UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on Durbar Hall, B.R. Ambedkar and more (Week 69)

1. The temple flourished under the patronage of the Vijayanagara rulers.

2. The temple has been constructed in a mixed style of architecture i.e. a mix of both Nagara and Dravidian styles of architecture.

3. The pavilion of the Virupaksha temple was constructed using marble stone.

4. This temple is not categorised as a World Heritage Site under the Group of Monuments at Hampi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 4 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Explanation

— A portion of the Virupaksha temple in Karnataka collapsed following torrential rains. The temple’s pavilion or the saalu mantap was damaged, leading some conservationists to blame Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials for allegedly neglecting its protection and conservation.

— A nationally protected monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple is believed to have its origins in the 7th century.

— The Virupaksha temple gained prominence and underwent extensive expansion in the 14th century during the Vijayanagara Empire (1336 to 1646). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Vijayanagara emperors, who were great builders and art patrons, supported the temple’s growth. It became an important hub for religious and cultural activity during its time.

— It is an excellent example of Dravidian temple architecture, with great gopurams (rising entrances), a shikhara towering over the sanctum sanctorum, elaborate carvings, and pillared halls. The major object of worship, the Shiva lingam, is housed in the sanctum sanctorum. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The Hampi Group of Monuments was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in recognition of its uniqueness. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The pavilion was built with stone pillars. According to ASI officials, the pillars’ state has deteriorated due to natural events such as rain over time. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The term “raiyat” in the mediaeval history refers to:

(a) Cultivated land

(b) Peasant

(c) Coins

(d) Taxes imposed on crops

Explanation

— In a statement issued, the organisation stated that tea garden workers, tribals and Gorkhas have been an integral part of West Bengal’s tea gardens for over 160 years. “Therefore, they are entitled to possess homestead land rights, including Records of Right (RoR) Khatiyan or raiyat, and not a mere 5 decimal patta.”

— The most common term used to refer to a peasant in Indo-Persian sources during the Mughal era was raiyat (plural: riaya), also known as muzarian.

— We also come across the phrases “kisan” and “asami.” Two categories of peasants are mentioned in seventeenth-century sources: khud-kashta and pahi-kashta.

— The former lived in the village where their lands were kept. The latter were non-resident farmers who were contracted to cultivate land elsewhere, although they were still members of another village. Individuals became pahi-kashta either voluntarily—for instance, when income conditions in a far-off hamlet were better—or involuntarily—for instance, as a result of financial hardship during a famine.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: ncert.nic.in)

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements:

1. He became famous as an engineer, surveyor and cartographer. In 1815 he was appointed the first Surveyor General of India, a post he held till his death in 1821.

2. He embarked on collecting local histories and surveying historic sites in order to better understand India’s past and make governance of the colony easier.

3. By studying Vijayanagara, he believed that the East India Company could gain “much useful information on many of these institutions, laws and customs whose influence still prevails among the various Tribes of Natives forming the general mass of the population to this day”.

The above-mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Alexander Anderson

(b) Lord Kenneth Mackenzie

(c) Colin Mackenzie

(d) John Hodgson

Explanation

— Colin Mackenzie, who rose to fame as an engineer, surveyor, and cartographer, was born in 1754. He was named the first Surveyor General of India in 1815, and he served in that capacity until his death in 1821.

— In an effort to facilitate colonial administration and get a deeper understanding of India’s past, he started gathering local histories and examining historical locations.

— According to him, “It struggled long under the miseries of bad management… before the British government’s benign influence came over the South.”

— By studying Vijayanagara, Mackenzie believed that the East India Company could gain “much useful information on many of these institutions, laws and customs whose influence still prevails among the various Tribes of Natives forming the general mass of the population to this day”.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: ncert.nic.in)

QUESTION 4

With reference to the ‘Durbar Hall’, an important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan, consider the following statements:

1. It is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of National Awards.

2. It has been renamed as ‘Ashok Mandap’.

3. The venue is used for the presentation of credentials by Heads of Missions of foreign countries and as a formal place of introductions for the visiting and Indian delegations.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— President Droupadi Murmu announced the renaming of two halls in the Rashtrapati Bhavan – ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ – as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’, respectively. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The construction of the Rashtrapati Bhavan was completed in 1929 after King George V declared that the capital of British India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.

— ‘Durbar Hall’ is an important venue for ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of National Awards. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Durbar Hall hosts Civil and Defence Investiture Ceremonies, where the President confers honours to the recipients. Swearing-in ceremonies, like those of the Chief Justices of India, are also conducted here.

— The hall is encircled by columns made of yellow Jaisalmer marble, with white caps and bases. Marble in multiple colours was imported primarily from Rajasthan’s Makrana, Alwar, Marwar and Ajmer.

— ‘Ashok Hall’ was originally a ballroom. It is now used for the presentation of credentials by Heads of Missions of foreign countries and as a formal place of introductions for the visiting and Indian delegations before the commencement of the State Banquets hosted by the President. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Consider the following statements about Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar:

1. He became the first law minister of independent India.

2. The most significant contribution of the B.R. Ambedkar lay in galvanising the movement for Dalit emancipation.

3. He led the Mahad Satyagraha of 1927.

4. He is the author of Administration and Finance of the East India Company.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was the first Dalit to study at Bombay’s Elphinstone College, and he went to Columbia University on a Baroda State Scholarship and then to the London School of Economics.

— He was the chair of the drafting committee of the Constitution of India, and he became the first law minister of independent India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Babasaheb’s most significant contribution lay in galvanising the movement for Dalit emancipation. He is credited with awakening the Dalit consciousness, which powered the community’s bid for political power. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The Mahad Satyagraha of 1927 was the first major collective protest of the so-called “untouchables” under the stewardship of Ambedkar. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— He wrote three books on economics namely, Administration and Finance of the East India Company, The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India and The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Its Solution. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 69)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 68)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 68)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 68)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 68)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC4ckaj-dJI?si=VOqW0vVMhSyfP7Ff