Daily Prelims MCQs - History & Culture - 2nd August 2025
- TPP
- Aug 2
- 7 min read
Welcome to today’s handpicked set of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) from the History & Culture — crafted specially for the UPSC Prelims! These questions aren’t just a quiz — they’re a smart way to see how current affairs connect with core concepts, just like UPSC asks in the exam.
Each question is based on recent news and backed by clear explanations to help you build strong links between dynamic events and static knowledge.
Today’s topics include: South Indian temple architecture, Chola dynasty, ancient Kudavolai system, Manigramam and Ayyavole, Cloud Messenger, Ibn Battuta, Laho and more...
Click Here to read the Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP).
QUESTION 1
In the context of traditional South Indian temple architecture, which of the following pairs is incorrectly matched?
(a) Entrance hall : mukhamaṇḍapa
(b) Pillared hall : ardhamaṇḍapa
(c) Vestibule : gopuram
(d) Inner sanctum : garbhagṛha
Answer (c)
Explanation:
A typical Chola-period temple follows an east-west alignment and comprises several architectural elements:
The mukhamaṇḍapa serves as the main entrance hall.
The ardhamaṇḍapa is a hall supported by pillars, located between the entrance and the inner chambers.
The antarāla functions as the vestibule or transition area between the hall and the sanctum.
The garbhagṛha is the innermost chamber, or sanctum, where the main deity resides.
The gopuram, on the other hand, refers to the monumental gateway tower at the entrance of the temple complex, not the vestibule. Hence, option (c) is incorrectly matched.
QUESTION 2
Which ruler of the Chola dynasty brought back the sacred waters of the Ganga to consecrate a newly established capital—Gangaikondacholapuram—following a victorious northern military expedition?
(a) Rajaraja I
(b) Rajaraja II
(c) Rajendra I
(d) Rajendra II
Answer (c)
Explanation:
Rajendra I, the successor of Rajaraja I, led a successful military campaign to northern India. As a symbolic act of triumph, he brought back water from the Ganga River to his southern kingdom. To honor this conquest, he founded a new capital city named Gangaikondacholapuram, meaning “The City of the Chola who conquered the Ganga.” This act not only marked his victory but also had deep cultural and religious significance.
QUESTION 3
With reference to the ancient Kudavolai system, consider the following statements:
It was an early form of taxation in Tamil polity.
It is described in the inscriptions found at Uttaramerur.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The Kudavolai system, literally meaning “ballot pot system,” was a distinctive electoral mechanism employed in local self-governance during the Chola period. According to historian K. A. Nilakanta Sastri in The Cholas (1935), the Chola administrative setup included two main village assemblies—Sabha for Brahmin villages and Ur for non-Brahmin settlements. These bodies held genuine power in areas like land revenue, irrigation, temple management, and judicial matters.
What made this democratic system particularly noteworthy was the Kudavolai voting method, where names of qualified candidates were written on palm leaves and placed in a pot. A young, neutral boy would draw a leaf in full public view, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process. This process is documented in detail in the Uttaramerur Inscriptions, as cited in Epigraphia Indica Vol. XXII (1933–34).
QUESTION 4
In the context of medieval South Indian history, Manigramam and Ayyavole are best known for their association with:
(a) Traditional martial training
(b) South Indian classical music traditions
(c) Influential merchant guilds
(d) None of the above
Answer (c)
Explanation:
As noted by historian Anirudh Kanisetti in his book Lords of the Deccan: Lords of the Earth and Sea (Penguin, 2023), the Chola Empire adopted a decentralized model of governance that relied heavily on local institutions. A key component of this structure was the support extended to merchant guilds, such as Manigramam and Ayyavole. These guilds played a crucial role in facilitating regional and long-distance trade, thereby helping the Cholas expand their economic influence and consolidate political legitimacy.
By enabling such organizations and integrating them into the fabric of local administration, the Cholas nurtured a vibrant commercial network across South and Southeast Asia.
QUESTION 5
Consider the following statements about classical and medieval poetic traditions in India:
The Barahmasa genre, which developed in medieval South India, later influenced visual art forms such as painting, particularly under Vijayanagar patronage.
Meghaduta, a classical Sanskrit work, narrates the tale of a yaksha who sends a cloud to deliver a message to his distant wife.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The poem Meghaduta (literally "Cloud Messenger") is a renowned classical Sanskrit work composed by Kalidasa, a celebrated poet of ancient India. The story revolves around a yaksha (a celestial being) who, exiled from his home, yearns for his beloved and asks a monsoon cloud to carry his message across the country. The poem has deeply influenced Indian aesthetics and has served as inspiration for various artistic expressions, particularly those evoking the monsoon.
On the other hand, the Barahmasa poetic tradition did not originate in South India but in medieval North India. This genre typically describes the emotional states of a woman separated from her lover across the twelve months of the year (hence "Barahmasa"). These verses eventually inspired other artistic mediums such as miniature painting, music, and dance—especially under the Mughal and later 18th–19th century regional courts, not under the Vijayanagar Empire.
QUESTION 6
Which of the following present-day Indian states were part of colonial Assam prior to 1947?
Arunachal Pradesh
Meghalaya
Nagaland
Mizoram
Manipur
Sikkim
Tripura
Select the correct option:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 only
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 only
(d) All of the above
Answer (b)
Explanation:
During British rule, the region known today as Northeast India was largely administered under the province of Assam. Among the current eight states in this region:
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Mizoram were administered directly as part of colonial Assam, often as frontier tracts or districts.
Manipur and Tripura functioned as princely states, maintaining a degree of internal autonomy, though British political agents were stationed there and reported to the Governor of Assam.
Sikkim was a distinct case—it was not part of Assam but was a protectorate under British paramountcy, formally becoming a part of India much later in 1975.
QUESTION 7
Regarding foreign travellers who visited India in the past, consider the following statements:
The Italian explorer Pietro Della Valle arrived in India during the reign of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya.
The Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta travelled to India during the rule of Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta came to India in the 14th century and served at the court of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi. His detailed accounts offer valuable insights into the socio-political conditions of the Delhi Sultanate during that era.
In contrast, Pietro Della Valle, an Italian nobleman and traveler, visited India in 1623, a period that corresponds to the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir, not Krishnadevaraya. Della Valle stayed in Surat for over a month and noted the hospitality extended to him by the English and Dutch trading posts. He was especially struck by the relative equality and personal freedoms enjoyed by the town’s inhabitants under Mughal administration.
One of the sites he described in detail was Gopi Talav, a large public reservoir in Surat, originally built by a Hindu governor during the reign of Sultan Muzaffar II (1511–1527). He praised its engineering, with stone embankments, angled sides, and broad steps leading down to the water—highlighting the importance of water conservation infrastructure in medieval Indian urban planning.
QUESTION 8
Consider the following statements about Laho, a traditional dance form:
Laho is a folk dance performed in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.
It holds cultural importance among the Pnar tribal group and plays a key role in the Behdienkhlam festival.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (c)
Explanation:
Laho is a vibrant folk dance that originates from the Jaintia Hills region in Meghalaya, one of India’s northeastern states known for its rich tribal traditions and natural beauty. It is primarily associated with the Pnar (or Jaintia) community, a sub-group of the larger Khasi-Jaintia ethnic cluster.
This dance is a central feature of the Behdienkhlam festival, an annual event celebrated to ward off evil spirits and seek divine protection and well-being. The performance of Laho is unique in that it does not rely on musical instruments. Instead, a male performer recites humorous or satirical couplets while the dancers—both men and women—move in a coordinated fashion, dressed in colorful traditional attire and ornaments.
While the Pnar tribe popularizes Laho, it’s worth noting that other communities in Meghalaya have their own folk traditions. For instance, the Hajong or Harp tribe perform a different festival dance known as Wangala, which is distinct from Laho.
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