History – GK Questions

The first successful cotton textile mill in India was established by Kawasji Davar in Bombay in 1854. It marked the beginning of modern industrialization in India under British rule. [[30]]

British policies favored import of manufactured goods from Britain and export of raw materials from India. This led to the decline of India's renowned textile and handicraft industries, causing unemployment and poverty. [[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]]

The Child Marriage Restraint Act (Sarda Act) of 1929 set the minimum age of marriage at 14 for girls and 18 for boys. It was a significant step against child marriage in colonial India. [[1]]

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]]

Lord William Bentinck, with support from Raja Ram Mohan Roy, abolished Sati through Regulation XVII of 1829, prohibiting the immolation of widows on their husbands' funeral pyres. [[1]]

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar campaigned vigorously for widow remarriage. His efforts led to the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856, which legalized remarriage of Hindu widows. [[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]]

Unlike the Permanent Settlement, the Ryotwari System allowed the government to revise revenue rates every 20-30 years based on land productivity, giving the state more flexibility but creating uncertainty for peasants. [[30]]

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]]

The Mahalwari System, introduced by Holt Mackenzie and modified by William Bentinck, collected revenue from village communities (mahals) in North-Western Provinces, Punjab, and parts of Central India. [[30]]

The Ryotwari System, introduced by Thomas Munro in Madras Presidency, allowed peasants (ryots) to pay revenue directly to the government, bypassing intermediaries. It was also used in Bombay and Assam. [[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]]

Maharana Pratap of Mewar fought the Battle of Haldighati against Akbar's forces led by Man Singh in 1576. Though tactically inconclusive, Pratap continued guerrilla warfare to defend Mewar's independence. [[1]]

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]]

The Battle of Talikota (1565) between Vijayanagara and the Deccan Sultanates resulted in the destruction of Hampi and marked the beginning of the empire's decline. [[1]]

Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529) was the most prominent Vijayanagara ruler. He expanded the empire, patronized arts and literature, and maintained friendly relations with Portuguese traders. [[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]]

Ahimsa is a core principle in both Buddhism and Jainism. Jainism emphasizes it more strictly, advocating non-violence in thought, word, and deed towards all living beings. [[30]]

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]]