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CHSE Odisha Elective History study materials
CHSE Odisha Elective History study resources

CHSE Odisha Elective History practice questions

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Question 1Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which archaeological site in the Indian subcontinent provides the earliest known evidence of a ploughed field, indicating early agricultural practice?

  1. Kalibangan Correct answer.
  2. Chirand
  3. Lothal
  4. Mehrgarh

Explanation

Kalibangan in Rajasthan revealed a ploughed field with a criss-cross pattern of furrows, dated to the early Harappan phase. This is the earliest known ploughed field evidence in the subcontinent, distinguishing it from other sites.

Question 2Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro is best interpreted as evidence of which feature of Harappan civilization?

  1. Industrial dyeing and textile production
  2. Public ritual bathing and civic planning Correct answer.
  3. Defensive military architecture
  4. Royal burial practices

Explanation

The Great Bath is a large, carefully constructed water tank within the citadel, suggesting public ritual or purification bathing. Its presence indicates organised civic planning and possibly religious functions in Harappan urban life.

Question 3Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The term 'Vedic' in the context of ancient Indian history primarily refers to a body of literature and culture associated with which language?

  1. Prakrit
  2. Sanskrit Correct answer.
  3. Tamil
  4. Pali

Explanation

The Vedas were composed in Vedic Sanskrit, an early form of the Indo-Aryan language. Pali and Prakrit are associated with later Buddhist and Jain texts, while Tamil belongs to the Dravidian family.

Question 4Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which of the following was a major centre of the Mahajanapadas in the Gangetic plains known for its republican (gana-sangha) form of government?

  1. Magadha
  2. Vajji Correct answer.
  3. Kosala
  4. Avanti

Explanation

The Vajji confederacy, with its capital at Vaishali, is noted in early texts as a gana-sangha or republic, unlike the monarchical states of Magadha, Kosala and Avanti. This makes Vajji the standard example of a republican mahajanapada.

Question 5Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Mauryan emperor Ashoka's policy after the Kalinga war is best described as an emphasis on which principle?

  1. Expansion through military conquest
  2. Isolation from foreign contacts
  3. Dhamma based on moral conduct and tolerance Correct answer.
  4. Strict enforcement of Vedic ritual

Explanation

After the Kalinga war, Ashoka adopted Dhamma, promoting moral conduct, non-violence and tolerance as recorded in his edicts. This marked a shift from aggressive conquest to ethical governance.

Question 6Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Gupta period is often associated with significant advances in which field, exemplified by the work of Aryabhata?

  1. Maritime trade law
  2. Mathematics and astronomy Correct answer.
  3. Cave architecture
  4. Metallurgy of iron

Explanation

Aryabhata, active in the Gupta era, wrote the Aryabhatiya dealing with mathematics and astronomy, including planetary calculations. This period is noted for such scientific achievements.

Question 7Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Sangam literature of ancient Tamilakam is primarily valuable as a source for which aspect of early South Indian history?

  1. Gupta temple architecture
  2. Mauryan administrative edicts
  3. Harappan urban planning
  4. Social, economic and political life of the early historic period Correct answer.

Explanation

Sangam poems, composed in Tamil, describe kings, trade, warfare and social customs of early historic Tamilakam. They are a key literary source for reconstructing that region's early history.

Question 8Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which of the following best describes the significance of the Ashokan edicts for the study of ancient Indian history?

  1. They are trade records maintained by merchant guilds
  2. They are contemporary inscriptions recording royal policy and moral teachings Correct answer.
  3. They are administrative manuals compiled during the Gupta period
  4. They are later commentaries written by Buddhist monks

Explanation

The Ashokan edicts are contemporary inscriptions in Brahmi, Kharoshthi and Greek/Aramaic, recording the emperor's policies and Dhamma messages. As primary sources they provide direct evidence of Mauryan governance and ideology.

Question 9Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Harappan script remains undeciphered, but scholars have established which of the following about it?

  1. It was used only for recording trade accounts
  2. It was written from right to left in short inscriptions Correct answer.
  3. It was a fully alphabetic system with vowels
  4. It was identical to the later Brahmi script

Explanation

Harappan inscriptions are generally short and appear to have been written from right to left, as indicated by overlapping and spacing patterns. However, the script is not deciphered, so its language and full function remain unknown.

Question 10Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The shift from the Rigvedic to the Later Vedic period is marked by which significant change in the economy?

  1. Introduction of coinage by the Mauryas
  2. Greater emphasis on settled agriculture and iron tools Correct answer.
  3. Decline of agriculture in favour of pure pastoralism
  4. Complete abandonment of cattle rearing

Explanation

The Later Vedic period saw the spread of iron tools and settled agriculture in the Gangetic plains, alongside the growth of territorial kingdoms. Pastoralism continued, but agriculture became more central to the economy.

Question 11Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Buddhist concept of the sangha is historically significant because it contributed to which development in ancient India?

  1. The centralisation of Vedic sacrificial ritual
  2. Organised monastic communities that spread religious teachings and learning Correct answer.
  3. The creation of a merchant guild monopoly
  4. The establishment of a hereditary warrior aristocracy

Explanation

The sangha was the organised monastic community of Buddhist monks and nuns, which helped transmit teachings, promote literacy and spread Buddhism across regions. It created a lasting institutional form distinct from household and state.

Question 12Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which feature of the Mauryan administration is attested by the Arthashastra and Ashokan inscriptions?

  1. Rule exclusively through religious authority
  2. A system of elected assemblies in every village
  3. A network of officials and provincial governors overseeing revenue and welfare Correct answer.
  4. The absence of any central taxation

Explanation

The Arthashastra describes a complex bureaucracy with officials such as the samahartri and provincial governors, while Ashokan edicts mention officers like the rajukas. Together they indicate a centralised administrative network concerned with revenue and public welfare.

Question 13Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Gandhara school of art is distinguished from the Mathura school mainly by which characteristic?

  1. Exclusive use of sandstone from Mathura
  2. Absence of any Buddhist imagery
  3. Strong Greco-Roman influence in drapery and facial features Correct answer.
  4. Depiction of only Jain Tirthankaras

Explanation

Gandhara art, centred in the northwest, shows clear Greco-Roman influence in realistic facial features, heavy drapery and wavy hair. The Mathura school, using spotted red sandstone, developed more indigenous Indian forms.

Question 14Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudragupta is significant because it

  1. describes the life of the Buddha
  2. records his military campaigns and the status of conquered rulers Correct answer.
  3. lists Ashoka's Dhamma regulations
  4. documents Chola land grants

Explanation

The Allahabad Pillar inscription, composed by Harishena, eulogises Samudragupta's conquests and distinguishes different categories of defeated rulers. It is a key source for Gupta political history.

Question 15Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The decline of the Harappan urban centres is often linked to which combination of factors?

  1. Spread of iron-using Vedic tribes
  2. Climatic change, river shifts and decline of trade Correct answer.
  3. Collapse of the Gupta empire
  4. Invasion by the Mauryas

Explanation

Scholars generally associate the decline of Harappan cities with environmental factors such as changing river courses and climate, along with the breakdown of trade networks. The Mauryas and Guptas came much later.

Question 16Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The term 'Kshatriya' in Later Vedic society came to denote primarily

  1. the priestly class
  2. the merchant class
  3. the servile labouring class
  4. the warrior and ruling class Correct answer.

Explanation

In the varna scheme, Kshatriyas were the warrior-rulers, Brahmins the priests, Vaishyas the commoners and Shudras the servile class. Later Vedic texts increasingly formalised these categories.

Question 17Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which of the following best explains why the Kalinga war is a turning point in Mauryan history?

  1. It prompted Ashoka to renounce conquest and adopt Dhamma Correct answer.
  2. It resulted in the conquest of Sri Lanka
  3. It ended the use of Prakrit in inscriptions
  4. It led to the immediate collapse of the Mauryan empire

Explanation

The bloodshed at Kalinga reportedly caused Ashoka remorse, leading him to embrace Dhamma and publicise moral governance through his edicts. This shift in policy is why the war is treated as a turning point.

Question 18Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Chola inscriptions of the medieval period are especially valuable for reconstructing which institution?

  1. The Mauryan provincial bureaucracy
  2. The Harappan citadel
  3. The sabha and ur village assemblies Correct answer.
  4. The Vedic sacrificial altar

Explanation

Chola-period inscriptions record the functioning of village assemblies such as the sabha and ur, including land transactions and local administration. They are a major source for understanding South Indian local self-government.

Question 19Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Nalanda Mahavihara flourished as a centre of learning primarily under the patronage of which dynasty?

  1. Mauryas and Sungas
  2. Gupta and later Pala rulers Correct answer.
  3. Cholas and Pandyas
  4. Harappans and Vedic chiefs

Explanation

Nalanda grew into a major monastic university under Gupta patronage and continued to flourish under the Palas. It attracted students and monks from across Asia.

Question 20Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The term 'Dhamma' in Ashokan inscriptions is best understood as

  1. a set of moral and social duties rather than a sectarian creed Correct answer.
  2. a military rank in the Mauryan army
  3. a script used for writing edicts
  4. a tax levied on agricultural produce

Explanation

Ashoka's Dhamma emphasised ethical conduct, respect for elders and teachers, tolerance among sects and welfare, rather than a narrow religious doctrine. It functioned as a public moral code applicable across communities.

Question 21Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which of the following best characterises the nature of Harappan seals?

  1. Large stone pillars inscribed with royal edicts
  2. Small square or rectangular seals with animal motifs and short inscriptions Correct answer.
  3. Clay tablets recording long legal codes
  4. Iron plaques bearing battle narratives

Explanation

Harappan seals are typically small, made of steatite, and bear animal motifs such as the unicorn, bull or tiger along with short undeciphered inscriptions. They were probably used for trade, ownership or ritual purposes.

Question 22Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Vedic concept of 'rta' is best described as

  1. the assembly of village elders
  2. the tax collected by the king
  3. the cosmic order or truth that governs natural and moral law Correct answer.
  4. the ritual of horse sacrifice

Explanation

Rta in the Rigveda denotes the universal order or truth underlying natural cycles and moral conduct, upheld by deities such as Varuna. It is a foundational concept that later informs the idea of dharma.

Question 23Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The 'guild' or shreni in ancient Indian urban economy is significant because it

  1. organised artisans and merchants, sometimes functioning as bankers and trustees Correct answer.
  2. represented a religious sect opposed to the Vedas
  3. served as a military unit of the Mauryan army
  4. was a form of land grant to Brahmins

Explanation

Shrenis were associations of artisans and traders that regulated crafts, set standards and sometimes acted as financiers and trustees of religious endowments. Their role shows the complexity of urban economic organisation in ancient India.

Question 24Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The 'Indian feudalism' debate in early medieval Indian history primarily concerns which question?

  1. Whether the Harappan script was alphabetic
  2. Whether the Sangam texts are reliable for chronology
  3. Whether land grants and declining trade led to a decentralised feudal economy Correct answer.
  4. Whether Ashoka converted to Buddhism before or after Kalinga

Explanation

Historians such as R.S. Sharma argued that land grants, the decline of towns and the rise of local landed intermediaries produced feudal tendencies in early medieval India. The debate concerns the applicability and extent of the feudal model.

Question 25Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The term 'brahmadeya' in early medieval South Indian inscriptions refers to

  1. a military campaign of the Cholas
  2. a type of Buddhist monastery
  3. land granted to Brahmins, often tax-free Correct answer.
  4. a tax on merchant guilds

Explanation

Brahmadeya denotes land donated to Brahmins, frequently with exemptions from certain taxes and with rights over revenue. Such grants are important evidence for the study of agrarian and social change in early medieval South India.

Question 26Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The earliest known Palaeolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent, such as those in the Soan Valley and the Narmada Valley, are primarily identified through which type of archaeological evidence?

  1. Stone tools such as hand axes and cleavers Correct answer.
  2. Copper ornaments and seals
  3. Painted pottery and terracotta figurines
  4. Iron implements and ploughshares

Explanation

Lower Palaeolithic cultures in South Asia are recognised by their lithic assemblages, especially heavy-duty core tools like hand axes, cleavers and choppers. These are associated with the Soan and Narmada sequences and predate the use of metals and pottery.

Question 27Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The site of Mehrgarh in Baluchistan is especially important in the prehistory of the subcontinent because it provides evidence of

  1. the first use of iron smelting in the region
  2. the oldest known Buddhist monastery
  3. an early transition from hunting-gathering to farming and herding Correct answer.
  4. the earliest urban drainage system in South Asia

Explanation

Mehrgarh has yielded a long stratified sequence showing the domestication of wheat and barley and of sheep, goats and cattle, along with early mud-brick structures. It therefore documents the Neolithic transition in the northwestern subcontinent before the rise of Harappan cities.

Question 28Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which Harappan site is best known for its large open water tank, often interpreted as a 'Great Bath', together with a granary and a pillared hall?

  1. Mohenjo-daro Correct answer.
  2. Lothal
  3. Dholavira
  4. Kalibangan

Explanation

The Great Bath, a brick-lined tank with steps and bitumen waterproofing, lies in the citadel area of Mohenjo-daro, near a large granary and a pillared structure. It is the most famous example of Harappan hydraulic architecture.

Question 29Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

In the Rigvedic period, the term 'sabha' most likely referred to

  1. a tax collected by the chief
  2. a type of sacrificial altar
  3. a territorial unit of the clan
  4. an assembly of the community for deliberation Correct answer.

Explanation

The Rigveda mentions the sabha and samiti alongside the king, and scholars generally treat them as deliberative and judicial assemblies of the community. They represent an element of collective decision-making in early Vedic polity.

Question 30Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Buddhist text 'Mahavamsa' is a key source for the early history of Sri Lanka, but for the study of the Mauryan period it is chiefly consulted because it

  1. contains the full text of the Ashokan edicts
  2. describes the dispatch of missions by Ashoka, including one led by his son Mahinda Correct answer.
  3. records the administrative reforms of Chandragupta Maurya
  4. lists the Mauryan provincial governors and their revenues

Explanation

The Mahavamsa, a Sinhalese chronicle composed in Pali, describes Ashoka's patronage of Buddhism and the missions sent abroad, including Mahinda's mission to Sri Lanka. Its testimony complements the Ashokan inscriptions and the Dipavamsa for reconstructing Mauryan religious policy.

Question 31Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

A historian comparing the Greek accounts of Megasthenes with the Ashokan inscriptions would notice that Megasthenes describes Pataliputra's administration while the edicts emphasise

  1. the detailed land revenue rates of the empire
  2. the organisation of the army into six divisions
  3. the construction of Buddhist stupas alone
  4. the king's moral governance and welfare measures Correct answer.

Explanation

Megasthenes' Indica, as preserved in later quotations, describes the city administration and society of Mauryan India. The Ashokan edicts, by contrast, project the king's dhamma policy, welfare works and moral instruction, making the two sources complementary rather than identical in focus.

Question 32Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The term 'gahapati' in early Buddhist and Jaina literature of the sixth century BCE most commonly designates

  1. a royal official responsible for tax collection
  2. a wandering ascetic who has renounced the household
  3. a member of the untouchable group outside the village
  4. a wealthy householder, often associated with trade and landholding Correct answer.

Explanation

In the Pali and Prakrit texts the gahapati is the head of a household, frequently a prosperous landholder or merchant who features as a donor and patron. The term reflects the rising economic importance of propertied householders in the middle Gangetic plain.

Question 33Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Which feature best distinguishes the Ajivika sect from the Buddhist and Jaina traditions of the sixth century BCE?

  1. Its worship of a single creator god
  2. Its strict adherence to Vedic sacrificial ritual
  3. Its emphasis on absolute determinism (niyati) governing all events Correct answer.
  4. Its complete rejection of the doctrine of karma

Explanation

The Ajivikas, associated with Makkhali Gosala, taught that all beings pass through a fixed series of existences determined by fate or niyati, with human effort unable to alter the course. This deterministic doctrine separates them from the karma-oriented and effort-centred Buddhist and Jaina systems.

Question 34Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

Ashoka's policy of dhamma, as reflected in his edicts, is best understood as

  1. a legal code replacing all earlier customary law
  2. a programme of military expansion into the far south
  3. a set of ethical principles promoted through officials and public instruction Correct answer.
  4. a state religion enforced by persecution of other faiths

Explanation

The edicts define dhamma through virtues such as respect for elders, kindness to servants and tolerance among sects, and they mention dhamma-mahamattas appointed to promote it. It was a moral and welfare programme rather than an enforced state creed.

Question 35Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The 'Sangam' corpus of Tamil literature is conventionally dated by scholars to roughly which period?

  1. c. 300 BCE to 300 CE Correct answer.
  2. c. 600-900 CE
  3. c. 3000-2000 BCE
  4. c. 1200-1400 CE

Explanation

Linguistic and historical analysis places the Sangam anthologies between roughly the last centuries BCE and the early centuries CE, a period associated with the early Chola, Chera and Pandya chiefdoms. The poems describe trade, warfare and ports of that era.

Question 36Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

A scholar studying the Satavahana period would use the Nashik and Karle inscriptions chiefly to understand which development?

  1. The introduction of Persian-style imperial administration
  2. Royal and elite patronage of Buddhist monastic establishments Correct answer.
  3. The construction of the Grand Trunk Road
  4. The compilation of the Arthashastra

Explanation

Satavahana and contemporary inscriptions at Nashik, Karle and other western Deccan sites record donations of caves, cisterns and land to Buddhist monks by kings, queens and merchants. They document the close relationship between political elites, lay donors and monastic institutions.

Question 37Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Gandhara and Mathura schools of Kushana-period sculpture differ most sharply in which respect?

  1. Their use of stone as a medium
  2. Their chronological position, since one precedes the other by centuries
  3. Their treatment of the Buddha's physiognomy and drapery, reflecting different artistic influences Correct answer.
  4. Their subject matter, since one depicts only Jaina figures

Explanation

Gandhara images show Hellenistic and Romanising influences in wavy hair, heavy drapery and naturalistic modelling, while Mathura images use indigenous forms with a shaven head, a spotted robe and a stiffer, frontal posture. Both schools were contemporary and both used stone.

Question 38Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Gupta ruler Samudragupta's Allahabad pillar inscription, composed by Harishena, is best described as

  1. a land-grant record specifying village boundaries
  2. a Buddhist dedication recording the founding of a monastery
  3. a revenue register of the Gupta provinces
  4. a eulogy listing the king's conquests and the tribute he received Correct answer.

Explanation

Harishena's prashasti on the Allahabad pillar praises Samudragupta and enumerates his campaigns, the rulers he defeated and the frontier powers who sent tribute. It is a panegyric, so its claims need to be read with care, but it remains a major source for Gupta political history.

Question 39Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang's account of India in the seventh century is most valuable to historians because it

  1. contains the earliest reference to the Harappan script
  2. reproduces the complete text of Harsha's inscriptions
  3. records the genealogies of the Chola kings
  4. provides a systematic description of political, religious and educational conditions across regions he visited Correct answer.

Explanation

Xuanzang travelled widely under Harsha's patronage and described monasteries, universities such as Nalanda, cities, economies and local customs. Because he wrote as an outside observer, his account offers a regional panorama that can be checked against Indian epigraphic and literary sources.

Question 40Ancient India (prehistory to c. 1200 CE)

A historian examining the spread of Brahmanical temple institutions in early medieval India would treat the 'Aihole inscription' of Pulakeshin II as significant primarily because it

  1. commemorates the defeat of Harsha and provides evidence for Chalukya political and cultural patronage Correct answer.
  2. lists the land grants made to Buddhist monasteries
  3. records the construction of the Kailasanatha temple at Ellora
  4. describes the Chola administrative divisions of the Kaveri delta

Explanation

The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II, composed by Ravikirti, celebrates the Chalukya king's victories, including his resistance to Harsha, and is itself a product of courtly Sanskrit learning. It therefore illuminates both the political rivalries of the Deccan and the cultural patronage of the Badami Chalukyas.

Question 41Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Who founded the Delhi Sultanate's Mamluk (Slave) dynasty after Muhammad of Ghor's death in 1206?

  1. Qutb al-Din Aibak Correct answer.
  2. Raziya Sultana
  3. Balban
  4. Iltutmish

Explanation

Qutb al-Din Aibak, a former slave-general of Muhammad of Ghor, assumed authority in Lahore in 1206 and is conventionally treated as the founder of the Mamluk dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. He ruled only briefly and was succeeded by Aram Shah, then Iltutmish.

Question 42Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Which Mongol threat did Sultan Alauddin Khalji successfully repel through his frontier and market reforms?

  1. The Chagatai invasions of the early fourteenth century Correct answer.
  2. Timur's invasion of 1398
  3. Babur's invasion of 1526
  4. The Ghaznavid raids of the eleventh century

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji faced repeated incursions by Mongol forces from the Chagatai Khanate, especially around 1299-1306, and met them with fortified frontier posts, a large standing army, and price controls that sustained it. His commanders repelled several major invasions.

Question 43Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Which Sultanate ruler introduced the 'dagh' (branding of horses) and 'huliya' (descriptive roll of soldiers) to maintain an efficient army?

  1. Alauddin Khalji Correct answer.
  2. Sikandar Lodi
  3. Firoz Shah Tughluq
  4. Balban

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji introduced the dagh and huliya systems so that horses and soldiers could be checked against records, preventing substitution and inflated claims for pay. This supported his large standing army financed by revenue reforms.

Question 44Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Muhammad bin Tughluq's decision to shift the capital from Delhi to which city proved a costly failure?

  1. Daulatabad Correct answer.
  2. Agra
  3. Fatehpur Sikri
  4. Bidar

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughluq moved his capital to Daulatabad (Devagiri) in the Deccan around 1327, apparently to control the south more effectively. The forced relocation caused hardship, and the plan was later reversed, damaging his reputation.

Question 45Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller who served as a qazi under Muhammad bin Tughluq, described the Sultanate in which language?

  1. Turkish
  2. Chagatai
  3. Persian
  4. Arabic Correct answer.

Explanation

Ibn Battuta wrote his account, the Rihla, in Arabic, the language of his North African scholarly milieu. His observations on Delhi, the court, and Indian society are a key external source for fourteenth-century India.

Question 46Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

The Bahmani Sultanate, founded in 1347, was established in which region of the Deccan?

  1. The Deccan plateau with its capital at Gulbarga Correct answer.
  2. The Malabar coast
  3. The Gangetic plain
  4. The Konkan coastal strip

Explanation

Hasan Gangu founded the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 in the Deccan, with Gulbarga as its early capital before a later shift to Bidar. It became a major power, later fragmenting into the five Deccan sultanates.

Question 47Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Which battle in 1565 marked the defeat of the Vijayanagara Empire by a coalition of Deccan sultanates?

  1. First Battle of Panipat
  2. Battle of Haldighati
  3. Battle of Talikota Correct answer.
  4. Battle of Khanwa

Explanation

At Talikota (also called Rakshasa-Tangadi) in 1565, the combined forces of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar defeated Vijayanagara. The aftermath saw the sacking of the capital and the empire's decline.

Question 48Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Krishnadevaraya, the most celebrated ruler of Vijayanagara, belonged to which dynasty?

  1. Aravidu
  2. Tuluva Correct answer.
  3. Sangama
  4. Saluva

Explanation

Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509-1529) belonged to the Tuluva dynasty, the third of Vijayanagara's ruling houses. His reign is remembered for military success, the Amuktamalyada, and patronage of Telugu and Sanskrit letters.

Question 49Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

The Mughal emperor Babur's victory at Panipat in 1526 was chiefly secured by which advantage?

  1. Control of the Deccan cavalry market
  2. Alliances with Rajput chiefs
  3. Superior artillery and the tulughma flanking tactic Correct answer.
  4. A larger infantry than Ibrahim Lodi's army

Explanation

Babur used field artillery (zarb-zan guns) and the tulughma flanking manoeuvre to break the numerically larger Lodi force at Panipat. His experienced Central Asian cavalry and tactics were decisive.

Question 50Medieval India (c. 1200–1750 CE)

Which Mughal emperor's reign saw the promulgation of the 'Din-i Ilahi' and the building of the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri?

  1. Humayun
  2. Jahangir
  3. Akbar Correct answer.
  4. Shah Jahan

Explanation

Akbar established the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri in the 1570s for inter-faith debate and later promoted the Din-i Ilahi (c. 1582). These measures reflect his policy of sulh-i kul, or universal tolerance.