Rajasthan History, Art and Culture: RAS Prelims MCQs
1767 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on the history, art, culture, literature and heritage of Rajasthan are on this page, in 17 chapters. They run from prehistoric sites and inscriptions through the Rajput dynasties, the Mughal and British periods and the integration of Rajasthan, then move to forts, painting, folk arts, language, saints, fairs and leading personalities. Questions come as plain facts, statement sets, match-the-list tables and assertion-reason items, each with an answer and an explanation.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 181–190 of 1767 questions
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RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q181. Consider the following statements: I. The right to mint coins was considered a symbol of sovereignty by the Rajput states. II. After the treaties of 1818, the British East India Company immediately abolished all local mints in Rajasthan. III. ‘Kaldar’ was the local term used for the British Indian rupee introduced in Rajputana. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Minting coins was a vital symbol of sovereignty for Rajput states. While the British introduced their own currency, the Kaldar rupee, they did not immediately abolish all local mints after the treaties of 1818. Many states continued to use and mint their own coins for several decades, leading to a complex monetary environment where British and local currencies circulated simultaneously until final standardization.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q182. Which Chinese traveler visited Bhinmal and Bairath in the 7th century AD and left an account of these places in his records?
Explanation
Hiuen Tsang, the celebrated Chinese Buddhist monk, visited Rajasthan during his travels in the seventh century AD. He provided detailed descriptions of Bhinmal and Bairath in his famous work Si-Yu-Ki. His observations regarding the social conditions, the presence of Buddhism, and the political boundaries of the Gurjara kingdom are invaluable primary sources for reconstructing the history of early medieval India.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q183. Hiuen Tsang in his travelogue ‘Si-Yu-Ki’ referred to the kingdom of Gurjara with its capital at Bhinmal by which of the following names?
Explanation
In his travelogue, Hiuen Tsang used phonetic transcriptions for Indian place names. He referred to Bhinmal, the capital of the Gurjara kingdom, as Pilo-mo-lo. His account describes the prosperity of the city and the presence of both Hindu and Buddhist populations. This external perspective helps historians confirm the strategic and cultural importance of Bhinmal during the reign of the Gurjara-Pratiharas.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q184. Based on foreign travellers’ accounts, identify the correct statement regarding Sir Thomas Roe’s visit to Rajasthan.
Explanation
Sir Thomas Roe, the English ambassador sent by King James I, famously met the Mughal Emperor Jahangir at the Magazine Fort in Ajmer in 1616. His goal was to secure commercial treaties and trading rights for the British East India Company. Roe’s journals provide a detailed outsider’s perspective on the Mughal court’s functioning, diplomatic etiquette, and the lifestyle of the imperial elite.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q185. François Bernier, a French physician and traveller, wrote detailed accounts of a major political event he witnessed, which had significant involvement of Rajput kings like Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur. What was the event?
Explanation
François Bernier was a French physician who spent several years in the Mughal court. He was an eyewitness to the bloody War of Succession between the sons of Shah Jahan, particularly the struggle between Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb. His accounts describe the pivotal role played by Rajput generals, such as Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur, and offer a detailed narrative of the political instability.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q186. Which of the following is the odd one out with respect to being a foreign traveller who documented aspects of historical relevance?
Explanation
Tavernier, Manucci, and Bernier were all foreign travelers who left extensive written accounts of their experiences in India during the seventeenth century. In contrast, Chand Bardai was a local Indian poet and courtier from the twelfth century. While he is a significant historical figure, his role and the nature of his work differ fundamentally from the travelogues provided by foreign European visitors.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q187. Which of the following represents the correct chronological sequence of the visits of foreign travellers who recorded observations pertinent to the region?
Explanation
Determining the chronological order of these visitors requires placing them in their respective centuries. Hiuen Tsang visited India in the seventh century during the reign of Harshavardhana. Sir Thomas Roe arrived at the Mughal court in the early seventeenth century under Jahangir. François Bernier visited later in the same century, witnessing the transition from Shah Jahan’s reign to that of Aurangzeb.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q188. Col. James Tod’s seminal work ‘Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan’ was first published in which year?
Explanation
Colonel James Tod’s landmark work, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, was first published in 1829. This two-volume series is considered one of the most comprehensive accounts of Rajput history, geography, and customs written by a British official. It played a significant role in romanticizing the history of Rajasthan and remains a foundational source for studying the regional past, despite later scholarly revisions.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q189. Match List I with List II:
Author/Official
Contribution/Work
A. Col. James Tod
i. Rajputana Gazetteers
B. William Franklin
ii. Military Memoirs of Mr. George Thomas
C. K. D. Erskine
iii. Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan
D. L. P. Tessitori
iv. Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana
Choose the correct code:
Explanation
Colonel James Tod wrote the famous Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, while William Franklin authored the Military Memoirs of Mr. George Thomas. K. D. Erskine is known for compiling various Rajputana Gazetteers during the colonial era. L. P. Tessitori, an Italian scholar, conducted an extensive Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana, particularly focusing on the folklore and literature of the Bikaner region.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Sources of Rajasthan History
Q190. Consider the following statements regarding ‘Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan’: I. It was dedicated to Col. Tod’s guru, Yati Gyanchandra. II. The first volume primarily covers the history of Mewar. III. Tod heavily relied on local Khyats, Vamshavalis, and bardic literature. IV. Modern historians consider all of Tod’s historical dates and genealogical claims as absolutely flawless. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
James Tod dedicated his work to his guru, Yati Gyanchandra, and focused his first volume on Mewar history. He heavily utilized local oral traditions, Khyats, and genealogical lists. However, modern historians have found several inaccuracies in his dates and lineages, meaning his work is not considered flawless. It must be cross-referenced with modern archaeological and epigraphic evidence for objective historical reconstruction.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
181
(b) I and III
182
(a) Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang)
183
(b) Pilo-mo-lo
184
(b) He met Emperor Jahangir at the Magazine Fort in Ajmer in 1616.
185
(a) The War of Succession among the sons of Shah Jahan.
186
(c) Chand Bardai
187
(a) Hiuen Tsang, Thomas Roe, François Bernier
188
(b) 1829
189
(b) A-iii, B-ii, C-i, D-iv
190
(b) I, II, and III
Key facts from Rajasthan History, Art and Culture
Rajasthan history questions are fact-dense: sites with their districts, rulers with their forts, inscriptions with their dates.
The integration of Rajasthan came in stages: the Matsya Union on 18 March 1948, the Rajasthan Union on 25 March 1948 and the United State of Rajasthan on 18 April 1948.
Culture chapters reward pairs: a dance with its community, a painting school with its subject, a fair with its month.
Statement-based and match-the-list items appear in every chapter, so partial knowledge is not enough; learn each fact with its context.
Fort and monument questions often turn on one detail, such as the Jaivana cannon at Jaigarh or the 1,444 pillars of Ranakpur.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Rajasthan History, Art and Culture?
This page has 1767 practice MCQs on Rajasthan History, Art and Culture. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the Rajasthan history, art and culture set cover?
Seventeen chapters: prehistoric Rajasthan, sources of history, ancient society, major dynasties, resistance and cooperation with central power, administration and revenue, the 18th and 19th centuries, peasant and tribal movements, integration, temples and forts, water heritage, painting, performing arts, language, religious life, social life and leading personalities.
What types of questions are included?
Plain one-fact questions, statement sets (I, II, III), match-the-list tables, assertion-reason items, chronological-order questions and odd-one-out questions. The answer options use the same four-option format as the exam, so you can practise the pattern as well as the facts.
How should I revise Rajasthan history with these questions?
Take one chapter at a time. Attempt every question before opening the answer, read the explanation for the ones you got wrong and note each fact in a running list of places, rulers and dates. Return to the chapter after a few days and attempt it again.
