Question Discussion & Solution

The Correct Answer is 1921.

 Key Points

• Harappa was an Indus civilization urban centre.
• It lies in Punjab Province, Pakistan, on an old bank/bed of the River Ravi.
• Harappa was the first site of the civilization to be excavated in 1921.
• The excavation team was led by Daya Ram Sahni.

 Important Points

• Mohenjo-Daro was discovered in 1922 by R. D. Banerji.

The correct answer is 10.

 Key Points

• The Rigveda is divided into 10 mandalas (books).
• The first and tenth Mandalas are the youngest and the longest.
• The Gayatri mantra is in Rig Veda is taken ffrom Mandala 3.
• Mandala 9 is completely devoted to Soma.
• The 10th mandala contains the Purusha Sukta which explains the 4 Varnas that were born from the Mouth, arms, thighs, and feet of the Brahma or Purusha.
• Nasadiya Sukta which talks about the origin of the Universe is in the 10th Mandala. 

Additional Information

• Vedas are supposed to be the first religious text of the Hindu religion. 
• Veda means knowledge.
• There are four Vedas namely,
  • Rig Veda - Oldest and most important Veda, contains the knowledge of chemistry and medical science.
  • Yajur Veda - Only Veda, which is divided into two parts (i.e. Krishna Yajur Veda and Shukla Yajur Veda), contains the knowledge of all sacrificial formula and weapons. 
  • Sam Veda - It is the Origin of Indian classical music.
  • Atharva Veda - It contains the knowledge of Ayurveda, also charms and spells hence it is known as black Veda.

The correct answer is Al-Biruni.

Key Points

• Abu Rayhan al-Biruni was an Iranian scholar.
• He has been variously called as the:-
  • Founder of Indology
  • Father of Comparative Religion
  • Father of modern geodesy
  • The first anthropologist
• He wrote the book Kitab-ul-Hind.
• Alberuni (Abu Raynham Beruni) was a Persian scholar who came to India with Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017.
• He commented on Indian sciences, Hindu religious beliefs, customs, and social organization.

Additional Information

• Al-Masudi's Book - The Meadows of Gold
• Sulaiman's Book - Ancient Accounts of India and China
• Firdausi's Book - Shahnameh

The correct answer is Kanishka.

Key Points

• Since the Parinirvana (death) of Buddha, all Buddhist communities sequentially convoked to settle theological matters and to amend the content of various Buddhist sutras and hence is called Buddhist Council. There are 6 such councils held until 1954.
  • First Buddhist Council was held at Girivraja also known as Rajgriha or Rajgir under the chairmanship of Mahakassap and kingship of Ajatshatru in the year 483 B.C. for adopting and preserving all Buddha’s sayings and disciplines known as Sutta and Vinaya respectively.
  • The second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali under the chairmanship of Sabbakami and kingship of Kalasoka in year 383 B.C. No outcome was ascertained in this council due to the controversial act of accepting donations, done by monks.
  • The third Buddhist Council was held at Patliputra under the chairmanship of Moggaliputta Tissa and kingship of Ashoka in year 251 B.C. to classify established Pitakas.
  • Fourth Buddhist Council is segregated into two separate councils held at Srilanka (77 BCE) and Kashmir (127 CE) under Vattagamani Abhaya and Kanishka respectively resulting in the division of Buddhism into Hinayana (Theravada Buddhism) and Mahayana.
  • The fifth and sixth Buddhist council was held by Hinayana Buddhism at Burma in 1871 and 1954 respectively.

The correct answer is Megasthenese.

Key Points

• Megasthenes was a Greek traveller and geographer to whom the subsequent Greek writers were chiefly indebted for their accounts of India.
• The Hellenistic king Seleucus I sent him as an ambassador to the court of King Chandragupta Maurya in India.
• His report about the culture, history and religion of India was the basis of western knowledge about India. 

Additional Information