Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (History, Art & Culture) – May 4, 2020

The important major rock edicts of Asoka are:

• Major Rock Edict I – It Prohibits animal slaughter and bans festive gatherings. He mentions that only two peacocks and one deer were being killed in Asoka’s kitchen which he wanted to be discontinued.
• Major Rock Edict II – This edict provides for care for man and animals. It also describes the presence of Pandyas , Satyapura and Keralputra Kingdoms of South India.
• Major Rock Edict III– It mentions and guides about Generosity to Brahmans. This edict was issued after 12 years of Asoka’s coronation
• Major Rock Edict IV– It says that Dhammaghosa (sound of righteousness) is ideal to the mankind and not the Bherighosa (sound of war)
• Major Rock Edict V – It concerns about the policy of people towards their slaves. “Dhammamahamatras” are mentioned in this edict as appointees of the state.
• Major Rock Edict VI– This describes the King’s desire to stay informed about the conditions of the people of his regime Welfare measures for the people.
• Major Rock Edict VII– Ashoka requests tolerance for all religions and sects.

The status of women in Sangam society was not equal to that of men. The Sangam society consisted of different kinds of women. There were married women who had settled down as dutiful housewives. There were female ascetics belonging to Buddhist or Jain tradition like Kaundi Adigal and Manimegalai and also a large number of courtesans.

The World War II situation was discouraging in 1942. The Japanese Army had attacked Burma and was marching towards Assam. Mahatma Gandhi said,” India’s safety and Britain’s too, lies in the orderly and timely British withdrawal from India.” So they decided to launch a movement upon the British to quit India.

Nagara Style of Architecture

Statement 1 is incorrect: From fifth century A.D. onwards, a distinct style of temple architecture developed in the northern part of India, known as the Nagara style of architecture.

Statement 2 is correct: Some of the features of Nagara style are:

• The temples generally followed the Panchayatan style of temple making, which consisted of subsidiary shrines laid out in a crucified ground plan with respect to the principal shrine.
• Presence of assembly halls or mandaps in front of the principal shrine.
• Outside the garbhagriha, images of the river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, were placed.
• There were no water tanks or reservoirs present in the temple premises.

Sir Surendranath Banerjea (1848–1925) was one of the founders of modern India and a proponent of autonomy within the British Commonwealth. He served as an Indian Civil Service officer till 1874, before becoming a teacher. He founded Ripon College, later renamed after him, in Calcutta and worked on the idea of nationalism. He purchased The Bengalee, a newspaper he edited for 40 years to propagate his nationalist viewpoint. He was twice appointed the president of Indian National Congress, appealed to the British to modify the 1905 Partition of Bengal, and in 1921 he was knighted and accepted office as minister of Local Self-government in Bengal. He retired to write his autobiography, A Nation in Making in 1925.