UPSC Essentials | Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 17)

Thank you for joining us for LIVE sessions. You will be happy to know that we will be LIVE every week on Wednesdays, take up your queries, provide you with cues from the news, and discuss relevant themes revolving around news and UPSC preparation in general.

This week’s theme: EDITORIALS- How to read and make notes?

We will take up more questions too. You can send your queries to manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com or join Telegram: The Indian Express UPSC Hub or ask me Live! at 8 PM on August 2.

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Krishna Deva Raya, consider the following statements:

1. Vijayanagar Empire reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya.

2. On his coin face, there is Garuda to the left with a beaked face.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 2

Which state has got a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for “Joha Rice”?

(a) Sikkim

(b) Uttarakhand

(c) Kerala

(d) Assam

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements with respect to the consequences of the Non-cooperation Movement:

1. Students stopped going to schools and colleges run by the government.

2. Many lawyers gave up their practice.

3. Imports of foreign cloth increased drastically

How many of the statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Ramappa (Rudreswara) temple, consider the following statements:

1. The temple complex was built during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva.

2. It is not a part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

3. It was built using marble.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

In the context of Indian history, Poompuhar was

(a) Coin

(b) Port city

(c) Painting

(d) Pottery

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (c)

FYI:

— The kingdom Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by Harihara I of the Sangama dynasty and expanded from a strategic position on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.

— The kingdom of Vijayanagara lasted for more than three centuries, a period in which it withstood multiple political stresses, and saw significant advances in art and economy.

— The kingdom reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya (reign 1509-1529), a period in which it enjoyed military superiority to its rival kingdoms such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— On the coin of Krishna Deva Raya, there is Garuda to the left with a beaked face, wearing a tall crown with two fillets and hands joined on the chest in an attitude of devotion. The Garuda is kneeling with a right foot on the ground in virasana posture. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— At its peak, the kingdom stretched from Goa in the Konkan coast to parts of southern Odisha in the east and all the way to the very tip of the subcontinent in the south.

— The empire’s principal exports were pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, myrobalan, tamarind timber, anafistula, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, musk, ambergris, rhubarb, aloe, cotton cloth and porcelain.

— In architecture, the Prasanna Virupaksha temple of Bukka I and the Hazara Rama temple of Krishna Deva Raya are striking examples of Vijayanagara’s characteristic style and intricate artistry.

— Vijayanagara’s capital Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today, known for its sophisticated fortifications as well as innumerable temples and other architectural marvels.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: indianculture.gov.in)

2. (d)

FYI:

— Joha is a special class of Sali rice (Winter rice) of Assam in cultivation over centuries and characterized by aromatic endosperm.

— This class of aromatic rice differs from Basmati rice in growth habits, areas of adaptation, Physicochemical properties of grains and grain shape and cooked grain elongation pattern.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: search.ipindia.gov.in)

3. (b)

FYI:

— The Non-Cooperation Movement gained momentum through 1921-22 which led to:

Thousands of students left government-controlled schools and colleges. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Many lawyers such as Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, C. Rajagopalachari and Asaf Ali gave up their practices. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

British titles were surrendered and legislatures boycotted.

People lit public bonfires of foreign cloth. The imports of foreign cloth fell drastically between 1920 and 1922. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— In Kheda, Gujarat, Patidar peasants organised nonviolent campaigns against the high land revenue demand of the British.

— In coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were picketed.

— In the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, tribals and poor peasants staged a number of “forest satyagrahas”.

— In Sind (now in Pakistan), Muslim traders and peasants were very enthusiastic about the Khilafat call.

— In Bengal too, the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal unity and strength to the national movement.

— In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs sought to remove corrupt mahants – supported by the British – from their gurdwaras.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Source: ncert.nic.in)

4. (a)

FYI:

— Ramappa temple, a 13th-century temple named after its architect, Ramappa, was proposed by the government as its only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019. Even so, the temple has been on UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The temple is located in the village of Palampet, which is about 200 km north of Telangana’s capital Hyderabad.

— The temple complex was built by Racherla Rudra Reddy during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It was built using sandstone and its construction, which began in 1213 CE, is believed to have continued for over four decades. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

5. (b)

FYI:

— The Poompuhar port city, established by the Chola dynasty around 3000 years ago, suddenly vanished from the maritime history of the world around 1000 years ago.

— The reconstruction of Poompuhar is part of DST’s Indian Digital Heritage project — an exhibition of its first project ‘Digital Hampi’.

— The city was a hallmark of inters- continental trade, social systems, architecture, buildings, and culture and had maritime trades with several far-flung countries around the world.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 17)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 16)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 16)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 16)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 16)

(The UPSC Essentials Indian Express is now on Telegram- Indian Express UPSC Hub. Click here to join our YouTube channel and stay updated with the latest updates.

Note: Catch the UPSC Weekly Quiz every Saturday evening and brush up on your current affairs knowledge.)