Ancient Indian History MCQs

Notes:
The Sanskrit alphabet, known as the Devanagari script, comprises 54 letters. Each of these letters encompasses a masculine and a feminine form, referred to as Shiva and Shakti respectively. This unique aspect of the Sanskrit alphabet signifies the fundamental principles of masculine and feminine energies in Hindu philosophy, which are considered complementary and interconnected, underlying the entire life cycle and cosmology in Hindu traditions.

Notes:
Bhavbhuti was the court poet of famous Maukhari king Yashovarma ( of Kannauj) who ruled around 730 AD. The works  attributed to poet Bhavbhuti viz Mahaviracharita(depicting the early life of Rama), Malatimadhava a play based on the romance  of Malati and Madhava and Uttararamacharita (depicts Rama’s coronation, the abandonment of Sita and their reunion).

Notes:
The earliest of the Hindu sacred text, Rig-veda refers to the Saprasindhava, Panchanada, Madhydesa and Praki. These were perhaps the first references to the emergence of regions. The geographical location of these regions suggests that the Indo- Aryans preferred to settle down along the banks of the rivers-Sindhu (Indus), Vitasta, Jhelum), Asikni also known Chandrabhaga (Chenab). References are also found to Airavati (Ravn. Parushuni or Vipasa (Dcas), Saradru (Saduj) and the Saraswati. There is a general agreement that the region known as Panchanada included the plains of the five great eastern tributaries of the Sindhu river. Further east, the land between the Saraswati and Drishadvati was known to the IndoAryans as Brahmavarta. On the periphery of these plains lie the alluvial basins of the Gomti (Gomal), Krumu (Kurrum) and Kubha (Kabul). It is believed that these were the earliest Indo-Aryan settlements. Literary evidence suggests eastward march of the Indo-Aryans led to their settlements to the Madhyadesa regions. (Source: Geography of the South Asian subcontinent: a critical approach By Aijazuddin Ahmad)

Notes:
Sculptures found at Daimabad were: Copper Rhinoceros, Copper Elephant & Copper Chariot.

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Trimurti, Gangadhara and Ardhanarishvara belong to the Elephanta caves and are considered to be the “masterpiece of Gupta-Chalukyan art”, the most important sculpture in the caves is the Trimurti, carved in relief at the back of the cave facing the entrance, on the north-south axis. It is also known as Trimurti Sadashiva and Maheshmurti. The image, 20 feet (6.1 m) in height, depicts a three-headed Shiva, representing Panchamukha Shiva.

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Shakuntala is the story of how a highly king married a poor orphan, whose name was Shakuntala. However, the king was put under a spell and forgot about his bride. Eventually, he recovers his memory and the two of them become one again.

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Nirukta means “explained, interpreted” and refers to one of the six ancient Vedangas, or ancillary science connected with the Vedas – the scriptures of Hinduism.

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Tamralipta or Tamralipti was the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal corresponding with Tamluk in modern-day India. Tamralipta may have been one of the most important urban centres of trade and commerce of early historic India, trading along the Silk Road with China, by Uttarapatha, the northern high road, the main trade route into the Middle East and Europe; and by seafaring routes to Bali, Java and the Far East.

Notes:
The period between 12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called Mesolithic. In Greek ‘meso’ means the middle and ‘lithic’ means stone. Hence, the Mesolithic stage of prehistory is also known as the Middle Stone Age. It was the transitional phase between the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic AgesThe main tools used during Mesolithic (middle stone) age are called the microliths or small stone tools. They were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as saws and sickles

Notes:
Harappan site of Amri, located in modern-day Sindh, Pakistan has revealed actual rhinoceros bones and fossils although the one-horned rhinoceros species no longer inhabits the region. However, rhino motifs commonly occur on Indus seals, bronzes, and pottery found across sites. The discovery of rhino remains at Amri confirms the Indus people were familiar with these exotic animals that they incorporated into religious iconography. The non-native rhinos were likely brought or traded from elsewhere.