50 frequently asked questions on Unity in Diversity in India

1. Into how many geographical divisions is India usually divided?

Ans. Five geographical divisions.

2. Name two mountain passes in the north-western India.

Ans. Khyber and Gomal.

3. Which mountain has influenced deeply the history and geography of India?

Ans. The Himalayas.

4. Which mountain divides India into northern and southern parts?

Ans. The Vindhyas.

5. Into how many racial groups the Indians are divided?

Ans. Six racial groups.

6. What is the type of civilization India has?

Ans. Mixed civilization.

7. What is the origin of about 500 spoken languages of India?

Ans. Sanskrit.

8. What is the proof that culturally Muslims of India are not much different from the Indians in general?

Ans.The birth of the Urdu language.

9. Who described India as an ethnological museum?

Ans. Vincent A. Smith.

10. Name two earliest epics of India.

Ans.The Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

11. Name the earliest historical text of India.

Ans.The Rajatarangini.

12. Who is the author of the Rajatarangini?

Ans. Kalhana.

13. Who is the author of Harshacharita?

Ans. Banabhatta.

14. Name the earliest religious text of India.

Ans. The Rigveda or Rigveda Samhita.

15. Who is the author of Mitakshara?

Ans. Vignayaneswara.

16. Who is the author of Daye-Bhaga?

Ans. Jimutavahana.

17. Who wrote Astadhyayi?

Ans. Panini.

18. Who wrote Ramacharita?

Ans. Sandhyakar Nandi

19. Who wrote Gaudabaho?

Ans. Bakpati

20. Who wrote Abhijnanasakuntalam?

Ans. Kalidasa

21. Name the Greek ambassador to the Court of Chandragupta Maurya.

Ans. Megasthenes

22. Who wrote Indika?

Ans. Megasthenes

23. By whom was Megasthenes sent to India?

Ans. The Syrian king Seleukas.

24. Who was the author of Mudrarakshasa?

Ans. Visakhdatta.

25. Who is the author of Tahakik- i-Hind or Kitabul Hind?

Ans. Alberuni

26. Who composed the Aihole Prasasti?

Ans. Ravikirti.

27. When were the coins first introduced in India?

Ans. Around 500 BC.

28. Who is the author of Vikramankadevacharita?

Ans. Bilhana

29. What was the earliest secular text of ancient India?

Ans. Arthashastra.

30. The coins of which ruling dynasty of India has been found in Ethiopia?

Ans. The Kushanas.

31. How has the history of the period reconstructed when people did not know the art of writing?

Ans. From the material remains.

32. Who wrote Arthashastra?

Ans. Kautilya.

33. What is the origin of the word ‘Hindu’ or ‘Hindustan’?

Ans. The Persian ‘Sindhu’.

34. What is the origin of the word ‘India’?

Ans. The Greek ‘Indos’.

35. Name the book written by Patanjali.

Ans. Mahabhashya.

36. Name one grammarian of ancient India.

Ans. Panini.

37. What are Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa ?

Ans. Two Ceylonese chronicles.

38. Who wrote Ratnabali, Nagananda and Priyadarsika ?

Ans. Harsha.

39. Who wrote Harshacharita?

Ans. Banabhatta.

40. When was the Mahabharata finally compiled?

Ans. In the 4th century AD.

41. Of the two epics which one is older?

Ans. The Mahabharata.

42. When was the Ramayana finally compiled?

Ans. By 400 AD.

43. In which language were the earliest Buddhist texts written?

Ans. In Pali language.

44. In which language were the Jaina texts written?

Ans. In Pali language.

45. In which language was the Sangam literature written?

Ans. In Tamil.

46. What is the major source of information regarding ancient Tamil people?

Ans. Sangam literature.

47. What kind of literature were the Dharmasutras and Smritis?

Ans. Law-books of ancient India.

48. What is the name of Ptolemy’s book?

Ans. Geography.

49. Wherefrom is known the trade between India and Italy?

Ans. Pliny’s book.

50. What is the name of Pliny’s book?

Ans. Naturalis Historia.