Bhakti and Sufi Movement: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Medieval History)
1 previous year UPSC Prelims question on Bhakti and Sufi Movement (Medieval History). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
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UPSC 2012Medieval History · Bhakti and Sufi Movement
Q1. With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices? 1. Meditation and control of breath. 2. Severe ascetic exercises in a lonely place. 3. Recitation of holy songs to arouse a state of ecstasy in their audience. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
Sufism is a mystic branch of Islam that puts emphasis on the search for God on a spiritual level and rejects materialism.
Statement 1 and 2 are correct: Sufism focuses on love and devotion to God. Devotees used music and dance for expression of their devotion. They also practiced breath-control techniques and meditation. They also used to perform severe ascetic exercises in solitude.
Statement 3 is correct: The practice of Sama is a musical performance that aims to elicit a mystical feeling of ecstasy. Murid, or disciple, must pass through countless phases while engaging in spiritual activities in a lonely setting.
Exam tip:
You can try, The "NOT" approach for all statements, this tests the improbability of negating a statement--if denying its impact seems highly unlikely, the statement is plausibly true. For example: Sufi’s DON’T do meditation or recitation of holy songs or they were NOT ascetics. Doesn’t it sound absurd? Yes, hence all are likely true.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2012
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Bhakti and Sufi Movement?
This page covers 1 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Bhakti and Sufi Movement (Medieval History), asked from 1996 to 2022. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Bhakti and Sufi Movement?
Questions on Bhakti and Sufi Movement (Medieval History) are available for 13 years, from 1996 to 2022. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
