The Dawn of History in the Deep South — UPSC Prelims Practice
Answer all questions carefully.
South India Enters History: Sangam Age, Early Kingdoms, and Tamil Culture•hard•9 questions•~12 min
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Question 01
hard
Consider the following statements about the megalithic culture of South India:
1. Megaliths are known primarily from their actual settlements, as graves are rare.
2. Black-and-red ware seems to have been the most popular pottery type among megalithic people.
3. Weapons outnumber agricultural tools in megalithic graves, suggesting the people did not practice advanced agriculture.
4. The megalithic people in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu buried skeletons in urns of red pottery in pits, often without stone circles.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 02
hard
The Chola king Karikala is historically associated with which of the following?
1. He founded Puhar, identical with Kaveripattanam, as the Chola capital.
2. He constructed 160 km of embankment along the Kaveri river using 12,000 Sri Lankan captives.
3. He conquered Sri Lanka and ruled it for nearly 50 years in the 2nd century BCE.
4. He maintained an efficient navy that sailed to the mouths of the Ganga and Iravadi rivers.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 03
medium
With reference to the Chera kingdom in the early centuries of the Christian era, consider the following statements:
1. The Chera country was situated to the west and north of the Pandyas, covering much of modern Kerala.
2. The Romans set up two regiments at Muziris (Cranganore) to protect their trading interests.
3. The greatest Chera king was Senguttuvan, known as the Red Chera.
4. The Chera kingdom's importance was primarily owed to trade with the Kushans via the Silk Route.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 04
hard
In the social organization of the early Tamil kingdoms described in Sangam literature, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Kshatriyas and vaisyas appear as regular varnas in Sangam texts.
2. The ruling caste was called the arasar.
3. The vallalas (rich peasants) constituted the fourth caste and held the bulk of the land.
4. Army captains were invested with the title of enadi at a formal ceremony.
Question 05
easy
Which of the following best describes the term 'sangam' in the context of early Tamil history?
Question 06
medium
Consider the following about the decline of the early Tamil kingdoms:
1. The continuous wars fought among the Chola, Pandya, and Chera kingdoms weakened them even as they enriched states through war spoils.
2. The decline of Roman trade in the later centuries was a major factor in the decay of these kingdoms.
3. The Chola capital Kaveripattanam was overwhelmed and destroyed, and what remained of Chola power was almost wiped out by Pallava attacks.
4. The Cheras had no history from the second century AD till the eighth century AD.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 07
medium
The earliest form of Tamil language inscriptions, mixed with Prakrit words, found in natural caves mainly in the Madurai region belong to which period and script?
Question 08
easy
With reference to the Pandya kingdom, which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
Question 09
medium
Consider the following about religion in early Tamil society:
1. The chief local god worshipped by the people was Murugan, also called Subramaniya.
2. The megalithic practice of providing for the dead was completely replaced by brahmanical cremation.
3. Kings performed Vedic sacrifices such as asvamedha and vajapeya.
4. Brahmanas first appear in the Tamil land in the Sangam age.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
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