Ancient History 2014 MCQs

• 'Bijak' is actually a compilation of the teachings of Kabir, not Saint Dadu Dayal. Kabir was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement.
• The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was not propounded by Madhvacharya; it was founded by Vallabhacharya. Madhvacharya was the proponent of the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta. Vallabhacharya, on the other hand, established the Pushti Marg, a Vaishnavite sect in India, and he was a contemporary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex - Spiti Valley: The Tabo Monastery is indeed located in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, which matches the given pair correctly.

Lhotsava Lhakhang Temple, Nako - Zanskar Valley: This is not correct. While the Lhotsava Lhakhang is associated with the village of Nako, this village is located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, not in the Zanskar Valley of Jammu and Kashmir.

Alchi Temple Complex - Ladakh: The Alchi Temple Complex is correctly matched with Ladakh. It is situated in the Alchi village of the Leh District in the Ladakh region and is part of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, on the Leh-Kargil Highway.

Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era generally corresponds to March 22 of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days. In leap years, it corresponds to March 21. The Saka Era is used in the Indian national calendar, which is an official civil calendar alongside the Gregorian calendar.

The national motto of India, 'Satyameva Jayate' (Sanskrit for "Truth Alone Triumphs"), inscribed below the Emblem of India, is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad. This phrase is a part of a mantra from the Mundaka Upanishad, a collection of philosophical texts in the Hindu Vedas.

The six systems of Indian Philosophy, also known as the Shad-Darshanas, are:

1. Nyaya
2. Vaisheshika
3. Sankhya
4. Yoga
5. Mimamsa (or Purva Mimamsa)
6. Vedanta (or Uttara Mimamsa)

These systems represent the major orthodox schools of Indian philosophy. They are called orthodox (astika) because they all accept the authority of the Vedas.

• Mimamsa and Vedanta are both part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy.
• Lokayata (also known as Charvaka) and Kapalika are not part of the six orthodox systems. Lokayata/Charvaka is a materialistic and atheistic school of thought in Indian philosophy, and it does not accept the authority of the Vedas. Kapalika is a sect of Shaivism and is not one of the six systems of philosophy.
• Nyaya and Vaisheshika are both among the six systems.
• Sankhya and Yoga are also part of the six systems.

In the context of the cultural history of India, the term 'Panchayatan' refers to a style of temple construction. This style typically involves the main shrine being surrounded by four subsidiary shrines at the four corners, forming a quincunx pattern. The term "Panchayatan" literally means a group of five, and in this architectural style, the central shrine is considered the principal one, with the other four shrines at its periphery.

The month-long ecologically important campaign/festival where certain communities or tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees is specifically associated with the Gond and Korku tribes. These tribes are known for their deep connection with nature and their traditional practices that emphasize environmental conservation. The Gond tribe is one of the largest tribal groups in India, primarily residing in the central regions of the country, while the Korku tribe mainly inhabits parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Bhutia and Lepcha are communities primarily found in the Sikkim and Darjeeling regions. The Irula and Toda are tribal communities from the Nilgiri hills in southern India. The Sahariya and Agariya are tribal groups found in central India.

Avanti: This was an ancient Indian kingdom located in the western part of the present-day Madhya Pradesh state. It was not directly related to the life of Buddha as it rose to prominence a bit later than the period of the Buddha's life.

Gandhara: This was an ancient kingdom located in what is now the northern part of Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara became a significant center of Buddhism centuries later, especially under the Kushan Empire, but it was not directly associated with the historical events of the Buddha's life.

Kosala: This was indeed one of the major kingdoms during the life of the Buddha and is often mentioned in Buddhist texts. The Buddha had many interactions with the people and the royalty of Kosala. Notably, the capital of Kosala, Savatthi (Sravasti), was where the Buddha spent many rainy seasons teaching and where he performed many of his teachings and miracles.

Magadha: This was the kingdom in which the Buddha gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. Magadha was one of the four main monarchies that existed during the time of the Buddha and became a great empire under rulers such as Bimbisara and Ajatasatru, who were contemporaries of the Buddha. The Magadhan city of Rajgir (Rajagaha) was another place where the Buddha spent several rainy seasons teaching.