Miscellaneous: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Medieval History)

Explanation

The Qutub Minar was built by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak, the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1193. It was later completed by his successor Iltutmish in the early 13th century. It is a victory tower or minaret that was constructed to mark the beginning of Muslim rule in India and to celebrate Qutb-ud-Din Aibak’s victory over the Rajputs. Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq is credited with having repaired the tower in the 14th century after it was damaged by lightning. The Qutub Minar was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, recognizing its architectural and historical significance. Firoz Shah Tughlaq, a Delhi Sultan known for administrative reforms, died in 1388 A.D. Firoz Shah introduced the Faujdar system and created the post of Shiqdar (District head). Vasco da Gama’s arrival at Calicut in 1498 marked the beginning of Portuguese maritime influence in India. Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara (1509-1529 A.D) was the greatest ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, contributing to military, administrative, and cultural advancements.

Explanation

In the Jagirdari System, land was assigned to feudal landlords or nobles (Jagirdars) in exchange for administrative or military service. The land granted to Jagirdars was not permanently owned by them. They were assigned the revenue rights of the land for a fixed term. Under the Zamindari System, intermediaries (Zamindars) collected revenue from peasants and passed it to the government. They did not own the land but had the right to collect taxes from the peasants in exchange for keeping a portion of the collected revenue. In the Ryotwari System, individual peasants (Ryots) owned the land directly and had the right to sublet, mortgage, or sell it. It was mainly implemented in areas like Madras, Bombay, and parts of Assam. The Mahalwari System involved revenue collection based on the collective responsibility of an entire village (Mahal). The head of the village, often a local leader or a prominent landowner, would be responsible for paying the land tax for the entire group of villages.

Explanation

Amir Khusrau (1253-1325) was a prolific poet, musician, and scholar during the Delhi Sultanate. He is credited with being one of the earliest to use a proto-Urdu form in his works, mixing Persian, Khari Boli, and Hindavi dialects, laying the foundation for Urdu poetry. He is regarded as the "father of Urdu literature" and played a crucial role in the development of this language. Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) is renowned for his contributions to classical Urdu poetry, but he came centuries after Khusrau. Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862) was a Mughal emperor and a poet, but not the first to use Urdu. Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was a modern Urdu poet known for poetry focused on social justice, resistance, and human rights.

Explanation

The term Ahadis was used in the context of Mughal military service, specifically during the reigns of emperors like Akbar and his successors. Ahadis were soldiers who served in the imperial army.

Statement (1) is correct: Ahadis offered their services individually and were not part of a larger contingent. They were distinct in their roles and reporting structure.

Statement (2) is correct: They did not align themselves with any noble or chief but served independently.

Statement (3) is correct: Ahadis reported directly to the emperor and were considered elite troopers. Their services were provided to the central authority, bypassing local chiefs.

Statement (4) is incorrect: They did not attach themselves to Mirzas (a title for nobles or princes).

Explanation

The construction sequence is Qutub Minar (1193) > Tughlaqabad Fort (1321)>Lodi Garden (1451-1526)> Fatehpur Sikri (1571). Qutub Minar (1193-1220) construction was initiated by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed by Iltutmish during the early Delhi Sultanate era. Tughlaqabad Fort was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq as a fortified city during the Tughlaq dynasty. It was designed with robust defense mechanisms, including thick walls, towers, and a deep moat. Lodi Garden was made during the Lodi dynasty. The park is home to several notable tombs from the Lodi dynasty, including the tomb of Sikandar Lodi, the founder of the Lodi dynasty, and the tomb of Muhammad Shah Lodi, the last Sultan of the Lodi dynasty. Fatehpur Sikri was constructed by Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. It served as the capital of the Mughal Empire for a brief period before it was abandoned.

Explanation

Akbar ascended to the throne of the Mughal Empire in February 1556, at the age of 13 years and four months. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, after Humayun died while Akbar was fighting a war to reclaim the Mughal throne. The Battle of Haldighati was a military conflict that took place in June 1576, between the forces of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Akbar. Queen Elizabeth I granted the East India Company a charter on December 31, 1600, that gave the company the exclusive right to trade with the East. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj died on April 3, 1680, at Raigad after suffering for three weeks from fever and dysentery. Nadir Shah of Iran captured Delhi in 1739 after defeating the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Karnal. The battle was a turning point in the region’s history and marked the effective end of the Mughal Empire.

Explanation

The Mahabharata has been a significant source of inspiration for numerous literary works across India, influencing many regional languages. Pair (a) is incorrectly matched: Saraladasa (born as Siddheswara Parida) was a 15th-century poet and scholar of Odia literature and not Bengali. He is best known for three Odia books - Sarala Mahabharata, Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana. Pair (b) is incorrectly matched: Kasirama, an important figure in Oriya literature, is most renowned for his adaptations of the Ramayana rather than the Mahabharata. Pair (c) is incorrectly matched: Tikkana was a Telugu poet who contributed to Andhra Mahabharatam, not Marathi. Pair (d) is correctly matched: Pampa was a Kannada poet, who authored Vikramarjuna Vijaya, also known as Pampa Bharata, based on the Mahabharata theme. His rendition of the Mahabharata focuses on the story of Arjuna and his heroic exploits.

Explanation

The word "Apabhramsa" literally means "corruption" or "degeneration." In a linguistic context, it was used to describe a deviation or transformation from classical Sanskrit that led to the emergence of regional languages, which later evolved into modern Indian languages. Apabhramsa emerged during the medieval period (from the 6th to 13th centuries). It was a transitionary stage between Prakrits (the vernacular languages of ancient India) and the modern Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, and others. It was a mixture of regional dialects influenced by the local vernaculars, and its forms were quite diverse across different regions.

Explanation

The Gurus of Sikhism were the spiritual leaders who guided the development of the Sikh faith over approximately two and a half centuries, starting with Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. There were ten human Gurus in total, each contributing to the growth and teachings of the religion. After the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, the holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, became the eternal Guru, revered as the living Guru by Sikh followers. Pair (a) is incorrectly matched: The concept of Miri and Piri was introduced by Guru Hargobind. In Sikhism, it represents the balance between spiritual and non-spiritual aspects of life. Pair (b) is correctly matched: Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, played a pivotal role in Sikh history by compiling the Adi Granth, the foundational scripture of Sikhism. The Adi Granth is the first version of the Guru Granth Sahib, incorporating hymns of Sikh Gurus and other saints. Pair (c) is incorrectly matched: Dal-Khalsa refers to the first historical military alliance of 11 Sikh misls that operated in the Punjab region during the 18th century (1748-1799). It was formed by Guru Gobind Singh. Pair (d) is incorrectly matched: Manji or manja literally means a cot, which is taken as the seat of authority in Sikhism Manji’s are started by Guru Amar Das

Explanation

Raskhan’s Prem Vatika stands out as an exquisite devotional work on Krishna, blending intense love (prem) with devotion (bhakti). Raskhan, originally a Muslim by birth, became a devoted follower of Krishna and is known for his devotional poetry. Some of his important works are: Sujana Raskhana, Danalila, Astayama, and a collection of Padas. Bihari, a 17th Century poet, authored the Satsai, being a brilliant poet of classical Hindi literature, his works do not specifically focus on Krishna’s life. Surdas was a prominent saint of the Krishna Bhakti tradition. He is known for his work Sur Sagar, a collection of poems celebrating Krishna’s childhood (bal leela) and divine play (raas leela). However, Prem Vatika is not attributed to him. Kabir, a Nirguna Bhakti professed worshiping a formless divine (nirakar). His works like Sakhi and Bijak focus on spiritual truths and unity, not Krishna-centric themes. v v v