PT 365 - CULTURE
CLASS 1
UPSC PRELIMS QUESTION
2021 UPSC PRELIMS
FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING PRELIMS QUESTIONS
• Time Period
• Expanse/Territory/Conflict
• Contemporaries
• Important Rulers
• Travellers who visited and gave accounts
• Cultural Aspects - Art, Architecture, Paintings, etc
• Administration
• Economy
• Society
ALL INDIA VISION IAS TEST SERIES
UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION
VISION IAS OPEN TEST 1 - 3703
VISION IAS ALL INDIA TEST
SERIES QUESTION - 3497
UPSC PYQ
• Odisha’s early years of temple architecture
• Temple construction in Odisha is said to have begun with the Laxamanesvara,
Bharatesvara, and Satrughnesvara group of temples in Bhubaneswar in the sixth century
A.D. and culminated with the Konarka Sun temple in the thirteenth century A.D.
• The three ruined temples of Laksamaneswar, Bharateswar, and Satrughneswar are the
earliest surviving temples in Bhubaneswar.
• These temples are unicameral, meaning they lack the Jagamohana.
• The Parsurameswara temple, which dates from the seventh century AD, is the best-
preserved of the early group of temples. It is composed of Deula and Jagamohana.
• Another example of the early type is the Svavnajalesvara temple in Bhubaneswar. The
temple, which consists entirely of vimana, bears obvious resemblances to the
Parasurameswar in terms of elevation and decoration. For instance, both temples depict the
marriage of Siva and Parvati almost identically.
• Between the eighth and tenth centuries, temple architecture grew
in popularity.
• The next stage of temple architecture development is evident in temples constructed between the
eighth and tenth centuries.
• Vaital, Sisiresvar, Uttaresvar, Mohini, and Markandesvar are among the temples dating from
the eighth century in Bhubaneswar.
• The Sisiresivara temple reflects the period’s changes and innovations (cir. 775 AD.). The plan is
pancharatha. The front raha paga features a chaitya window with an image of Nataraja. The
Jagamohana, like Parasuramesvara’s, is rectangular in plan and features a terraced roof but lacks
windows and pillars. The roof is supported by the cantilever principle. It is a technological
advancement in terms of architectural features.
• On the south bank of Bindu Sarovar, the Mohini temple features an entirely unadorned
pancharatha sikhara with a plain recessed bandhana beneath it.
• The Svapnesvar temple at Kualo, near Talcher, on the bank of the Brahmani, is a severely
damaged example of a panchayatana temple. As with the Satrughneswara group and
Parasuramesvara, the main temple features an Astagraha Panel on the shrine’s lintel. The central
temple is dedicated to Siva, while the corner shrines feature Durga, Ganesha, Surya, and Vishnu.
• The Durga temple in Vaidyeswara is a small shrine built in the Khakhara style and stands
approximately 12 feet tall.
Rajarani temple, Bhubaneshwar (1000-1022 A.D.)
• Set amidst picturesque settings, Rajarani temple is a perfect symphony of skillful planning,
symmetry of form and exquisite craftsmanship. No wonder it is hailed as a masterpiece of Odisha
Temple Architecture. Historians speculate that it was called Indresvara Temple (Indralingesvara
after its builder, lndraratha, an illustrious somavamsi ruler) and dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• Today the temple today is devoid of any presiding deity, there are telltale signs in the architecture
of the temple to corroborate that it was a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the most notable one
being the carving of sage Lakulisa just above the entrance door and below the navagrahas.
• The temple is known as Rajarani Temple, because of the red and yellow sandstone called
Rajarania that was used in its construction. With passage of time, the stone imparts an amber
shade which accentuates the architectural beauty of the temple.
• Unlike the sanctum sanctorum, the jagamohana (entrance hall) is devoid of any carvings (it is
believed that the temple for some reasons couldn’t be completed). The stark contrast actually adds
to the beauty of the temple.
• The temple has another interesting feature which is unique in the temple architecture of Odisha, i.e
the tower over the Sanctum Sanctorum rises from the ground like a beehive with smaller
miniature towers, one on top of the other merging seamlessly with it, just like a mountain
range where the peak is surrounded by smaller mountains. This might well be symbolic of the
yearning of the human soul trying to reach higher and higher till it merges with the eternal almighty
spirit.
Prelims Type Questions
Buddhist School of Art
• Gandhara
• Mathura
• Amravati
VisionIAS OPEN TEST 3703
(2021)
Copyright © 2016 by Vision IAS.
[www.visionias.in] Subject, Topic & Expert
Copyright © 2016 by Vision IAS.
[www.visionias.in] Subject, Topic & Expert
IDEA OF SOUL
• Buddhism did not reject the idea of transmigration of the soul.
However the concept of soul is not the same as we study in upanishads or
Hindu philosophy it believes in impermanence of the soul.
• In Buddhism, the term anattā or anātman refers to the doctrine of "non-
self" – that there is no unchanging, permanent self, soul, or essence in
phenomena. It is one of the three marks of existence along
with dukkha (suffering) and anicca (impermanence)
• According to Buddhism, everything in human life, all objects, as well as all
beings whether in heavenly or hellish or earthly realms in Buddhist
philosophy , is always changing, inconstant, undergoes rebirth and
y
redeath. This impermanence is a source of dukkha.
• So it believes in the idea of rebirth ie. transmigration but not in the way we
understand soul in Hindu philosophy (i.e. permanent and eternal soul).
PRELIMS TYPE QUESTION
Q. Which reference to Indian history, who
among the following is a future Buddha,
yet to come to save the world? (2018)
(a)Avalokiteshvara
(b)Lokesvara
(c) Maityera
(d)Padmapani
Copyright © 2016 by Vision IAS.
[www.visionias.in] Subject, Topic & Expert
Copyright © 2016 by Vision IAS.
[www.visionias.in] Subject, Topic & Expert
Q. Consider the following statements: (2019)
1. Deification of the Buddha
2. Trading the path of Bodhisattvas
3. Image worship and rituals
Which of the above is/are the feature/features of Mahayana Buddhism?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
• Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra UNESCO site
• One of the oldest surviving mural painting of the Indian subcontinent, Ajanta caves were carved between the 2nd
century BC to 5th Century AD out of volcanic rocks. It consists of 29 caves, carved in a shoe horse shape. Absence of
blue colur, paintings mostly in red colour, fresco technique.
• These Buddhist caves are quite popular for their exquisite mural paintings. Murals in cave no. 9 and 10 belong to the
Shunga period, while the rest belongs to the Gupta Period. Reference of the Ajanta caves can be found in the travel
accounts of Chinese Buddhist travellers Fa Hien (during the reign of Chandragupta II; 380- 415 CE) and Hieun
Tsang (during the reign of emperor Harshavardhana; 606 - 647 CE). .
• Scenes from the Jataka stories and select episodes from the life history of Buddha are the central theme of the mural
paintings of Ajanta caves.
• Some important themes For example, Painting of Bodhisattva in tribhanga pose in cave no 1: Vajrapani,
Manjusri, and Padmapani (Avalokitesvara).
• The other important paintings of Ajanta are Dying princess in cave no 16, Shibli Jataka and the scenes of Maitri
poshaka Jataka and Mahajanaka Jataka are well depicted.
• Some of the famous Buddhist paintings such as Simhala Avadana, Mahajanaka Jataka, Vidhurpundita
Jataka, Chaddanta Jataka, etc. can be found in the Ajanta Caves
• The Dying Princess, shows a scene from Ashvaghosha's Saundarananda ("Handsome Nanda"). Nanda was the
Buddha's cousin, who through the Buddha's teaching eventually renounced householder life and family to become a
Buddhist monk. This painting, which comes from Ajanta Cave 16, shows the reaction of Nanda's wife when she
has learned the news that he has become an ascetic.
• The celestial figures of Kinnaras, Vidyadharas and Gandharvas are depicted in paintings and sculptures. In the
paintings of the later period Bodhisattva is shown in larger relief.
• Ellora
• Elephanta , Konkan Island
• Elephanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the
Hindu god Shiva.
• It consists of majorly Hindu Caves & 2 small Buddhist Caves.
• These caves were at first Buddhist site, mostly Hinayana Buddhism. But, later on this site was taken over by Hindu Caves.
• Rashtrakutas, Guptas, Kalachuri Dynasty are related to these caves.
• Mostly Shaivism, but somewhere Vaishnavism and Shaktism features of Hinduism are depicted in these caves.
• Major Depictions in Elephanta Caves:
• The Trimurti is considered a masterpiece and the most important sculpture in the caves. It is carved in relief on the south
wall of the cave facing the north entrance, along the north-south axis. It is also known as Sadashiva and Maheshmurti. It
represents Panchmukhi Shiva. The Trimurti Shiva is flanked on its left by Ardhanarisvara and Gangadhara legend to its
right. The Gangadhara image to the right of the Trimurti show Shiva and Parvati standing. Shiva brings the River Ganges down
from the heavens to serve man, and her immense power is contained effortlessly in Shiva's hair as she descends from heaven.
• On the wall to the east of the Trimurti is a damaged four-armed Ardhanarishvara carving. It represents the ancient Hindu
concept of essential interdependence of the feminine and the masculine aspects in the universe, for its creation, its
sustenance and its destruction. It is represented as half woman shown as half of Parvati in this Elephanta panel on the right
side, with breast, waist, feminine hair and items such as a mirror in the upper hand. The second half-man side is Shiva with
male characteristics and items iconographically his symbol. In Shaivism, the concept pictorially symbolizes the transcendence
of all duality including gender, with the spiritual lacking any distinctions, where energy and power (Shakti, Parvati) is unified
and is inseparable with the soul and awareness (Brahman, Shiva).
• Shiva Killing Andhaka: The panel in the northwest side of the cave, on the wall near west entrance and the Linga shrine, is an
uncommon sculpture about the Andhakasura-vadha legend. It shows Bhairava, or Virabhadra, a ferocious form of Shiva
killing the demon Andhaka (literally, “blind, darkness”). The niche image carved on the southwest wall, near the Linga
shrine is the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. This legend is called the Kalyanasundara in Hindu texts. Yogishvera, Nataraja,
Ravana Shaking Kailasha are some of the more important depictions.
• Bagh Caves
• The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated
among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Bagh town of Dhar district in
Madhya Pradesh state in central India.
• Contemporary to Ajanta caves; Cave 4 is sometimes called the Rang
Mahal for its colorful paintings. Paintings on the walls are colorful, while
those on the pillars are in black and white and have only geometric shapes.
• Bagh painters used the Tempera technique that uses a lime coating on top
of a mud + vegetable fiber layer that covers the rock face. The same
technique and similar colors have been used at Ajanta.
• Cave 2 or Pandava Cave
Expected Prelims Type
Questions
• Rudreswara Swamy Temple: also known as
VeyyisthambalaGudi (Thousand pillars temple) in Telugu is
one of the earliest structures of Kakatiya architecture.
• It was built by Rudra Deva in 1163 AD @ Hanamakonda.
• The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Surya.
• The temple is known for its richly carved pillars, perforated
screens, special icons like rock-cut elephants and monolithic
Nandi.The temple was desecrated by the rulers of Tughlaq
dynasty during their invasion of the Deccan region.
• Rudreswara Swamy Temple: also known as
VeyyisthambalaGudi (Thousand pillars temple) in Telugu is
one of the earliest structures of Kakatiya architecture.
• It was built by Rudra Deva in 1163 AD @ Hanamakonda.
• The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Surya.
• The temple is known for its richly carved pillars, perforated
screens, special icons like rock-cut elephants and monolithic
Nandi.The temple was desecrated by the rulers of Tughlaq
dynasty during their invasion of the Deccan region.
VISION IAS ALL INDIA TEST
SERIES
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WARANGAL FORT
The Origins
•Interesting accounts of the rise of the city of Warangal can be found in local records.
Legend has it that one day a cart conveying goods to Hanumakonda (the earlier
capital of the Kakatiya dynasty) struck a rock and turned upside down.
•Its axis, which was made of iron, came into contact with the rock and turned
immediately into gold.
•The contemporary Kakatiya ruler, Prola II, visited the spot and found a linga emerging
out of the rock. He built a temple enclosing the linga which subsequently came to be
known as Swayambhu.
• Rudradeva, the son and successor of Prola, is said to have built the town of Orugallu
(former name of Warangal) and used it as an important centre during his reign.
Ganapati Deva, the nephew of Rudradeva and one of the greatest Kakatiyas, shifted
the capital from Hanumakonda to Warangal sometime between 1252 and 1254 CE.
• His successors, Rudrama Devi and Pratap Rudra Deva continued to rule from the city.
• Rudrama Devi and Warangal Fort:
•She was born to King Ganapati Deva and named as Rudramba. Marco Polo visited the Kakatiya kingdom in the
13th century and wrote extensively about her rule.
•King Ganapati Deva had no sons to take over the throne after him. In the absence of a male heir, he chose
Rudrama Devi, his eldest daughter, to be his successor and heir to the Kakatiya throne.
• The nobility, however, was vehemently opposed to this. Ganpati Deva was forced to perform a special ceremony,
the Putrika ceremony, whereby in the absence of a son, a man could appoint his daughter as the “male heir”.
Rudrama Devi was declared as his son and was named Rudra Deva.
•The ascension of Rudrama Devi to the Kakatiya throne was marred by squabbles and protests. Warring
neighbors such as the Yadavas of Devagiri, the Gangas of Kalinga, and the Pandyas of Tamil Nadu, to name
a few, perceived her as a weak ruler.
•She defeated the Yadava king Mahadeva and successfully drove the invading Yadava army out of Devagiri.
After this significant victory, she assumed the title Raya-gaja-kesari, which means "the lion who rules
over the elephant kings," and constructed a commemorative pavilion in Warangal's Swayambhu temple,
depicting herself as a woman warrior mounted on a lion with her sword and shield in hand, evoking the image
of the fierce goddess Durga.
•She strengthened the fort's protection by adding a second wall and a moat, making it incredibly solid and
impregnable. She also had only daughters and adopted her grandson, Pratap Rudra Deva, as her son and heir to
the throne
• The Architecture
•The construction of the Warangal Fort began under the reign of Ganapati Deva in the 13th century.
•It is believed that Ganapati Deva replaced an existing structure made of bricks to build the stone fort of Warangal
on a hillock called Ekashila.
•After him, his daughter Rani Rudrama Devi and her grandson Pratap Rudra Deva, made considerable additions to the
fort.
• The fortification of Warangal was majorly done by King Ganpati Deva and Rani Rudrama Devi while King
Prataprudradeva made improvements on it. He also adorned the city with palaces, gardens and fountains.
•The fortifications can be divided into three concentric circuits. The first, or innermost wall, is made up of massive
granite stone blocks and is 1.2 km in diameter with gateways at four cardinal points. These stones were laid in a
close-knit pattern without the use of mortar- a reflection of the Kakatiya artisans’ architectural expertise.
•This fortification, initially built by Ganapati Deva, was later heightened by Rani Rudrama Devi. It is surrounded by a
wide moat. It is defended by 45 massive bastions, which project outward from the wall and into the waters of the
moat. An earthen ramp with 18 stone steps rises at a gentle slope up to the ramparts on the inner side of this wall.
The stone steps provided access to various locations within the fort.
•The second wall, an earthen structure, 2.4 km in diameter, was also constructed by Queen Rudrama Devi. The final
ring of wall, which encompasses today's Warangal district, was constructed with mud and has a diameter of 12.5 km.
• The four gates of the Warangal fort were built in the design of the Kakatiya Kala
Thoranam, or “Gateway of Glory”, a classic arch carved out of a single rock.
• These four gates were once a part of the great Swayambhudeva (Shiva temple)
constructed in the 12th century. This ornate arch was adopted as the Kakatiya
Dynasty's royal symbol.
• Today, it has been officially incorporated as the Emblem for the modern state of
Telangana.
The Fall of the Kakatiyas
• The Warangal Fort was the centre of political significance and economic prosperity of the region
during the medieval period. The fort withstood numerous attacks, which resulted in widespread
destruction. The wealth of the Deccan region was such that it tempted invaders to repeatedly
plunder it.
• The Yadavas of Devagiri attempted several invasions but were repelled.
• During Pratap Rudra Deva's reign, forces of the Sultans of Delhi attacked and besieged the
fort.
• Sultan Ala-uddin Khilji of Delhi sent his general Malik Kafur to the Deccan in 1309 with orders
to invade the Kakatiya kingdom. Malik Kafur was given the task of incorporating Pratapa Rudra as a
subordinate monarch within Delhi's expanding circle of tributary rulers, rather than annihilating or
annexing the Kakatiya kingdom.
• Pratapa Rudra Deva sued for peace in 1310, after Delhi's forces breached the city's walls. Malik
Kafur pillaged and plundered the fort.
• During this raid, he acquired the priceless Kohinoor for the Khilji dynasty. A month later,
Malik Kafur began his march back to Delhi, and Pratapa Rudra dutifully paid Delhi a large annual
tribute for some years.
• But, in 1318, the king was remiss in sending his annual tribute. Consequently, the Delhi Sultan sent
general Khusrau Khan to collect the overdue payment. The invaders soon captured the main bastion
of Warangal’s outer wall. They then advanced to the city’s formidable and innermost fortification.
• In 1320, a political revolution in Delhi replaced the Khilji
dynasty with the Tughlaq dynasty, and Pratap Rudra took
advantage of this chaos by evading the payment of his tribute.
• Following this, in 1321 for a third and final time, a Northern
army under Muhammad bin Tughlaq invaded Warangal and
subjected the city to a six-month siege. Muhammad bin Tughlaq
was unable to bring this siege to a successful conclusion and
hence retreated to Devagiri.
• After, spending several months in Devagiri, resting and
reinforcing his forces, Muhammad bin Tughlaq returned to
invade Warangal in 1323. This time, Warangal was subjected
to unchecked plunder and destruction. The Kakatiya dynasty
was annihilated and its territories were annexed to the Delhi
Sultanate.
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UPSC PRELIMS QUESTION
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BURIAL SYSTEM - IVC
• The burials in the Harappan period were all in brick or stone lined rectangular or
oval pits.
• The body was usually interred clothed shrouded or in a wooden coffin in the north
south direction in a straight direction.
• It was important that the body did not come into contact with the ground. The only
evidence of wooden coffins is the presence of a wooden stain in the body of the
corpse.
• The bodies of the individuals were usually buried with their jewellery which usually
consisted of bangles made from shell, steatite beads, etc, and the men usually wore
earrings. Copper mirrors have been found only amongst the bodies of the females
which show specificity of grave goods by gender.
• A few unique burials were found in the grave sites of Lothal, Ropar, and Rojdi.
• In Ropar a man was found buried with a dog.
• In Rodji two infants were found buried beneath the floor of a house.
• In Lothal three double burials have been found. There are some examples from
Lothal of pairs of skeletons with a male and a female each buried together.
• The unique burials in this site show that not all burials were solely centred on social
hierarchy and status.
PRELIMS FACTS
• The government has allocated Rs 3150 crore in the Union Budget for 2020-21, for the Maritime museum which is
coming up in Lothal, Gujarat. The site at Lothal, where the museum will come up, is a Harappan site on the
Saurashtra coast in Gujarat. Besides the various artefacts to be displayed there, the museum is expected to act as
an independent research centre for marine archaeology, the archaeology of the boat building, reconstruction of
maritime history and the materials traded for building boats.
• Indian Navy is looking to be part of this project which will under the Ministry of Shipping.
• The project when it starts will be implemented by the Ministry of Shipping under its Sagarmala programme and
through the Ministry of Culture have the participation of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), other
stakeholders as well as the State government.
• Chanhudaro was the only city without a citadel in the Indus Valley civilization.
• Rakhigarhi is the site of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation settlement going back to about 6500 BCE. Later, it was
also part of the mature Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to 2600-1900 BCE. The site is located in the Saraswati/
Ghaggar-Hakra River plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river. Rakhigarhi is the largest Indian site of
IVC.
• The Harappan men and women decorated themselves with a large variety of ornaments produced from every
conceivable material ranging from precious metals and gemstones to bone and baked clay. They were so much
fond of jewellery that a cemetery has been found at Farmana in Haryana where dead bodies were buried with
ornaments, may be for use in the other world.
• Major Characteristics of Harappa Civilisation:
• Domesticated and Wild Animals: In addition to sheep and goats, there is repeated evidence
of the predominant role of Indian humped cattle and Indian boar. Camel's bones are reported
only at Kalibangan. A single instance of the Indian rhinoceros comes from the seals found
at Amri. With the present state of evidence, it would be unwise to conclude that there is any
proof of the regular use of the horse in pre-Harappan or Harappan times.
• Agriculture: Main crops were wheat and barley. Grains found at Harappan sites include
wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea and sesame. Millets are found from sites in Gujarat. Finds of
rice are relatively rare.
• Pottery: The Indus Valley pottery consists chiefly of very fine wheel- made wares, very few
being hand-made. Plain pottery is more common than painted ware. Polychrome pottery is
rare and mainly comprises small vases decorated with geometric patterns in red, black, and
green, rarely white and yellow.
• Metal Craft and Beads: The art of bronze-casting was practised on a wide scale by the
Harappans. Their bronze statues were made using the ‘lost wax’ technique in which the wax
figures were first covered with a coating of clay and allowed to dry. Beads were made of
jasper, crystal, quartz, lapis lazuli, etc. Metals like copper, bronze and gold, and shell, faience
and terracotta or burnt clay were also used for manufacturing beads. The Harappans did not
know the use of Iron. Iron was not discovered by the Harappan people. Since it was a bronze
age civilization, it had made many metallurgical advances in copper and bronze but not in
Iron.
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UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION
With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus
Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people
of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.
2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew
only copper and iron.
3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of
Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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GI Tag Products-Varanasi
How To Use Google/
Internet
UPSC QUESTION
Expected Type of Prelims
Question
Q. Consider the following towns of India: (UPSC 2014)
1. Bhadrachalam
2. Chanderi
3. Kancheepuram
4. Karnal
Which of the above are famous for the production of traditional sarees / fabric?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Stone Age In India
Types of Megaliths
Type of Prelims Question
Facts about Narmada River /Valley
UPSC Prelims Question
UPSC Prelims Question
• River passes through four States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
• All the tributaries of the Narmada are very short and most of these join the main stream at
right angles.
• Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal
• Tropical dry forest ecoregion of central India. The eco-region lies mostly in Madhya Pradesh
state but extends into portions of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh states.
• The ecoregion includes the western portion of the Satpuras and also extends to the
southeast along the eastern flank of the Western Ghats' range.
• Vegetation - Dry deciduous forests
• Protected areas: About 5% of the ecoregion (7,500 km²) lies within protected areas, the
largest of which are Melghat Tiger Reserve and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary while
others include Bandhavgarh, Panna, and Guru Ghasidas National Park (Sanjay national
park).
• Pachmari Biosphere Reserve between Narmada and Tapi valley - also known as Queen of
Satpura
Type of Prelims Question
Type of Prelims Question
Type of Prelims Question
UPSC Prelims Question
• Satpura mountains
• The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat
state running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to the east
till Chhattisgarh.
• Satpura is a series of seven mountains. It runs in an east-west direction south of the
Vindhayas and in between Narmada and Tapi, roughly parallel to these rivers.
• Commencing from the Rajpipla hills in the west, through the Mahadeo hills to
the Maikal range , it streches for a distance of about 900 km.
• These hills appear to be affected by tectonic disturbances. There are evidences that
parts of the Satpura have been folded and upheaved. They are regarded as structural
uplift or horst.
• No other east- west tectonic mountain of Peninsular India is as high as the Satpura.
Most of the hills rise to elevation of 900 to 1000 m. Dhupgarh near Pachmarhi on
Mahadev Hills is the highest Peak. The other peaks are Astamba adongar and
Amarkantak.
•
Type of Prelims Question
Type of Prelims Question
Type of Prelims Question
• Chauth (from Sanskrit meaning one-fourth) was a tax
or tribute imposed, from the early eighteenth century, by
the Maratha Empire in India. It was levied at 25% on
revenue or produce, hence the name.
• The sardeshmukhi was an additional 10% levy on top of
the chauth on those lands which the Marathas claimed
hereditary rights.
• Chauth and sardeshmukhi were the taxes collected not in
the Maratha kingdom but in the neighboring territories of
the Mughal Empire or Deccan sultanates.
Abhyaas/Open Test
Question
Prelims Type Question
UPSC Prelims Question
UNWTO
• The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency
responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable, and universally
accessible tourism.
• As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO
promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development,
and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the
sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.
• UNWTO’s membership includes 159 Member States, 6 Associate
Members and over 500 Affiliate Members representing the private
sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism
authorities.
• Founded on 1 November 1975, HQ- Madrid(Spain)
Sufis
• Abul Fazl while writing in the Ain-i-Akbari speaks of
fourteen silsilahs of the Sufis.
• These silsilahs were divided into two types: Ba-shara and Be-
shara.
• Ba-shara were those orders that followed the Islamic Law
(Sharia) and its directives such as namaz and roza. Chief
amongst these were the Chishti, Suhrawardi, Firdawsi, Qadiri
and Naqshbandi silsilahs.
• The be-shara silsilahs were not bound by the Sharia.
The Qalandars belonged to this group.
About Nizamuddin Auliya
• The Chishti order was founded in a village called Khwaja Chishti (near Herat). In
India, the Chishti silsilah was founded by Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (born c.
1142) who came to India around 1192. He made Ajmer the main centre for his
teaching.
• Baba Farid’s most famous disciple Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya
(1238-1325) was responsible for making Delhi an important center of the Chishti
silsilah. He was born in in Baduan, Uttar Pradesh
• He came to Delhi in 1259 and during his sixty years in Delhi, he saw the reign of
seven sultans.
• He preferred to shun the company of rulers and nobles and kept aloof from the
state.
• For him, renunciation meant the distribution of food and clothes to the
poor. Amongst his followers was the noted writer Amir Khusrau.
THANKS
