UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz: History and Culture MCQs on 50th anniversary of Sikkim, Tagore’s words, and more (Week 113)

1.. The Lhasa Convention

2. The Calcutta Convention

3. Treaty of Tumlong

4. Treaty of Titaliya

Arrange the above historical events in the order they occurred, from earliest to latest:

(a) 1-2-3-4

(b) 4-1-3-2

(c) 2-1-3-4

(d) 4-3-2-1

Explanation

May 16 is annually commemorated as Sikkim Day, marking the former kingdom’s integration with India in 1975. On its 50th anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the people of Sikkim on X, and said, “Sikkim is associated with serene beauty, rich cultural traditions and industrious people. It has made strides in diverse sectors. May the people of this beautiful state continue to prosper.”

Sikkim’s history with the Chogyal royals

The kingdom of Sikkim was established in 1642, when, according to one account, three Tibetan lamas consecrated Phuntsong Namgyal as the first ruler or Chogyal of Sikkim. The monarchy of the Namgyal dynasty was maintained for the next 333 years, until 1975.

Sandwiched between India and China, and often party to conflicts over land with Bhutan and Nepal, the British colonisation of India first led to a semi-formal relationship between the two states. The British saw Sikkim as a buffer state against China and Nepal.

Other official treaties followed: The treaty of Titaliya in 1817 gave the British authorities several commercial and political advantages in Sikkim. The Calcutta Convention of 1890 demarcated the border between Sikkim and Tibet, and was signed by Viceroy Lord Lansdowne and Qing China’s Imperial Associate Resident in Tibet. The Lhasa Convention of 1904 affirmed the Calcutta Convention.

Therefore, d is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: On 50 years of Sikkim’s integration with India, recalling the role of royals, political parties, The Indian Express.)

QUESTION 2

To whom did Rabindranath Tagore write the words, ‘Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live’?

(a) Mahatma Gandhi

(b) Leo Tolstoy

(c) Bankimchandra Chatterjee

(d) None of the above

Explanation

Tagore and Gandhi recognised the inadequacies of achieving freedom without a social and moral reckoning. A disproportionate focus on the coloniser, without a sincere engagement with the deep-rooted injustices within our own societies, impeded the realisation of a transformative present and future.

Nationalism bred fears and anxieties which manifested themselves by way of exclusionary impulses, as Rabindranath Tagore himself experienced in Seattle. In his writings, he conveyed that these instincts also revealed themselves in liberation movements that followed the schema of nationalism. (What happened at Seattle? Click here)

In a letter to Aurobindo Mohan Bose, nephew of scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose, Tagore once wrote: “Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.”

Therefore, d is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Rabindranath Tagore: I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity by Arko Dasgupta, The Indian Express.)

QUESTION 3

Kaibartas or the Mahishyas are a farming community concentrated in which of the following states:

(a) West Bengal

(b) Himachal Pradesh

(c) Tamil Nadu

(d) Rajasthan

Explanation

Earlier known as Kaibartas, the Mahishyas are a farming community concentrated in the southern districts of West Bengal, predominantly, Midnapore, Howrah, and Hooghly. Believed to be the largest caste group in the state, Mahishyas began migrating to urban centres in the 19th century in search of better education and employment.

In the early 2000s, a section of this community, known as Chasi Kaibartas, was granted the OBC status. However, the other section, which identifies itself as Mahishyas, was denied the same due to their educational qualification and material possessions. “The truth is, many among the Mahishyas are economically backward and could benefit from reservation,” says Jana.

Beyond the debate over OBC status, the community is also divided over their Aryan origin.

Therefore, a is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: The Mahishyas of Bengal: A caste in conflict by Nikita Mohta, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 4

Who is the author of The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World?

(a) Amitav Ghosh

(b) William Dalrymple

(c) Khushwant Singh

(d) Ramachandra Guha

Explanation

The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, is essentially about a sea route, written by William Dalrymple.

Therefore, b is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Historian William Dalrymple at Idea Exchange: ‘Failure of Indian academics to reach out to general audiences has allowed the growth of WhatsApp history’)

QUESTION 5

Whom did Jinnah call a ‘Muslim Showboy’ of the Congress?

(a) Ashfaqulla Khan

(b) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

(c) Dr. Zakir Husain

(d) Rafi Ahmed Kidwai

Explanation

At a time Hindus and Muslims were increasingly divided and the Muslim League’s separatist rhetoric was gaining ground, Maulana Azad’s belief in communal harmony remained unshakeable. He argued that Indian Muslims could wear both identities — Indian and Muslim — proudly. This is perhaps best evident in a speech he gave at Ramgarh in 1940.

“‘I am a Musalman and proud of the fact. Islam’s splendid traditions of 1,300 years are my inheritance. I am unwilling to lose even the smallest part of this inheritance. In addition, I am proud of being an Indian. I am part of the indivisible unity that is Indian nationality. I am indispensable to this noble edifice. Without me this splendid structure of India is incomplete. I am an essential element which has gone to build India. I can never surrender this claim,” Azad said.

His views were a direct challenge to the communal politics of the Muslim League, and Jinnah grew increasingly displeased with him. In July 1940, Azad wrote to Jinnah about the League’s views on “any provisional arrangement not based on the two-nation scheme”.

Jinnah hit back with: “I refuse to discuss with you…you have completely forfeited the confidence of Muslim India. Can’t you realise you are made a Muslim showboy Congress President to give it colour that it is national and deceive foreign countries. You represent neither Muslims not Hindus.” [Pak. Journal of Int’L Affairs, Vol 5, Issue 4 (2022)].

Ironically, Azad was a far more devout and practising Muslim than the anglicised Jinnah.

Therefore, b is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: National Education Day: 3 things to know about Maulana Azad, a ‘proud Indian and Musalman’, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 6

Consider the following statements with reference to Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra:

1. It was commissioned by Qutbuddin Aibak, a slave-turned-general in the Ghurid army, who established the Mamluk Dynasty to kickstart the Delhi Sultanate in 1206.

2. It was commissioned after the Muhammad of Ghor defeated Prithviraj III (popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan) in the Second Battle of Panipat.

Which of the above given statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

The Ajmer mosque was commissioned by Qutbuddin Aibak, a slave-turned-general in the Ghurid army, who established the Mamluk Dynasty to kickstart the Delhi Sultanate in 1206. It was commissioned by Qutabuddin after the Muhammad of Ghor defeated Prithviraj III (popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan) in the Second Battle of Tarain.

The Afghan invader went on to sack Ajmer (then known as Ajaymeru), the capital of the Chauhan dynasty. Ajmer-based jurist Har Bilas Sarda wrote in Ajmer: Historical And Descriptive (1911) that during his short stay in the city, Muhammad of Ghor “destroyed the pillars and foundations of the idol temples”, and “dismantled” Visaldeva’s College, “a portion of it converted into a mosque” known today as Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra. Sarda’s book is the primary historical source cited by the petitioners in the Dargah Sharif survey petition.

Therefore, a is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: History of Ajmer’s Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 7

The doctrines of Anekantavada and Syadavada are found in which religion?

(a) Hinduism

(b) Buddhism

(c) Jainism

(d) Bahá’í Faith

Explanation

The Jaina doctrine of anekantavada (manifold nature of reality) and syadavada (the doctrine of maybe) insists that reality cannot be grasped entirely as it is complex and has multiple aspects. Everything that exists has three aspects – substance (dravya), quality (guna), and mode (paryaya).

Therefore, c is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Knowledge Nugget, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 8

Jayant Narlikar, who passed away recently, was associated with which field?

(a) Neurology

(b) Indian Classical Music

(c) Macroeconomics

(d) Astrophysics

Explanation

Person in news: Jayant Narlikar (1938-2025)

“Big Bang is an exploding myth, read the sign outside his room. It was also a sort of theme song for the person inside.

For Jayant Narlikar, the established theory about how the universe came into being, through a Big Bang about 13.8 billion years ago, was never really a settled issue.

Therefore, d is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Jayant Narlikar (1938-2025): The North Star in Indian astrophysics, he was ahead of his time — and space, by Amitabh Sinha, The Indian Express)

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