Practice MCQs — Ancient India (with Answers)

Who discovered the Harappan site at Mohenjodaro in 1922? Answer: R.D. Banerji.

Which river was the Great Bath of Mohenjodaro most likely used near/for? Answer: Ritual bathing (no river dependency — it was a built tank fed by a well).

Which Harappan site is famous for a dockyard? Answer: Lothal.

Which Harappan site shows evidence of a horse's bones? Answer: Surkotada.

Which Veda contains the Gayatri Mantra? Answer: Rigveda (Mandala 3).

Who fought in the Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna)? Answer: King Sudas of the Bharatas against a confederacy of ten tribes, on the river Parushni (Ravi).

Which Veda is the source of Indian classical music? Answer: Samaveda.

In which period did the varna system become hereditary and rigid? Answer: Later Vedic period.

Who was the last Tirthankara of Jainism? Answer: Vardhamana Mahavira.

Where did Mahavira attain Kevala Jnana? Answer: Near the river Rijupalika, under a sal tree.

Who were the two Jain sects that split at the Council of Pataliputra? Answer: Svetambara and Digambara.

Where was Gautama Buddha born? Answer: Lumbini.

Where did Buddha attain enlightenment? Answer: Bodh Gaya.

Where did Buddha deliver his first sermon? Answer: Sarnath.

Where did Buddha attain Mahaparinirvana? Answer: Kushinagar.

How many Noble Truths are there in Buddhism? Answer: Four.

What is another name for the Eightfold Path? Answer: Madhyama Pratipada (Middle Path).

Who convened the Third Buddhist Council? Answer: Ashoka, at Pataliputra.

Who convened the Fourth Buddhist Council? Answer: Kanishka, at Kundalvana, Kashmir.

Who founded the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha? Answer: Bimbisara.

Who defeated the Vajji confederacy using new war engines? Answer: Ajatashatru.

Who was the last Nanda ruler defeated by Chandragupta Maurya? Answer: Dhana Nanda.

Who was Chandragupta Maurya's chief mentor and minister? Answer: Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta).

Which Greek general did Chandragupta Maurya defeat, gaining Afghanistan/Baluchistan territory? Answer: Seleucus Nicator.

Who wrote the Indica, an account of Mauryan India? Answer: Megasthenes.

What was the turning point that made Ashoka embrace Buddhism? Answer: The Kalinga War (261 BCE).

Who deciphered the Brahmi script, enabling identification of Ashoka? Answer: James Prinsep (1837).

What does India's National Emblem derive from? Answer: The Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Who assassinated the last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha? Answer: Pushyamitra Shunga.

Who is credited with converting to Buddhism after dialogue recorded in the Milindapanho? Answer: The Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda).

Whose inscription describes the repair of Sudarshana Lake? Answer: Rudradaman I (Junagadh/Girnar inscription).

Who started the Shaka Era (78 CE), still used as India's National Calendar? Answer: Kanishka.

Which two art schools flourished under the Kushans? Answer: Gandhara School and Mathura School.

Who was the greatest Satavahana ruler, who defeated Nahapana? Answer: Gautamiputra Satakarni.

What was the capital of the Satavahanas? Answer: Pratishthana (Paithan).

Which text is the earliest Tamil grammar? Answer: Tolkappiyam.

Who built the Kallanai (Grand Anicut) on the river Kaveri? Answer: Karikala Chola.

Which inscription records Samudragupta's conquests? Answer: The Allahabad Pillar inscription (Prayaga Prashasti), composed by Harishena.

Who is called the "Napoleon of India"? Answer: Samudragupta.

Which Gupta ruler defeated the Western Kshatrapas (Shakas)? Answer: Chandragupta II.

Which Chinese pilgrim visited India during Chandragupta II's reign? Answer: Fa-Hien (Faxian).

Where is the rust-resistant Iron Pillar located? Answer: Mehrauli, Delhi.

Who wrote the Aryabhatiya? Answer: Aryabhata.

Who is regarded as the "Shakespeare of India"? Answer: Kalidasa.

Which Gupta-era temple marks the beginning of the Nagara style? Answer: Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh.

Who defeated Harshavardhana at the Battle of the Narmada? Answer: Pulakeshin II (Chalukya).

Which Chinese pilgrim visited Harsha's court and Nalanda? Answer: Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang).

Who wrote the Harshacharita? Answer: Banabhatta.

Who built the Kailasa Temple at Ellora? Answer: Krishna I (Rashtrakuta).

Who built the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur? Answer: Rajaraja I (Chola).

Which Chola king led a naval expedition against Srivijaya? Answer: Rajendra I Chola.

What system of local self-government is evidenced by the Uttaramerur inscriptions? Answer: Chola village assemblies (Sabha/Ur) with elected committees (Variyams), using kudavolai (pot-ticket) elections.

Which ancient university did Kumaragupta I found? Answer: Nalanda.

Who wrote the Arthashastra? Answer: Kautilya (Chanakya).

Which dynasty built the rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram? Answer: The Pallavas (under Narasimhavarman I).