Ancient Literature & Textual Sources

Pair 1 is correctly matched. Dhauli is located in Odisha. Pair 2 is correctly matched. Erragudi or Yerragudi is located in Andhra Pradesh Pair 3 is incorrectly matched. Jaugada is located in Odisha. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched. Kalsi is located in Uttarakhand.

The Nettipakarana is a Buddhist text, specifically part of the Theravada Buddhist canon within the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. It is not associated with Jainism. Conversely, the Parishishtaparvan is indeed a Jaina text. Authored by the 12th-century scholar Hemachandra, it reflects the rich tradition of Jain literature. The Avadanashataka, known for its collection of Hundred Legends, forms a part of the Sanskrit Buddhist literature and is not a Jain work. Lastly, the Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana (or Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra) is a significant Jain text by Acharya Hemachandra, detailing the lives of 63 eminent figures in Jainism. NOTE: Anytime you come across the word ‘Avadana’, just remember that it belongs to Buddhism. Hence, this was an easy elimination question.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Both Dayabhaga and Mitakshara are the basic to the upper castes alone. Mitakshara school is followed in most of India while Dayabhaga is followed in Bengal. Statement 2 is correct. In the Dayabhaga system, sons obtain rights to property only at the death of the father, and in the Mitakshara school, the sons and grandsons have rights over his property even while he is alive. Statement 3 is incorrect. Both Dayabhaga and Mitakshara schools of Hindu law dealt with women’s property (stridhana). However, while the Mitakshara school imposed significant restrictions on women’s control and excluded them from coparcenary, the Dayabhaga school was relatively liberal, recognizing widows as heirs and granting greater powers over property.

Halbi, Ho and Kui are tribal languages. Halabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in central India, notably in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, by the Halba tribe and other groups. Ho is an Austroasiatic (Munda) language spoken by the Ho people in Jharkhand/Odisha.
Kui (Kondh) is a Dravidian language primarily spoken by the Kandha tribe in Odisha.

Out of the ancient Indian figures mentioned, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous playwrights. Bhavabhuti: A celebrated playwright and poet from the 8th century CE, known for his Sanskrit plays like "Mahaviracharita," "Malatimadhava," and "Uttararamacharita." Hastimalla: A Jain poet and writer from the 13th century CE, who wrote in Kannada and is known for his work "Purvapurana." Kshemeshvara: A Sanskrit poet from Kashmir, believed to have lived between the 10th and 11th centuries CE. One of his notable works is "Dasavatar Charita."

* Songs from Prison' is a collection of translations of ancient Indian religious lyrics from Sanskrit into English. These translations were made by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his time in Yerwada Prison in 1930. Therefore, the person associated with 'Songs from Prison' is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It was published in 1934. * Balgangadhar Tilak: He launched Kesari, a Marathi weekly, and Mahratta, an English weekly, to promote nationalist ideas. In 1884, he established the Deccan Education Society to improve education in India. He also initiated the public celebrations of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav and Shivaji Jayanti to foster national unity and cultural pride. In 1916, Tilak, along with Annie Besant, founded the All India Home Rule League, advocating self-governance for India. * Jawahar Lal Nehru: He became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1929 during the Lahore Session, where he led the passage of the historic Purna Swaraj resolution, demanding complete independence from British rule. In the 1936 Lucknow Session, he urged Congress members to embrace socialism as a guiding principle. The following year, he presided over the Faizpur Session, making it the first INC session to be held in a rural area.

The ruler who advised his subjects through the inscription quoted is Ashoka. This inscription is part of the Major Rock Edict XII of Ashoka. Ashoka, who ruled the Mauryan Empire from 268 to 232 BCE, is known for his embrace of Buddhism and his efforts to promote peace and non-violence after a particularly bloody war. His edicts, inscribed on pillars and rocks throughout his empire, conveyed his messages to his subjects. This specific inscription emphasizes religious tolerance and respect for all faiths.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Panini (c. 5th-4th century BCE) was a grammarian who wrote the Ashtadhyayi, a foundational text of Sanskrit grammar. Pushyamitra Shunga (r. 185-145 BCE) was the founder of the Shunga dynasty, which ruled after the Mauryan Empire. Their timelines don't align. Statement 2 is incorrect. Amarasimha (c. 4th-5th century CE) was a scholar and lexicographer who compiled the Amarakosha, a Sanskrit thesaurus. He was one of the nine gems in the court of Vikramaditya, Gupta emperor. Harshavardhana (r. 606-647 CE) was a ruler of the Vardhana dynasty. Thus, there was no overlap between both of them. Statement 3 is correct. Kalidasa (c. 4th-5th century CE) is considered one of the greatest Sanskrit poets and dramatists. His works include Abhijnakuntalam (Shakuntala) and Meghadtam (The Cloud Messenger). The Gupta Empire, under Chandra Gupta II (r. 375-415 CE), is known as a golden age of Indian literature, and Kalidasa is believed to have flourished during this period.

Sohgaura is not a Harappan site and is situated in Uttar Pradesh. It is famous for its copper inscription written in Prakrit in the Brahmi script. It belongs to the Mahajanapad and Mauryan periods. All the other three are Harappan sites. Chanhudaro in Sindh, Pakistan, Kot Diji in Sindh, Pakistan, Desalpur in Gujarat, India.

Statement 1 is correct. Warfare Evidence suggests the Rigvedic Aryans used protective gear like coats of mail and helmets in battle, while there's no clear indication of similar armour usage by the Indus Valley civilization. Statement 2 is incorrect. Both Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people were familiar with gold, silver, and copper. Iron usage has been limited to Vedic Aryan culture while Harappans were unaware of Iron. Statement 3 is correct. Horse Domestication: The Rigveda contains numerous references to horses, suggesting they were well-known and likely domesticated by the Rigvedic Aryans. There's no clear evidence of horse domestication or use in the Indus Valley civilization.