1. Which two ruling dynasties were the most powerful in South India during this period?
a) Pallavas and Chalukyas
b) Mauryas and Guptas
c) Satavahanas and Rashtrakutas
d) Pandyas and Cheras
Answer: a) Pallavas and Chalukyas
Explanation: The Pallavas and Chalukyas were the dominant dynasties in South India, with the Pallavas ruling from Kanchipuram and the Chalukyas from Aihole.
2. What was the capital of the Pallavas?
a) Aihole
b) Kanchipuram
c) Pataliputra
d) Madurai
Answer: b) Kanchipuram
Explanation: Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas, extending their rule from this region to the Kaveri delta.
3. Where was the Chalukya kingdom centered?
a) Around the Ganges plain
b) In the Raichur Doab, between Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers
c) Near the Narmada Valley
d) In the Malwa region
Answer: b) In the Raichur Doab, between Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers
Explanation: The Chalukya kingdom was centered in the Raichur Doab, a region between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, making it strategically important.
4. Which Chalukya king is best known from historical sources?
a) Pulakeshin I
b) Pulakeshin II
c) Vikramaditya I
d) Narasimhavarman
Answer: b) Pulakeshin II
Explanation: Pulakeshin II was the most famous Chalukya ruler, and his achievements are recorded in an inscription composed by his court poet, Ravikirti.
5. What was the significance of Aihole during the Chalukya rule?
a) It was their main trade port
b) It was a religious and cultural center with many temples
c) It was a military base
d) It was the capital of the Pallavas
Answer: b) It was a religious and cultural center with many temples
Explanation: Aihole was an important religious center during the Chalukya period, known for its numerous temples and contributions to temple architecture.
6. Who composed the Prashasti of Pulakeshin II?
a) Banabhatta
b) Harishena
c) Ravikirti
d) Kalidasa
Answer: c) Ravikirti
Explanation: The Prashasti of Pulakeshin II was written by Ravikirti, his court poet, and details his lineage and victories.
7. What does Pulakeshin II’s Prashasti reveal about his rise to power?
a) He was elected by a council of ministers
b) He inherited the kingdom from his uncle
c) He conquered the kingdom through war
d) He was given the throne by the Pallavas
Answer: b) He inherited the kingdom from his uncle
Explanation: According to his Prashasti, Pulakeshin II received his kingdom from his uncle, showing a hereditary system of succession.
8. Which famous North Indian ruler was defeated by Pulakeshin II?
a) Chandragupta II
b) Harshavardhana
c) Ashoka
d) Samudragupta
Answer: b) Harshavardhana
Explanation: Pulakeshin II successfully stopped Harshavardhana’s expansion beyond the Narmada River, preventing him from advancing into the Deccan.
9. What happened when Pulakeshin II attacked the Pallava kingdom?
a) The Pallava king surrendered immediately
b) The Pallava king took shelter behind Kanchipuram’s fort walls
c) Pulakeshin II was defeated and forced to retreat
d) Pulakeshin II established a new capital in Kanchipuram
Answer: b) The Pallava king took shelter behind Kanchipuram’s fort walls
Explanation: Pulakeshin II attacked the Pallavas, forcing their king to retreat behind the walls of Kanchipuram, showing the intensity of the conflict.
10. What eventually happened to the Pallavas and Chalukyas?
a) They expanded their kingdoms across India
b) They were defeated and replaced by the Rashtrakutas and Cholas
c) They continued ruling until British rule
d) They merged to form a single empire
Answer: b) They were defeated and replaced by the Rashtrakutas and Cholas
Explanation: Both the Pallavas and Chalukyas eventually declined and were replaced by the Rashtrakutas and the Cholas, marking a shift in South Indian political power.
