History – GK Questions

The Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, Punjab, is the holiest shrine of Sikhism. Built by Guru Ram Das and completed by Guru Arjan Dev, it symbolizes openness with doors on all four sides. [[1]]

Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606) compiled the Adi Granth (later Guru Granth Sahib) in 1604, installing it at the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar. He was the first Sikh Guru to be martyred. [[30]]

Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth on Vaisakhi day (March 30, 1699) at Anandpur Sahib. He initiated the Five Ks and established the Khalsa as a community of saint-soldiers. [[1]]

Shivaji established the Ashta Pradhan (Council of Eight) to administer his kingdom. Key positions included Peshwa (Prime Minister), Amatya (Finance), and Senapati (Commander-in-Chief). [[1]]

Bajirao I (1720-1740) served as Peshwa under Chhatrapati Shahu. He expanded Maratha territory from Malwa to Delhi through brilliant military campaigns, earning the title 'Thorale Bajirao' (the great). [[30]]

Shivaji was crowned Chhatrapati (sovereign) at Raigad Fort on June 6, 1674, in a grand ceremony officiated by Gaga Bhatt. This marked the formal establishment of the Maratha Kingdom. [[1]]

The Third Battle of Panipat (January 14, 1761) saw the Maratha forces led by Sadashiv Rao Bhau defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali's Afghan army. This halted Maratha expansion northward and weakened their power. [[30]]

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Maratha Empire in 1674 with his coronation at Raigad. He pioneered guerrilla warfare (Ganimi Kava) and established a well-organized administration. [[1]]

Akbar's finance minister Raja Todar Mal introduced the Zabt system, which fixed revenue based on land measurement and average produce of 10 years. It was part of the Dahsala system implemented across the empire. [[30]]

Akbar founded Fatehpur Sikri in 1571 near Agra as his capital. It houses architectural marvels like Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, and Jama Masjid. The city was abandoned due to water scarcity. [[1]]

Gol Gumbaz (1656), the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah in Bijapur, features a dome with a diameter of 44 meters – the second-largest pre-modern dome after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Its whispering gallery is famous. [[30]]

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]]

Kalhana wrote Rajatarangini in Sanskrit during the 12th century. It is considered one of the earliest historical chronicles in Indian literature, covering Kashmir's history from mythical times to his era. [[30]]

Amir Khusrau (1253-1325), a Sufi poet and musician in the Delhi Sultanate, is traditionally credited with developing the tabla, sitar, and qawwali, blending Persian and Indian musical traditions. [[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]]

King Narasimhadeva I (1238-1264 CE) built the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha. Designed as a colossal chariot of the Sun God, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its intricate stone carvings. [[1]]

Ellora Caves (6th-10th century CE) showcase religious harmony with 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu, and 5 Jain caves carved from a single basalt cliff. The Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) is the world's largest monolithic structure. [[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]]

Aryabhata (476-550 CE) calculated pi as 3.1416 in his work Aryabhatiya. He also proposed that Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun, centuries before Copernicus. [[30]]

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]]