UPSC Essentials: Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 5)

QUESTION 1

It was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilisation. This port city is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC. It was a thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.

The above-mentioned lines refer to which of the following Harappan Sites?

(a) Surkotada

(b) Lothal

(c) Dholavira

(d) Banawali

QUESTION 2

Consider the following pairs:

Traditional Games                     States

1. Malakhamb                              West Bengal

2. Silambam                                 Tamil Nadu

3.Gatka                                           Punjab

How many pair(s) given above is/are not correctly matched?

(a) None of the pairs

(b) Only one pair

(c) Only two pair

(d) All three pairs

QUESTION 3

Which of the following States has been granted GI Tag for its classical wind musical instrument, Nagaswaram?

(a) Kerala

(b) Telangana

(c) Tamil Nadu

(d) Maharashtra

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about Paika Rebellion:

1. The Paikas were peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha.

2. The Union Government declared the Paika Rebellion as the first war of Independence.

3. The Paikas were mobilised under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu.

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

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3 only

QUESTION 5

The term “Ol Chiki” was recently in the news. It is described as:

(a) It is a tribe of Andaman and Nicobar

(b) It is a new species of Ginger found in Lakshadweep

(c) It is the script of the Santali language

(d) It is a species of lizard found in Manipur

QUESTION 6

With reference to Swami Dayanand Saraswati, which of the following statement is not correct?

1. He established the Arya Samaj in 1875.

2. He accepted the idea of idolatry.

3. He wrote Satyarth Prakash which emphasised Vedic principles.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

QUESTION 7

Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs):

1. They are identified with low levels of literacy and a declining population.

2. Chhattisgarh has the maximum number of PVTGs.

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

QUESTION 8

Kural is a collection of 1,330 couplets that are an essential part of every Tamil household. It was written by:

(a) Thiruvalluvar

(b) Aiyur Mudavanar

(c) Ammallanar

(d) Tholkapilar

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) site at Gujarat’s Lothal via video conferencing.

— Lothal was not only a major trading centre of the Indus Valley Civilisation but also a symbol of India’s maritime power and prosperity.”

— Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilisation, located in the Bhāl region of Gujarat.  The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati is “the mound of the dead”.

— The port city is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC. Lothal was a thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.

— Archaeologist SR Rao led the team which discovered a number of Harappan sites at the time, including the port city of Lothal. Excavation work was carried out in Lothal between February 1955 and May 1960.

— According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati River.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (b)

FYI:

Traditional Games/Martial Arts	Description
Mallakhamb	It is an ancient traditional Indian sport. ‘Malla’ means gymnast, and ‘khamb’ means pole. Thus, the name ‘Mallakhamb’ stands for a gymnast’s pole. In 2013, Madhya Pradesh declared Mallakhamba as the state sport.
Silambam	The genesis of Silambam can be found in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is considered to be the of modern and scientific staff fencing. The Pandya kings ruling in Tamil Nadu promoted Silambam fencing. Same can be said for Cholas and Cheras. It also finds its mention in Sangam Literature.
Gatka	It is an ancient martial art based on stick-fight, developed as a self-defensive style. The sixth Guru, Sri Guru Hargobind promoted the flamboyant techniques of Sikh Martial Arts.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

3. (c)

FYI:

— The Nagaswaram, the classical wind musical instrument made by the artisans of Narasinganpettai, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

— Narasinganpettai, a small village located 15km away from Kumbakonam, Tanjore district, has traditional nagaswaram makers. Even though nagaswarams are made in many other regions in the state, Barinagaswaram of Narasinganpettai alone makes the fluent Madhyamam Swara.

— This classical instrument has been a part of all auspicious events, royal courts, and temples. — The artists have preserved the art of Nagaswaram playing for more than 300 years.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— The Centre has said in Parliament that it will not recognise the Paika rebellion as the first War of Independence. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Odisha has demanded that the Paika rebellion of Odisha should be declared as the first war of Independence. At present, the Indian Mutiny or Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 is called the first war of Independence against British Rule.

— The Paika Bidroha (Paika Rebellion) of 1817 took place nearly 40 years before the first sepoy mutiny. The Paikas were peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who offered military services to the king. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The British established themselves in Odisha when the East India Company dethroned the King of Khurda, Raja Mukunda Deva in 1803.

— The Paikas lost their estates when the new colonial establishments and land revenue settlements of the British came into force.

— The continuous interference in the economy and revenue systems led to exploitation and oppression of the peasants and farmers eventually triggering a rebellion against the British.

— A large number of Paikas were mobilised under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, who then confronted the British on April 2, 1817. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The uprising spread like wildfire across the state resulting in several confrontations and encounters between the British and the Paika forces.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— The Ol Chiki is the script of the Santali language. The Constitution of India has been translated for the first time in the Santali language.

— In 2003, the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act added Santali to Schedule VIII to the Constitution of India, which lists the official languages of India, along with the Bodo, Dogri and Maithili languages. 

— According to the 2011 Census of India, over seven million people speak Santali across the country, and the community is the third-largest tribe in India, concentrated in seven states in large numbers, including in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

6. (c)

FYI:

— Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Dayanand Saraswati on the 200th birth anniversary of the social reformer, hailing his contributions to the fight against social discrimination and untouchability.

— Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883) was one of the most influential figures of 19th-century India.

— He was a believer in the supreme authority of the Vedas, he established the Arya Samaj in 1875, leading a reform movement within orthodox Hinduism. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Among his various beliefs included a rejection of idolatry and the overly ritualistic traditions of Hinduism, support for women’s education, denunciation of child marriage and opposition to untouchability. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— He wrote Satyarth Prakash (1875), which emphasised the “return to Vedic principles”. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c ) is the correct answer.

7. (a)

FYI:

— The Government of India follows the following criteria for the identification of PVTGs. 

(a) Pre-agricultural level of technology

(b) Low level of literacy

(c) Economic backwardness

(d) A declining or stagnant population.

— There are a total of 75 PVTGs identified in the country. Odisha is having 13 tribes out of 75, being the state with the maximum number of PVTGs.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Other Source: (vikaspedia.in)

8. (a)

FYI:

— Thiruvalluvar is revered as an ancient saint, poet, and philosopher by Tamils, irrespective of their religion. Thiruvalluvar is fondly referred to as Valluvar by Tamils.

— He is an essential anchor for Tamils in tracing their cultural roots; Tamils are taught to learn his couplets word-for-word and follow his teachings in their daily living.

— He wrote Kural, a collection of 1,330 couplets (‘kurals’ in Tamil), which are an essential part of every Tamil household — in the same way as, say, the Bhagavad Gita or the Ramayana is in traditional North Indian Hindu households.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Quizzes:

Polity and Governance (Week 3)

Polity and Governance (Week 4)

Polity and Governance (Week 5)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 3)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 4)

UPSC Weekly Quiz (Current Affairs)

UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 3)

UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 4)

UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 5)

Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 3)

Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 4)

International Relations (Week 3)

International Relations (Week 4)

International Relations (Week 5)

Tomorrow’s Quiz: Environment, Science and Technology

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