🏛️ SECTION A — SOCIETY & SUFISM (1–25)
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The basic unit of medieval Indian social structure was —
(A) Family (B) Caste (C) Village (D) Kingdom
Answer: (C) Village
Explanation: The village remained the fundamental unit of production and social organization.
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Medieval Indian society was primarily —
(A) Industrial (B) Agrarian (C) Urban (D) Nomadic
Answer: (B) Agrarian
Explanation: Agriculture was the main occupation and revenue source.
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Urban society in medieval India developed due to —
(A) Industrialization (B) Trade and crafts (C) Agriculture (D) Colonization
Answer: (B) Trade and crafts
Explanation: Growth of towns was linked to crafts, trade, and administration.
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‘Panchayat’ in a village functioned as —
(A) Religious group (B) Judicial and administrative body (C) Guild (D) Market council
Answer: (B) Judicial and administrative body.
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The ‘Ulema’ class consisted of —
(A) Warriors (B) Traders (C) Religious scholars and jurists (D) Farmers
Answer: (C) Religious scholars and jurists
Explanation: Ulemas interpreted Sharia and advised rulers.
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The highest-ranking class under the Delhi Sultanate was —
(A) Peasantry (B) Nobility (C) Artisans (D) Traders
Answer: (B) Nobility
Explanation: Nobles (umara) held power, wealth, and land grants (iqtas).
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The term ‘Raiyat’ referred to —
(A) Soldiers (B) Peasants (C) Zamindars (D) Traders
Answer: (B) Peasants
Explanation: Raiyats were cultivators paying land revenue.
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The language that developed due to Hindu–Muslim interaction was —
(A) Sanskrit (B) Arabic (C) Urdu (D) Pali
Answer: (C) Urdu
Explanation: Urdu (Hindavi) evolved from Persian and local dialects.
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Sufism in India emphasized —
(A) Wealth (B) Love and devotion to God (C) Ritual sacrifice (D) Political power
Answer: (B) Love and devotion to God.
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‘Khanqahs’ were —
(A) Palaces (B) Sufi monasteries (C) Mosques (D) Temples
Answer: (B) Sufi monasteries
Explanation: Centres of spiritual training and charity.
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Sufism was introduced to India by —
(A) Timurids (B) Turks (C) Arabs (D) Mongols
Answer: (B) Turks
Explanation: Along with Turkish conquest, Sufi orders spread.
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Founder of Chishti order in India —
(A) Shaikh Nizamuddin (B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (C) Shaikh Salim (D) Ahmad Sirhindi
Answer: (B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
Explanation: Established the order at Ajmer in 12th century.
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Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya’s famous disciple was —
(A) Amir Khusrau (B) Kabir (C) Mirabai (D) Tulsidas
Answer: (A) Amir Khusrau
Explanation: Khusrau was poet–musician who spread Sufi message through art.
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The Chishti saints believed in —
(A) Wealth accumulation (B) Renunciation, love and tolerance (C) Military expansion (D) Ascetic isolation
Answer: (B) Renunciation, love and tolerance.
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The Suhrawardi order was founded in —
(A) Multan (B) Ajmer (C) Delhi (D) Pandua
Answer: (A) Multan
Explanation: Founded by Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya.
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Ahmad Sirhindi belonged to which Sufi order?
(A) Qadiri (B) Naqshbandi (C) Chishti (D) Suhrawardi
Answer: (B) Naqshbandi
Explanation: He advocated orthodox Islam and opposed syncretism.
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‘Langar’ system of free food at Sufi shrines symbolized —
(A) Charity and equality (B) Luxury (C) Royal patronage (D) Education
Answer: (A) Charity and equality.
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Which Sufi saint’s shrine is at Ajmer?
(A) Shaikh Salim (B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (C) Nizamuddin (D) Ahmad Sirhindi
Answer: (B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti.
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Shaikh Salim Chishti was associated with —
(A) Aurangzeb (B) Akbar (C) Babur (D) Shah Jahan
Answer: (B) Akbar
Explanation: Lived at Fatehpur Sikri; Akbar named his son after him.
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Sufism contributed mainly to —
(A) Feudal economy (B) Hindu–Muslim cultural synthesis (C) Political unification (D) Economic reforms
Answer: (B) Hindu–Muslim cultural synthesis.
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‘Qalandars’ were —
(A) Wandering mystics rejecting material life (B) Soldiers (C) Merchants (D) Judges
Answer: (A) Wandering mystics rejecting material life.
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Concept of Wahdat-ul-Wujud means —
(A) Reincarnation (B) Unity of existence (C) Multiple gods (D) Soul migration
Answer: (B) Unity of existence.
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Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was also known as —
(A) Mujaddid Alf Sani (B) Pir of Multan (C) Fakir of Delhi (D) Sultan-ul-Auliya
Answer: (A) Mujaddid Alf Sani
Explanation: “Reformer of the Second Millennium.”
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The Qadiri order in India was popularized by —
(A) Miyan Mir (B) Khusrau (C) Muinuddin (D) Sirhindi
Answer: (A) Miyan Mir
Explanation: He performed foundation ceremony of the Golden Temple.
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Main teaching of Sufism —
(A) Caste purity (B) Love and devotion to God (C) Ascetic violence (D) Orthodoxy
Answer: (B) Love and devotion to God.
🕉️ SECTION B — BHAKTI & SIKH MOVEMENTS (26–50)
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The main aim of the Bhakti Movement was —
(A) Political unity (B) Social reform through devotion (C) Religious conversion (D) Ritual promotion
Answer: (B) Social reform through devotion.
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Bhakti saints opposed —
(A) Monotheism (B) Ritualism and caste system (C) Music (D) Education
Answer: (B) Ritualism and caste system.
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The earliest Bhakti saints were the —
(A) Nayanars and Alvars (B) Kabir and Nanak (C) Sufis (D) Tulsidas and Mirabai
Answer: (A) Nayanars and Alvars.
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The Nayanars were devotees of —
(A) Vishnu (B) Shiva (C) Shakti (D) Krishna
Answer: (B) Shiva.
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Basava founded which sect?
(A) Lingayat / Virashaiva (B) Shaiva Siddhanta (C) Vaikhanasa (D) Shakta
Answer: (A) Lingayat / Virashaiva.
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Ramananda preached Bhakti in —
(A) Sanskrit (B) Persian (C) Hindi (D) Tamil
Answer: (C) Hindi
Explanation: He used vernacular language to reach common people.
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Kabir’s poems are collected in —
(A) Bijak (B) Ramcharitmanas (C) Adi Granth (D) Sursagar
Answer: (A) Bijak.
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Kabir was a disciple of —
(A) Ramananda (B) Chaitanya (C) Nanak (D) Nizamuddin
Answer: (A) Ramananda.
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Kabir’s philosophy emphasized —
(A) One God and rejection of rituals (B) Idol worship (C) Caste purity (D) Vedic orthodoxy
Answer: (A) One God and rejection of rituals.
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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a saint of —
(A) Vaishnavism (B) Shaivism (C) Shaktism (D) Jainism
Answer: (A) Vaishnavism
Explanation: He spread Krishna-bhakti through kirtans in Bengal.
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Mirabai was a devotee of —
(A) Rama (B) Krishna (C) Vishnu (D) Shiva
Answer: (B) Krishna.
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Tulsidas composed —
(A) Ramcharitmanas (B) Gita Govinda (C) Bijak (D) Akbarnama
Answer: (A) Ramcharitmanas.
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Surdas was a devotee of —
(A) Rama (B) Vishnu (C) Krishna (D) Durga
Answer: (C) Krishna.
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Guru Nanak’s famous saying “Na koi Hindu, na Musalman” emphasized —
(A) Religious unity (B) Political equality (C) Atheism (D) Superiority of one faith
Answer: (A) Religious unity.
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Guru Nanak founded —
(A) Sikhism (B) Jainism (C) Shaivism (D) Arya Samaj
Answer: (A) Sikhism.
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Guru Nanak’s teachings are compiled in —
(A) Adi Granth (B) Bijak (C) Ramcharitmanas (D) Sursagar
Answer: (A) Adi Granth.
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Guru Arjan Dev compiled the —
(A) Adi Granth (B) Guru Granth Sahib (C) Dasam Granth (D) Vachana
Answer: (A) Adi Granth.
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The ‘Khalsa’ was founded by —
(A) Guru Nanak (B) Guru Gobind Singh (C) Guru Arjan (D) Guru Amar Das
Answer: (B) Guru Gobind Singh.
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The year of founding of Khalsa was —
(A) 1604 (B) 1658 (C) 1699 (D) 1707
Answer: (C) 1699.
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The Khalsa was founded at —
(A) Amritsar (B) Anandpur Sahib (C) Patna (D) Lahore
Answer: (B) Anandpur Sahib.
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The five symbols (K’s) of Khalsa do not include —
(A) Kesh (B) Kachha (C) Kirpan (D) Kalgi
Answer: (D) Kalgi.
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Guru Hargobind introduced the concept of —
(A) Miri and Piri (B) Sati (C) Devadasi (D) Purdah
Answer: (A) Miri and Piri
Explanation: Represented temporal and spiritual authority.
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Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by —
(A) Akbar (B) Jahangir (C) Aurangzeb (D) Babur
Answer: (C) Aurangzeb.
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Main principle of Sikhism —
(A) Polytheism (B) One God, equality, honest work (C) Idol worship (D) Ritualism
Answer: (B) One God, equality, honest work.
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Sikhism rejected —
(A) Caste system and idol worship (B) Work and family (C) Honesty (D) Community life
Answer: (A) Caste system and idol worship.