Indian History

1551  - Birth of Abul Fazal (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), the Mughal historian during the the reign of Akbar. His notable works include the  Akbarnama  and  Ain-i-Akbari.  1641-   the Dutch East India Company conquered the city of Malacca in Southeast Asia from the Portuguese on 14th January i n  1641 .    1761 - The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 between the Marathas and Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali,  also surnamed Durrani . The Maratha supremacy was dented by their defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat.   Third Battle of Panipat  saw the largest number of soldiers killed in a single battle on one day. 1845-   Birth of  Lord Lansdowne, Governor General and Viceroy of India from 1888 to 1893, on 14th January in 1845. During his tenure, Indo-Afghan border {Durand Line} was set up. The Indian Council Act, 1892 was enacted and a system of indirect elections started in India.

Q.1. Which among the following Mughal Emperor was also known as Roshan Akhtar ? [A] Ahmed Shah [B] Muhammad Shah [C] Jahandar Shah [D] Shah Alam Q. 2.  Which Bahmani ruler granted the title of 'Chief of the Merchants' or Malikut-Tujjar to Mahmud Gawan? [A]  Humayun Shah [B]   Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah [C] Muhammad Shah I [D] Ahmah Shah Wali Q.3.During the reign of which of the following kings, Deccan brahmans became dominant in administration? [A] Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah [B] Taj-ud-din Firoz Shah [C] Muhammad Shah I [D] Ahmah Shah Wali Q.4.Todarmal was the famous revenue minister of which Mughal Emperor? [A] Shah Jahan [B] Bahadur shah jafar [C] Aurangzeb [D] Akbar Q.5.The spiritual way of life was adopted by individual Sufis in the ninth and tenth centuries came to be known as? [A] Tariqah [B] Haqiqah [C] Tasawwuf [D] None of the above Q.6.For the first time, a Famine-code was formulated in the Delhi Sultanate during the reign of __? [A] Slaves [B] Tughlaqs [C] ...

1849 -  The bloody battle of Chillianwala was fought at Chillianwala (now in Pakistan) between the British and Sikh armies on  January 13, 1849  during the  Second Anglo-Sikh war . The British and Sikh armies were respectively commanded by Sir Hugh Gough and the Raja Sher Singh Attariwala. Following the battle, both sides  claimed victory. The British won the battle though it was a "pyrrhic victory" for them.  According to the historians, 757 soldiers of British army were killed, 1,651 were wounded and 104 went missing. Sikhs lost near 3,600  soldiers.  Lord Dalhousie  was the Governor-General of India during the Battle of Chillianwala.   1907 - Birth of Manindra Nath Banerjee on 13th January 1907 . Manindra Nath Banerjee was a revolutionary who had shot his maternal uncle J.N. Banerji , the Deputy Superintend of Police investigating the Kakori Conspiracy case. O n August 9th, 1925, a train carrying government money was passing...

Q. 1. Which among the following rulers of Delhi Sultanate loved to style himself as Sikandar-I-Sani? [A] Balban [B] Kaiqubad [C] Alauddin Khilji [D] Firoz Tughlaq Q. 2. Chachnama records the history of which conquest? [A]  Arabs [B]  Hunas [C] Greeks [D] Kushanas Q. 3. Who among the following was not included in the “Asta Pradhan” of Shivaji? [A] Sumant [B] Majmudar [C] Vakiyanavis [D] Vakeel Q. 4. For the first time in Gujarat, who implemented Jizya tax? [A] Ahmed Shah I [B] Mahmud Begda [C] Mujaffarshah I [D] Mujaffarshah II Q. 5. The famous “Treaty of Purandhar” was signed between Shivaji and which among the following in 1665? [A] Jaswant Singh [B] Jai Singh [C] Shaista Khan [D] Aurangzeb Q. 6. During whose reign did Timur invaded India? [A] Bahlol Lodi [B] Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah [C] Firoz Shah Tughlaq [D] Allauddin Khilji Q. 7.Which among the following two cities were joined by “Sadak-i-Azam” or the precursor of the Grand Trunk Road built by Shershah Suri? [A] Agra & C...

Today ( January 12)  is Swami Vivekananda's birthday.  Every year on January 12, India observes   National Youth Day  to mark the birthday of   Swami Vivekananda , one of the country’s greatest spiritual leaders and philosophers.  Narendranath Dutta, better known as Swami Vivekananda, was a disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886), a priest in a temple at Dakhinesvar in Kolkata. Ramakrishna believed in the truth of all religions.  A graduate of the Calcutta University, Vivekananda (1863-1902) carried his master’s message throughout India. Vivekananda was a Vedantist. In 1983 he went to the US and attended the famous “Parliament of Religions” at Chicago. His speech at that august assembly earned him fame and followers throughout the world. New York Herald wrote, “after hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation” Sir Valentine Chirol characterizes Vivekananda as “the first Hindu whose personality won demonstr...

Q. 1. Which of the following was the capital of Bahmani Kingdom? [A] Bijapur [B] Ahmadnagar [C] Hampi [D] Bidar Q. 2. In the administration of second Khilji Sultan Allauddin Khilji, the ministry of commerce was organised by whom? [A] Malik Qabul [B] Rais Parwani [C] Malik Yakub [D] Khusru Malik Q. 3. Name of the tax during Delhi Sultanate period, which was only imposed on rich Muslims? [A] Ushr [B] Zakat [C] Kham [D] None of the above Q.  4. Who among the following Tuluva dynasty ruler belonging to the Viajayanagar empire wrote ‘Amuktamalayada’ ? [A] Krishna Dev Raya [B] Venkata I [C] Achyuta Devraya [D] Vir Narsimha Raya Q.  5. Which monument, built during the Delhi sultanate period, was built according to the correct scientific lines for the first time? [A] Sikandar Lodi Tomb [B] Tughlaqabad [C] Tomb of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq [D] Alai Minar Q.  6. Which of the following Sultanate Rulers made Delhi as capital in place of Lahore? [A] Qutubuddin Aibak [B] Iltutmish [C] Raz...

Rani ki Vav/ Image credit: U nsplash The Chalukyas of Anhilwara or Solankis, as they are popularly known, ruled in Gujarat and Kathiawar for nearly three centuries and a half (c 950-1300). One of the earliest kings of this line of Chalukyas was Mularaja who consolidated the Chalukya authority in Gujarat.  The next king of importance was Bhima I (c. 1022-64), during whose reign Mahmud Ghazni, who made seventeen raids on India between 1001 and 1027, overran Gujarat and plundered the great temple of Somanath. When Mahmud appeared before the capital city Anhilwara (modern Siddhpur Patan), Bhima I took refuge in Kanthkot fort in Kutch. After the withdrawal of Mahmud, Bhima I revived the Chalukya power and entered into a coalition with Lakshmi – Karna Kalachuri against Bhoja (c1010-55), the greatest ruler of the  Paramara dynasty of Malwa .  It was during the reign of  Bhima I that the Sun Temple of Modhera was built. His spouse Udaymati is known for constructing Rani ki...