The 2014 Codex
Questions 81 to 90 (Set A)
The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) King George V abrogated Curzon's Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911
Lord Curzon executed the highly controversial Partition of Bengal in 1905, triggering the massive Swadeshi Movement.
However, faced with relentless, severe political opposition and revolutionary terrorism in Bengal, the British government was ultimately forced to reverse the decision. The annulment (abrogation) of the partition was officially declared by King George V during the grand Delhi Durbar of 1911 (at the same event where the capital was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi).
Route: [REALM 26: Swadeshi Movement & Delhi Durbar]The Royal Reversal
The Midnight Pledge
The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress
The Lahore Session of the INC in December 1929 (presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru) was a monumental turning point in Indian history.
It was at this session that the Congress permanently abandoned the moderate demand for "Dominion Status" and officially passed the historic Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) resolution. Following this, the newly adopted tricolor flag was hoisted on the banks of the Ravi River on midnight of December 31, 1929, and January 26, 1930, was declared as the first Independence Day (which is why Republic Day is celebrated on Jan 26).
Route: [REALM 38: Lahore Session & Poorna Swaraj]With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements:
1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama.
2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of Vaishnavites of Assam.
3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas of devotional songs composed by Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (b) 1 and 2 only
Sattriya is one of the eight classical dances of India, originating in the eastern state of Assam.
- Statements 1 and 2 are True: It was introduced in the 15th century by the great Assamese Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. It is performed in monasteries called Satras, seamlessly blending music, dance, and drama (Bhaona).
- Statement 3 is False: Sattriya is strictly based on the devotional songs composed by Sankardeva and Madhavdeva (called Borgeets). It is absolutely not based on the compositions of the North Indian/Hindi belt saints like Tulsidas, Kabir, or Mirabai.
The Monastery Dance
The Equinox Alignment
Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) 22nd March (or 21st March)
The National Calendar of India is based on the ancient Saka Era (adopted in 1957 alongside the Gregorian calendar for official purposes).
It is a highly scientific solar calendar. The very first month of the year is Chaitra. Because it is tied to astronomical events, Chaitra 1 mathematically aligns with the Vernal Equinox (when day and night are perfectly equal). Therefore, Chaitra 1 exactly corresponds to March 22 in a normal year, and March 21 in a leap year.
Route: [REALM 66: National Symbols of India]With reference to the Indian history of art and culture, consider the following pairs: Famous work of sculpture : Site
| 1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana... | Ajanta |
| 2. A huge image of Varaha Avatar (boar)... | Mount Abu |
| 3. "Arjuna's Penance" / "Descent of Ganga"... | Mamallapuram |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 1 and 3 only
This maps India's most iconic monumental sculptures to their locations.
- 1. Ajanta (True): Cave 26 in Ajanta contains the magnificent, colossal rock-cut reclining sculpture of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, flanked by joyful devas above and sorrowful monks below.
- 3. Mamallapuram (True): The giant bas-relief carved on two massive boulders known as "Descent of the Ganges" or "Arjuna's Penance" is the crown jewel of Pallava art at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram).
- 2. Mount Abu (False): Mount Abu is famous for the delicate marble Dilwara Jain Temples. The monumental rock-cut sculpture of the Varaha Avatar (Vishnu rescuing Earth) is the defining masterpiece of the Gupta period, located in the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh, NOT Mount Abu.
The Masterpieces
The Overseas Spark
The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (a) revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
The Ghadar Party was an iconic international political movement founded by expatriate Indians (primarily Punjabi Sikhs) to overthrow British rule in India via an armed revolution.
It was formally established in 1913 by Lala Hardayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and others. The party built its headquarters, famously known as the Yugantar Ashram, in San Francisco, USA, from where they published their wildly popular revolutionary weekly newspaper, also named Ghadar (meaning 'Revolt').
Note: The Berlin Committee was separate (Virendranath Chattopadhyaya). The Tashkent group was the early CPI (M.N. Roy). Singapore was the site of the 1915 mutiny and later INA activities.
Route: [REALM 39: Revolutionary Nationalism (Ghadar Party)]With reference to India's culture and tradition, what is 'Kalaripayattu'?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) It is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of South India
Kalaripayattu is one of the oldest surviving martial arts systems in the world, originating in the state of Kerala (South India).
The word Kalari means battlefield or training ground. The art form includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, and the masterful use of traditional weaponry (like the flexible Urumi sword). It is deeply intertwined with Ayurveda and Yoga, making it a holistic living tradition.
Route: [REALM 30: Traditional Martial Arts of India]The Battlefield Art
The Cultural Geography
Consider the following pairs:
| 1. Garba | Gujarat |
| 2. Mohiniattam | Odisha |
| 3. Yakshagana | Karnataka |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 1 and 3 only
This requires basic knowledge of India's classical and folk dances.
- 1. Garba (True): The famous folk dance performed during Navaratri, native to Gujarat.
- 3. Yakshagana (True): A traditional theatre form combining dance, music, and dialogue, indigenous to Karnataka.
- 2. Mohiniattam (False): "The Dance of the Enchantress" is a recognized Classical Dance that originated in Kerala, not Odisha. (Odisha's classical dance is Odissi).
With reference to Buddhist history, tradition and culture in India, consider the following pairs: Famous shrine : Location
| 1. Tabo monastery | Spiti Valley |
| 2. Lhotsava Lhakhang, Nako | Zanskar Valley |
| 3. Alchi temple complex | Ladakh |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (c) 1 and 3 only
This maps the ancient Himalayan Buddhist monasteries (Gompas) to their specific valleys.
- 1. Tabo Monastery: True. Often called the "Ajanta of the Himalayas" for its exquisite frescoes, it is located in the frigid Spiti Valley (Himachal Pradesh).
- 3. Alchi Temple Complex: True. Famous for its Kashmiri-influenced 11th-century murals, it is situated on the banks of the Indus river in the Leh district of Ladakh.
- 2. Nako (Lhotsava Lhakhang): False. The Nako village and its ancient monastery (Translator's Temple) are situated near the Indo-China border in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is absolutely not in the Zanskar Valley (which is in Ladakh).
The High Gompas
The Bhakti Authors
Consider the following statements:
1. 'Bijak' is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal.
2. The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was propounded by Madhvacharya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) Neither 1 nor 2
This tests the core literature and philosophies of the Bhakti movement.
Statement 1 is False: Bijak is the most famous compilation of the teachings and dohas (couplets) of the great mystic saint Kabir, not Dadu Dayal. It is the holy scripture for followers of the Kabir Panth.
Statement 2 is False: Pushti Marg (The Path of Grace) is a Vaishnavite sub-tradition of the Rudra Sampradaya. It was propounded by Vallabhacharya in the 16th century (focusing on Krishna devotion), absolutely not by Madhvacharya (who founded the Dvaita Vedanta philosophy centuries earlier).
Route: [REALM 34: Bhakti Movement (Saints & Philosophies)]