Question Discussion & Solution

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 Bhopal Singh.

• United of Rajasthan: In the third stage on 18 April 1948 Udaipur was merged into Rajasthan Union.
  • Bhopal Singh became Raj Pramukh.
  • Capital - Udaipur

Additional Information

• Stages of the Unification of Rajasthan:
  • Matsya Union: The fir st stage took place on 17 March 1948.
    • Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli and Alwar formed Matsya Union.
    • Shobhlal Kumawat became the Prime Minister.
    • Capital - Alwar
  • Rajasthan Union: The second stage took place on 25 March 1948.
    • Banswara, Bundi, Dungarpur, Jhalawar, Kishangarh, Pratapgarh, Shahapura, Tonk and Kota formed a Rajasthan Union separate from Matsya Union.
    • The head of Kota was appointed as the Rajpramukh and Shri Gokul Lal Asawa was appointed as the Chief Minister.
  • United of Rajasthan: In the third stage on 18 April 1948 Udaipur was merged into Rajasthan Union.
    • Manikyalal Verma became the Prime Minister.
    • Capital - Udaipur
  • Greater Rajasthan: In the fourth stage on 30 March 1949, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer are merged into United Rajasthan.
    • Heeralal Shashtri became the Prime Minister.
    • Udaipur king Bhupal Singh became Chief King.
  • United States of Greater Rajasthan: In the fifth stage on 15 May 1949, Matsya Union was merged with Greater Rajasthan. 
    • Heeralal Shashtri became the first Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
  • United Rajasthan: The sixth stage was completed by 26 Jan 1950.
    • 18 states of the United Rajasthan & princely state of Sirohi got merged with the exception of Abu & Delwara.
  • Rajasthan: The seventh stage was completed on 1 November 1956.
    • Mohanlal Sukhadia became Chief Minister and Gurumukh Nihal Singh became Governor.

The correct answer is Sutta pitaka.

Key Points

• The main teaching or Dhamma of Buddha is mentioned in Sutta Pitaka which is divided into five Nikayas or collections:
  • Digha Nikaya
  • Majjhima Nikaya
  • Samyutta Nikaya
  • Anguttara Nikaya
  • Khuddaka Nikaya

Additional Information

• Tripitaka is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Three Basket'.
• The most important lessons of Buddhism are mentioned in Tripitakas written in the Pali language. They are:
  • Sutta Pitaka
  • Vinaya Pitaka
  • Abhidhamma Pitaka
• Dipavamsa - It contains the history of the Island when Buddhism was expanded in Sri Lanka.
• Dhammasangani - It contains the summary of Buddhism.
• Manu Smriti - It means 'Laws of Manu' and contains the religious instructions for the Hindus.

The correct answer is Mauryan Empire.

Key Points

• In the Mauryan empire Kautilya refers to two types of courts :
  • Dharmasthiyas (dealt with civil matters).
  • Kantakasodhana(dealt with criminal matters).

Additional Information

• Mauryan Empire (321 BCE - 185 BCE):
  • Chandragupta Maurya (321 BCE - 297 BCE):
    • Founder of the Maurya Dynasty and credited with the setting up of the first (nearly) pan-Indian empire.
    • Known as Sandrakottos to the Greeks and Androkottus by Aerian and Plutark. 
    • William Jones was the 1st scholar who recognized Sandrokottos as Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Kautilya mentored Chandragupta and prepared him for a takeover of Magadha.
    • Set up a vast centralized empire (details of whose functioning, society, military, and economy are well preserved in Kautilya's Arthashastra).
    • Defeated the invading army of the Eastern part of Alexander's empire Seleucus (305 BCE).​
    • Megasthenese was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Chandragupta in his later years accepted Jainism.
      • Accompanied Bhadrabahu to Karnataka and later died by following the ritual of sallekhana, i.e., fasting till death. 
  • Bindusara (297 BCE - 273 BCE):
    • 2nd Mauryan Emperor of India and he was the son of Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Known as Amitrochates to the Greeks. In Jain texts, he was known as Simhasena.
    • Antiochus sent Deimachus as an ambassador to Bindusara's court.
    • Chanakya also remained the chief advisor of Bindusara.
    • Bindusara was an able monarch who was successful in consolidating the empire established by his father.
    • Bindusara patronized the Ajivikas.
  •  Ashoka the Great (268 BCE - 232 BCE):
    • 3rd king of the Mauryan Empire.
    • He was known for:
      • Renunciation of war after the Kalinga war.
      • Development of the concept of Dhamma (pious social conduct, welfare of humanity).
      • Promotion of Buddhism. 
      • Effective reign of a nearly pan-Indian political entity.
    • Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire stretched from modern-day Iran through almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent.
    • Ashoka initially rules this vast empire through the political treatise's precepts known as the Arthashastra.
    • In his inscriptions, he was called Devanampriya or Devanapiyadasi.​
    • Most of the inscriptions were written in Prakrit language in Brahmi script except only two which were in Kharoshti script.
    • In 1837, James Prinsep become the 1st scholar who deciphered Ashoka's inscription.
  • Brihadratha:
    • Last Mauryan ruler.
    • Assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga and established his own Sunga dynasty.

The correct answer is Bhirrana

• Bhirrana is considered as the oldest discovered Indus Valley Civilization site.
• It is the oldest one according to the C-14 radio-dating done by Archaeological Survey of India.
• It is situated in the Fatehabad district and dated to 757-6200 BC.
• Rakhigarhi, situated close to Bhirrama is the largest Harappan site in the world.
• Mohenjo-daro is situated in southern Pakistan.
• Allahdino is located towards each of Karachi.

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