Day-545 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | HISTORY

Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The seventh to ninth centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements, led by the Nayanars and the Alvars which came to be known as the bhakti saints. The South Indian bhakti saints used to criticize the Jains and Buddhists who enjoyed a privileged status at the courts of South Indian monarchs during that period.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The South Indian bhakti movement also had drawbacks. It never consciously opposed Brahmanism or the varna and jati systems at the social level. It was integrated with the caste system and the lower castes continued to suffer from myriad social disabilities. There was no elimination of Brahmanical rituals such as worship of idols, recitation of the Vedic mantras and pilgrimages to sacred places in spite of the overriding stress on bhakti as the superior mode of worship. The Jains and Buddhists were its principal targets, not the Brahmins. As a result, the bhakti movement of the south in the long run strengthened the hierarchical system rather than weakening it. So, the bhakti movement critiqued the oppression of the social order but never the social order itself.
Statement 3 is correct: The importance of the bhakti movement lies in its providing a powerful ideology and the integration of various social groups into its fold. It included saint-poets who came from all jati including those considered “untouchable” like the Pulaiyar and Panars.

Answer: C
Explanation:
The correct matches are as follows:
● Surkotada- Millet
● Harappa- Catfish bones (incorrectly matched). Dholavira does not give evidence of catfish bones.
● Nageshwar- Bangles
● Lothal- Ivory scales
Additional Information:
Given the area covered by the civilization, naturally there were regional variations in the plants grown by farmers. Wheat has been found at Mohenjodaro and Harappa; barley at Mohenjodaro, Harappa, and Kalibangan; and sesamum at Harappa. Harappa has also given evidence of watermelon seeds, peas, and dates. Rice occurs at Harappa, Kalibangan, Lothal, and Rangpur. Millets have been identified at Harappa, Surkotada, and Shortughai.
Chanhudaro and Balakot were important centres of shell work. Bangles were often made from conch shells. An intensive surface survey and excavations at Nageshwar (in Jamnagar district) have shown that this site was exclusively devoted to shell-working and specialized in making bangles. Evidence of shell working also comes from Kuntasi, Dholavira, Rangpur, Lothal, Nagwada, and Bagasra.
The Harappan crafts display an impressive level of standardization. Standardization extended to units of weights and measures. Cubical weights made of chert, chalcedony, black stone, etc. have been found at all excavated sites, and their accuracy all over the Harappan culture zone is remarkable. The system is binary in the smaller weights (1:2:8:16:32:64) and decimal in the higher weights (with a ratio of 160, 200, 320, and 640). The largest weight found at Mohenjodaro weighs 10.865 g. A shell scale was found at Mohenjodaro and an ivory scale at Lothal.

Answer: A
Explanation:
The question has been framed in the context of land revenue settlements introduced by the British administration, i.e. Permanent settlement.
● Under this settlement, the revenue collection task was given to Zamindars. ‘Amlah’ were the officials of the Zamindars who would go to the villages and collect the revenue on behalf of Zamindars.
● Village headmen were known as Jotedars and Mandals.
● Sharecroppers were known as Adhiyars and Bargadars.
● Territorial units were known as ‘Taluq’.

Answer: D
Explanation:
The advent of colonial rule and the gradual erosion of Mughal power led to the decline of old towns and new towns and urban settlement came into existence.
All the above mentioned terms refer to various types of settlements.
● Qashbah refers to a small town in the countryside, often the seat of local notables.
● Pet is a Tamil word, meaning ‘settlement’.
● Puram is a term used for a village.
● Ganj refers to an urban settlement having a small fixed market.

Answer: B
Explanation:
The Revolt of 1857 sent a clear message to overthrow British rule. After the Revolt, the period between 1857 to 1870, witnessed two anti-British movements the declared aim of which was the armed overthrow of the British government.
These were the movement of the Wahabis, a Muslim sect, whose adherents had participated in the Revolt of 1857 and that of the Marathas who, undaunted by the defeat of 1857, carried on subsequently, conspirational activity for the same aim of removing British rule from the country.
Also, all the above mentioned movements/rebellions except the Wahabi movement occurred prior to the Revolt of 1857.
● The Rangpur rebellion of 1783 in the northern districts of Bengal against the revenue contractors and company officials.
● The revolt of Pazhassi Raja (Malabar) in 1796–1805, followed by the insurrection of Velu Thampi, the prime minister of the Travancore state.
● The Sanyasi rebellion, which rocked northern Bengal and adjacent areas of Bihar between 1763 and 1800.