Ancient and Medieval India MCQs

Solved MCQs on the Harappan civilisation, the Vedic age, Buddhism and Jainism, the Mauryas and Guptas, the Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, the Mughals and the Marathas.

1. 1

   Harappa, the first site of the Indus Valley Civilisation to be excavated, was dug in 1921 under:

   ADaya Ram SahniBR. D. BanerjiCJohn Marshall aloneDMortimer Wheeler

   Correct answer: A. Daya Ram Sahni

   Daya Ram Sahni excavated Harappa in 1921; R. D. Banerji excavated Mohenjo-daro in 1922, under John Marshall's direction.

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2. 2

   The Great Bath of the Indus Valley Civilisation was found at:

   ALothalBHarappaCKalibanganDMohenjo-daro

   Correct answer: D. Mohenjo-daro

   The Great Bath, a large brick-lined tank, is the best-known structure at Mohenjo-daro.

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3. 3

   The Harappan site known for its dockyard is:

   ADholaviraBLothalCRoparDBanawali

   Correct answer: B. Lothal

   Lothal in Gujarat had a brick basin widely identified as a dockyard, showing sea trade.

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4. 4

   The oldest of the four Vedas is the:

   AAtharvavedaBYajurvedaCRigvedaDSamaveda

   Correct answer: C. Rigveda

   The Rigveda, a collection of hymns, is the oldest Veda.

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5. 5

   Gautama Buddha was born at:

   ALumbiniBSarnathCKushinagarDBodh Gaya

   Correct answer: A. Lumbini

   He was born at Lumbini (in present-day Nepal), attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and died at Kushinagar.

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6. 6

   The Buddha gave his first sermon at:

   ASarnathBRajgirCVaishaliDSanchi

   Correct answer: A. Sarnath

   The first sermon at the Deer Park, Sarnath, near Varanasi, is called Dharmachakra Pravartana (turning the wheel of law).

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7. 7

   Who was the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism?

   ANeminathaBMahaviraCParshvanathaDRishabhanatha

   Correct answer: B. Mahavira

   Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara; Parshvanatha was the 23rd.

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8. 8

   The Maurya Empire was founded by:

   AAshokaBChandragupta MauryaCBimbisaraDBindusara

   Correct answer: B. Chandragupta Maurya

   Chandragupta Maurya founded the empire around 321 BCE with the help of Chanakya.

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9. 9

   The Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, is attributed to:

   AMegasthenesBBanabhattaCKalidasaDKautilya

   Correct answer: D. Kautilya

   Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, is credited with the Arthashastra. Megasthenes wrote Indica.

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10. 10

    Ashoka turned to Buddhism after the bloodshed of the:

    ABattle of PanipatBKalinga WarCBattle of the HydaspesDBattle of Tarain

    Correct answer: B. Kalinga War

    The Kalinga War (about 261 BCE) and its suffering, described in his Rock Edict XIII, led Ashoka to Dhamma.

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12. 11

    The Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the reign of Harsha was:

    AAl-BiruniBFa-HienCHiuen TsangDI-Tsing

    Correct answer: C. Hiuen Tsang

    Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) stayed in India in the 7th century and studied at Nalanda. Fa-Hien came during Chandragupta II's reign.

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13. 12

    The First Battle of Panipat (1526) was fought between Babur and:

    AIbrahim LodiBRana SangaCHemuDSher Shah Suri

    Correct answer: A. Ibrahim Lodi

    Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi and founded the Mughal Empire in India.

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14. 13

    Who founded the Slave (Mamluk) dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate?

    ABalbanBIltutmishCQutb-ud-din AibakDRazia Sultan

    Correct answer: C. Qutb-ud-din Aibak

    Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a former slave of Muhammad Ghori, founded the dynasty in 1206.

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15. 14

    The construction of the Qutb Minar, begun by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, was completed by:

    AIltutmishBBalbanCFiroz Shah TughlaqDAlauddin Khalji

    Correct answer: A. Iltutmish

    Iltutmish completed the upper storeys; Firoz Shah Tughlaq later repaired it.

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16. 15

    Token currency of copper and brass was introduced by:

    ASher Shah SuriBAkbarCAlauddin KhaljiDMuhammad bin Tughlaq

    Correct answer: D. Muhammad bin Tughlaq

    Muhammad bin Tughlaq's token currency failed because the coins were easy to forge.

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17. 16

    The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by:

    ARajendra CholaBHarihara and BukkaCKrishnadevarayaDPulakeshin II

    Correct answer: B. Harihara and Bukka

    The brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty founded it on the Tungabhadra.

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18. 17

    The Battle of Haldighati (1576) was fought between Akbar's army and:

    AHemuBRana SangaCShivajiDMaharana Pratap

    Correct answer: D. Maharana Pratap

    Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh, fought Maharana Pratap of Mewar at Haldighati.

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19. 18

    The Taj Mahal at Agra was built by:

    AAkbarBAurangzebCShah JahanDJahangir

    Correct answer: C. Shah Jahan

    Shah Jahan built it as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

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20. 19

    Shivaji was crowned Chhatrapati in 1674 at:

    ASinhagadBSataraCRaigadDPune

    Correct answer: C. Raigad

    Shivaji's coronation took place at Raigad fort in June 1674.

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21. 20

    Nalanda University is traditionally said to have been founded by the Gupta ruler:

    ASamudraguptaBSkandaguptaCChandragupta IDKumaragupta I

    Correct answer: D. Kumaragupta I

    Most accounts credit Kumaragupta I (5th century CE) with founding Nalanda in present-day Bihar.

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