Ancient Indian History MCQs

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Kalidasa was Indian playwright imitated by Ceylon King Kumaradasa, the author of Janakiharana.

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Mount Meru or Sumeru is a sacred five-peaked mountain in the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology. It is considered to be the centre of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes.

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Chambal is known as Charmanyavati in Mahabharata,which means originating from blood of thousand animals sacrificed.

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Giak and Kiari are Neolithic sites located in Union Territory of Ladakh.

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Most terracotta figurines recovered from Indus Civilization urban sites were hand modeled rather than molded, suggesting artisans were skilled at independently sculpting and crafting small statues in clay reflecting localized stylistic conventions. Depictions include zebu bulls, toys with movable limbs, cows feeding calves, females adorned with bangles and headdresses interpreted possibly as mother goddesses. The cow and bull imagery resonates with subsequent Indian traditions exemplifying continuing cultural elements.

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American archaeologist George F. Dales who conducted major excavations at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh, Pakistan during 1964-65 was among the early proponents attributing Harappan decline chiefly to ecological factors and environmental degradation. He suggested that climate change impacted the monsoon pattern causing floods and decreasing river flows leading to crop failures, while over-exploitation of resources like forests also possibly contributed towards deurbanisation trends between 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE.

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Harappan stone sculptures were fashioned from materials like steatite, a form of soapstone which has a soft consistency allowing easy carving. Many figurines of women, animals and men, some seemingly engaged in ritual worship, have been found carved from steatite. This indicates skilled craftsmanship specialized in delicate stonework.

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The chief measure of wealth during the Rig Vedic period was cattle. A wealthy man was known as Gomat which means one who owned many cattle. A large number of words are derived from the word ‘gau’, meaning cow.

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Shukla Yajur Veda also called the White Yajur Veda or the Vajasaneya contains only the Mantras. It contains the Madhyandina and Kanva recensions. Whereas the Krishna Yajur Veda also called the Black Yajur Veda contains both mantras and prose explanations/ commentary.

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The Digambara sect of Jainism make use of the term ‘Purana’ for the hagiographies. Whereas, the Shvetambara sect use the term ‘Charita’. With respect to the hagiography of Mahavira, both the sects differ to a great extent.