Question Discussion & Solution

The Rigveda is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.

• It is one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas.
• The text is a collection of 1,028 hymns and 10,600 verses, organized into ten books called mandalas.
• Samaveda mentions about music.
• It is also called the book of melodies.
• It is a part of four Vedas namely Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharvana Veda.
• It’s Upaveda Gandharva Veda.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

• Plan Balkan
  • Between March and May of 1947, Viceroy Mountbatten decided that the Cabinet Mission Plan had become untenable and formulated an alternative plan.
  • This plan envisaged the transfer of power to separate provinces (or to a confederation, if formed before the transfer), with Punjab and Bengal given the option to vote for partition of their provinces. Hence, option 3 is the correct answer.
  • The various units thus formed along with the princely states (rendered independent by lapse of paramountcy) would have the option of joining India or Pakistan or remaining separate.
  • This plan was prepared by a committee that included General Sir Hastings Ismay, Sir George Abell, and Lord Mountbatten.
  • The Plan proposed provinces are declared independent successor states and then be allowed to choose whether to join the constituent assembly or not.
  • As per this plan all the provinces viz. Madras, Bombay, United Provinces of Bengal, Punjab & northwest Frontier, etc. were proposed to be declared Independent.
  • When heard about the plan, Nehru rejected it right away and told the British that this plan would invite the Balkanization of India.
  • The plan was quickly abandoned after Nehru reacted violently to it.
  • It was also called Dickie Bird Plan.

🔑 Key Points

• Dayaram Sahni carried out the first extensive excavations at Harappa in 1921, leading to its identification as a major site of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• R.D. Banerji is credited with the discovery of Mohenjo-Daro in 1922.
• John Marshall was the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the time and officially announced the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization to the world.
• Alexander Cunningham was the first Director-General of the ASI, and while he investigated Harappa in the 19th century, he did not recognize its significance as part of a lost civilization.

The correct answer is Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Key Points

• The Home Rule Movement was started by Bal Gangadhar tilak in April 1916 at Poona.
• It was started by Annie Besant and Subramaniyam Swami at Adyar, Madras in September 1916.
• The movement lasted for about 2 years from 1916-1918.
• It aimed at establishing self-government (home rule) through conducting seminars, distributing pamphlets etc.
• The movement led to the Montague Declaration of 1917, wherein the British government decided to increase the association of Indians in every branch of administration for the progressive realisation of responsible government.

 Thus, we can say that the Home Rule Movement was started in Poona by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

• The first Jain Mahasabha was held at Pataliputra(now known as Patna).
• It was held in the beginning of the 3^rd century BC by Sthulabahu.
• The second councils were held simultaneously at Mathura and Vallabhi and the third at Vallabhi.
• The Jain councils are associated with the revision and improvement of their sacred text termed as Jain Agamas.