GK Questions (Static GK GS): 25 Questions and Answers from History

Q. 1: What are the main sources of information about the history of ancient India?

Answer: Scriptures, 2. Historical texts, 3. Description of foreigners and 4. Archaeological evidence and records

Q. 2: From the Himalayas in the north to the sea in the south, what is the ancient India referred to in the scriptures, epics and Puranas?

Answer: Aryavarta and Bharatvarsha

Q. 3: What is the meaning of the word “Aryavarta” mentioned in the scriptures, epics and Puranas?

Answer: Land of nobles

Q. 4. What is the meaning of the word "Bharatvarsha" mentioned in the epics and Puranas?

Answer: Country of Bharata (Bharata was the son of King Rishabha and founder of the Sun Dynasty (Suryavansha). Among the hundred sons of King Ikshvaku, Bharata is the eldest one.

Q. 5: What do the Epics and Puranas refer to the inhabitants of the ancient India?

Answer: Bharatasantati

Q. 6: What is the meaning of the word “Bharatasantati” mentioned in the epics and Puranas?

Answer: Bharat Santati = Bharata + Santi = the descendants of Bharata

Q. 7: What is the name given by the Greeks to India?

Answer: India

Q. 8: For medieval Arab, Turk and Muslim historians, what was/were the commonly used term/s to refer to India?

Answer: Hind, Hindusthan

Q. 9: Which is the oldest scripture of India?

Answer: The Vedas

Q. 10: Which is the oldest Veda?

Answer: Rigveda

Q. 11: Which Veda was written last?

Answer: Atharva-Veda

Q. 12: What is the chapter/canto of the Rigveda called?

Answer: Mandala

Q. 13: How many mandalas are there in the Rigveda?

Answer: 10

Q. 14: Q14. How many Suktas (hymns) are there in the Rigveda?

Answer: 1,028

Q. 15: In the Rigveda, individual verses are called as:

Answer: Richa

Q. 16: What is the total number of verses in the Rigveda?

Answer: 10,462

Q. 17: Which scripture is the oldest source of the concept of the Chatushyavarna (four varnas) society?

Answer: Rigveda

Q. 18: Which mandala of the Rigveda has explained the concept of the Chatushyavarna (four varnas) society?

Answer: Tenth Mandala

Q. 19: In which hymn of the Rigveda is the four varna society conceived?

Answer: Pursha Sukta

Q. 20: In which mandala of the Rigveda is the "Purushasukta" mentioned?

Answer: Tenth mandala

Q. 21: Which is the most prominent deity in the Rigveda?

Answer: Indra

Q. 22: In the Rigveda, most number of hymns have been dedicated to which deity?

Answer: Indra

Q. 23: How many hymns have been composed for the deity Indra in the Rigveda?

Answer: 250

Q. 24: Which deity is given the highest importance in the Rigveda after Indra?

Answer: Agni

Q. 25: How many hymns have been dedicated to the deity Agni in the Rigveda?

Answer: 200

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