Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – October 30

Mahendravarman I

• He converted to Saivism which led him to built a Siva temple at Tiruvadi.
• He was a great builder of cave temples. The Mandagappattu inscription hails him as Vichitrachitta who constructed a temple for Brahma, Vishnu and Siva without the use of bricks, timber, metal and mortar.
• His rock-cut temples are found in a number of places like Tiruchirappalli. His title Chitrakarapuli reveals his talents in painting.
• He is also regarded as an expert in music. The music inscription at Kudumianmalai is ascribed to him.

Kalibangan site was discovered by Luigi PioTessitori, an Italian Indologist and linguist.

Important Discoveries of Kalibangan:

• The Fire altars discovered at Kalibangan reveal that the people were ritualistic and believed in worship of fire.
• A charging bull which is considered to signify the “realistic and powerful folk art of Harappan Age” has been found at Kalibangan.
• The most important discovery of Kalibangan is a ploughed field.
• A wooden furrow has been found, 7 fire altars in a row have been found and they suggest the practice of sacrifice.

The Sunga Dynasty History :

• Pushyamitra founded this dynasty. His dominions extended to South as far as the Narmada River & included cities of Pataliputra, Ayodhya&Vidisha. He performed two Ashwamedha sacrifices. He also defeated the Bactrian king, Dematrius.
• The fifth king was Bhagabhadra, to whose court Heliodoros, the Greek ambassador visited.
• A Shunga king, Agnimitra was the hero of Kalidasa’sMalavikagnimitram.
• They were basically Brahmins. This period saw the revival of Bhagvatism.
• Patanjali’s classic Mahabhashya was written at this time.

Siraj-ud–Daula :

• Siraj-udDaula came to power in 1756.
• Calcutta was renamed Alinagar after its capture by Siraj-udDaula.
• He tried to control the activities of East India Company.
• He wrote letters to the British governor of Calcutta to demolish additional fortifications and also to stop unlawful activities against him.
• The British refused to comply with his orders and he seized the English factory at Kasimbazar and then Calcutta.
• In 1757, his men were attacked by English army led by Robert Clive. This forced the nawab to come to an understanding and establish peace with the English.

Anglo Maratha Treaties at a Glance

• Treaty of Surat,1775- was signed by RaghunathRao wherein he promised to hand over Bassein and Salsette and a few islands near Bombay to the British.
• Treaty of Purandhar,1776-was signed by MadhavRao II. The company got a huge was indemnity and retained Salsette.
• Treaty of Wadgoan,1779-was signed by British and Bombay government to relinquish all territories acquired by the Bombay office of the East India Company since 1773.
• Treaty of Salbai,1782-was signed by MahadjiScindia whereby the British influence in Indian politics and mutual conflicts increased amongst the Marathas.
• Treaty of Bassein,1802-was signed between BajiRao II. This treaty gave effective control of not only Maratha but also Deccan regions to the Company.
• Treaty of Deogaon,1803-by Bhonsle assured British supremacy over the Maratha Kingdom.
• Treaty of Surji-Arjangaon,1803- by DaulatRaoScindia assured the same.

Warren Hastings (1772–1785):

• First Governor General of India.
• Brought the Dual Governmnet of Bengal to an end by the Regulating Act, 1773
• Became Governor-General in 1774 through the Regulating Act, 1773.
• Wrote introduction to the first English translation of the ‘Gita’ by Charles Wilkins
• In 1781, he founded the Calcutta Madrasa, for promotion of Islamic studies
• He founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784.
• Auctioned the right to collect land revenue to the highest bidder; Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials.
• Rohilla War (1774); 1st Anglo-Maratha War (1776–82): 2nd Anglo-Mysore War (1780–84).

Note: Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793.

• VandeMataram-AurobindoGhosh
• Statesman – Robert Knight
• Indian Mirror- Devendranath Tagore
• Hindustan – M.M Malviya