Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Valmiki.

• According to 'The Ramayana', Ratnakar was the other name of Valmiki.

Important Points

• Sage Valmiki is revered as adi kavi.
• Valmiki was known as Ratnakar.
• As per Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Narada Muni transformed him into a great devotee of Lord Rama by giving him the Rama Nama mantra.
• Ramayana is the most important Sanskrit epics of ancient India.
  • The epic, traditionally ascribed to the Maharishi Valmiki, narrates the life of Rama, a legendary prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala.
  • It consists of nearly 24,000 verses, divided into five kaṇḍas: the ayodhyakaṇḍa, the araṇyakaṇḍa, the Kiskindhakand, the Sundarkanda, and the laṅkākāṇḍa, and about 500 Sargas (chapters).
  • The Ramayana Grantha depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal husband, and the ideal king.

The correct answer is Lokayata and Kapalika.

Important Points

• There are six major systems of Hindu Philosophy. 

The correct answer is Moinuddin Chishti.

Key Points

• Ajmer Sharif Dargah is the tomb of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
  • Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th-century Sufi saint and philosopher.
  • Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was an extremely pious saint who devoted himself to providing relief to the poor.
  • His idea behind doing this was to educate the public about the importance of selfless service.
  • The teachings of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti are so popular that visitors literally throng the dargah to pay their respects at his grave.

Additional Information

• Ajmer Sharif Dargah was built by the ruler Humayun during the rule of the Mughal Empire.
  • This Ajmer pilgrimage is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India.
  • It was the residence of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti between 1192 and 1236 AD and houses his tomb.
  • It is the mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, which is visited by people of all castes, creeds, and religions.
  • The white marble dome of Chishti's Dargah, as it is seen today, was built in 1532.
  • There are eight tombs in the complex besides those of Chishti belonging to his family members.

The correct answer is Neither I nor II.

Key Points

• Chhau dance is a traditional dance form performed by men from Eastern India that enacts episodes from epics including Ramayana and Mahabharata.
  • The main objective of this dance form is to celebrate martial arts.
  • Chhau dance can be classified into three divisions based on the place it is performed; Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha, Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand, and Purulia Chau of Bengal.
• Kathak is a North Indian dance that originated in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
  • ​The name Kathak comes from the word "Katha" which means a story.
  • Shambhu Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj are famous Kathak dancers.

Additional Information

• Eight dance forms have been acknowledged by Sangeet Natak Akademi as classical dance forms of India.
• The classical dance form originated from the Natya Shastra.
• Classical dance has a deep-rooted relationship with the Natya Shastra where the specific features of each of the Classical dance forms have been mentioned.
• There are 8 classical dance forms in India as per the source and scholar

Important Points

• The Cultural Ministry of India has included Chhau into the list of classical dances that make a total of 9 classical dance forms.

The correct answer is James Prinsep.

• James Princep was a European scholar who deciphered the edicts of the Ashoka.

Key Points

• James Prinsep -
  • He was an English scholar, orientalist, and antiquarian.
  • He was the founding editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
  • He is best remembered for his understanding of the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India.

Additional Information

•  V Gordon Childe -
  • He was an Australian archaeologist specializing in the study of European prehistory.
  • He became the first exponent of Marxist archeology in the Western world.​
• Alexander Cunningham -
  • He became famous as a famous scholar of Indian archaeology, historical geography, and history.
  • He is considered the father of the Archaeological Survey of India.