UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Each day, we cover one new subject. Attempt today’s subject quiz on History, Culture, and Social Issues to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the Environment, Geography, Science and Technology MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations at the end of the quiz.

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With reference to the Sun temple at Modhera, consider the following statements:

1. It dates back to early eleventh century and was built by Raja Bhimdev I.

2. The temple does not have a water body in its premises.

3. The sabha mandapa (the assembly hall) of this temple is open on all sides.

4. The temple is located in Gujarat.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

She advocated inter-caste marriages and widow remarriage. She also fought for eradication of child marriage. She started the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (‘Home for the Prevention of Infanticide’) for pregnant widows facing discrimination. She is formally recognised as India’s first woman teacher.

The above-mentioned lines refer to which women social reformer?

(a) Ramabai Ranade

(b) Savitribai Phule

(c) Kadambini Ganguly

(d) Usha Mehta

With reference to the Chola Kingdom, consider the following statements:

1. The dynasty was founded by the king Vijaylaya.

2. The kingdom stretched across present-day Tamil Nadu only.

3. The kingdom does not had a naval power.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Which of the following Mughal emperor razed  the temple adjacent to existing Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvapi mosque erected on its ruins?

(a) Babur

(b) Akbar

(c) Aurangzeb

(d) Shahjahan

Consider the following statements:

1. The 1950 Republic Day parade was held in the Irwin Ampitheatre opposite the Purana Qila.

2. The chief guest for the 1950 Republic Day Parade was Indonesia President Sukarno.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

FYI:

— Modhera’s Sun Temple dates from the early eleventh century and was established in 1026 by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— In front of it is a gigantic rectangular stepping tank known as the Surya Kund. The proximity of sacred building to a body of water, such as a tank, river, or pond, has been noted from ancient times. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— This rectangular pond, measuring 100 square metres, is maybe India’s largest temple tank. Inside the tank, there are 108 small shrines sculpted between the stairs.

— A massive ornate arch-torana leads to the sabha mandapa (assembly hall), which is open on all sides, as was customary in western and central Indian temples. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The temple is located in Gujarat. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: ncert.nic.in)

FYI:

— Savitribai Phule was a Dalit woman from the Mali community, Savitribai was born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Naigaon village.

— Jyotirao admitted Savitribai to a teacher training school in Pune. The couple supported each other throughout their lives, breaking down many social barriers.

— The Phules opened more such schools for girls, Shudras and Ati-Shudras (the backward castes and Dalits, respectively) in Pune, leading to discontent among Indian nationalists.

— Savitribai herself faced great animosity from the upper castes, including instances of physical violence.

— Along with Jyotirao, Savitribai started the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (‘Home for the Prevention of Infanticide’) for pregnant widows facing discrimination.

— Savitribai Phule also advocated inter-caste marriages, widow remarriage, and eradication of child marriage, sati and dowry systems, among other social issues.

— In 1873, the Phules set up the Satyashodhak Samaj (‘Truth-seekers’ society’), a platform open to all, irrespective of their caste, religion or class hierarchies, with the sole aim of bringing social equity.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The Chola kingdom stretched across present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— During the Cholas’ rise and collapse (from the 9th to 12th centuries AD), other great dynasties in the region came and went, including the Rashtrakutas of the Deccan, who overthrew the Cholas, and the Chalukyas of Andhra Pradesh, with whom the Cholas repeatedly clashed.

— The dynasty was founded by the king Vijaylaya. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— One of the Chola dynasty’s most notable achievements was its naval supremacy, which enabled them to conquer Malaysia and the Sumatra islands of Indonesia. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The Cholas had strong ties with merchant groups and this allowed them to undertake impressive naval expeditions.

— The sophistication is reflected in the meticulous records kept by the Cholas in form of inscriptions on the walls of temples and on copper plate.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has concluded that “there existed a large Hindu temple prior to the construction of the existing structure” at the Gyanvapi mosque site in Varanasi.

— A temple that stood adjacent to the existing Kashi Vishwanath temple is thought to have been razed on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the Gyanvapi mosque erected on its ruins.

— The most frequently acknowledged primary source for this is Saqi Mustaid Khan’s Maasir-i-Alamgiri, a Persian-language chronicle written shortly after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707. The ASI report references historian Jadunath Sarkar’s 1947 translation of the text.

— The royal farmaan (decree) issued in Aurangzeb’s twelfth regnal year on April 9, 1669, led to the destruction of both the Vishwanath temple in Kashi and the Keshavdev temple in Mathura.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— On January 26, 1950, the Republic of India was born. Although British rule in India ended on August 15, 1947, India was yet to sever all ties with the Empire. For over two years after Independence, India remained a British dominion, governed by the British-era Government of India Act of 1935, and officially still owing allegiance to the Crown.

— On that day, the newly drafted Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the Act of 1935 as the supreme governing document of the country.

— Dr Rajendra Prasad began his first term as the President of India, replacing the British monarch as the ceremonial head of the state.

— The 1950 parade was held in the Irwin Ampitheatre opposite the Purana Qila, now known as the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— President Dr Rajendra Prasad inspected the parade, and Indonesia President Sukarno was the chief guest. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 43)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 42)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 42)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 42)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 42)

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