The Gupta Age (AD 320 – 500) — GK Questions with Answers

1. Which ancient Indian is famed for surgery, including rhinoplasty and cataract operations? (IAS 1996 type)
   1. Saumilla
   2. Shudraka
   3. Shaunaka
   4. Sushruta
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Sushruta

   Sushruta Samhita deals with surgery.

2. The silver coins of the Guptas were called (IAS 1997):
   1. Rupaka
   2. Karshapana
   3. Dinara
   4. Pana
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Rupaka

   Dinara was the gold coin.

3. Which port handled the trade of north India in the Gupta period? (IAS 1999)
   1. Tamralipti
   2. Broach
   3. Kalyan
   4. Cambay
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Tamralipti

   Tamralipti in Bengal — the outlet of the Ganga plain.

4. Which was NOT a Gupta innovation in administration?
   1. The office of Sandhivigrahika
   2. Devolution of authority to feudatories
   3. The office of Pilupati (elephant commander)
   4. A systematic provincial and local administration
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) The office of Pilupati (elephant commander)

   Elephant commanders are far older.

5. The Huna threat first troubled the empire in the last years of —
   1. Kumaragupta I
   2. Budhagupta
   3. Chandragupta II
   4. Purugupta
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Kumaragupta I

   His son Skandagupta repulsed the Hunas.

6. Which is associated with the Gupta age?
   1. Aryabhata’s contribution to astronomy
   2. Banabhatta’s prose
   3. Hiuen Tsang’s visit
   4. The Macedonian invasion
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Aryabhata’s contribution to astronomy

   Bana and Hiuen Tsang belong to Harsha’s time.

7. The earliest example of a panchayatana temple layout is —
   1. Lakshmaneshvara, Bhubaneswar
   2. Mahabodhi temple
   3. Maniyar Math
   4. Dashavatara temple, Deogarh
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Dashavatara temple, Deogarh

   A main shrine with four corner shrines.

8. Besides Ajanta, the other surviving Gupta-age cave paintings are at (IAS 2010):
   1. Bagh
   2. Ellora
   3. Lomas Rishi
   4. Nasik
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Bagh

   Bagh, in Dhar district of MP.

9. Chandragupta II modelled his silver coins on those of the —
   1. Sakas of western India
   2. punch-marked coins
   3. King Vikrama of Ujjain
   4. Indo-Greeks
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Sakas of western India

   He struck them after defeating the Western Kshatrapas.

10. Who called Samudragupta the "Napoleon of India"?
    1. R.C. Majumdar
    2. V.A. Smith
    3. R.S. Sharma
    4. A.L. Basham
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) V.A. Smith

    Because of his sweeping campaigns.

11. The first inscriptional evidence of sati comes from —
    1. Mehrauli
    2. Eran
    3. Bhitari
    4. Junagadh
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Eran

    Eran inscription of Bhanugupta, AD 510.

12. Aryabhata held that —
    1. the Sun goes round a fixed Earth
    2. eclipses are caused by Rahu
    3. the Earth rotates on its axis
    4. π equals exactly 3
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) the Earth rotates on its axis

    He also explained eclipses by shadows and gave π ≈ 3.1416.

13. Which work is NOT by Kalidasa?
    1. Meghaduta
    2. Raghuvamsha
    3. Mudrarakshasa
    4. Malavikagnimitram
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Mudrarakshasa

    Mudrarakshasa is Vishakhadatta’s.

14. The officer who kept land-transaction records was the —
    1. Uparika
    2. Pustapala
    3. Dandapashika
    4. Vishayapati
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Pustapala

    Uparika headed a bhukti; Vishayapati a district.

More chapters in this subject

• The Post-Gupta Era (AD 550 – 750)14 questions
• Religious Movements — Jainism and Buddhism14 questions
• The First Territorial States — Mahajanapadas14 questions