DAY – 34 : Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2026 : ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL INDIA

Answer:   (d)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: The Therigatha is a book within the Khuddaka Nikaya, which is a division of the Sutta Pitaka (the Basket of Discourses).
• Statement 2 is Correct: It consists of 73 poems (verses) attributed to more than 70 bhikkhunis (senior nuns). These women were often disciples of the Buddha or had achieved enlightenment (Arhatship).
• Statement 3 is Correct: The verses are intensely personal. They describe the women’s struggle for liberation, their joy upon achieving it, and the social conditions that led them to join the Sangha—such as escaping domestic drudgery, the grief of losing children, or the constraints of patriarchal society.

Answer:   (c)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: Mahavira was born in the 6th century BCE into the Jnatrika (Kshatriya) clan. His birthplace was Kundagrama, which was located in the suburbs of the powerful city of Vaishali (modern-day Bihar).
• Statement 2 is Correct: The 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, had established four vows: Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), and Aparigraha (Non-attachment). Mahavira added the fifth vow, Brahmacharya (Celibacy), which became a core pillar of Jain monastic life.
• Statement 3 is Incorrect: While Mahavira did attain Kaivalya (Omniscience) under a Sal tree, the river mentioned is incorrect. He attained enlightenment on the banks of the River Rijupalika near Jrimbhikagrama. The River Niranjana (also known as Phalgu) is where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under a Pipal tree.

Answer:   (a)

Explanation:

• Pair 1: Korkai — Major medieval port visited by Marco Polo (Incorrect): Korkai was the primary port of the Early Pandyas during the Sangam period. By the time Marco Polo visited in the 13th century, Korkai had largely silted up and lost its prominence to the newer port of Kayal.
• Pair 2: Madurai — Primary inland capital and seat of the Sangams (Correct): Madurai remained the heart of the Pandya kingdom throughout its history. It is historically celebrated as the venue for the Third Sangam, where scholars and poets gathered under royal patronage to compile the foundational corpus of Tamil literature.
• Pair 3: Kayal — Ancient city famous for pearl manufacturing (Incorrect): The roles are swapped. Kayal was the great Medieval port of the 13th century (Pandya Second Empire). Korkai was the city originally famous in ancient times for its pearl fisheries and manufacturing (mentioned in Greek records as Colchi).

Answer:   (b)

Explanation:

• Pair 1: Makkhali Gosala — Ajivikism (Correct): He was the most famous leader of the Ajivika sect. His central philosophy was Niyati (Fatalism/Determinism), the belief that everything in the universe is pre-determined and human effort is useless.
• Pair 2: Ajita Kesakambalin — Lokayata (Correct): He is regarded as the earliest known teacher of Indian Materialism. He taught Ucchedavada (the theory of annihilation), arguing that humans are made of four elements and everything ends at death, so one should live for the present.
• Pair 3: Pakudha Kaccayana — Akriyavada (Incorrect): Pakudha Kaccayana was an Atomist (Sassatavada). He taught that there are seven eternal, uncreated elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Joy, Sorrow, and Soul) that do not interact.
• Pair 4: Purana Kassapa — Atomism (Incorrect): Purana Kassapa was a proponent of Akriyavada (Amoralism/Doctrine of Non-Action). He argued that actions (Karma) have no moral consequences; therefore, no amount of good brings merit and no evil brings sin.

Answer:   (b)

Explanation:

1. Rashtra (Province): The largest administrative unit, governed by a Rashtrapati. These were the major provinces of the empire.
2. Visaya (District): The Rashtras were divided into Visayas, which were overseen by a Visayapati.
3. Bhukti (Sub-district): The Visayas were further subdivided into Bhuktis. In the Rashtrakuta system, a Bhukti usually consisted of a cluster of approximately 50 to 70 villages.

Grama (Village): The smallest and most fundamental unit of administration. It was managed by a Gramapathi (Village Headman) or Prabhu, often assisted by a village assembly or council.

Answer:   (a)

Explanation:

1. Buland Darwaza — B. Akbar: Built in 1601 at Fatehpur Sikri, this Gate of Magnificence was constructed to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat. it is the highest gateway in the world and an iconic example of Mughal-Persian fusion.
2. Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah — D. Nur Jahan: Often called the Baby Taj, this tomb was commissioned by Empress Nur Jahan for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg. It is historically significant for being the first Mughal structure built entirely of white marble and for its extensive use of Pietra Dura (stone inlay work).
3. Red Fort (Delhi) — C. Shah Jahan: After shifting the capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad (Delhi), Shah Jahan commissioned the Lila Qila in 1638. It represents the peak of Mughal palace architecture.

Shalimar Bagh (Kashmir) — A. Jahangir: Known as the Crown of Srinagar, this famous Mughal garden was built by Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan in 1619. It exemplifies the Charbagh (four-fold garden) layout adapted to a terraced mountain landscape.

Answer:   (a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: A Khanqah was the center of Sufi social and religious life. It was a hospice or lodge where the Pir (master) lived with his Murids (disciples). It served as a community center where people from all walks of life, including kings and commoners, sought spiritual guidance and food from the communal kitchen (langar).
• Statement 2 is Correct: Sama refers to spiritual concerts involving music and sometimes dance (like the whirling of dervishes). It was a method used by many Sufi orders, particularly the Chishtis, to induce a state of ecstasy (wajad) and bring the devotee closer to God through the remembrance (zikr) of the divine.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Naqshbandi order, popularized in India by Khwaja Baqi Billah and Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, was the most orthodox and conservative of the Sufi silsilahs. They strictly adhered to the Shariat and strongly opposed the practice of music and dance (Sama). They favored silent zikr (zikr-i-khafi) over the vocal and musical practices favored by the Chishtis.

Answer:  (a)

Explanation:

• Pair 1: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq — A. Token currency (Incorrect): This is a mismatched pair. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was the founder of the dynasty and is primarily known for building the massive fortress-city of Tughlaqabad. The experiment with Token Currency (replacing silver coins with copper/brass ones) was a signature project of his son, Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
• Pair 2: Muhammad bin Tughlaq — B. Tughlaqabad (Incorrect): This is also mismatched. As mentioned above, Tughlaqabad was the creation of Ghiyasuddin. Muhammad bin Tughlaq is associated with projects like the transfer of the capital to Daulatabad and the creation of the agricultural department, Diwan-i-Amir-Kohi.
• Pair 3: Firoz Shah Tughlaq — C. Canal construction (Correct): This is correctly matched. Firoz Shah Tughlaq is often called the Father of the Irrigation System in medieval India. He constructed an extensive network of canals (such as the one from the Yamuna to Hissar) to promote agriculture and founded several cities like Hissar, Firozabad, and Jaunpur.

Answer:   (d)

Explanation:

• Pair 1: Amuktamalyada — Krishnadevaraya (Correct): This is an epic poem in Telugu composed by the King himself. It details the life of the Alwar saint Andal (Vishnuchitta) and is considered a masterpiece of Telugu literature. It also contains the King’s views on statecraft and governance.
• Pair 2: Madhuravijayam — Gangadevi (Correct): Written in Sanskrit, this work was composed by Gangadevi, the wife of Kumara Kampana (son of Bukka Raya I). It chronicles her husband’s successful military expedition and victory over the Sultanate of Madurai.
• Pair 3: Manucharitramu — Allasani Peddana (Correct): Peddana was the most celebrated of the Ashtadiggajas (the eight literary giants) in Krishnadevaraya’s court. He is known as Andhra Kavita Pitamaha (Grandfather of Telugu Poetry). Manucharitramu is his most famous work.
• Pair 4: Jambavati Kalyanam — Krishnadevaraya (Correct): While the King is famous for his Telugu work, he was also a scholar of Sanskrit. Jambavati Kalyanam is a Sanskrit drama written by him, based on the Puranic story of Krishna’s marriage to Jambavati.

Answer:   (c)

Explanation:

• Ramanuja (c. 1017–1137 CE): He is the earliest among the four. A proponent of Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Monism), he laid the philosophical foundation for the Bhakti movement in South India long before it spread to the North.
• Kabir (c. 1398–1448 CE / 15th Century): Part of the Nirguna (formless) Bhakti tradition, Kabir was a disciple of Ramananda. He challenged caste and religious orthodoxies during the early Delhi Sultanate/Lodi period.
• Guru Nanak (1469–1539 CE): The founder of Sikhism, he was a contemporary of Babur and the Lodi Sultans. His teachings emphasize the oneness of God and the equality of all humans.

Tulsidas (c. 1532–1623 CE): A prominent Saguna (with form) Bhakti saint and devotee of Rama. He was a contemporary of Akbar and Jahangir. He composed the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi during the peak of the Mughal Empire.

Answer: b)

Solution:

Total members = 5
Condition: At least 2 women

Possible cases:

• 2 women, 3 men
• 3 women, 2 men
• 4 women, 1 man

Case 1:
Choose 2 women from 4 = 6
Choose 3 men from 6 = 20
Total = 6 × 20 = 120

Case 2:
Choose 3 women from 4 = 4
Choose 2 men from 6 = 15
Total = 4 × 15 = 60

Case 3:
Choose 4 women from 4 = 1
Choose 1 man from 6 = 6
Total = 6

Final answer = 120 + 60 + 6 = 186

Answer: a)

Solution:

A number divisible by 5 must end in 5

Fix last digit = 5

Remaining digits: 1,2,3,4,6,7 → 6 digits

We need to fill 3 positions using 6 digits without repetition

Number of ways =
6 × 5 × 4 = 120

Answer: b)

Solution:

Total balls = 12

Total ways to choose 2 =
12 × 11 / 2 = 66

Now count favorable cases (different colors):

Red–Blue = 5 × 4 = 20
Red–Green = 5 × 3 = 15
Blue–Green = 4 × 3 = 12

Total favorable = 20 + 15 + 12 = 47

Probability = 47 / 66

Answer: b)

Solution:

Letters: B, A, N, A, N, A

Count:
A = 3
N = 2
B = 1

Step 1: Arrange non-N letters (A, A, A, B)
Total arrangements = 4! / 3! = 4

These create 5 gaps:
_ A _ A _ A _ B _

Step 2: Place 2 Ns in gaps so they are not together
Choose 2 gaps from 5 = 10

Total = 4 × 10 = 40

Solution:   (b)

Explanation:

• Option a) is incorrect: The passage states that automation reduces the demand for routine tasks but simultaneously creates demand for others. It does not claim all jobs will be eliminated.
• Option b) is correct: This captures the crux of the text. The passage explicitly states that the real challenge lies not in resisting change but in equipping the workforce with the necessary skills.
• Option c) is incorrect: The passage suggests the opposite—that demand for routine tasks is decreasing while demand for cognitive skills is increasing.
• Option d) is incorrect: The passage emphasizes navigating the transition and equipping the workforce rather than avoiding advancement.