36. The number of Puranas is. (c) Vajpeya
(a) Bindusara (b) Ashoka
(a) 108 (b) 18 (d) All of the above (c) Chandragupta
(c) 8 (d) 6 46. Which one of the following is (d) All of the above

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37. The main occupations of Aryans oldest Darshanas of India? 55. What was citadel?
was/were –
(a) Sankhya Darshana (a) Lower part of a town
(a) Trade
(b) Nyaya Darshana (b) Upper part of a town
(b) Agriculture and livestock
(c) Yoga Darshana (c) Central part of a town
rearing
(d) Lokayata Darshana (d) A rising platform
(c) Hunting and gathering
56. What were kula and grama
(d) All of the above 47. The ancient city Mohenjodaro
ra
38. Which one of the following is was first found by R.D. Banerjee
under Aryan society?
(a) Name of clans
not a kind of entertainment of in year–
(b) Administrative units
Aryans? (a) 1922 (b) 1925 (c) Name of village heads
(a) Horse races (b) Music (c) 1921 (d) Name of villages
(c) Hunting (d) Gambling
(d) None of the above 57. Which of the following pair/s is/
39. According to Max Mueller, what
48. According to evidences, Indus are correctly matched?
is the origin place of Aryans?
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Valley Civilization was spread (a) Gramini–Head of village
(a) Afghanistan
from– (b) Purohita–Chief priest
(b) Central Asia
(a) 2500-1500 BC (c) Senani–Army chief
(c) Eastern Africa
(b) 1500-1000 BC (d) All of the above
(d) Western Asia
(c) 2000-1500 BC 58. The most impor tant and
40. The language popular among
respectable post among Aryans
Aryans was– (d) 2500-1750 BC administrative system was–
(a) Brahmi (b) Prakrit 49. In present time who among the
(a) Senani (b) Vajpati
(c) Sanskrit (d) Dravida following are the descendants
of Aryans? (c) Purohita (d) Vishpati
41. The popular animal and god
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among Aryans were– (a) North Indians 59. Which one of the following was
(a) Cow and Indra (b) South Indians not an administrative unit of
(b) Horse and Indra (c) North-west Indians Aryans political system?
(c) Dog and Soma (d) South-west Indians (a) Kula (b) State
(d) Horse and Vishnu 50. In the Rigveda the word 'Dasyu' (c) Jana (d) Grama
42. In Later Vedic Period instead of is mentioned for which of the 60. Vedic Period is broadly divided
Indra which god was very popular? following? into–
(a) Dacoit (Robber) (a) Two parts (b) Three parts
(a) Vishnu (b) Prajapati
(b) Native people (c) Four parts
(c) Shiva
(c) Servent (d) None of the above
(d) None of the above
(d) All of the above

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61. Who was called as Ishan? (b) stone (a) Pottery (b) Seals
(a) He was a village sarapanch (c) wood (d) all of these (c) Boats (d) Houses
(b) He was the president of a 4. The Indus Valley people traded 11. The earliest city discovered in
Samiti with the– India was—
(c) He was the chief advisor of (a) Chinese (a) Harappa (b) Rangpur
the king (b) Mesopotamians (c) Mohenjodaro (d) Sindh
(d) He was the president of (c) Parthians (d) Romans 12. Which one of the following
Sabha. Indus Civilization site gives
5. The Indus Valley Civilization
evidence of a dockyard ?
was Non-Aryan because–
Answer Key (a) Harappa (b) Lothal
(a) it was urban
(c) Mohenjodaro (d) Rakhigarhi
1. (b) 22. (c) 42. (b) (b) it has a pictographic script
13. An advanced water management

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2. (c) 23. (d) 43. (c) (c) it had an agricultural system of Harappan times has
3. (c) 24. (b) 44. (d) economy been unearthed at—
4. (b) 25. (a) 45. (a) (d) it extended up to the (a) Dholavira (b) Lothal
Narmada Valley
5. (c) 26. (a) 46. (a) (c) Kalibangan (d) Alamgirpur
6. All the following statements
6. (b) 27. (c) 47. (a) 14. From which one of the following
regarding the Indus Valley

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7. (d) 28. (b) 48. (d) places, remains of wells have
Civilization are correct except– been found in houses belonging
8. (b) 29. (b) 49. (b) (a) The Indus Valley Civilization to the developed stage of the
9. (d) 30. (c) 50. (b) was an advanced urban Indus Valley Civilization ?
10. (c) 31. (b) 51. (c) civilization (a) Harappa (b) Kalibangan
11. (d) 32. (b) 52. (d) (b) Iron was not known to the (c) Lothal (d) Mohenjodaro
12. (a) 33. (b) 53. (a) people
15. The archaeological finds from
(c) It is difficult to say to which Alamgirpur in Ghaziabad
ra 13. (d) 34. (a) 54. (b)
race the people belonged district reflected the—
14. (a) 35. (b) 55. (b)
(d) The people knew nothing (a) Harappa Culture
15. (c) 36. (a) 56. (b) about agriculture (b) Vedic Culture
16. (a) 37. (b) 57. (d) 7. The local name of Mohenjodaro (c) Mauryan Culture
17. (a) 38. (c) 58. (a) is–
(d) Gupta Period Culture
18. (c) 39. (b) 59. (b) (a) Mound of the Living 16. Cotton for textile was first
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19. (b) 40. (c) 60. (a) (b) Mound of the Great cultivated in—
20. (a) 41. (b) 61. (b) (c) Mound of the Dead (a) Egypt
21. (b) (d) Mound of the Survivor (b) Mesopotamia
8. The Indus Valley Civilization (c) Central America
PART-II specialised in— (d) India
1. The Harappan Civilization was (a) town planning 17. Rock cut archit ecture in
discovered in the year : (b) architecture Harappan culture context has
(a) 1901 (b) 1921 (c) craftsmanship been found at—
(c) 1935 (d) 1942 (d) All ot these (a) Kalibangan (b) Dholavira
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2. Lothal is a site where dockyard 9. The famous figure of a dancing (c) Kot Diji (d) Amri
of w hich of the follow ing girl found in the excavation of 18. A copper chariot of Harappa times
civilization were found ? Mohenjodaro was made up of— was discovered at—
(a) Indus Valley (a) terracotta (b) steatite (a) Kuntal (b) Rakhigarhi
(b) Mesopotamian (c) bronze (c) Daimabad (d) Banawali
(c) Egyptian (d) Persian (d) red limestone 19. One of the following sites from
3. The people of the Indus Valley 10. Out of the following remains where the famous Bull seal of
Civilization usually built their excavat ed in Indus Valley Indus Valley Civilization was
which one indicates the found—
houses of–
commercial and economic (a) Harappa (b) Chanhudaro
(a) pucca bricks
development ? (c) Lothal (d) Mohenjodaro

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20. Which one of the following 6. Purushasukta is founded in 14. The great law giver of ancient
animals was not represented the — times was—
on the seals and terracotta art (a) Bhagavad Gita (a) Manu (b) Vatsyayana
of the Harappan culture ?
(b) Rigveda (c) Ashoka (d) Aryabhatta
(a) Cow (b) Elephant
(c) Manusmriti (d) Atharvaveda 15. The word Gotra occurs for the
(c) Rhinoceros (d) Tiger first time in—
7. The hymns of ‘Rigveda’ are the
21. In the Mesopotamian records, (a) Rigveda (b) Samaveda
work of-—
which one of the following (c) Yajurveda (d) Atharvaveda
terms was used for the Indus (a) one author (b) four authors
16. Which one of the following is
Valley? (c) seven authors the distinctive feature between
(a) Dilmun (b) Meluha (d) many authors a nastika and astika system in
India ?
(c) Magan (d) Failaka

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8. Patanjali is well-known for the
(a) Belief in the existence of God
compilation of—
(b) Belief in the existence of
Answer Key (a) Yoga Sutra heaven and hell
1. (b) 8. (a) 15. (a) (b) Panchatantra (c) Belief in the authenticity of
2. (a) 9. (c) 16. (d) (c) Brahma Sutra the Vedas
3. (a) 10. (b) 17. (b) (d) Ayurveda (d) Belief in the doctrine of

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4. (b) 11. (a) 18. (c) rebirth
9. The Rigvedic God Varuna was—
5. (a) 12. (b) 19. (a) 17. Nyaya Darshan was propagated
(a) Harbinger of peace
by—
6. (d) 13. (a) 20. (a) (b) Destroyer of foes (a) Gautama (b) Kapil
7. (c) 14. (d) 21. (b) (c) Guardian of the cosmic order (c) Kanada (d) Jaimini
(d) God of prosperity 18. ‘Ashtadhyayi’ was written by—
PART-III 10. Nivi, Paridhan and Adhivasa (a) Ved Vyas (b) Panini
1.
ra Who was the first European to were the— (c) Shukadeva (d) Balmiki
designate Aryan as a race? (a) Different types of garments 19. The literal meaning of the word
(a) William Jones of the Aryans Arya is—
(b) H.H.Wilson (b) Government officials of the (a) Superior (b) Learned
(c) Max Mueller Aryan Kings (c) Priest (d) Warrior
(d) General Cunningham (c) Tribal people of Ancient 20. The ‘Manu Smrit i’ mainly
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2. The battle of Mahabharata is Indians deals with—
believed to have been fought at (d) Musical instruments of (a) Social order (b) Laws
Kurukshetra for— Ancient Indians (c) Economics (d) State-craft
11. Panini, the first Grammarian 21. Who composed the Gayatri
(a) 14 days (b) 16 days
of Sanskrit language in India, Mantra ?
(c) 18 days (d) 20 days (a) Vishwamitra (b) Vasishtha
lived during the—
3. Who among the following wrote (c) Indra (d) Parikshit
(a) 2nd century BC
Sanskrit Grammar? 22. Author of ‘Nyaya Sutra’ was—
(b) 6th-5th century BC
(a) Kalidasa (b) Charaka (a) Gautam (b) Kanad
(c) 2nd century AD
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(c) Panini (d) Aryabhatt (c) Kapil (d) Badrayan

(d) 5th-6th century AD
4. Which river has no mention in 23. The word Aryan means—
12. Upanishads are books on—
Rigveda ? (a) Of good family
(a) Religion (b) Yoga (b) Cultivator
(a) Sindhu (b) Saraswati
(c) Law (d) Philosophy (c) Pastoral society
(c) Yamuna (d) Periyar
13. The expounder of Yoga (d) Brahmachari
5. In which language was the philosophy was— 24. Which one of the following four
'Shrimad Bhagavad Gita' Vedas contains an account of
(a) Patanjali (b) Gautama
originally written? magical charms and spells ?
(c) Jaimini
(a) Sanskrit (b) Apabhramsa (a) Rigveda (b) Samaveda
(d) Shankaracharya
(c) Prakrit (d) Pali (c) Yajurveda (d) Atharvaveda

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25. The religion of early Vedic 5. Which one of the following 14. Who was the founder of Nanda
Aryans was primarily of rulers of Magadha was the dynasty ?
(a) Bhakti contemporary of Alexander, the (a) Bimbisara
(b) Image worship and Yajnas Great? (b) Mahapadmananda
(c) Worship of nature and (a) Mahapadmananda (c) Ajatasatru
Yajnas (b) Dhanananda
(d) Worship of nature and (d) Dhanananda
(c) Sukalp
Bhakti 15. Which one of the following
(d) Chandragupta Maurya dynasties was ruling over
26. The earliest settlement of
Aryan tribes were at— 6. Where was the seat of the first North India at the time of
(a) Uttar Pradesh Republic of the world in 6th Alexander's invasion ?
(b) Bengal century BC? (a) Nanda (b) Maurya

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(c) Sapta Sindhu (a) Vaishali (b) Athens (c) Sunga (d) Kanva
(d) Delhi 16. Who among the following was
(c) Sparta (d) Patliputra
NOT a contemporary of other
27. In the early Rigvedic period, 7. By which ruler Pataliputra was three?
what was considered to be the chosen for the first time as a
most valuable property ? (a) Bimbisara
capital?
(a) Land (b) Cow (b) Gautama Buddha

ck
(a) Ajatashatru (b) Kalasok (c) Milinda (d) Prasenjit
(c) Woman (d) Water
(c) Udayin (d) Kanishka 17. Between which of the following
Answer Key 8. The list of sixteen Mahajana- was the ancient town of Taxila
padas is available in— located ?
1. (c) 10. (a) 19. (a) (a) Mahabharat (a) Indus and Jhelum
2. (c) 11. (b) 20. (b) (b) Anguttar Nikaya (b) Jhelum and Chenab
3. (c) 12. (d) 21. (a) (c) Chhandogya Upanishad (c) Chenab and Ravi
ra 4. (d) 13. (a) 22. (a) (d) Samyukta Nikaya (d) Ravi and Beas
5. (a) 14. (a) 23. (a) 9. Which was the first capital of
6. (b) 15. (a) 24. (d) Magadha ? Answer Key
7. (d) 16. (a) 25. (c) (a) Pataliputra (b) Vaishali 1. (b) 7. (c) 13. (c)
8. (a) 17. (a) 26. (c) (c) Girivarja (Rajgriha) 2. (a) 8. (b) 14. (b)
9. (c) 18. (b) 27. (b) (d) Champa 3. (b) 9. (c) 15. (a)
rC
10. Who founded Pataliputra ? 4. (c) 10. (a) 16. (c)
PART-IV (a) Udayin (b) Ashoka 5. (b) 11. (d) 17. (a)
1. The Indian king who opposed (c) Bimbisar 6. (a) 12. (b)
Alexander was— (d) Mahapadmananda
(a) Ambhi (b) Porus 11. By whom the first republic of PART-V
(c) Dhanananda the world was established in
Vaishali? 1. Where did Lord Buddha breathe
(d) Chandragupta his last (Mahaparinirvana) ?
2. The ancient name of North (a) Maurya (b) Nand
(a) Rajgir (b) Bodh Gaya
Bihar was- (c) Gupta (d) Licchavi
(c) Sarnath (d) Kushinagar
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(a) Vajji (b) Vatsa 12. Which early ruler of Magadha

(c) Surasena (d) Avanti murdered his father to ascend 2. Where has the world’s largest
the throne and, in turn, was monolithic statue of Buddha
3. In ancient India, the earliest
murdered by his own son ? been installed ?
capital of Magadha kingdom
was at— (a) Bimbisara (b) Ajatashatru (a) Bamiyan (b) Hyderabad
(a) Pataliputra (b) Rajgir (c) Udayin (d) Nagadashak (c) Kandy (d) Lhasa
(c) Vaishali (d) Varanasi 13. Mahajanapada situated on the 3. Which among the following is
4. When Alexander invaded India, bank of river Godawari was— the sacr ed book of the
who were the rulers of Magadha? Buddhists ?
(a) Avanti (b) Vatsa
(a) Haryankas (b) Shishunagas (a) Upanishads (b) Vedas
(c) Assaka (d) Kamboja
(c) Nandas (d) Mauryas (c) Tripitakas (d) Agams

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4. Buddha means— 13. Buddha lived approximately at 21. Who among the following taught
(a) the enlightened one the same time as— the doctr ine of Shunyata
(a) Confucius (b) Moses (Shunyavad) ?
(b) the religious preacher
(c) Prophet Muhammad (a) Nagarjuna
(c) the genius
(d) Hammurabi (b) Shankaracharya
(d) the powerful
14. Buddha’s preachings were (c) Harisena
5. Name the clan Buddha mainly related to—
belonged to— (d) Vallabhacharya
(a) belief in one God
(a) Gnathrika (b) Maurya 22. Who of the following kings was
(b) practice of rituals
an ardent follower of Jainism ?
(c) Sakya (d) Kuru (c) purity of thought and conduct
(a) Bimbisara
6. In which state was the Nalanda (d) idol worship
(b) Mahapadmananda
University located in India ?

er
15. The third vehicle in Buddhism
(c) Kharavela (d) Pulakeshin
(a) Bengal (b) Bihar was known as—
23. Among the following who is
(c) Orissa (a) Mahasanghika
given the credit of carrying
(d) Uttar Pradesh (b) Zen Jainism in South India ?
7. Mahavira was born in 6th (c) Vajrayana (a) Sudharmana
century BC at— (d) None of these

ck
(b) Indrabhuti
(a) Vaishali (b) Magadha 16. Which Stat e is called the (c) Bhadrabahu
(c) Sarnath (d) None of these ‘Cradle of Buddhism’?
(d) Sthulabhadra
8. The religious literature of the (a) Sikkim (b) Bihar
Jains at the early stage was 24. In Buddhism, w hat does
(c) Uttar Pradesh Patimokkha stand for?
written in—
(d) Madhya Pradesh (a) A description of Mahayana
(a) Ardhamagadhi
17. Who of the following was a Buddhism
(b) Pali
ra(c) Sanskrit
contemporary of Gautama (b) A description of Hinayana
Buddha? Buddhism
(d) None of these (a) Bhadrabahu (c) The rules of the Sangha
9. Which of the following places is (b) Chandragupta Maurya (d) The questions of king Menander
associated with Jainism ?
(c) Parsvanath 25. Which one of the following is
(a) Kapilvastu (b) Pava
(d) Vardhaman Mahavira NOT common in Buddhism and
(c) Prayag (d) Shravasti
rC
18. Gandhara school of art came Jainism ?
10. Who was the author of ‘Buddha into existence in— (a) Non-violence (Ahimsa)
Charita’ ?
(a) Hinayana sect (b) Indifference to Vedas
(a) Asvaghosha (b) Nagasena
(b) Mahayana sect (c) Self-mortification
(c) Nagarjuna (d) Vasumitra
(c) Vaishanava sect (d) Rejection of rituals
11. Who is also known as Nigantha
(d) Shaiva sect 26. The first Buddhist Council was
Nataputra ?
19. Which one of the following is held in which of the following
(a) Vardhamana Mahavira
NOT included in the eight-fold cities ?
(b) Gautam Buddha path of Buddhism ? (a) Nalanda (b) Gaya
(c) Nagarjuna
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(a) Right speech (c) Rajgriha (d) Bodh Gaya

(d) Shankaracharya (b) Right contemplation 27. Mahavira Jaina breathed his
12. The principle that distinguishes (c) Right desire last at—
Jainism from Buddhism is (a) Rajgir (b) Ranchi
(d) Right conduct
the—
20. Where did Gautama Buddha (c) Pawapuri (d) Samastipur
(a) practice of the eight-fold path 28. Gautama Buddha was elevated
delivered his first sermon,
(b) rejection of the infallibility known as Dharma Chakra to the position of God by the
of the Vedas Pravartan (i.e., Turning of the time of—
(c) attribution of a soul to all wheel of the law) ? (a) Ashoka (b) Kanishka
beings and things (a) Sanchi (b) Sarnath (c) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(d) belief in rebirth (d) Harsha
(c) Sravasti (d) Bodh Gaya

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29. Mahabodhi Temple has been 39. Which one of the following 49. Who among the follow ing
built at Bodh Gaya where— propounded that ‘destiny presided over the Buddhist
(a) Gautama Buddha was born determines everything, man is Council held during the reign
(b) Gautama Buddha attained powerless’? of Kanishka at Kashmir ?
enlightenment (a) Jains (b) Buddhists (a) Parsva (b) Nagarjuna
(c) Gautama Buddha delievered (c) Ajivakas (d) Mimansakas (c) Sudraka (d) Vasumitra
his first sermon 40. Who amongst the following is 50. Anekantavada is a core theory
(d) Gautama Buddha passed known as the Light of Asia ? and philosophy of which one of
away (a) Jesus Christ the following?
30. Chinese traveller Hiuen-Tsang (b) Lord Buddha (a) Buddhism (b) Jainism
studied at the University of— (c) Prophet Muhammad (c) Sikhism (d) Vaishnavism
(a) Taxila (b) Vikramshila

er
(d) Zarathustra 51. Mahamastakabhisheka, a
(c) Magadha (d) Nalanda
41. Syadvad (the theory of ‘may be’) great religious event, is
31. Where was the third Buddhist associated with and done for
Council held ? is a doctrine of—
who of the following?
(a) Vatsa (b) Pataliputra (a) Lokayatism
(a) Bahubali (b) Buddha
(c) Kausambi (d) Kashmir (b) Vaishnavism
(c) Mahavira (d) Nataraja
32. Where was Mahavir Swami born ? (c) Jainism (d) Shaivism

ck
52. Which one among the following
(a) Kundalgram (b) Pataliputra 42. The stupa site which is not sects was associated with
(c) Magadha (d) Vaishali connected with any incident of Gosala Maskariputra ?
33. The doctrine of three jewels— Lord Buddha's life is—
(a) Vajrayana (b) Ajivakas
Right belief, Right conduct and (a) Sarnath (b) Sanchi
Right knowledge is the (c) Sthaviravadins
crownings glory of— (c) Bodh Gaya (d) Kushinagar (d) Mahasanghikas
(a) Buddhism (b) Christianity 43. Prabhasgiri is a pilgrim spot of— 53. Ashokaram monastery was
ra(c) Jainism (d) None of these (a) Buddhists (b) Jains situated at—
34. The Vikramshila Mahavihara, (c) Shaivites (d) Vaishnavites (a) Vaishali (b) Patliputra
a great centre of education, 44. Who is said to have become the (c) Kausambi (d) Shravasti
was founded by—
chief of the Jain Sangh after
(a) Baladitya (b) Harsha the death of Mahavira ?
(c) Gopala (d) Dharmapala Answer Key
(a) Jambu (b) Bhadrabahu
rC
35. The Lumbini was the birth 1. (d) 19. (c) 37. (d)
place of Buddha is attested by (c) Sthulbhadra (d) Sudharma
2. (a) 20. (b) 38. (a)
an inscription of: 45. Jivaka, the royal physician of
3. (c) 21. (a) 39. (c)
(a) Ashoka Rajgriha, was the son of the
Ganika named as— 4. (a) 22. (c) 40. (b)
(b) Pushyamitra Shunga
(c) Kanishka (d) Harsha (a) Salavati (b) Ramaniya 5. (c) 23. (c) 41. (c)
36. Sarnath is in the State of— 6. (b) 24. (c) 42. (b)
(c) Basantsena (d) Amrapali
(a) Kerala (b) Maharashtra 7. (a) 25. (a) 43. (b)
46. The Fourth Buddhist Council
(c) Gujarat was convened during the 8. (a) 26. (c) 44. (d)
9. (b) 27. (c) 45. (a)
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(d) Uttar Pradesh regime of king—

37. Vikramshila Mahavihara was 10. (a) 28. (b) 46. (c)
(a) Ashoka (b) Ajatashatru
estabilished by the ruler of 11. (a) 29. (b) 47. (c)
(c) Kanishka 48. (b)
(a) Pushyabhuti Dynasty 12. (c) 30. (d)
(d) Mahapadmananda 49. (d)
(b) Barman Dynasty 13. (a) 31. (b)
(c) Sen Dynasty 47. The 'Tripitaka' was written in— 50. (b)
14. (c) 32. (a)
(d) Pala Dynasty (a) Brahmi (b) Kharosthi 51. (a)
15. (c) 33. (c)
38. Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (c) Pali (d) Sanskrit 52. (b)
16. (c) 34. (d)
in the republic of the– 48. Name the last Tirthankara— 53. (b)
17. (d) 35. (a)
(a) Mallas (b) Lichhavis (a) Parsvanath (b) Mahavira
18. (b) 36. (d)
(c) Sakyas (d) Palas (c) Siddhartha (d) Subhadra

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Part-VI 10. The fourth Buddhist Council 20. What was the purpose of the Indian
was held at...... visit of Hiuen Tsang?
1. Which type of pottery was most
(a) Pataliputra (b) Vaishali (a) To visit the holy places
popular with the Later Vedic people?
(c) Kundalavana (d) Bodh Gaya connected with Buddhism
(a) Black-slipped Ware
11. Megasthenes was succeeded (b) To amass wealth
(b) Black and Red Ware as ambassador by– (c) To know the geography of
(c) Painted Grey Ware (a) Darius (b) Demetrius India
(d) Red Ware (c) Deimachos (d) Philip (d) To establish political ties
2. Which of the doctrines of Jainism 12. The author of the “The with India
was added by Mahavira? Periplus of the Erythraean 21. The famous Harappan site of
(a) Do not speak a lie. Sea" was a– Lothal is situated in–
(b) Observe continence. (a) historian (b) poet

er
(a) Sind (b) Rajasthan
(c) Do no commit violence. (c) sailor (d) musician (c) Gujarat (d) Maharashtra
(d) Do not steal. 13. During Karikala’s rule the
22. The Vedic term 'vrithi' stands
3. Who is said to be responsible for the important Chola port was–
for–
spread of Jainism in Karnataka? (a) Calicut (b) Puhar
(a) Cotton (b) Wheat
(a) Ajatashatru (c) Karkai (d) Thondi
(c) Rice (d) Barley

ck
(b) Chandragupta Maurya 14. The most famous Chera ruler
was– 23. Who was the patron of the 3rd
(c) Bimbisara
(a) Udiyanjeral Buddhist council?
(d) Mahapadma Nanda
(b) Nedunjeralathan (a) Ajatashatru (b) Ashoka
4. The Pitaka that contains
pronouncements attributed to (c) Senguttuvan (c) Kanishka (d) Harsha
the Buddha, laying down (d) Sengannan 24. The famous rock-cut temple of
numerous rules for the 15. Of the following, who were not Kailasa is at–
conduct of the order is–
ra (a) Vinaya Pitaka
the feudatories of Satavahanas? (a) Ajanta (b) Badami
(a) Abhiras (b) Ikshvakus (c) Ellora (d) Elephanta
(b) Sutta Pitaka
(c) Pallavas (d) Mauryans 25. Which one of the following
(c) Abhidhamma Pitaka
16. The first Satavahana ruler places has yielded earliest
(d) all the three Pitakas Stupa railing?
was–
5. The Veda that contains charms
(a) Simuk (b) Govinda (a) Sanchi (b) Bharhut
and spells to ward off evils and
(c) Sri Satakarni (c) Amaravati
rC
diseases is–
(a) Rigveda (b) Atharvaveda (d) Nahapana (d) Nagarjunkonda
(c) Samaveda (d) Yajurveda 17. Who erected the Garuda pillar 26. Ashoka sent missionaries to–
6. In Jainism, ‘Perfect Knowledge’ at Besnagar? (a) China and Kashmir
is referred to as– (a) Bhagabhadra (b) Heliodorus (b) Tibet and Ceylon
(a) Nirvana (b) Ratna (c) Menander (d) Antialkidas (c) Tibet and China
(c) Kaivalya (d) Jina
18. Which of the following is not (d) Kashmir and Ceylon
7. The daughter who milks
true of Kanishka? 27. In which one of the following
animals in the Vedic period
was known as– (a) Kanishka was the founder do we come across a detailed
M

(a) Kubha (b) Duhitri of Vikrama Era account of the municipal

(c) Komi (d) Sardha (b) He was a patron of Buddhism administration of Mauryas?
8. Bimbisara was succeeded by– (c) He defeated the Chinese (a) The Arthashastra of Kautilya
(a) Ashoka (b) Ajatashatru army led by Pan- Yang (b) The account of Megasthenes
(c) Vasudeva (d) He belonged to the Yuechi (c) The Mudrarakshasa
(d) Chandragupta Maurya tribe (d) Mauryan inscription
9. Of t he following Kushana 19. What was the capital of the 28. The Mehrauli pillar inscription
kings, who assumed the title early Chalukyas? belongs to the period of the–
“the Lord of the Whole World”? (a) Badami (b) Kalyani (a) Mauryas (b) Sungas
(a) Kadphises I (b) Kadphises II (c) Kushanas (d) Guptas
(c) Kanchi (d) Vengi
(c) Kanishka (d) Huvishka

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29. Which one of the following (a) Hoyasalas.......... Dwarasamudra (b) Mundaka Upanishad
works deals with the history of (b) Kakatiyas ............. Warangal (c) Adhyatma Upanishad
Kashmir?
(c) Pallavas ............ Devagiri (d) Prasna Upanishad
(a) Gaudavaho
(d) Chalukyas .............Kalyani 9. Who among the following rulers
(b) Harshacharita
3. Which one of the following is was first to embrace Buddhism?
(c) Rajatarangini associated with the Gupta Age (a) Ashoka (b) Ajatasatru
(d) Vikramankadevacharita of Indian History? (c) Bindusara (d) Bimbisara
30. Which one of the following (a) Visit of Chinese pilgrim
mentioned division of the Mauryan 10. Who among the following Gupta
Hiuen Tsang
society into seven classes? rulers faced invasion of Hunas?
(b) Significant contribution to
(a) Ashoka’s Edicts (a) Budhagupta
Indian astronomy by Aryabhatta
(b) Indica (c) Significant contribution to (b) Kumaragupta-I

er
(c) Kautilya’s Arthashastra poetry and literature by (c) Kumaragupta-II
(d) Vishnu Purana Banabhatta (d) Skandagupta
31. The varnas came to be (d) Macedonian invasion 11. How did the Mauryan empire
transformed into the hereditary 4. Who among the following wrote finally end?
castes during the– commentaries on Harshavar- (a) The last Mauryan ruler was
(a) Later Vedic period dhana’s administration and the killed by his General.

ck
court life in Kannauj?
(b) Gupta period (b) The Kanvas of Central
(a) Al-Beruni (b) Fa-Hien
(c) Mauryan period India deposed the last
(c) Hiuen-Tsang (d) lbn Battuta Mauryan ruler.
(d) Vedic period 5. The Jaina saint credited with
(c) The last Mauryan ruler was
the spread of Jainism in
killed in a battle, with the
Answer Key Karnataka (south India) was–
foreign invader from the
1. (d) 12. (c) 22. (c) (a) Bhadrabahu (b) Adinatha
north-west.
ra 2. (b) 13. (b) 23. (b)
(c) Parshvanatha (d) Mahavira
(d) The last mauryan ruler had
6. The people of Harappa and no heir and the throne was
3. (b) 14. (c) 24. (c)
Mohenjodaro culture belonged claimed by one of his
4. (a) 15. (d) 25. (a) to the–
powerful ministers.
5. (b) 16. (a) 26. (b) (a) New Stone Age
12. The building of the famous
6. (c) 17. (b) 27. (b) (b) Copper Age Kailasa Temple at Ellora was
7. (b) 18. (a) 28. (d) (c) Iron Age executed under the Rashtrakuta
rC
8. (b) 19. (a) 29. (c) (d) Chalcolithic Age king–
9. (b) 20. (a) 30. (b) 7. Match List-I (Dynasties) with (a) Amoghavarsha-I
10. (c) 21. (c) 31. (a) List-II (Capitals) and select the (b) Govinda-III
correct answer using the codes
11. (c) given below the lists: (c) Indra-III (d) Krishna-I
List-I List-II 13. The Rathas of Mahabalipuram,
Part-VII the rock- cut architecture, were
A. Satavahana 1. Magadha
built by a king of the dynasty of–
1. Consider the following statements: B. Chera 2. Peshawar
(a) Chola (b) Hoy-sala
Ajanta Painting portray — C. Kushana 3. Kalinga
(c) Pallava (d) Rashtrakuta
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1. Buddhist elements D. Kosala 4. Bagat

Codes: A B C D 14. Match List-I (Dynasties) with
2. Secular aspects
(a) 2 1 3 4 List-II (Capitals) and select the
3. Jain culture
(b) 3 4 2 1 correct answer using the codes
Which of these statements is/
given beiow the lists:
are correct? (c) 2 4 3 1
(d) 3 1 2 4 List-I List-II
(a) 1 alone (b) 1 and 2
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 3 alone 8. The words Satyamev Jayate in A. Cholas 1. Dwarasamudra
the State Emblem adopted by the B. Hoysalas 2. Madurai
2. Which one of the following
Government of India have been
pairs is NOT — correctly C. Pandyas 3. Malkhed
taken from which Upanishad?
matched? D. Rashtrakutas 4. Thanjavur
(a) Aitareya Upanishad

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Codes: A B C D 21. Nagarjuna is known as the 28. The granary discovered at
(a) 4 1 2 3 Einstein of India because Harappa was located–
(a) like Einstein he had a rare (a) within the citadel at
(b) 3 2 1 4
insight into the nature of Mohenjodaro
(c) 4 2 1 3 the universe. (b) in the ‘Lower Iown’
(d) 3 1 2 4 (b) he was one of the greatest (c) near the river Ravi
15. The Harappan civilization does physicists of all time.
not have homogeneity or (d) beside the western gate of the
(c) he propounded the theory of city
uniformity in– Shunyavada similar to
(a) weights and measures Einstein’s theory of Relativity. Answer Key
(b) cereal crops (d) he was a great dialectician.
(c) burial practices 1. (a) 11. (a) 20. (c)
22. Which of the following is not

er
(d) both (b) and (c) matched correctly? 2. (c) 12. (d) 21. (c)
16. A prominent Harappan site, (a) Vardhamana Mahavira’s 3. (b) 13. (c) 22. (d)
being surrounded by flood father–Siddhartha 4. (c) 14. (a) 23. (c)
barriers in order to protect it with 5. (a) 15. (b) 24. (d)
(b) Vardhamana Mahavira’s
the aid of UNESCO funds, is–
mother–Trisala 6. (d) 16. (a) 25. (d)
(a) Mohenjodaro (b) Dholavira
(c) Vardhamana Mahavira’s

ck
7. (b) 17. (b) 26. (d)
(c) Lothal (d) Rakhigarhi wife–Yashoda 8. (b) 18. (c) 27. (c)
17. The greatest Chola king in the (d) Vardhamana Mahavira’s
dynasty of the Cholas of 9. (a) 19. (c) 28. (c)
daughter–Chellana
Thanjavur was– 10. (a)
23. In which of the following sects
(a) Parantaka (b) Rajaraja-I
was Bindusara interested?
(c) Rajendra-I (d) Kulottunga
(a) Buddhism (b) Jainism Part-VIII
18. The main focus of the Rigvedic
(c) Ajivakas (d) Lokayata 1. Who among the following also
raculture was in–
24. The correct descending order of had the name Devanama
(a) Indo-Gangetic Valley
the Mauryan officers at the Piyadasi ?
(b) Punjab and Delhi region district level was– (a) Mauryan King Ashoka
(c) Indus Valley (a) Rajuka, pradeshika, yukta (b) Gautama Buddha
(d) Region between the Swat (b) Yukta, rajuka, pradeshika (c) Mauryan King Chandragupta
and the Indus (c) Pradeshika, yukta, rajuka Maurya
rC
19. The Veda, which is partly a (d) Pradeshika, rajuka, yukta (d) Bhagwan Mahavira
prose work, is–
25. Harappan weapons were made 2. With which of the following
(a) Atharvaveda(b) Samaveda of– centres of learning Chanakya the
(c) Yajurveda (d) Rigveda (a) stone (b) copper famous teacher of Chandragupta
20. Match List-I with List-II and (c) bronze (d) all the above Mayrva was associated ?
choose the correct answer from 26. Which one of the four varnas (a) Taxila (b) Nalanda
the codes given below the lists. mentiond in the Purushasukta (c) Vikramshila (d) Vaishali
List-I List-II of the mandala X of the Rigveda 3. Which event brought about a
A. Nyaya 1. Jamini is referred in the other parts of profound change in Ashoka’s
Rigv eda in the sense of a
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B. Vaisheshika 2. Badarayana administrative policy ?

varna? (a) The Third Buddhist Council
C. Sankhya 3. Gautam
(a) Brahmanas (b) Kshatriyas (b) The Kalinga War
D. Yoga 4. Kanada
(c) Vaishyas (d) Shudras (c) His embracing of Buddhism
E. Purva Mimamsa 5. Kapila
27. The most important source of (d) His sending of missionary to
F. Uttara Mimamsa6. Patanjali
our information on ancient Ceylon
Codes: A B C D E F India’s cultural history are–
4. Great Stupa at Sanchi is in—
(a) 5 6 4 1 2 3 (a) archaeological excavations
(a) Uttar Pradesh
(b) 4 3 2 1 5 6 (b) antiquities and monuments (b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) 3 4 5 6 1 2 (c) literature and epics (c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) 1 2 3 4 5 6 (d) inscriptions and coins (d) Andhra Pradesh

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5. The monk who influenced 14. Who among the following was 20. The head of a district (Ahara),
Ashoka to embrace Buddhism appointed by Ashoka to administer the principal co-ordinator of the
was— justice in his empire ? revenue and the officer in-
(a) Vishnu Gupta (a) Sharmana charge of general and military
(b) Upa Gupta functions in his jurisdiction
(b) Kumar Amatya during Mauryan Empire was
(c) Brahma Gupta
(c) Rajuka (d) Uparika known as—
(d) Brihadrath
15. Consider the following with (a) Krori (b) Rajuka
6. Which one of the following does
reference to the disintegration and (c) Faujdar (d) Chirastadar
not appear on the abacus of the
decline of the Mauryan Empire—
Sarnath Lion capitol of Ashoka ? 21. A Buddhist council during the
1. Brahmanical revolt reign of Ashoka was held at—
(a) Bull (b) Deer
2. King Ashoka's pacifist policies (a) Magadha (b) Pataliputra
(c) Elephant (d) Horse

er
7. Who among the following 3. Invasions from outside
(c) Samastipur (d) Rajgriha
historical personalities of India 4. Weakness of Ashoka's 21. Chandragupta Maurya figures
is also known as Vishnugupta ? successors prominently in the book of–
(a) Bilhana (b) Kalidasa Which of the above reasons led (a) Bhasa
(c) Patanjali (d) Chanakya to the disintegration and decline
(b) Ashvaghosha
8. Megasthenes was an envoy of which of the Mauryan Empire?
(c) Vishakhadatta

ck
of the following kings? (a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2 and 4
(d) Sudraka
(a) Seleucus (b) Alexander (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(c) Darius (d) Antiochus 23. The description of the
16. Who of the following was a administration of Pataliputra
9. Which of the following was the contemporary of Alexander, is available in—
oldest dynasty of India? the Great ? (a) Divyavadan
(a) Maurya (b) Gupta (a) Bimbisara (b) Arthashastra
(c) Kushana (d) Kanva (b) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Indica
ra
10. The division of Maur yan
(c) Ashoka (d) Ashoka's inscriptions
society into seven classes was
particularly mentioned in— (d) Pushyamitra Sunga 24. Who amongst the following
(a) Kautilya’s Arthashastra 17. The notion of Saptanga that was Mauryan rulers did conquer
(b) Ashokan edicts introduced in ‘Arthashastra’ the Deccan ?
(c) The Puranas includes— (a) Ashoka
(d) The ‘Indica’ of Megasthenes (a) kings, territory, administration (b) Chandragupta
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11. Kautilya's ‘Arthashastra’ is a and treasury (c) Bindusara
book on— (b) music, dance, ragas and (d) Kunala
(a) economic relations wrestling 25. Language used in the
(c) ministers, civil servants, inscriptions of Ashoka is—
(b) principles and practices of
statecraft subalterns and those involved in (a) Sanskrit (b) Prakrit
(c) foreign policy espionage-. (c) Apabhramsa(d) Hindi
(d) duties of the king (d) aristocrats, acharyas, traders 26. In how many categories did
and monks Megasthenes divide the Indian
12. The valleys of Sindhu, Ganga Society ?
and Jamuna were brought 18. To which dynasty did Ashoka
(a) Four (b) Five
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together for the first time under belong ?

(c) Six (d) Seven
one political authority by– (a) Vardhana (b) Maurya
27. Which dynasty did rule over
(a) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Kushana (d) Gupta Magadha after Nanda dynasty ?
(b) Ashoka 19. Which Rock Edict of Ashoka (a) Maurya (b) Sunga
(c) Chandragupta II provides a description of the
(c) Gupta (d) Kushana
(d) Prithviraj Chauhan horrors of Kalinga war ?
28. The most famous educational
13. Which one of the following places (a) 13th Rock Edict centre during the period of
has no Ashokan edicts? (b) Kalinga Edict at Dhauli Mauryan age was–
(a) Girnar (b) Kandhar (c) The Edict at Janagadh (a) Vaishali (b) Nalanda
(c) Pataliputra (d) Topra (d) 10th Rock Edict (c) Taxila (d) Ujjain

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29. Who was the writer of 4. The greatest development in 13. The dest ruction of the
‘Mudrarakshasa’ ? the Kushana period was in the Mauryan Empire was followed
(a) Vishakhdatta field of— by a series of invasion, and first
(b) Kautilya (a) Religion (b) Architecture to invade India were the—
(a) Indo-Bactrians
(c) Bana (d) Kalhana (c) Literature (d) Art
(b) Sakas
30. What is the name of 5. What was the capital of
(c) Indo-Parthians
Megasthenes's book ? Kanishka ?
(d) Kushans
(a) Arthashastra (a) Purushapura(b) Pataliputra
14. Which of the following dynasties
(b) Rigveda (c) Taxila (d) Mathura succeeded Sungas?
(c) Purana (d) Indica 6. Thomas is said to have come to (a) Satavahanas
31. In how many adhikaranasis India to propagate Christianity (b) Kushanas
(Chapters) the K autilya’s

er
during the reign of— (c) Kanvas (d) Guptas
‘Arthashastra’ divided ?
(a) Senguttuvan (Chera) 15. A Buddhist Council during the
(a) 11 (b) 12 reign of Kanishka was held at—
(b) Karikala (Chola)
(c) 14 (d) 15 (a) Magadha (b) Pataliputra
(c) Nendujelian (Pandya)
(c) Kashmir (d) Rajgriha
Answer Key (d)Gondapharnese (Parthian) 16. Which Chinese general

ck
7. Who started the Saka Era and defeated Kanishka ?
1. (a) 12. (a) 22. (c)
when ? (a) Pen Chao (b) Pan Yang
2. (a) 13. (c) 23. (c)
(a) Kadphises in 58 BC (c) Chi Huang Ti
3. (b) 14. (c) 24. (c) (d) Ho Ti
(b) Vikramaditya in 58 BC
4. (b) 15. (d) 25. (b) 17. Who of the following did not
(c) Rudradaman I in 78 AD
5. (b) 16. (b) 26. (d) adorn the court of Kanishka I ?
(d) Kanishka in 78 AD (a) Ashwaghosha
6. (b) 17. (a) 27. (a)
8. Charaka was the famous court
ra 7. (d) 18. (b) 28. (c)
physician of:
(b) Parshva
8. (a) 19. (a) 29. (a) (c) Vasumitra
(a) Harsha (d) Vishakhdatta
9. (a) 20. (b) 30. (d)
10. (d) 21. (b) 31. (d) (b) Chandragupta Maurya 18. The capital of Satvahanas was
11. (d) (c) Ashoka (d) Kanishka located at—
9. In the kingdom of Satavahanas (a) Amaravati (b) Paithan
rC
of ancient India, a district was (c) Naldurg (d) Durg
PART-IX
called— 19. Who among the following rulers
1. Yav anika (Curt ain) was
introduced in Indian theatre by (a) Ahara (b) Kataka has been mentioned as protector
which of the following ? (c) Rashtra (d) Vihara of Varna System ?
(a) Sakas (b) Parthians (a) Pushyamitra Sunga
10. At which of the following places
(c) Greeks (d) Kushanas was the headless statue of (b) Kharvela
2. Who were the first kings to issue Kanishka found ? (c) Gautamiputra Satakarni
gold coins in India? (a) Allahabad (b) Mathura (d) Vasudeva
(a) Mauryas (b) Indo-Greeks (c) Sanchi (d) Taxila 20. The art style which combines
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(c) Guptas (d) Kushanas 11. With whose reign is the Gandhara Indian and Greek features is
3. Who among the following were school of Art associated? called—
contemporaries of Kanishka ? (a) Kanishka (b) Harsha (a) Sikhara (b) Vesara
(a) Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosha, (c) Chandragupta Vikramaditya (c) Gandhara (d) Nagara
Vasumitra
(d) Ashoka 21. Who was called by Vindhya
(b) Kamban, Banabhatta, Ashv-
aghosha 12. Which one of the following Adhipati ?
dynasties was associated with (a) Simuka
(c) Ashvaghosha, K alidasa,
Gandhara school of Art ? (b) Gautamiputra Satkarni
Banabhatta
(a) Chalukyas (b) Guptas
(d) Kalidasa, Kamban, Vasu- (c) Ashoka
mitra (c) Kushanas (d) Mauryas (d) Chandragupta Maurya

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22. When did the Mathura School 4. Which king of the Gupta (c) 6th century AD
of Art flourish ? Dynasty was called the (d) 7th century AD
(a) Sunga Period ‘Napoleon of India’ ? 12. The six district schools of Indian
(b) Satavahana Period (a) Samduragupta. Philosophy—
(c) Suba Period (b) Srigupta Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika,
(d) Kushana Period (c) Kanishka Mimansa, Vedanta — became
(d) Samudragupta fully articulated during the—
23. The pract ice of milit ary
5. Who amongst the following (a) Vedic Age (b) Gupta Age
gov ernor ship w as first
introduced in India by the— organised Ashvamedha Yajna? (c) Kushana Age (d)Maurya Age
(a) Greeks (b) Sakas (a) Ajastashatru 13. ‘Mrichhakatika’ was written
(b) Ashoka by—
(c) Parthians (d) Mughals
(c) Samudragupta (a) Vikramaditya (b)Sudraka

er
24. Who among the follow ing
(d) Chandragupta (c) Kalhana (d) Banabhatta
presided over the Buddhist
Council held during the reign 6. Consider the following literary 14. Which one of the following was
works: the official language of Gupta
of Kanishka at Kashmir ?
I. Kumar Sambhavam period ?
(a) Parsva (b) Nagarjuna (a) Pali (b) Magadhi
II. Mudrarakshasa
(c) Sudraka (d) Vasumitra (c) Prakrit (d) Sanskrit

ck
III.Raghuvamsa
15. Who of the following Gupta
Answer Key IV.Ritusamhara
kings granted permission to
Which of these were the works Meghverma, the ruler of Sri
1. (c) 9. (a) 17. (d)
of Kalidasa?
2. (b) 10. (b) 18. (b) Lanka to build a Buddhist
(a) I, II and III (b) II, III and IV temple at Gaya ?
3. (a) 11. (a) 19. (b) (c) I, III and IV (d) I, II and IV (a) Chandragupta I
4. (d) 12. (c) 20. (c) 7. Which one of the following (b) Samudragupta
ra 5. (a) 13. (a) 21. (b) literary works did not belong to
(c) Chandragupta II
6. (d) 14. (c) 22. (d) the Gupta period?
(d) Skandagupta
7. (d) 15. (c) 23. (a) (a) Abhijnanashakuntalam
16. Aryabhatta and Varahmihira
8. (d) 16. (a) 24. (d) (b) Amarakosha
belong to which age?
(c) Charaka Samhita
(a) Guptas (b) Cholas
(d) Mrichhakatika
PART-X 8. During the reign of which of
(c) Mauryas (d) Mughals
rC
1. Who was the first known Gupta the following dynasties did 17. The decimal numeral system,
ruler ? Kalidasa flourish? including the concept of zero was
invented in India during which
(a) Srigupta (a) Mauryas (b) Sungas
one of the following dynasty ?
(b) Chandragupta I (c) Guptas (d) Vardhanas
(a) Saka (b) Gupta
9. Which one of the period marks
(c) Ghatotakacha the beginning of the Indian (c) Pala (d) Chola
(d) Kumaragupta temple architecture? 18. ‘Kumarasambhavam’, an epic,
(a) Nanda (b) Maurya was composed by—
2. The silver coins of the Gupta
(c) Sunga (d) Gupta (a) Banabhatta (b) Chandbardai
period were known as—
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10. .............assumed the title of (c) Harisena (d) Kalidasa

(a) Dinar (b) Rupyaka
'Vikramaditya'. 19. In the courtyard of the Quwwat
(c) Satamana (d) Karsharpana - ul - Islam Mosque of Delhi
(a) Ashoka
3. During which Gupta king’s (b) Chandragupta II stands the famous iron pillar
reign did the Chinese traveller in the memory of—
(c) Kanishka
Fahien visit India ? (a) Ashoka (b) Chandra
(d) Samudragupta
(a) Chandragupta I (c) Harsha (d) Anangpal
11. In which centur y did the
(b) Chandragupta II famous Chinese pilgrim 20. Sudraka’s ‘Mrichchakatikam’
Fahien visit India ? is a—
(c) Samudragupta
(a) 4th century AD (a) drama (b) novel
(d) Kumaragupta (c) poem (d) short story
(b) 5th century AD

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21. Samudragupta has been given PART-XI 9. Bhagavatism centred around

the title of ‘Indian Napoleon’ by the worship of—
1. Which among the following is
the historian— (a) Shiva (b) Bhagavati
the oldest dynasty ?
(a) Romila Thapar (c) Skanda (d) Vishnu
(a) Maurya (b) Gupta
(b) V.A. Smith 10. The decimal system was first
(c) Kushana (d) Kanva
(c) R.C. Mazumdar know n in India at the
2. What do the painting of Ajanta depict ? beginning of—
(d) R. S. Sharma (a) Ramayana (a) 2nd century AD
22. Who was the court poet of (b) Mahabharata (b) 3rd century AD
Samudragupta ?
(c) Jatakas (c) 4th century AD
(a) Asvaghosha (b) Nagarjuna (d) Panchatantra (d) 5th century AD
(c) Aryabhatta 3. The subject-matter of Ajanta 11. Which one of the following is

er
(d) Harisena paintings pertains to— considered an encyclopedia of
23. The Prayaga Prasasti/Allahabad (a) Jainism (b) Buddhism Indian Medicine ?
Pillar Inscription is associated (c) Vaishnavism(d) Shavism (a) Charaka Samhita
with which one of the following ? (b) Surya Siddhanta
4. Where did the game of chess
(a) Mahapadmananda originate ? (c) Brihat Samhita

ck
(b) Chandragupta Maurya (a) India (b) Persia (d) Lokayata

(c) Samudragupta (c) Arabia (d) Europe 12. Which one of the following pairs
5. The caves and rock-cut is NOT correctly matched ?
(d) Ashoka
temples at Ellora are— (a) Kautilya – Arthashastra
24. The first Gupta ruler to assume
(a) Hindu and Buddhist (b) Hala – Gathasaptasati
the title of ‘Parama Bhagawat’
(b) Buddhist and Jain (c) Banbhatta – Buddhacharita
was—
(c) Hindu and Jain
ra(a) Chandragupta I
(d) Hindu, Buddhist and Jain
(d) K a lidasa – Abhijnana s -
(b) Samudragupta hakuntalam
6. When was the ‘Panchatantra’ written ?
(c) Chandragupta II 13. The first major inscription in
(a) Maurya period
classical Sanskrit is that of—
(d) Ramgupta (b) Kanishka period
(a) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(c) Gupta period
Answer Key (b) Kanishka I
(d) Harsha period
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7. Which one of the following (c) Rudradaman
1. (a) 9. (d) 17. (b)
sources of Islam is associated (d) Samudragupta
2. (b) 10. (b) 18. (d)
with the teachings of Prophet
3. (b) 11. (b) 19. (b) Muhammad ?
Answer Key
4. (a) 12. (b) 20. (a) (a) Quran (b) Hidaya 1. (a) 6. (c) 10. (d)
5. (c) 13. (b) 21. (b) (c) Fiqah (d) Sunah 2. (c) 7. (a) 11. (a)
6. (c) 14. (d) 22. (d) 8. Taxila University is situated in— 3. (b) 8. (a) 12. (c)
7. (c) 15. (b) 23. (c) (a) Pakistan (b) India 4. (a) 9. (d) 13. (c)
8. (c) 16. (a) 24. (c) (c) Bangladesh (d) Burma 5. (d)
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