Bharat and Its Ancient Civilisation: 18 MCQs with answers

A living civilisation

Bharat is called a living civilisation because its traditions, languages, and beliefs continued to evolve into modern India rather than fading away.

The Harappan Civilisation

It is called the Harappan Civilisation after Harappa, one of its most famous cities.

Mohenjo-daro

Mohenjo-daro was one of the major Indus cities, along with Harappa, Dholavira, and Lothal.

Covered drains and grid-pattern streets

Indus cities had grid-pattern streets, covered drains, and standardised bricks — signs of advanced civic planning.

The four Vedas

The Vedic period takes its name from the four Vedas: Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda.

The Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire is often described as a golden age of Indian art, science, and literature.

True

The Indus Valley Civilisation had planned cities with covered drains and standardised bricks, showing advanced urban planning.

Indus drainage was better than many modern cities

Ancient does not mean primitive: the Indus Valley had covered drains and planned streets that were better than many modern cities.

Rock and pillar edicts

Ashoka spread his message of dhamma through rock and pillar edicts placed across his empire.

The Vajji confederacy

The Vajji confederacy was an early example of collective governance, unlike the single-ruler empires.

Ideas, religion, and culture

Along with goods, Indian merchants spread ideas, religion, and culture to Southeast Asia.

Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia

Hinduism and Buddhism spread from Bharat to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

Its traditions and languages kept evolving without a break

Bharat is a living civilisation because its traditions, languages, and beliefs continued to evolve from ancient times into the present.

They cannot read what the Indus people wrote

Because the script is undeciphered, historians cannot read Indus writings, though they can still study the cities, drains, and farming evidence.

Bharat's civilisation evolved in layers over time

The sequence shows that Bharat's civilisation evolved in layers rather than appearing all at once.

The same rivers and the quest for dharma and moksha

Continuity is seen in the rivers Sindhu, Ganga, and Yamuna remaining centres of life, and in the quest for dharma and moksha running through texts from the Vedas to the Bhagavad Gita.

The Vedic age's philosophical inquiries led to the formation of diverse political entities like the Mahajanapadas.

The correct option highlights how the philosophical and social structures established during the Vedic age, such as the varna system, facilitated the emergence of diverse political entities like the Mahajanapadas, which were essential for the political evolution of Bharat.

The trade routes established by Indian merchants were crucial for the spread of ideas and religions across Asia.

The correct option emphasizes that the trade routes established by Indian merchants were vital not only for economic prosperity but also for the dissemination of ideas and religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, across Asia, showcasing Bharat's influence beyond its borders.