Indian History

The 1907 Surat session witnessed the historic split between the Moderates and Extremists factions of the Indian National Congress. This division occurred due to ideological differences in methods for achieving independence, with the Surat session being the breaking point.

The Indus Valley Civilization appears to have been a peaceful, commercially advanced society rather than warlike or vindictive. Archaeological evidence shows minimal weapons, no fortifications, and extensive trade networks, suggesting they were none of these negative traits.

Shankaracharya (8th-9th century) was an Advaita Vedanta philosopher who predated the Bhakti movement. Ramananda, Kabir, Guru Nanak, and others were actual Bhakti movement exponents who emphasized devotion to God.

Archaeological findings from Indus Valley sites include circular makeup containers that held lipstick-like preparations. Evidence shows both men and women used cosmetics, with lipstick being a confirmed part of their beauty practices.

Henry Vivian Derozio, a young Anglo-Indian teacher at Hindu College, led the Young Bengal Movement in the 1820s-1830s. He inspired radical thinking and questioned orthodox beliefs among his students before dying at age 22.

Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti brought the Chisti order to India in the 12th century, establishing his khanqah in Ajmer. The Chisti order became one of the most influential Sufi orders in South Asia, emphasizing love, devotion, and service to humanity.

The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, initially found its primary support among the educated middle class including lawyers, teachers, and professionals. This group had the political awareness and English education to understand constitutional methods of protest. Peasants and workers joined later in the mass movements, while landlords and businessmen were often aligned with British interests initially.

Manu is traditionally considered the great law giver in Hinduism and is credited with composing the Manusmriti, which outlines Hindu social and moral law. The Manusmriti was an influential text that prescribed social duties and the varna system. Kautilya was a political strategist (author of Arthashastra), not primarily a religious law giver.

The Mathura School of Art flourished from the 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE and was heavily influenced by the Gandhara School, which itself had Greco-Roman influences from Alexander's invasion. This influence is visible in the realistic human features, wavy hair, and drapery styles on Mathura sculptures of Buddha and Yakshas. The other schools listed developed independently or had different stylistic origins.

The Gopuram (elaborate gateway tower) is the most distinctive feature of South Indian (Dravidian) temple architecture, visible from great distances and serving as the main entrance. While Vimana (tower over sanctum), Mandapa (hall), and Sikhara (North Indian tower element) are all architectural components, the Gopuram is uniquely prominent and characteristic of temples in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.

Balban, the Sultan of Delhi (1266-1287), systematically destroyed the powerful Turkan-e-Chihalgani (Group of Forty) nobles who had become kingmakers and a threat to the throne. He eliminated them through executions, exile, and administrative reforms to centralize power. Iltumish had created this group, Razia tried to control them and was killed, and Baharam Shah was a later ruler.

Akbar's mausoleum is located at Sikandra near Agra, commissioned by Akbar himself and completed by his son Jahangir in 1613. The monument blends Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist architectural elements with four white marble minarets and detailed inlay work. Sasaram houses Sher Shah Suri's tomb, while Agra and Delhi have other Mughal monuments (Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb).

Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by Gulab Singh under the Treaty of Amritsar (1846) as a princely state, not annexed by Dalhousie's Doctrine of Lapse. Oudh (Awadh) was annexed in 1856 on grounds of misgovernance, Udaipur's title was extinguished in 1852 under the doctrine, and Nagpur was annexed in 1854 after the ruler died without a natural male heir. Jammu's Dogra dynasty continued ruling until 1947.

The Asthapradhan (council of eight ministers) was the administrative system established by Shivaji to organize his Maratha kingdom. The eight ministers included the Peshwa (prime minister), Amatya (finance minister), and others overseeing foreign affairs, war, justice, and internal administration. Krishnadeva Rai had a different council in Vijayanagar, Tipu Sultan had his own system, and Akbar used the Mansabdari system.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati propounded the motto 'Go Back To The Vedas'.
So, option 3 is correct.

Babar died in Agra in 1530, four years after founding the Mughal Empire. He had established Agra as a capital city and was in the process of consolidating his North Indian conquests. His body was later moved to Kabul (as per his wish) and buried in the Bagh-e-Babur garden, which might cause confusion with the death location.

Sir Charles Wood's Despatch of 1854 (also called Wood's Education Despatch) is considered the 'Magna Carta of Indian education' as it outlined the British policy of creating a modern education system. It recommended establishing universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, promoting English-medium instruction, and allocating education funding. It was NOT about administrative, social, or economic reforms.

Harihara and Bukka, the founders of the Vijayanagar Empire (1336), were guided by the sage Vidyaranya of the Sringeri Math. He provided spiritual counsel and helped them consolidate the Hindu kingdom against Islamic invaders. Jnaneshwara and Tukaram were later Bhakti saints from Maharashtra, while Ramanuj was a 12th century Vaishnavite philosopher.

Pushyamitra Sunga founded the Sunga dynasty in 185 BCE after assassinating the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha. He was the commander-in-chief of the Mauryan army and established Brahminical orthodoxy, opposing Buddhist expansion. Agnimitra was his son (and the hero of Kalidasa's Malavikagnimitram), while Divakarmaitra and Vasumitra were other figures not associated with founding the dynasty.

Aurangzeb stopped the practice of Jharokha Darshan (daily appearance at the palace balcony to give public audience) as he considered it against Islamic principles. His orthodox religious views led him to discontinue this Mughal tradition that had been followed by Akbar, Jehangir, and Shahjahan to maintain a visible connection with their subjects.

Jehangir granted permission to the English East India Company to establish their first factory at Surat in 1613. This came after Captain William Hawkins had earlier visited Jehangir's court, and the formal permission marked the beginning of British trade presence in India. The factory at Surat became a crucial trading post for the British.

The Rawat-i-Arz (also known as Ariz-i-Mumalik) was the minister responsible for military organization in the Delhi Sultanate. This officer managed military recruitment, equipment, organization of contingents, and payment of soldiers. The position was crucial for maintaining the Sultanate's military efficiency and administrative control.

Alauddin Khalji introduced the system of land revenue assessment based on measurement of land (called zabita) rather than crop sharing or arbitrary assessment. This reform ensured more predictable revenue collection and reduced the power of intermediate rural chiefs. His revenue minister took detailed measurements of cultivable land to determine fixed demands.

The correct chronological order is: Kabir (c. 1440-1518), Nanak (1469-1539), Chaitanya (1486-1534), Tulsidas (c. 1532-1623). Kabir flourished in the 15th century, Nanak and Chaitanya were contemporaries in the early-mid 16th century (Nanak slightly earlier), and Tulsidas lived in the later 16th-early 17th century, composing the Ramcharitmanas during Akbar's reign.