Miscellaneous — Ancient Indian History

Q.1

WBCS Prelims 2022

Arrange the list of foreign travellers in chronological order:

A. Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Xuanzang, Al-Biruni

B. Fa-Hien, Megasthenes, Xuanzang, Al-Biruni

C. Megasthenes, Xuanzang, Fa-Hien, Al-Biruni

D. Al-Biruni, Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Xuanzang

Explanation

Why Correct: Megasthenes visited the Mauryan court of Chandragupta Maurya around 302-298 BCE. Fa-Hien traveled during the Gupta period under Chandragupta II around 399-411 CE. Xuanzang visited during Harshavardhana's reign around 630-645 CE. Al-Biruni accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni's invasions and wrote Kitab-ul-Hind around 1030 CE.
Distractor Analysis: Placing Fa-Hien before Megasthenes incorrectly reverses their chronological order by about 700 years. Putting Xuanzang before Fa-Hien misplaces their sequence by approximately 200 years. Starting with Al-Biruni places the medieval traveler before all ancient travelers, disrupting the historical timeline.
Takeaway: These travelers' accounts provide crucial historical sources: Megasthenes on Mauryan administration, Fa-Hien on Gupta-era Buddhism, Xuanzang on Harsha's empire, and Al-Biruni on early medieval Indian society and sciences.

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Q.2

WBCS Prelims 2020

Who among the following historians has written the book entitled ‘The wonder that was India‘ ?

A. A. L. Basham

B. Alison Bashford

C. R. C. Majumder

D. Satish Chandra

Explanation

Why Correct: Arthur Llewellyn Basham authored the classic work 'The Wonder That Was India' in 1954, a comprehensive survey of ancient Indian history and culture.
Distractor Analysis: Alison Bashford is a historian of medicine and global health, not associated with this book. R. C. Majumdar was a prominent Indian historian who wrote multi-volume works like 'The History and Culture of the Indian People'. Satish Chandra authored medieval Indian history textbooks and served as chairman of the University Grants Commission.
Takeaway: Basham's book covers Indian civilization up to 1200 CE and is notable for its positive portrayal of India's achievements, influencing Western perceptions of ancient India.

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Q.3

WBCS Prelims 2018

Which historian is famous for his research on Ancient Indian History?

A. Sathis Chandra

B. Bipan Chandra

C. Ram Sharan Sharma

D. Amalesh Tripathi

Explanation

Why Correct: Ram Sharan Sharma authored foundational works like Ancient India, Indian Feudalism, and Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India, establishing a secular, Marxist-materialist approach to ancient Indian history.
Distractor Analysis: Satish Chandra specialized in medieval Indian history, particularly the Mughal Empire and regional kingdoms. Bipan Chandra focused on modern Indian history, especially the national movement and economic history. Amalesh Tripathi researched modern Indian history, particularly 19th century Bengal and the Swadeshi movement.
Takeaway: Sharma's theory of Indian feudalism challenged traditional periodization and emphasized economic and social structures over dynastic narratives.

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