History – MCQ – GK Questions

Qutb ud-Din Aibak laid the foundation of Qutub Minar in 1192. Iltutmish completed three more storeys, and Firoz Shah Tughlaq added the fifth after lightning damage. It is the world's tallest brick minaret. [[1]]

Chand Bardai, court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan, composed Prithviraj Raso in Brajbhasha. Though its historical accuracy is debated, it remains an important source for medieval Rajput history. [[30]]

Ajanta Caves (2nd century BCE-6th century CE) in Maharashtra contain exquisite frescoes depicting Jataka tales (stories of Buddha's previous births) and scenes from Buddhist life. [[1]]

Charaka Samhita (c. 2nd century CE) is one of the two foundational texts of Ayurveda. It deals with internal medicine, diagnosis, and treatment methods. Sushruta Samhita focuses on surgery. [[1]]

According to Tamil tradition, three Sangams were held: First at Madurai (mythical), Second at Kapadapuram, and Third at Madurai. Thanjavur was not a Sangam venue but later became a Chola capital. [[30]]

Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the Bodhisattva ideal – enlightened beings who postpone their own Nirvana to help others achieve liberation. This contrasts with Hinayana's focus on individual salvation. [[30]]

According to Jain tradition, Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) was the first Tirthankara. Mahavira was the 24th and last Tirthankara who reorganized and propagated Jainism in its current form. [[1]]

Annie Besant founded the Home Rule League in Madras (September 1916), and Bal Gangadhar Tilak founded another in Poona (April 1916). Both demanded self-government for India within the British Empire. [[1]]

Dadabhai Naoroji was elected as a Liberal Party MP from Finsbury Central (London) in 1892. He used this platform to highlight India's economic exploitation under British rule. [[30]]

Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was proclaimed the symbolic leader of the revolt in Delhi. After the British recaptured Delhi, he was exiled to Rangoon where he died in 1862. [[30]]

The Revolt of 1857 began in Meerut on May 10, 1857, when Indian sepoys refused to use the new Enfield rifle cartridges. It quickly spread to Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, and other parts of North India. [[1]]

The Famine Commission (1880) under Richard Strachey was appointed after the devastating famines of 1876-78. It recommended measures for famine relief and prevention, though implementation was inadequate. [[1]]

Dadabhai Naoroji propounded the 'Drain of Wealth' theory in his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901), arguing that Britain systematically drained India's resources, causing poverty. [[30]]

Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 to propagate Vedanta philosophy and engage in social service. It was inspired by his guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. [[30]]

Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875. It promoted Vedic values, opposed idol worship, caste discrimination, and advocated for women's education and widow remarriage. [[1]]

The Permanent Settlement created a class of zamindars who often lived in cities and collected rent from peasants without investing in agriculture, leading to rural impoverishment and absentee landlordism. [[1]]

Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha in 1793. It fixed land revenue permanently and recognized zamindars as landowners, creating a new landlord class. [[30]]

Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain (1191). However, Ghori returned and defeated Prithviraj in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), establishing Muslim rule in North India. [[30]]

Harihara I and Bukka Raya I founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 CE with guidance from sage Vidyaranya. Hampi was its magnificent capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. [[1]]

Silappadikaram (by Ilango Adigal) and Manimekalai (by Sattanar) are the two great Tamil epics of the Sangam period, depicting social life, trade, and religious practices in ancient South India. [[1]]