Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Al-Biruni.

Key Points

• Abu Rayhan al-Biruni was an Iranian scholar.
• He has been variously called as the:-
  • Founder of Indology
  • Father of Comparative Religion
  • Father of modern geodesy
  • The first anthropologist
• He wrote the book Kitab-ul-Hind.
• Alberuni (Abu Raynham Beruni) was a Persian scholar who came to India with Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017.
• He commented on Indian sciences, Hindu religious beliefs, customs, and social organization.

Additional Information

• Al-Masudi's Book - The Meadows of Gold
• Sulaiman's Book - Ancient Accounts of India and China
• Firdausi's Book - Shahnameh

The correct answer is Silver, gold, copper but not iron.

• Harappan civilization existed during the Bronze age.
• Hence copper, bronze, gold, silver, lead-related objects can be seen.
• The Harappan people were aware of almost all the metals except iron.
• They manufactured gold and silver objects.
  • Gold might have been obtained from the Himalayan river-beds and South India, and silver from Mesopotamia.
  • The gold objects include beads, armlets, needles, and other ornaments.
  • But the use of silver was more common than gold.
• A large number of silver ornaments, dishes, etc. have been discovered.
• A number of copper tools and weapons have also been discovered.
• The common tools included an axe, saws, chisels, knives, spearheads, and arrowheads. It is important to note that the weapons produced by the Harappans were mostly defensive in nature as there are no evidence weapons like swords, etc.
• Stone tools were also commonly used.
• Copper was brought mainly from Khetri in Rajasthan.
• We also have evidence of the use of the bronze though in a limited manner.
• The most famous specimen in this regard is the bronze ‘dancing girl’ figurine discovered at Mohenjodaro.

The correct answer is Gopala.

• Pala Dynasty:
  • Its founder, Gopala, was a local chieftain who rose to power in the mid-8th century during a period of anarchy.
  • His successor, Dharmapala, greatly expanded the kingdom and for a while was in control of Kannauj.

Additional Information

• The incredible Buddhist complex of Paharpur was created under the Pala dynasty in Bengal and fostered by successive leaders.
  • The Pala dynasty ruled the regions of Bengal and Bihar for about 400 years, from the 8th century until the end of the 11th century, with about 20 leaders on the throne during the period.
  • To begin to understand the Pala Dynasty, it's useful to look at the state of affairs when the first ruler took power.
  • The region that is now north-eastern India and Bangladesh had been in a state of anarchy for about a century following the fall of the Post Gupta dynasty. Feudal lords had found themselves in a cycle of a petty conflict with no obvious path to resolution.
  • It wasn't until one feudal lord named Gopala managed to gain the support of other leaders that stability started to emerge.
  • Through a democratic process, he took control of the region called Varendra, made up of north-western Bangladesh, West Bengal, and the Indian area of Bihar. He would be the founder and first ruler of the Pala Empire.
  •  It was the dynasty's second ruler, the son of Gopala, who would have the biggest impact, though.
  • His name was King Dharma Pala Deva (also known as Dharmapala) and he greatly expanded the territory of the empire, spreading across northern India. He is regarded as an efficient administrator and, during this period, the region flourished economically

The correct answer is Pulakeshin II.

Key Points

• Pulakeshin II, the King of the Chalukya dynasty defeated Harshavardhana when he seeks to enlarge his Empire into the southern peninsula of India.
• He defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada river in 630 AD.
• The Aihole inscription was written by Ravikirti, court poet of Chalukya King Pulakesin II who reigned from 610 to 642 CE.

Additional Information

• The Chalukya dynasty was established by Pulakeshin I in 543.
• Pulakeshin I took Vatapi (modern Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka) under his control and made it his capital.
• Pulakeshin I and his descendants are referred to as "Chalukyas of Badami".
• They ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan. 
• The earliest dynasty, known as the "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from Vatapi (modern Badami) from the middle of the 6th century.

The correct answer is Brihadratha.

• He was the last ruler of the Mauryan empire who ruled from 187 to 180 BCE.
• Brihadratha was assassinated by his own general, Pushyamitra Shunga, who went on to establish the Shunga Empire.
• Brihadratha was the successor of Shatadhanvan who ruled between 195 to 187 BCE.

Important Points

• The Maurya dynasty was established by Chandragupta Maurya and this dynasty dominated the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BCE.
• The Mauryan empire was extended over more than 5 million square kilometres which made it the largest political entity that has existed in the Indian subcontinent.

Additional Information

• The national emblem of the modern Republic of India was also taken from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.