IMPORTANT ONE-LINERS FOR QUICK REVISION

IMPORTANT ONE-LINERS FOR QUICK REVISION

1. Bhimbetka rock shelters were discovered by V.S. Wakankar (1957-58).
2. Mehrgarh is the earliest known agricultural settlement in the Indian subcontinent.
3. Harappa was excavated first by Dayaram Sahni in 1921.
4. Mohenjo-daro means "Mound of the Dead" and was excavated by R.D. Banerji in 1922.
5. The Great Bath and Great Granary are found at Mohenjo-daro.
6. Lothal (Gujarat) had a dockyard, evidence of maritime trade, excavated by S.R. Rao.
7. Dholavira is famous for its unique water conservation/harvesting system and a signboard inscription.
8. Rakhigarhi (Haryana) is considered one of the largest Harappan sites.
9. The Indus script remains undeciphered to date.
10. The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas, composed in Vedic Sanskrit, has 10 Mandalas.
11. The Battle of Ten Kings was fought on the river Parushni (Ravi); King Sudas of the Bharatas won.
12. The Upanishads are philosophical texts forming the basis of Vedanta philosophy.
13. 16 Mahajanapadas are listed in the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya.
14. Magadha rose to prominence due to fertile land, iron resources, and river-based trade.
15. Bimbisara and Ajatashatru (Haryanka dynasty) were contemporaries of both Buddha and Mahavira.
16. Mahapadma Nanda is called "Ekarat" — the first empire-builder of India.
17. Mahavira was born at Kundagrama; attained Kaivalya at Jrimbhikagrama; died at Pavapuri.
18. Buddha was born at Lumbini; attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya; gave his first sermon at Sarnath; died at Kushinagar.
19. The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path form the core of Buddhist teaching.
20. The First Buddhist Council was held at Rajgir under the patronage of Ajatashatru.
21. The Fourth Buddhist Council (under Kanishka) led to the split into Hinayana and Mahayana sects.
22. Darius I made the Indus region the 20th satrapy of the Persian Empire.
23. Alexander invaded India in 326 BCE and fought King Porus at the Battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum).
24. Alexander's army mutinied at the Beas (Hyphasis) river and refused to march further.
25. Chandragupta Maurya was guided by Chanakya (Kautilya), author of the Arthashastra.
26. Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus Nicator in 305 BCE and received Megasthenes as ambassador.
27. Megasthenes wrote "Indica," describing Mauryan India.
28. Chandragupta Maurya died at Shravanabelagola as a Jain ascetic.
29. Ashoka fought the Kalinga War in 261 BCE, after which he embraced Buddhism and the policy of Dhamma.
30. Ashokan edicts were mostly written in Prakrit using the Brahmi script; deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837.
31. The Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's National Emblem.
32. The Mauryan Empire ended when Pushyamitra Shunga killed Brihadratha (c. 185 BCE).
33. Menander (Milinda), an Indo-Greek king, converted to Buddhism; his dialogue is recorded in "Milindapanho."
34. Rudradaman I's Junagadh Rock Inscription is one of the earliest long inscriptions in chaste Sanskrit.
35. The Saka Era began in 78 CE and forms the basis of the Indian National Calendar.
36. Kanishka, the greatest Kushan ruler, convened the Fourth Buddhist Council and patronized the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art.
37. Gautamiputra Satakarni was the greatest Satavahana ruler; his achievements are recorded in the Nashik inscription by his mother Gautami Balashri.
38. The Sangam Age Tamil kingdoms were the Chera, Chola, and Pandya dynasties.
39. Arikamedu (Tamil Nadu) was a major Indo-Roman trading port.
40. The Gupta Era began with Chandragupta I in 319-320 CE.
41. Samudragupta is called the "Napoleon of India"; his achievements are recorded in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription (Prayaga Prashasti), composed by Harishena.
42. Chandragupta II Vikramaditya defeated the Western Kshatrapas (Shakas); Fa Hien visited India during his reign.
43. Aryabhata authored the Aryabhatiya and explained the Earth's rotation and eclipses scientifically.
44. Kalidasa, the greatest Sanskrit poet-dramatist, wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta, and Raghuvamsha.
45. Nalanda University was founded by Kumaragupta I.
46. The Iron Pillar of Mehrauli (Delhi) bears an inscription of a king "Chandra," identified with Chandragupta II.
47. Skandagupta repelled the earliest Huna invasions but later Gupta rulers could not withstand them.
48. Harshavardhana belonged to the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) dynasty of Thanesar; his capital was Kannauj.
49. Harsha was defeated by Pulakeshin II (Chalukya) at the Narmada River, as recorded in the Aihole inscription.
50. Banabhatta wrote the Harshacharita, a biography of Harsha.
51. Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang), the Chinese pilgrim, visited India during Harsha's reign and wrote "Si-Yu-Ki."
52. Narasimhavarman I (Pallava) built the Shore Temple and Pancha Rathas at Mahabalipuram.
53. Krishna I (Rashtrakuta) built the monolithic Kailasa Temple at Ellora.
54. The Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj involved the Rashtrakutas, Gurjara-Pratiharas, and Palas.
55. Vijayalaya Chola captured Thanjavur in 848 CE, marking the revival of Chola power.
56. Aihole is often called the "cradle of Indian temple architecture."
57. Pattadakal (Chalukya site) showcases a blend of Nagara and Dravida temple styles.
58. The Ashoka Chakra on the Indian National Flag is derived from the Sarnath Pillar.
59. The 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, Mahavira, added the vow of Brahmacharya to Parshvanatha's four vows.
60. Jainism split into Digambara and Shvetambara sects; Buddhism split into Hinayana and Mahayana.