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Q1History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2022
Consider the following statements:
1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2. A description of Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.
3. Pran Pratishtha of the reconstructed Somnath Temple (installation of the present-day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A1 and 2 onlyCorrect
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Correct. Somnath is indeed one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and Al-Biruni provided a description of the temple in his work Kitab-ul-Hind. Statement 3 is incorrect because the installation ceremony of the reconstructed temple was performed in the presence of President Rajendra Prasad, not S. Radhakrishnan.
Q2History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2021
Consider the following statements:
1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes.
2. In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim right to the property.
3. The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A1 and 2
- B2 onlyCorrect
- C1 and 3
- D3 only
Explanation
Correct. The central distinction between the two systems is that under Mitakshara, sons acquire a right in ancestral property by birth (coparcenary right during the father's lifetime), while under Dayabhaga, sons can claim property only after the father's death. Statements 1 and 3 are incorrect.
Q3History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2021
With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements:
1. According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the weights, measures and accounts in the Vijayanagara Empire were similar to those in the Portuguese territories.
2. According to Nuniz, women in the Vijayanagara Empire were accomplished in wrestling, astrology, accounting and soothsaying.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2
- DNeither 1 nor 2Correct
Explanation
Correct. Nuniz's account emphasises the broad range of skills among women at Vijayanagara, including martial, clerical, and divinatory functions in courtly and urban settings, but neither statement as framed is an accurate representation of his specific observations.
Q4History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2021
Consider the following statements:
1. The Chausath Yogini temple at Morena was built by the Kachchhapaghata rulers.
2. It is the only circular temple built in India.
3. It was meant to promote the Vaishnava cult in the region.
4. Its design has given rise to a popular belief that it was the inspiration behind the Indian Parliament building.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A1 and 2
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 4Correct
- D2, 3 and 4
Explanation
Correct. The Chausath Yogini temple at Morena was built by the Kachchhapaghata rulers and its circular design has led to a popular (though debated) belief that it inspired the design of the Indian Parliament building. It is a Tantric/Yogini shrine, not Vaishnava, and is not the only circular temple in India.
Q5History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2019
Building Kalyana Mandapas was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of:
- AChalukya
- BChandela
- CRashtrakuta
- DVijayanagaraCorrect
Explanation
Correct. The Vijayanagara Empire was notable for constructing large pillared halls called Kalyana Mandapas (marriage halls) within temple complexes. These were used for ritual ceremonies, including the symbolic marriage of deities, and are a hallmark of Vijayanagara temple architecture at sites like Hampi and Lepakshi.
Q6History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2009
Where is the famous Virupaksha temple located?
- ABhadrachalam
- BChidambaram
- CHampiCorrect
- DSrikalahasti
Explanation
Correct. The Virupaksha temple is located at Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in Karnataka. It is one of the oldest and most sacred temples at the site, dedicated to Lord Shiva as Virupaksha, and remains an active place of worship.
Q7History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2006
In Indian history, who was Abdul Hamid Lahori?
- AAn important military commander during Akbar's reign
- BAn official historian of the reign of Shah JahanCorrect
- CAn important noble and confidant of Aurangzeb
- DA chronicler and poet during the reign of Muhammad Shah
Explanation
Correct. Abdul Hamid Lahori was the official court historian of Shah Jahan. He authored the Padshahnama (also called Badshahnama), which is the official chronicle of Shah Jahan's reign and an important primary source for Mughal history.
Q8History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2003
Consider the following statements:
1. Kitab-i-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II.
2. Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early form of the musical style known as Qawwali.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur composed Kitab-i-Nauras, which uniquely praised both Hindu deities like Saraswati and Ganesh as well as Muslim saints, reflecting the syncretic culture of the Deccan. Amir Khusrau is traditionally credited with originating the Qawwali musical form in India.
Q9History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2002
The historian Barani refused to consider the state in India under Delhi Sultans as truly Islamic because:
- AThe majority of the population did not follow Islam
- BThe Muslim theologians were often disregarded
- CThe Sultan supplemented the Muslim law by framing his own regulationsCorrect
- DReligious freedom was accorded to non-Muslims
Explanation
Correct. Ziauddin Barani, a 14th-century historian and political thinker, argued that the Delhi Sultans could not claim to run a truly Islamic state because they supplemented Muslim law (Sharia) with their own secular regulations and customary laws (zawabit).
Q10History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 2001
Hoysala monuments are found in:
- AHampi and Hospet
- BHalebid and BelurCorrect
- CMysore and Bangalore
- DSringeri and Dharwar
Explanation
Correct. Halebid (ancient Dwarasamudra) was the capital of the Hoysala dynasty, and Belur was another important centre. The Hoysalesvara temple at Halebid and the Chennakesava temple at Belur are the finest examples of Hoysala architecture, known for their intricate soapstone carvings.
Q11History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 1999
'The king was freed from his people and they from their king'. On whose death did Badauni comment thus?
- ABalban
- BAlauddin Khalji
- CMuhammad-bin-TughlaqCorrect
- DFiroz Shah Tughlaq
Explanation
Correct. The historian Badauni made this famous remark about Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq (d. 1351), whose reign was marked by ambitious but often impractical schemes that caused immense suffering to his subjects, leading to mutual relief at his passing.
Q12History & Culture·Medieval Art, Architecture and LiteraturePYQ 1999
Consider the following statements: The striking feature of the Jama Masjid in Kashmir completed by Zain-ul-Abidin include(s):
I. Turret
II. Similarity with Buddhist pagodas
III. Persian style
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- AI alone
- BI, II and IIICorrect
- CII and III
- DI and III
Explanation
Correct. The Jama Masjid of Kashmir, associated with Zain-ul-Abidin, uniquely combines turrets, a pagoda-like multi-tiered structure reminiscent of Buddhist architecture, and Persian stylistic elements, reflecting Kashmir's syncretic architectural tradition.