HISTORY MCQs ( SET- 4)

1.The sources that historians use to reconstruct the exciting world of ideas and beliefs include -----

a) Islamic, Jaina and Zoroastrian texts , monuments and inscriptions.

b)Buddhist , Jaina and Brahmanical texts , monuments and inscriptions.

c)Buddhist , Arabic and Kabir’s texts , monuments and inscriptions.

2.which is the best preserved monument of this time ?

3.The most wonderful ancient buildings in the state of Bhopal are at

4.In which side of Bhopal , is the village of Sanchi Kanakhera located ?

5.Name an European archaeologist who stayed for two weeks in the village of Sanchi Kanakhera and examined the
ruins there carefully ?

6.Name a famous female Nawab of Bhopal ?

7.What was the ruling period of Shahjehan Begum ?

8.Name a book written by Shahjehan Begum ?

9.Who translated the book written by Shahjehan Begum in English and when ?

10.What does Taj – Ul Iqbal Tarikh Bhopal mean in English ?

11.The Europeans of which century were very interested in the Sanchi Stupa ?

12.Who sought Shahjehan Begum’s permission to take away, the Eastern Gateway which was the best preserve?

13.Who was the successor of Shahjehan Begum ?

14.Name the famous archaeologist who dedicated his important volumes on Sanchi to Sultan Jehan ?

15.Which site in India is considered as one of the most important Buddhist centres whole over the World?

17.At the top of which hill the Sanchi Stupa is located ?

18.Which organization played the key role in preserving and restoring the Sanchi Stupa ?

19.When the Sanchi Stupa was built ?

20.Who discovered the Sanchi Stupa and when ?

21.Which period is often regarded as a turning point in the World History ?

22.Name the ruler of Bhopal who funded a museum and had also built a guesthouse at Sanchi ?

23.The discovery of which Buddhist center has vastly transformed our understanding of Early Buddhism?

24.Today stands testimony to the successful restoration and preservation of a key archaeological
site by the Archaeological Survey of India .

25.Name the places where the following thinkers emerged :-

Name of the thinkers Places of emergence

i Zarathustra
ii Aristotle
iii Mahavira
iv Socrates
v Kong Zi
vi Plato
vii Gautam Buddha

26. When the Rig Veda was composed?

27. When the new kingdoms and cities started to develop and the social and economic life also started changing in
a variety of ways in the Ganga Valley ?

28. What do the Rig Veda consist ?

29.Which deities were praised the most in the Rig Veda ?

30.Where the hymns of Rig Veda were chanted ?

31.At first the sacrifices were performed

32.From when the trend of performing sacrifices by the heads of the households began ?

33. Why sacrifices were performed by the head of the households ?

34.Name the two most aristrocate and more elaborate sacrifices that were performed by the kings and chiefs ?

36.Many ideas found in the Upanishads( c. 6th century BCE onwards) show that people were curious about the
meaning of , the possibility of life after and ..

37.Thinkers were concerned with understanding and expressing the nature of

38.People also began speculating on the significance of the tradition .

39.We get a glimpse of lively discussions and debates from which mention as many as
sects or schools of thought .

40. travelled from place to place , trying to convince as well as about the of
their or the way they understood the
41.If a philosopher succeeded in convincing one of his ,the followers of the latter also became his
So support for any particular sect could & over time .

42.Agni is the god of

43.Agni is often identified with the , into which were made so as to reach the
other deities .

44‘‘.Bring , O strong one , this sacrifice of ours to the Gods , O wise one , as a liberal giver . Bestow on us , O
priest , abundant food . Agni , obtain , by sacrificing , mighty wealth for us.’’ --- This is a verse from the
. This verse had been composed in a special kind of Sanskri known as the . This kind of verse was
taught to men belonging to families .

45.Name the teachers who questioned the authority of the Vedas ?

46.Teachers like Mahavira and Buddha emphasized - suggesting that men and women could
to attain from the & of existence .

47.According to the Brahmanical ideology and position , an individual’s existence was thought to be determined by
his or her in a specific or .

48.When the Chhandogya Upanishad was composed and in which language ?

49. ‘‘ The nature of the self ’’ & ‘‘ The true Sacrifice’’ are the two verses from which text?

50.Both & sought to for Shahjehan Begum’s permission to take away the Eastern Gateway of
Sanchi to be displayed in the museums .

51.French & Englishmen were satisfied with carefully prepared copies and the original remained at the
site .

52.Why did John Marshall dedicate his important volumes on Sanchi to Sultan Jehan Begum of Bhopal ?

53.What were the key features of the early religious traditions ?

54.Name the principal deities of the Vedic tradition ?

55.Mention the two major architetctural feature of the Sanchi Stupa ?

56.Jaina Scholars produced literature in which languages ?

57.Debates and discussions took place in the Kutagarashala , literally a hut with a pointed roof .

58.State any 3 key ideas of Jainism ?

59.What was the capital of the following Mahajanapadas :-

i)Vajji .

ii)Kuru
iii)Avanti .

iv)Koshala .

v)Kashi .

vi) Matsya .

vii)Panchala .

viii) Magadha .

ix)Gandhara .

x)Surasena.

xii) Vatsa .

xiii)Chedi

xiv) Matshoya .

60.Who composed Mahabharata ?

61.What was the birth name of Gautam Buddha ?

62.Gautam Buddha belonged to which clan?

63.Tathagata was the another name of .

64.Buddhism stands for pillars .

65.What are the ‘Triratnas’ of Buddhism ?

66.When and where Buddha was born ?

67.Who was the father of Gautam Buddha ?

68.Who was the real mother of Buddha ?

69.Buddha was brought up by his

70. Buddha was named as Gautam Buddha after his stepmother’s name

71.Where the following cities of North-eastern India grew up ;-

i)Kaushambi.

ii)Kusinagar .

iii)Varanasi.
iv)Varanasi.

v)Vaishali.

vi)Chirand .

vii)Taradih.

Viii)Champa .

72.Where did Gautam Buddha attain his enlightenment ?

73.Where did Buddha attain Nirvana ?

74.Buddha got married at the age of to .

75.Buddha enjoyed his married life for years .

76.Buddha had a son named .

77.The fundamental principles of Buddha’s teachings are represented by Noble Truths or the

78.Write down the 4 Arya-Satyas or Noble Truths which are the fundamental principles of Buddha’s teachings .

79.Write down the name of Tripitakas ?

80.According to Gautam Buddha , roots of all human misery was

81.According to Buddha , one could get out from the chain of sufferings and achieve salvation by following the

82.Nirvana means

83.What were the the Triratnas according to Gautam Buddha ?

84.Belief in Nirvana , also known as Moksha or salvation refers to belief in the concept of , whereby
the person gets freedom from the cycles of & .

85.Madhya Marga or Madhyama Pratipada means

86. Name some famous Buddhist scholars ?

87.In which language the Tripitakas had been written ?

88.Mention the four Bodhisattvas ?

89.What is the meaning of ‘Chaitya’

90.What is Stupa ?

91.What is meant by the term ‘Vihara’ ?

92.Where the stone pillars depicting the life of Buddha have been found ?
93.Define Mahayana ?

94.Define Hinayana ?

95.Who was the first ‘Bhikkhuni’ in Buddhism and foster mother of Buddha ?

96.Where did Buddha give his first ‘Seraman’ ?

97.Identify the correct location and name of the founders of the following Buddhist Universities :-

Buddhist Universities Location Founder

1. Somapuri Bodagaon , Bihar . Kumaragupta I
2. Jagadal Bhagalpur , Bihar . Dharmapala ( Pala Ruler )
3. Nalanda Norh Bengal . Dharmapala ( Pala Ruler )
4. Odantpuri Bengal . Rampala ( Pala Ruler )
5. Vallabhi Bihar Sharif , Bihar . Gopala (Pala Ruler)
6. Vikramashila Gujarat Bhattarka ( Maitrak Ruler)

98.Which is the most ancient building of Bhopal ?

99.What is Vedic Sanskrit ?

100.Which Buddhist text include rules and regulations for those who joined the Buddhist Shangha ?

101.Name two pilgrims who travelled from China to India in search of Buddhist texts ?

102.What is Hagiography ?

103.What did the followers of old tradition of Buddhism called themselves ?

104.In which year was Sanchi declared as a World Heritage site ?

105.What were the two more Buddhist texts written in Sri Lanka ?

106.What are the two types of people according to Sutta Pitaka ?

107.Where are the sources of information about the early life of Buddha found ?

108.what were the four events that changed the life of Buddha ?

109.How was Buddhism divided after the death of Buddha ?

110.What is the meaning of Tirthankara ?

111.The early temple was a small square room called the

112.Who laid down the foundation stone of National Museum in New Delhi and when ?

113.When was the Calcutta Indian Museum founded ?

114.Who and when published ‘The Monuments of Sanchi’ ?

115.After the death of Gautam Buddha , his teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of ‘‘elders’’ or
senior monks at

116.What is the literal meaning of ‘Tripitaka’?

117.The Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with the

118.What does the name Dipavamsa literally mean ?

119.What does the term Mahavamsa literally mean ?

120.The conversation between Ajatasattu and Buddha have been mentioned in which Pitaka ?

121.What are the two traditions of Buddhism ?

122.What does the term ‘Mahabhinishkramana’ mean ?

123.At what age did Gautam Buddha live his house and family ?

124.Who was the twenty-third Tirthankara ?

125.Who was the 24th Tirthankara ?

126.Who was the father and mother of Mahavira ?

127.Where Vardhamana Mahavira was born ?

128.Who was the wife of Mahavira ?

129.Who was the daughter of Mahavira?

130.Who was the son of Gautam Buddha ?

131.Where & at which age did Mahavira attain enlightenment ?

132.Where & when did Mahavira attain his Kaivalya ?

133.Where did Mahavira give his first Seramon ?

134.The 11 disciples of Mahavira to whom he delivered his first seramon were known as

135.What does the term ‘Jaina’ or ‘Jitendriya’ mean ?

136.What is Syadavada ?

137.What is Anekantavada ?

138.What are the Three Ratnas or Way to Nirvana according to Jaina ideology ?

139.What does the term ‘Kevalin’ mean ?

140.What does the term ‘Arihant’ mean ?

141.What are the 5 Cardinal principles of Jainism ?

142.Who added the principle of Brahmacharya to the Cardinal Ideologies or Principles of Jainism ?

143.Who were known as Mahavratas ?

144.Who were known as Anuvratas ?

145.Who laid down the first four Cardinal Principles of Jainism ?

146.What are the Five Instruments of Knowledge according to the Jain Philosophy ?

147. During the ruling period of which king , did Jainism get splitted ?

148.What are the two sects of Jainism ?

149.Name the religious noble of the Buddhists ?

150.Name the religious noble of the Jainas ?

151.Give some instances of Jaina Literature ?

152.Which is the most important idea of Jainism ?

153.According to Jaina teachings , the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through

154.Mahavira believed in ( Tyaga | Karma | Moksha ) and transmigration of soul .

155.According to Jainism , & are required to free oneself from the cycle of Karma.
( patience , penance | devotion , asceticism | asceticism , penance )

156.What are the 5 vows that the Jaina Monks and Nuns take ?

157.The teachings of Mahavira have been mostly found in the form of ( Comics/ Stories/Poems).

158. Name the writers and Publishers of the following books :- i) The Wonder that was India .

ii)Indian Religious Historiography.

iii)Monumental Legacy of Sanchi.

iv)The Jains.

v)Introduction to Hinduism .

vi)Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo .

vii)The Art and Architecture of India : Buddhist / Hindu /Jain .

159.Who and When published ‘ Bhilsha Topes’ and when ?

160.When did Rajendralal Mitra publish “Buddha Gaya” ?

161.Buddha and his followers were taught in (Sanskrit / Prakrit / Pali )

162. was the traditional form of Buddhism .

163.Those who were the supporters of materialism were called .

164.Buddha founded an organization of monks known as

165.The monks served as teachers of

166.Where the Asiatic Society was established and by whom ?

167.Where is Ajanta situated ?

168.What is the another name for the Ajanta Ellora caves ?

169.Paintings at Ajanta depict stories from the

170.Early Buddhist teachings had given great importance to self effort in achieving

171.From a Prakrit text known as description about how a queen named Kamalavati tried to
persuaded her husband to renounce the world had been found.

172.In which languages , most of the Jaina literary works have been found ?

173.What does the term ‘Buddha’ mean ?

174.Buddha taught or the path of righteous living whole over his life .

175.The teachings of Buddha have been reconstructed from stories , found mainly in the ( Jatakas /
Abhidhamma Pitaka / Sutta Pitaka ).

176.Buddha always tried to convince people through & rather than through displays
of supernatural powers.

177. According to Buddhist philosophy , the world is transient ( )and constantly changing ; it is also
soulless ( ) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it . Within this transient world , sorrow ( )
is intrinsic to human existence .

178.Human beings can rise above these worldly troubles by following the path of moderation between severe

& .

179.Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of rather than of origin .

180.What does ‘Nibanna’ literally mean ?

181.According to Buddhist tradition , his last words to his followers were :Be unto yourselves as all of
you must work out your own
182.As the monks who were the teachers of Dhamma and belonged to the Sangha , lived on alms , they were
known as .

183. The internal functioning of the Sangha was based on the traditions of & , where
consensus was arrived at through discussions . If that failed , decisions were taken by a on the subject .

184. is a unique Buddhist text , a part of the Pitaka . It is collection of verses composed
by the It provides an insight into women’s & experiences .

185.From where the sculpture depicting the departure of the Buddha from his palace have been found ?

186.When did Sir John Marshall publish the Conservation Mannual ?

187.When H.H. Cole appointed Curator of Ancient Monuments ?

188.Where the story of a slave women or a Dasi named Punna had been found ?

189.According to the Vinaya Pitaka , when a new felt ( blanket / Rug ) had been made by a , it had to be
kept for atleast years .

190. What does the term ‘Metta’ and ‘Karuna’ mean ?

191.Who and after how many years erected a pillar at Lumbini to mark the fact that he had visited the birth place of
Buddha ?

192.Mahaparinibbana Sutta is a part of which Pitaka ?

193.The entire Stupa came to be venerated as an emblem of both &

194.According to the Buddhist text known as , Ashoka distributed portions of Buddha’s relics
to every important towns and ordered the construction of Stupas over them .

195.What is the term used for Stupa in Pali ?

196.Tathagata is the another name of

197.Inscriptions found on the railings and pillars of Stupas record made for building & decorating
them.

198.Some donations for the construction and decoration of the Stupas were made by the kings such as ;
others were made by guilds , such as that of the who financed part of one of the gateways at
Sanchi .

199.The Stupa was originated as a simple semi-circular mound of earth , later called

200. Gradually the shape of the Stupa evolved into a more complex structure , balancing &
shapes.

201. Above the Anda was the , a balcony-like structure that represented the abode of the gods.

202.What was the Harmaika ?

203.Arising from the Harmaika was a mast called the , often surmounted by a or umbrella .

204.Around the mound was a ralling , separating the from the

205.The early stupas at & were plain , except for the , which resembled
a or fence , and the gateways , which were richly carved and installed at the
cardinal points.

206.When the Government Museum was established at Madras ?

207.When did Sir Alexender Cunningham explore the Stupa at Sarnath ?

208.When and by whom Essay on the Architecture of the Hindus was published ?

209.What was the time period taken by James Fergusson to survey the major Archaeological sites ?

210.Give some examples of Stupas , where the mound Have been carved with niches and sculptures ?

211.Worshippers entered at the Stupa of Sanchi through the gateway

a)Northern , b)Eastern ,c)Western ,d)Southern .

212.Worshippers walked around the Stupa in a direction keeping the mound on side , imitating
the sun’s course through the sky .

a)opposite , left b)Clockwise , left c)anticlockwise , right d)clockwise , right .

213.Hundreds of votive inscriptions as that found at Sanchi have been found in & .

a)Ajmer , Mewar b)Amaravati , Bodh Gaya c)Bharhut , Amaravati d)Thanjavur , Bharhut .

214.Who was Walter Elliot ?

215.Who was Colin Mackenzie ?

216.Who discovered the Stupa of Amaravati ?

217.When did Walter Elliot visit the stupa of Amaravati ?

218.What came to be known as the “Elliot marbles” and why ?

219.Who discovered the remains of the Western Gateway ?

220.What conclusion did Walter Elliot give about the Stupa at Amaravati ?

221.By the , some of the slabs from Amaravati had begun to be taken to different places .

a)1770s, b)1830s , c)1850s, d)1920s

222.Give example of some places where the precious & antic slabs were taken by the 1850s?
223.Who was H.H cole ?What was his view regarding the shipment of the sculptures & precious slaps from the
Stupa of Amaravati and other Archaeological sites ?

224.According to art historians who have studied the Sculpture at Sanchi , it have been identified that the sculpture
depicts a story from .

225.Vessantara Jataka is a story about what ?

226.What symbols were used by the early sculptors for the following purposes :-

a)Meditation of Buddha .

b)To represent the Mahaparinibbana.

c)Symbol used to represent the first Seramon of Buddha , delivered at Sarnath .

227.Give example of a sculture found at Sanchi which was not directly inspired by Buddhist ideas ?

228.What is Shalabhanjika ?

229.Which animal was used as a symbol of strength and wisdom by the sculptors at Sanchi ?

230. Where did the Buddhist monks use to live ?

231.Stories from which literary work have been depicted in the cave works at Ajanta ?

a)Mahabharata , b)Jatakas .

232.Give example of some depictions that have been found in the caves of Ajanta ?

234.Which technique was used by the artists who craved the depictions in the caves of Ajanta to give the depictions
a three – dimensional quality ?

235.What does the term Abhisheka mean ?

236.The motif of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants have been identified as the figure of which goddess
?

237.Name one of the earliest modern art historian who considered Sanchi to be a centre of tree and Serpent worship
?

238.Ashoka belonged to which sect ?

239.Kailashnatha is the another name of which deity ?

240.Where the Kailashnatha temple is located ?