Mock Test-4 (Paper-1) (Question 1-50)

With the coming of Indo-Greeks, gold coins were issued for the first time in indian history. Kushanas issued gold coins on the Largest scale upto that period.

• The reign of Indo-Greeks was from 180 BC to around 10 AD. Indo-Greeks introduced the fashion of showing the bustor head of the ruler on the coins. The legends on their Indian coins were mentioned in two languages—in Greek on one of the side and in Kharosthi on the other side of the coin.

The Greek gods and goddesses commonly shown on the Indo- Greek coins were Zeus, Hercules, Apollo and Pallas Athene. The initial series used images of Greek deities but later coins had images of Indian deities as well.

Uttara Rama Charitam was authored by Bhavabhuti.
Kalidasa’s six important works include:

• Kumarasambhava: An epic poem describing the heavenly romance leading to the birth of Kumara, Shiva’s son.
• Raghuvamsa: An epic honoring Rama’s lineage, demonstrating Kalidasa’s skill in distilling the Ramayana.
• Meghaduta: A lyrical poem narrating an exiled demi-god who sends a monsoon cloud to convey a message to his bride, founding a genre in Sanskrit literature.
• Dramas: Kalidasa’s dramas, while sometimes retelling familiar love stories, are exceptional in language, settings, and detail, blending poetry and drama seamlessly.
  -Malavikagnimitra (early work)
  -Vikramorvasiya (exploring tragic love)
  -Abhijnanasakuntalam (celebrated for its poetry, drama, and creation of the iconic heroine Sakuntala)
• Ritusamhara: A lyrical work depicting the six seasons, showcasing his mastery of poetic imagery.

Fa-hien was a Chinese monk who travelled India during the age of Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya. He travelled during C 399-414. Fa-hien wanted to go to India to search for the treatises of the Vinaya Pitaka, the monastic rules of Buddhism.

Travelling through Central Asia and Northwest India, Fa-hien reached northern India and then visited the holy Buddhist sites located in the Ganges valley: Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Buddha; Bodhgaya, the site of Buddha's enlightenment; Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon, and Kushinagara, the place of Buddha's nirvana.

Sapphire was the most precious stone in terms of foreign trade in Gupta period.

• The economy during the Gupta period was characterised by flourishing trade, a well-functioning guild system, flourishing manufacturing industries, and a high standard of living.
• Of course, agriculture was the main occupation of the people, but other occupations, like commerce and the production of crafts, had become specialized occupations in which different social groups were engaged.

The turkish brought with them musical instruments Rabab and Sarangi.

During this time, the music of North India began to acquire and adapt to the presence of Persian language, music, and musical instruments, such as the setar, from which the sitar got its name; the kemancheh and santur, which became popular in Kashmir; and the rabab [alternately known as rebab and rubab], which preceded the sarod. New instruments were introduced, including the tabla and sitar.

'The deeds of Hamza' and 'The deeds of Babur' are not depicted in the Rajput Paintings.

• Rajput painting is a traditional style of Indian painting that developed in the royal courts of Rajasthan and nearby regions during the medieval period.These paintings were mainly supported by Rajput rulers and reflected themes related to religion, culture, nature, and court life. Known for their bright colours, decorative style, and expressive figures, Rajput paintings represent an important part of India’s artistic and cultural heritage.
• Rajput painting developed in different Rajput kingdoms, and each region created its own artistic style. These styles are usually named after the princely states where they flourished. Although they share some common features, each school developed unique themes, techniques, and artistic expressions.

Ashtadhyayi, (Sanskrit grammar) written in the 6th to 5th century BCE by the Indian grammarian Panini

• It is a linguistics text that set the standard for how Sanskrit was meant to be written and spoken.
• It delves deep into the language’s phonetics, syntax and grammar, and also offers a ‘language machine’, where one can feed in the root and suffix of any Sanskrit word, and get grammatically correct words and sentences in return.
• Panini’s grammar, which built on the work of many earlier grammarians, effectively stabilised the Sanskrit language.
• The Ashtadhyayi laid down more than 4,000 grammatical rules.
• Later Indian grammars such as the Mahabhasya of Patanjali (2nd century BC) and the Kasika Vritti of Jayaditya and Vamana (7th century AD), were mostly commentaries on Panini.

Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq was the last sultan of the Tughlaq dynasty to rule the Islamic Delhi Sultanate. Amir Timur the Chagtai ruler invaded India. Soon after the invasion, the Tughlaq dynasty came to an end.
About Tughlag Dynasty

• The Tughlag dynasty was founded by Ghazi Malik, who ascended the throne as Ghiyasuddin Tughlaqg in 1320 AD and ruled until AD 1412.
• Ghiyas-ud-din rose to an important position in the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji.
• However, after a brief reign, Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq died in AD 1325, and his son Muhammad Tughlaq ascended to the throne.
• Under the Tughlags, the Delhi Sultanate was further consolidated.

Tabaqat-i Nasiri, named for Sultan Nasir-ud-Din, is an elaborate history of the Islamic world written in Persian by Minhaj-i-Siraj Juzjani and was completed during 1260.

Tarikh-i-Firozshahi was written by Zia ud Din Barani during the reign of Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq, it was completed in 1357 and discuss the details about sultanate period in India.

Tuglaknama was written by Amir Khusro and has details about the rise and reign of Gyasudin Tuglak. Humayunama is the biography of Mughal Emperor Humayun written by his sister Gulbadan Begum.

Alauddin Bahaman Shah was the founder of the Bahmani kingdom. The Bahmani kingdom was founded in 1347 by Hasan Gangu who revolted and proclaimed his independence from the Sultanate. He assumed the title of Alauddin Bahmani. Gulbarga was his capital.