Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is option 1 i.e The Rakhigarhi.

• Rakhigarhi is a village in Haryana.
  • Rakhigarhi villages of Haryana have one of the world's oldest ancient Indus Valley Civilization sites.
  • Located in the Sarasvati river plain.
  • It is one of the famous sites of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation.
  • Part of the mature Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to 2600-1900 BCE.
  • The Global Heritage Fund, declared Rakhigarhi one of the ten most endangered heritage sites in Asia in 2011.
  • The  Archaeological Survey of India excavated Rakhigarhi for three times.
• Mitathal is another Indus Valley Civilisation site in Haryana.
• Sisai is an Indus Valley Civilization site and village in Haryana.
• Bass is a municipal committee town situated in the geometrical centre of Haryana.

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• Battle of Haldighati was fought in 1576 between Maharana Pratap and nd the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber. Hence 2 is correct.
  • In this war, Maharana Pratap mainly got the support of the Bhil tribe.
  • This battle was one of the shortest in Indian history, lasting only four hours.
  • It is said that after the Battle of Haldighat, Rana Pratap continued to attack the Mughals with guerrilla warfare techniques.
  • He stayed in the hills and from there harassed the large Mughal army in the camps.
  • He ensured that the Mughal soldiers would never live in peace in Mewar.
• The Battle of Dewair 1582 was fought between Maharana Pratap and Mughal officer Sultan Khan. Hence 3 is correct.
  • Maharana Pratap attacked the Mughal fortification of Dewair which was led by the Mughal officer Sultan Khan.
  • Maharana Pratap's son Amar Singh killed Sultan Khan and the Mughal army was forced to give up Dewair and retreat.
  • 32000 Mughal army surrendered to Maharana Pratap.
  • After the Battle of Dewair, Maharana Pratap continued his campaign and by 1586 AD had regained most of Mewar other than Chittor, Ajmer, and Mandalgarh. 
• The Battle of Khanwa was a decisive engagement between the Mughal forces under Babur and the Rajput alliance under Rana Sanga of Mewar. Hence 1 is incorrect
  • The battle was fought on 16 March 1527.
  • It ended in a decisive victory for the Mughal forces and would consolidate Babur and his descendants’ rule for centuries to come.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

• Poona Pact (September 1932):
  • It was an agreement between Gandhi and Ambedkar.
  • Madan Mohan Malviya signed the pact on behalf of Gandhi.
  • According to this pact:
    • Separate electorates were replaced by joint electorates for depressed classes.
    • As against 71 seats announced by MacDonald, this pact reserved 148 seats in the Provincial legislature.
    • About 18% of the total seats were also reserved for the pressed classes in the central legislature.
• August Offer (August 1940)
  • The Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, issued a statement from Shimla on 8 August 1940 known as the August Offer.
  • It was an attempt to secure the cooperation of the Indians in WW II.
  • Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of England at the time.
  • Some of the provisions of the August Offer were:
    • Dominion status as the objective for India.
    • The number of Indians in the Viceroy’s Executive council will be increased.
    • A representative “Constitution Making Body” shall be appointed immediately after the war.
  • The Indian National Congress rejected the August Offer as Pt. Nehru said, “Dominion status concept is dead as a doornail”, As well as Mahatama Gandhi said that the declaration had widened the gulf between the nationalists and the British rulers.
• Cripps Mission (1942):
  • In order to get the support of India in world war II, Cripps Mission was sent to India in 1942.
  • Few proposals of this mission are:
    • Dominion status to India after the war.
    • Constitution-making body after the war.
    • Constitution so framed would be acceptable by the British Government only if certain province desires to stay away from the Union of India.
    • Any province which wouldn't accept the new constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with the British.
    • Gandhi called Cripps Mission 'A post-dated cheque drawn on a failing bank' due to the Cripps offer of Dominion Status after the war.
• Wavell plan/Shimla Conference (1945):
  • It was named after the Viceroy of India, Lord Wavell.  
  • Few proposals in this plan are:
    • With the exception of the Viceroy and Commander in chief, all the members of the Viceroys executive council will be Indians.
    • A kind of interim government was suggested.
    • Transfer of foreign affairs portfolio from the Governor-General to an Indian member.
    • Congress rejected the Wavell plans because of the actions of the Muslim league.

🔑 Key Points

• Maharana Pratap of Mewar is celebrated for his relentless resistance against the Mughal Empire, particularly Emperor Akbar.
• He fought the Battle of Haldighati in 1576 against the Mughal forces led by Man Singh I.

The Correct Answer is Option (3) i.e C -

• The most significant feature of Indus Valley civilization was the buildings made of the bricks.
• Indus Valley Civilization is also known as Harappan Civilization, which flourished around 2500 BC in Pakistan and Western India.
• Some of the important Harappan sites are - Harappa (Pakistan), Mohenjodaro (Pakistan), Sutkagendor (Pakistan), Chanhudaro (Pakistan), Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Lothal and Surkotada (Gujarat), Banawali (Haryana), Dholavira (Gujarat), etc
• In 1924, John Marshall, Director-General of Archaeological Society of India (ASI), announced the discovery of a new civilization in the Indus Valley to the World.
• Indus Valley Civilization was the largest of the ancient urban civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China.
• ASI was founded by Alexander Cunningham in the year 1861.

Additional Information 

• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India. This civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus. Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world. It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system. Important facts to be remembered 
• John Marshall was the first researcher to use the term, ‘Indus Valley Civilization’.
• Indus Valley Civilization spread from the year 2500 – 1750 BC according to radio-carbon dating.
• The most distinctive feature of the Harappan Civilization was its urbanization.
• Moreover, sheep and goats, dogs, humped cattle buffalo, and elephants were domesticated in the Indus Valley Civilization.
• The capital cities are Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
• The port cities are Sutkagendor, Balakot, Lothal, Allahdino, and Kuntasi.
• The Indus valley people were well-acquainted with the use of both cotton and wool.
• Name of the major cities are given below:
  • Mohenjodaro (Sind)-It is located on the right bank of the Indus.
  • Kalibangan (Rajasthan)-It was on the banks of the river Ghaggar river
  • Chanhudaro-It lies on the left bank of the Indus in the south of Mohenjodaro.
  • Lothal- It is located at the head of the Gulf of Cambay.
  • Surkotada (Gujarat)-It is at the head of the Rann of Kutch.
  • Banawali (Haryana)-It was situated on the banks of the now-extinct Sarasvati
  • Dholavira (Gujarat)-It excavated is in the Kutch district