11. With reference to the historical accounts of Islamic scholars, consider the following statements:
- Alberuni traveled extensively throughout India and documented various cultural practices.
- The Taj ul Maasir was written during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 & 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 1]
Notes:- Alberuni’s travels (Correct): Alberuni traveled extensively throughout India, documenting cultural practices, scientific knowledge, and social customs, which provided a comprehensive view of Indian society during his time.
- Taj ul Maasir’s timeline (Incorrect): The Taj ul Maasir was written by Hasan Nizami at the behest of the sadr of Delhi, not during the reign of Akbar, but rather earlier, focusing on the Ghurid conquerors.
12. Consider the following statements:
- Qanun-i Humayuni, biography of Humayun was written by his sister Gulbadan Begam during Akbar’s reign.
- Humayun wrote scientific treatises.
- Humayun constructed an observatory in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Only 3
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:- Nasiruddin Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556) is the second Mughal padshah.
- He was the successor of Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty and father of Akbar.
- He lost to his rival Sher Shah Suri in Battle of Chausa (1539) and Battle of Kanauj (1540), forcing him to flee to Iran.
- In Iran Humayun received help from the Safavid Shah and regained his throne in Delhi in 1555. A year later he died in an accident.
- His biography is Qanun-i Humayuni was written by historian Khwandamir, it is also known as Humayun Nama of Khwandamir.
- Humayun-Nama is an account of his life written by his sister Gulbadan Begam during Akbar’s reign.
- Humayun had immense knowledge and interest in astronomy and astrology. Humayun himself wrote scientific treatises including ‘an introduction to the science of astronomy and some other unusual matters’. Humayun even planned to construct an observatory in India.
13. With respect to the Mughal ruler, Dara Shikoh, consider the following statements:
- He wrote Majma-ul-Bahrain, Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh and Sirr-i-Akbar.
- He was known as a pioneer of the academic movement for interfaith understanding in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 & 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:- Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan was known as a pioneer of the academic movement for interfaith understanding in India.
- His most important works, Majma-ul-Bahrain (Mingling of Two Oceans) and Sirr-i-Akbar (Great Mystery) are devoted to the cause of establishing connections between Hinduism and Islam.
- Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh is a Persian language chronicle written by Sujan Rai in the Mughal Empire of present-day India.
14. Consider the following:
- Akbar forbade astrologers to make Panchang
- Akbar banned the ritual of weighing the emperor with gold and silver and other items on his birthday
Which of the above statements is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 and 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Neither 1 nor 2]
Notes:
Historically, it was actually Aurangzeb who banned the ritual of weighing the emperor with gold and silver and other items on his birthday. However, due to societal demands, this ceremony was permitted for his sons when Aurangzeb was cured of illness. In addition, it was also Aurangzeb who forbade astrologers to make Panchang. This order, however, was reportedly disobeyed by many, including the members of the royal family.
15. Consider the following statements:
- Guru Har Govind was a contemporary of Akbar.
- Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was contemporary of Jahangir.
- Tulsidas was a contemporary of Shah Jahan.
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Only 3
[D] All of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:
Guru Har Govind was a contemporary to both, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. He had developed good relationship with Jahangir, but had a long drawn conflict with Shah Jahan. So, statement 1 is incorrect. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was a follower of the orthodox Naqshbandi School of Sufis. He was opposed to the concept of ‘tauhid’ i.e. unity of God and the created world. He opposed all those practices that he held were due to the influence of Hinduism. However, his ideas had very little impact. Jahangir imprisoned him for claiming a status beyond that of the Prophet and only released him after his retraction. So, statement 2 is correct. Tulsidas was a contemporary of Akbar. Both spent most of their lives in the 16th century. Tulsidas was a Hindu Vaishanava saint and poet. He was known for his devotion to deity Rama. So, statement 3 is incorrect.
16. Consider the following statements:
- Mughal painting was at its zenith during Akbar’s period, with a very peculiar understanding of paintings.
- It was a fashion in the Mughal ideology that the face, body and legs were painted by different artists in the same painting.
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 and 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:
Mughal painting was at its zenith during Jahagir’s period, with a very peculiar understanding of paintings.
It was a fashion in the Mughal ideology that the face, body and legs were painted by different artists in the same painting.
Some historians claimed that Jahangir had the understanding to differentiate each artist’s work in a single painting.
Special progress was made in paintings and animal paintings during the period of Jahangir. Mansoor was a big name in this field.
17. Consider the following statements with respect to the Mughal paintings:
- Humayun, in his second term, had set up a department of painting under the two master painters who had accompanied him from Iran.
- Daswant and Basawan were two of the famous painters of Akbar’s court.
- Secular themes dominated the Mughal School of painting.
- Portrait painting became fashionable under Jahangir.
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1 and 2
[B] Only 3 and 4
[C] Only 1, 3, and 4
[D] Only 2, 3, and 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Only 2, 3, and 4]
Notes:
After his loss to Sher Shah, Humayun roamed around for a while. Eventually, he was exiled to the court of Shah of Iran. There, Humayun had taken into his services two master painters who accompanied him to India. Later, Akbar set up a separate painting workshop was set up in the imperial karkhanas, under their leadership. So, statement 1 is incorrect. A large number of painters, both Hindus and Muslims, were drawn into from different parts of the country. Thus, Daswant and Basawan were two of the famous painters of Akbar’s court. So, statement 2 is correct. Mughal School of painting developed rapidly and soon became a celebrated centre of production. Mughal painting reached a climax under Jahangir who had very discriminating eyes. The main themes of Mughal painting included hunting, battles, celebrations, and court scenes. Mughal themes emphasised the Timurid legacy and highlighted the divinity of kingship regardless of religious affiliation. Thus, statement 3 is correct. Under Akbar, European painting was introduced at the court by the Portuguese priests. The principle of foreshortening, useful in portrait painting was introduced. Later, under Jahangir, special progress was made in portrait painting and paintings of animals. So, statement 4 is correct.
18. Identify the correct statements:
- In 1565, Akbar started a palace-rest complex at Fatehpur Sikri, which was completed in eight years.
- Humayun’s tomb, built in Delhi (during the reign of Akbar), has a huge marble dome.
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 and 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:- In 1572, Akbar started a palace-rest complex at Fatehpur Sikri, which was completed in eight years.
- Humayun’s tomb, built in Delhi (during the reign of Akbar), has a huge marble dome. It is considered the forerunner of the Taj Mahal.
19. Consider the following statements:
- Buland Darwaza was built to commemorate Akbar’s victory in Gujarat.
- All the mansabdars from the lowest to highest ranks were paid in jagirs, so that the term mansabdari and jagirdari had become synonymous.
- ‘Watan jagirs’ was an improvisation in the mansabdari system in order to incorporate the Rajputs into the Mughal administration.
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 1 and 2
[C] Only 2 and 3
[D] Only 1 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Only 1 and 3]
Notes:
In 1572 CE, Akbar commenced a palace-cum-fort complex at Fatehpur Sikri, 36 km from Agra, which he completed in eight years. It housed many magnificent buildings and the most magnificent building was the mosque and the gateway to it called the Buland Darwaza (lofty gates) built to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat. The gate is in the style of what is called a half-dome portal. So, statement 1 is correct. Mughal mansabdari system did not constitute a homogenous class of officers. It had a long hierarchy of officers, ranging from the lowest zat rank of 10 to 7000. While the low ranking officers were paid in cash, the high ranking officials were paid in jagirs i.e. they were assigned a parcel of land from which the collected land revenue was their salary. The ones holding jagirs were called jagirdars. Often, this jagir holding class of mansabdars is a focus of study, so the term ‘mansabdar’ and ‘jagirdars’ are wrongly used interchangeably. So, statement 2 is incorrect. Usually, a mansabdar was allocated a jagir far away from his official posting and his native place. This was done to prevent him from developing deep roots at any one place. But, Akbar made an exception to this rule for the Rajputs. For Rajputs, it was very important that their right over their land was recognised. So, whenever a leading Rajput’s figure was incorporated into the Mughal mansabdari, he was assigned his ancestral holding as his ‘Watan’ jagir. If he were to be given some additional responsibility, he was allotted another jagir to reimburse him for expenses of that responsibility. So, statement 3 is correct.
20. Consider the following statements:
- Akbar inducted a large number of Marathas into the nobility.
- Aurangzeb stopped inducting Marathas into the Mughal nobility.
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 and 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Neither 1 nor 2 ]
Notes:
Under Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the bulk of the nobles already consisted of those who had been born in India. Simultaneously, the proportion of Afghans, Indian Muslims and Hindus in the nobility continued to rise. A new section among the Hindus which entered the nobility during the period were the Marathas. Jahangir was first monarch who realised that the Marathas were the hub of affairs in the Deccan and tried to win them over to their side. The policy was continued by Shah Jahan. Among the Maratha Sardars who served Shah Jahan was Shahji, the father of Shivaji, though he soon defected. Aurangzeb also gave service to many Marathas. While Hindus formed roughly 24% of the nobility under Shah Jahan, they accounted for about 33% of the nobles during the second half of Aurangzeb’s reign. Of the Hindu nobles, the Marathas formed more than half during Aurangzeb’s reign.
