77 RAS Prelims MCQs on the South Indian dynasties cover the Chalukyas, Pallavas and Cholas. Pulakesi II and his rivals, Pallava rulers and their temple styles, the Alvars and Nayanars, and the rise of the Cholas under Vijayalaya are asked as facts, sequences and statements, with the explanations tying each ruler to his monuments.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 31–40 of 77 questions
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q31. Consider the following statements regarding literature during the Pallava period: I. Dandin, the author of Dashakumaracharita, lived in the Pallava court. II. Bharavi, who composed the Sanskrit epic Kiratarjuniya, was associated with the Pallavas. III. King Mahendravarman I composed the Sanskrit work Mattavilasa Prahasana. IV. The Nayanar saint Appar composed hymns that became part of the Tevaram. Which of the above combinations of statements is correct?
Explanation
The Pallava period was a golden age for literature in both Sanskrit and Tamil. Dandin and Bharavi, two giants of Sanskrit literature, were associated with the Pallava court. King Mahendravarman I himself was a playwright who authored the Mattavilasa Prahasana. Simultaneously, the Bhakti movement flourished, with Nayanar saints like Appar composing devotional hymns in Tamil that were later compiled into the sacred Tevaram collection.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q32. The Alvar saints, who flourished and composed deeply emotional devotional literature during the Pallava period, were primarily devotees of which deity?
Explanation
The Alvar saints were a group of twelve poet-saints who lived during the Pallava and early Chola periods. They were intensely devoted to Lord Vishnu and expressed their piety through soulful Tamil poetry. Their collected works, known as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, formed the core of the Vaishnavite Bhakti tradition in South India. They emphasized personal devotion and divine grace, often challenging rigid social hierarchies.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q33. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Author/Saint
Associated Work/Contribution
A. Dandin
i. Bharata Venba (Tamil translation of Mahabharata)
B. Perundevanar
ii. Mattavilasa Prahasana
C. Appar
iii. Dashakumaracharita
D. Mahendravarman I
iv. Tevaram hymns
Explanation
Dandin is the celebrated author of the Dashakumaracharita, while Perundevanar is known for translating the Mahabharata into Tamil as Bharata Venba. The Nayanar saint Appar contributed significantly to the Tevaram, a collection of Shaivite devotional hymns. King Mahendravarman I, a versatile scholar, wrote the satirical Sanskrit play Mattavilasa Prahasana. These figures highlight the rich and diverse literary culture that flourished under the patronage of the Pallava dynasty.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q34. What was the most appropriate sociological impact of the Bhakti movement led by the Alvars and Nayanars during the Pallava period?
Explanation
The Bhakti movement led by the Alvars and Nayanars had a profound impact on the religious landscape of South India. By emphasizing emotional devotion and using the vernacular Tamil language, these saints made Hinduism more accessible to the common people. This massive surge in popular Shaivism and Vaishnavism gradually eroded the influence of Jainism and Buddhism, which had previously enjoyed significant royal and social support in the region.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q35. Identify the correct pair representing a prominent saint of the Pallava period and their respective devotional tradition.
Explanation
Andal is the only female president among the twelve Alvars and is renowned for her deep devotion to Lord Vishnu. In contrast, Appar and Sambandar were prominent Nayanar saints who belonged to the Shaivite tradition. Nammalvar was one of the most celebrated Alvar poet-saints, not a Nayanar. Therefore, the association of Andal with the Alvar tradition is the only correctly matched pair among the given religious figures.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q36. The founder of the Imperial Chola line, Vijayalaya, captured the city of Thanjavur in 850 CE from which ruling family?
Explanation
Vijayalaya, the founder of the Imperial Chola dynasty, rose to power in the mid-ninth century by taking advantage of the conflicts between the Pallavas and Pandyas. In approximately 850 CE, he captured the strategic city of Thanjavur from the Muttaraiyar family, who were then feudatories of the Pandyas. Thanjavur subsequently became the prestigious capital of the Chola empire, serving as the center for their future political expansion.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q37. Consider the following two statements regarding the early history of the Imperial Cholas: Statement I: Vijayalaya was initially a feudatory chief subordinate to the Pallavas. Statement II: After capturing Thanjavur, Vijayalaya built a temple dedicated to the goddess Nishumbhasudini. Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
Vijayalaya began his career as a minor feudatory chief, likely subordinate to the Pallavas, before establishing an independent power base. After his significant victory in capturing Thanjavur, he commemorated his success by building a temple dedicated to the goddess Nishumbhasudini. This act was both a religious offering and a political statement, marking the beginning of the Cholas’ rise as a major sovereign power in the Tamil region.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q38. Consider the following statements about the rise of the Chola dynasty: I. Aditya I put an end to the Pallava kingdom by defeating Aparajitavarman. II. Parantaka I suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Rashtrakutas at the Battle of Takkolam. III. Vijayalaya expanded the Chola empire by directly conquering the entire Pandya kingdom of Madurai. Which of the above combinations of statements is incorrect?
Explanation
Aditya I expanded Chola power by defeating the Pallava king Aparajitavarman, while Parantaka I faced a setback against the Rashtrakutas at the Battle of Takkolam. However, Vijayalaya did not conquer the entire Pandya kingdom; he only captured Thanjavur from a feudatory family. It was his successors, particularly Parantaka I and later Rajaraja I, who systematically subdued the Pandyas and brought the Madurai region under direct Chola administration.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q39. Which Rashtrakuta monarch severely checked the early expansion of the Imperial Cholas by defeating Parantaka I at the Battle of Takkolam in 949 CE?
Explanation
The expansion of the early Imperial Cholas was severely interrupted by a major military defeat at the Battle of Takkolam in 949 CE. The Rashtrakuta king Krishna III led a powerful coalition that crushed the Chola forces under Parantaka I. This defeat resulted in the death of the Chola crown prince Rajaditya and the loss of northern territories, forcing the Cholas into a period of temporary political decline.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · South Indian Dynasties
Q40. Identify the odd one out among the following rulers, as he does NOT belong to the Imperial Chola dynasty.
Explanation
Vijayalaya, Aditya I, and Parantaka I were all instrumental figures in the establishment and early expansion of the Imperial Chola dynasty from the ninth century onwards. In contrast, Simhavishnu was a prominent ruler of the Pallava dynasty who lived much earlier, in the late sixth century. He is credited with reviving Pallava power in the Tondaimandalam region, making him the odd one out among the listed Chola monarchs.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
31
(d) I, II, III, and IV
32
(b) Vishnu
33
(a) A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii
34
(c) Popularizing Shaivism and Vaishnavism, causing the decline of Jainism
35
(d) Andal - Alvar tradition
36
(c) Muttaraiyars
37
(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are true
38
(c) Only III
39
(a) Krishna III
40
(c) Simhavishnu
Key facts from South Indian Dynasties
Pulakesi II of Vatapi defeated Harshavardhana on the Narmada; he made Kubja Vishnuvardhana viceroy of Vengi.
Narasimhavarman I captured Vatapi, killed Pulakesi II and sent naval expeditions to Sri Lanka.
Pallava temple styles run in order: Mahendra, Mamalla, Rajasimha and Nandivarman.
The Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Kailasanatha Temple at Kanchipuram belong to Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha).
The Alvars were devotees of Vishnu; Andal belongs to the Alvar tradition.
Vijayalaya founded the Imperial Chola line by capturing Thanjavur from the Muttaraiyars in 850 CE.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on South Indian Dynasties?
This page has 77 practice MCQs on South Indian Dynasties (Ancient Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram?
Narasimhavarman II, also called Rajasimha. The Shore Temple is a fine early example of a structural stone temple, and the same ruler built the Kailasanatha Temple at Kanchipuram, another high point of Pallava architecture.
Who defeated Harshavardhana on the Narmada?
Pulakesi II of the Chalukyas of Vatapi. His victory over the northern emperor on the Narmada fixed the southern limit of Harsha’s empire and is one of the best-known events of the Chalukya period.
Who founded the Imperial Chola line?
Vijayalaya, who captured Thanjavur from the Muttaraiyars in 850 CE. This conquest began the rise of the Imperial Cholas, who later became the leading power of South India.
