Ancient Indian History MCQs
Multiple Choice Quiz Questions (MCQs) on Ancient Indian History for General Studies and GK preparation of SSC, NDA, CDS, UPSC, UPPSC and State PSC Examinations.
11. Who among the following granted permission to Buddhist King of Ceylon Meghavarman to build a Monastery at Bodh Gaya?
[A] Chandra gupta Virkramaditya
[B] Samudra Gupta
[C] Skand Gupta
[D] Kumara Gupta
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Samudra Gupta]
Notes:
Samudragupta granted permission to Buddhist king of Ceylon Meghavarman to build a monastery at Bodh Gaya. Samudragupta was a ruler of the Gupta Empire of Ancient India. As a son of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I and the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi, he greatly expanded his dynasty’s political power.
12. Bhagwati Sutra gives the valuable information about the life of which of the following?
[A] Buddha
[B] Mahavira
[C] Ajatshatru
[D] Meander
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mahavira]
Notes:
Bhagavati Sutra, is the fifth of the 12 Jain Agamas. It said to be promulgated by Mahavira. The Bhagavati Sutra is said to have been composed by Sudharmaswami by the Svetambara school of Jainism.
13. The Elephanta caves have been mostly ascribed to which among the following dynasty?
[A] Chalukyas
[B] Cholas
[C] Rasthrakutas
[D] Pallavas
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rasthrakutas]
Notes:
Rashtrakuta dynasty is credited with building the Elephanta caves. The caves were constructed by cutting the walls of high basalt rock walls. The caves are located on an island in the Sea of Oman, close to Bombay. The caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contain a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva.
The caves were completed in the second quarter of the 6th century. Contemporary scholars attribute the caves to king Krishnaraja of the Kalachuri dynasty. The caves were commissioned by the warrior king Pulakeshin II of the Chalukyas of the Badami dynasty.
The island was known as Gharapuri, or “place of caves”, in ancient times. The name Elephanta was given by 16th-century Portuguese explorers after seeing a monolithic basalt sculpture of an elephant near the entrance.
14. Which among the following sites of Indus Valley Civilization is located on the banks of River Indus in Larkana District of Pakistan?
[A] Harappa
[B] Mohen Jo Dero
[C] Mehrgarh
[D] Suktagendor
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mohen Jo Dero]
Notes:
The archaeological site of Mohenjo-Daro is located on the banks of the River Indus in the Larkana District of Pakistan. Mohenjo-Daro is one of the most prominent and well-preserved sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, which thrived around 2600-1900 BCE. This ancient city is known for its sophisticated urban planning, advanced drainage system, and evidence of a highly organized society. It is a crucial site for understanding the history and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization.
15. When did the Lohara dynasty was founded?
[A] 1007 AD
[B] 1003 AD
[C] 998 AD
[D] 1010 AD
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [1003 AD]
Notes:
The Lohara dynasty of Kashmir was founded by Sangam Raj (Hindu ruler) in 1003 AD who received the crown of Kashmir from his aunt Queen Didda.
16. “Gangaikonda Cholapuram” became the capital of the Chola empire from the time of which emperor ?
[A] Rajendra I
[B] Rajaraja II
[C] Parantaka I
[D] Rajaraja I
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rajendra I]
Notes:
The Chola King Rajendra I defeated Mahipala (the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar) and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram (the city of the Chola conqueror of the Ganga).
17. Which of the following Vedas means 'wisdom of sacrificial formulas'?
[A] Rig-Veda
[B] Samveda
[C] Yajurveda
[D] Atharvaveda
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Yajurveda]
Notes:
Yajurveda means 'wisdom of sacrificial formulas'
18. Who among the following wrote ‘Nyaya Sutra’?
[A] Vyasa
[B] Kapila
[C] Gautama
[D] Charaka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Gautama]
Notes:
The Nyaya Sutras is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text composed by Aksapada Gautam and the foundational text of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy.. The Nyaya-sutras is attributed to Gautama, who was the principal author.
19. Which one of the following was the contemporary Bengal king during the time of Harsha of Kannauj? (UPSC Prelims 1990)
[A] Bhaskaravarman
[B] Divakaramitra
[C] Devagupta
[D] Sasanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Sasanka]
Notes:
Sasanka was the contemporary Bengal king during the time of Harsha of Kannauj. He created the first separate political entity in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, called the Gauda Kingdom and is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in 7th century AD, and some historians place his rule approximately between 590 AD and 625 AD.
20. Why the Indus valley civilization is also known as the Harappa culture? (UPSC Prelims 1991)
[A] The site of Harappa is six times larger than Mohenjo-Daro site
[B] The Indus valley civilization is considered the elementary/initial stage of the Vedic culture and Harappa is believed to be the same as Harappa mentioned in the Vedas
[C] Harappa was the first site to be excavated in the Indus valley
[D] The most important/significant evidence of the achievements of this civilization have been excavated from Harappa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [The most important/significant evidence of the achievements of this civilization have been excavated from Harappa]
Notes:
The Indus Valley civilization is also known as the Harappan civilization because the first site of the archaeological remains of the Indus Valley civilization was found at the modern site of Harappa, West Punjab, Pakistan.
