SOURCE :-DRISTI IAS SITE

2019:---

Q:-The 1857 Uprising was the culmination of the recurrent big and small local rebellions
that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British Rule. Elucidate.

Introduction

 “The Indian Rebellion was not one movement, … it was many.” C.A.

Bayly brings to our notice what Eric Stokes has written in his book ‘The peasant
armed: the Indian Revolt of 1857’.
 During the first century of British rule, there were a series of uprisings
which Kathleen Gough has called “restorative rebellions’’ as they were started by
disaffected local rulers, Mughal officials or dispossessed zamindars.
 The century before 1857 witnessed more than 40 major rebellions apart from
hundreds of minor ones. However, these were local in character and effects & isolated
from each other because each rebellion had a different motive.

Peasant Uprisings

 The Faqir and Sanyasi Rebellions, Bengal & Bihar (1770-1820s): These were
widely recurrent confrontations with almost 50,000 participants involved at the height of
insurgency.
 The Revolt of Raja Chait Singh, Awadh (1778-81): Primary goal was to restore
the existing agrarian relations and it kept recurring till 1830s.
 Polygar Rebellions, Andhra Pradesh (1799-1805): Polygars (feudal lords
appointed as military chiefs) were joined by peasants against Company’s tactics and the
rebellion reached a big scale before it was oppressed.
 Paika Rebellion, Odisha (1817): An armed rebellion under the leadership of
Bakshi Jagabandhu against the Company’s rule. 
 Fairazi Movement, Eastern Bengal (1838-1848): First ever no-tax campaign
led by Shariatullah Khan and Dadu Mian. It was local in nature and kept on recurring till
1870s.

Tribal Uprisings

 Bhil Uprisings, Khandesh (present day Maharashtra & Gujarat), (1818-

31): Bhils rebelled against the British occupation of Khandesh but were crushed in 1819
but the situation remained unsettled till 1831.
 Kol Uprising, Chhota Nagpur & Singhbhum region, Bihar & Orissa (1831-
32): Plunder and arson were the chief mode with negligible killings but had a major
impact in the region.
 Santhal Uprising, Eastern India (1855-56): The most effective tribal movement
which spread rapidly covering areas of Bihar, Orissa and Bengal against British
infiltrating policies.
Conclusion
The century long economic exploitation, political subjugation, discriminatory policies,
religious interference and suppression of uprisings finally culminated in the revolt of
1857 giving a platform to the discontented leaders of the earlier rebellions to raise
voices against the Company.
Q:- . Examine the linkages between the nineteenth century’s Indian Renaissance and the
emergence of national identity.

Nineteenth century witnessed significant changes in Indian polity and

society consequent to the expansion and consolidation of British imperialism in India
which made Indians realise that their interests were sacrificed in order to promote
the interests of the British authority.
The impact of modern western culture and consciousness of defeat by a foreign
power gave birth to a new awakening. The modern educational systems familiarised
the educated classes with the ideas of equality, liberty and nationalism. They were
impressed by modern science and the doctrines of reason and humanism.
Thoughtful Indians who were product of modern education began to look for the
strengths and weaknesses of their society aimed at giving back to the nation its lost
identity.
This new cultural project, which partly manifested itself through the social and religious
reforms was encoded in the phrase ‘Indian Renaissance’. It marked a period of
transition in values, transformation in social sensibilities and rebirth in cultural creativity.
A defining feature of the movement was an inquiry into the past and an assessment of
the traditions to overcome contemporary problems. Ram Mohan Roy’s use of Hindu
scriptures in his debate with his opponents on Sati, or Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s
widow remarriage campaign, or Narayana Guru’s advocacy of universalism sought to
eliminate social obscurantism, religious superstition and irrational rituals. The common
feature that they all shared was the urge to transform the existing social and
cultural conditions, ranging from irrational religious practices and rituals to the
oppressive state of women’s lives.
Renaissance ‘purified’ and ‘rediscovered’ an Indian civilisation that was conformant
with the European ideals of rationalism, empiricism, monotheism and individualism. It
was meant to show that Indian civilisation was by no means inferior to that of the
West, rather in one sense, in its spiritual accomplishments it was even superior to it.
Evidence of this search for a superior national culture could be found in
the development of patriotic regional literature, in the evolution of new art forms,
in the search for purer forms of classical music and in the construction of new
ideals of womanhood. The literary movement led by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,
Tagore, Iqbal and Subramaniya Bharati provided leadership with imagination and fervor.
The movement, thus, not only talked of beauty and nationalism but also revealed to its
followers India in terms of its spirit, its philosophy, its arts, its poetry, its music and its
myriad ways of life. The sense of pride in the spiritual essence of Indian civilisation, as
 opposed to the material culture of the West, motivated Indians to confront the colonial
state in a newly emerging public space. This, in other words, provided the ideological
foundation of modern Indian nationalism that developed in the late nineteenth
century.
Q:-  Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the
Gandhian Phase. Elaborate.

Gandhian Phase in Indian freedom struggle is undoubtedly remarkable because of the

perspective Gandhiji provided to the masses and the way he guided the freedom
fighters with the means of truth and non-violence.
But there were numerous other simultaneous factors which further strengthened
Gandhi’s efforts and contributed to the nationalist movement.

Voices which strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement:

 Khilafat Movement (1919-22) was launched by the Indian Muslims to pressurise

the British government to preserve the authority of Ottoman Sultan as Caliph of Islam.
Gandhi and Congress leaders viewed it as an opportunity for cementing Hindu-
Muslim unity and bringing the Muslims in the National Movement although this event
is said to have brought the issue of religion in the freedom struggle.
 The ideological differences between the Swarajists and the No-
Changers within the congress led to serious changes and contribution. No-changers
continued their constructive programme of spinning, temperance, Hindu-Muslim unity,
removal of untouchability etc whereas Swarajists won the election of Central Legislative
Assembly in november 1923 filling the political void while the national movement was
regaining its strength.
 Marxism and other socialist ideas spread rapidly in 1927 under J.L. Nehru
and S.C. Bose’s leadership. The left wing did not confine its concern to freedom
struggle only but raised the question of internal class oppression by the capitalists
and landlords. It strengthened the voices of the marginalised and poor of the
country and connected them to the movements.
 Revolutionaries like R.P. Bismil, C.S. Azad and Bhagat Singh among others
took the responsibilities of informing people about a necessary revolution to uproot
British Empire. The Terrorist Movement in Bengal led by Surya Sen is notable
because of the role of revolutionary women who participated.
 Students and peasant parties got involved and propagated Marxist and
communist ideas while remaining an integral part of the national movement and the
Congress. In 1928, Bardoli Satyagraha occurred under the leadership of Sardar
Vallabh Bhai Patel bringing forward farmers’ concerns.
 There was rapid growth of trade unionism under the leadership of All India
Trade Union Congress and many strikes took place during 1928 like Kharagpur,
Jamshedpur and Bombay Textile Mill strike is the most important. The traders and
workers contributed to the struggle for independence.
 Women from all over India were not left alone. They came forward and equally
contributed to the national movement. Kasturba Gandhi, VIjay Laxmi Pandit, Aruna
 Asaf Ali, Bhikaji Cama are some of the most prominent who assumed leadership at
different fronts.

Even the Business class participated by giving financial assistance and rejecting

imported goods Every class, section, age group, political ideology emerged, came
forward and contributed to the national movement. Even though it weakened the
movement to some extent by the fragmentation and the internal ideological differences,
it mainly made the movement strong by diversifying it and adding alternative
perspectives to it. This multidimensional nature of the movement is one of the reasons
for its success in 1947 when finally all the unheard voices till then were heard.
Q:- Assess the role of British imperial power in complicating the process of transfer of
power during the 1940s.

Introduction
Britain never wanted to leave India but the promise to the Indian National Congress of
independence in return of Indian resources and army during World War Two; the post
war financial and political exhaustion; change in political power at the centre (Labour
Party) whose ideology favoured the Congress party; increasing global pressure and the
inability to crush Indian leaders’ will and efforts finally led to the Indian independence.
However, Britain did succeed in making the process of transfer of power so complicated
and hard that India still suffers from them.

Cabinet Mission

 Sir Stafford Cripps was responsible for drafting the Cabinet Mission Plan, which
proposed a complicated system for India with three tiers- the provinces, provincial
groupings and the centre. The centre’s power was confined to foreign affairs,
defence, currency and communication only.
 Three major groups of provinces: Group A, to include the Hindu-
majority provinces; Group B, containing the Muslim-majority provinces (western
Pakistan); and Group C, to include the Muslim-majority Bengal (eastern Pakistan).
 Even though both Nehru and Jinnah eventually refused to accept it, Lord
Wavell authorised a cabinet with Nehru as the Interim Prime Minister which enraged
Jinnah who in turn resorted to direct action of sparking riots and massacres.

Partition

 In July, 1947 the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act which

provided for the demarcation of India and Pakistan by midnight of August 14–15,
1947, in just one month. Two Nations Theory was an important factor here and
fuelled communalism.
 The task of demarcating the boundaries was given to a British lawyer, Sir Cyril
Radcliffe who had never visited the country before and was clueless about the social
and political consequences of his decision. Two boundary commissions were set up
for it.
 During partition, there was a large-scale communal violence and forced
migration of people, probably the biggest in history.

Autonomy to Princely States

 The British paramountcy on the princely states and all the existing treaties

of Britain with the princely states before the independence ended in 1947.
 As princely states were not a part of the British India, they became independent
and had the option to either merge with India or with Pakistan or to stay
independent.
 Even after the efforts of Lord Mountbatten, Nehru and Patel, few princely
states like Kashmir, Junagadh and Hyderabad posed some serious challenges in the
already troubled times.

Conclusion
It was hard to let go of the main resource supplier and the market consumer but when
the odds were not in favour of Britain, it gave independence to India but made sure to
create some contentious issues while leaving India. A lot of current day problems like
issue of enclaves with Bangladesh (later resolved through The Constitution 100th
Amendment Act, 2015), the migration issue, Kashmir issue between India-Pakistan etc.
have their roots in the complications created by the British imperial power during the
1940s.

2018

Q:- Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the
reconstruction of the history of India. (2018)

Reconstruction of Indian history of the ancient and medieval era is a daunting task
owing to lack of chronological records, and subjectivity in the interpretation of
archaeological and literary sources.
In this context, accounts of foreign travellers, who were eye witnesses to the events that
occurred at that time, become an important source to corroborate other sources of
history.
Chinese Accounts
Accounts of Fa-hien, Hsuan Tsang, and I-tsing have proved to be a valuable source of
information on the Gupta period and the years following the end of Gupta rule. They
provided vital information about:
  Socio-economic conditions in India - For example, Fa-hien mentions about
the Chandalas (untouchables) living outside the village. This shows that untouchablility
was prevalent in the society as early as 5th Century AD.
 Existing political conditions - For example, Hsuan Tsang’s account shows that
during Harsha’s reign (7th Century AD), Pataliputra was in a state of decline and on the
other hand, Prayag and Kannauj in the doab had emerged important.
 Nature of Buddhist doctrines, rituals, and monastic institutions in India
- For example - Hsuan Tsang and I-tsing provided vivid accounts of Nalanda.

Arab Accounts

 Arab travellers such as the merchants - Sulayman, Abu Zaid, etc. provided vivid
accounts on Indian culture and science, which are valuable sources for the study of
early medieval Indian history.
 Abu Zaid noted that most Indian princes while holding court, allowed their women
to be seen unveiled – highlighting that there was no system of purdah (veiling) in upper
class women in early medieval India.
 Arab travellers also provide information about the socio-economic condition
through their description of trade contacts and the wealth which was exclusively derived
from the trade with India.
 Arab travellers of the period like Al-Beruni and Ibn Battuta had direct personal
contacts with the people of Indian subcontinent which enabled them to give detailed first
hand information in their accounts about the economic, social and other activities of the
people.

Though there are issues associated with the reliability of the accounts provided by these
travellers owing to their personal biases, still they are key sources for finding out the
missing links in the reconstruction of Indian history.
Q:-  Throw light on the significance of thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times.
(2018

Gandhian thoughts underline the most humane way to resolve many of the problems
that plague our times, as can be ascertained from the list given below:

Gandhian
Significance
Thoughts

The ideal of non-violence needs to guide the approach of individuals as well as nations
Non-violence
and world-organizations, as violence initiates a vicious circle of repression and injustice.

The moral framework of resistance which marked satyagraha is especially pertinent in the
Satyagraha times when to be quiet or to collaborative seem to be the only dominant choice in face of
any injustice.

Swaraj In the age of markets laden with products based on generating and gratifying instinct of
 social approval and when public-imagination is becoming increasingly vulnerable to
demagogues, the idea of Swaraj which had economic, social, spiritual and political
connotations continues to be significant.

Eliminating
Caste disrimination has still not ceased to be a feature of Indian-public life. Gandhian ideal
Untouchabilit
of social consciousness to eliminate it needs to be taken forward.
y

Women With glass-ceiling still far from being shattered in the public sphere, the Gandhian thought
Emancipation of women emancipation continues to hold relevance.

Gandhian thoughts about compassion, punctuality and sanitation are the other ideals
that continue to hold value in our times marked by strife, procrastination in public and
private lives and casual attitude towards hygiene.
Ultimately, all ideals and thoughts of the Mahatma were reached by him via a process of
life long experimentation with truths and this makes Gandhian thoughts most significant
in what is also being called by a few as post-truth era.
Q:-  The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss. (2018)

Indian social set-up during the medieval period was based on Brahmanism
characterized by rigid caste division, rituals and methods of prayer. Bhakti Movement
was a reformative movement characterized by intense devotion or love for God. The
movement focused to reform Indian society which was shadowed by Brahmanical
dominance.
Bhakti Movement started from South India in the form of Vaishnavite and Shaivaite sect,
commonly known as Alvars and Nayanars respectively. Early 16th century was marked
by rise of Bhakti Saint Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Eastern India. He was a
Vaishanavit Saint and an ardent follower of Lord Krishna. According to his followers, he
was an incarnation of Lord Krishna.
Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu preached love, compassion, and non-violence. Though he was
a Brahmin, he condemned caste system and emphasized on equality for all. According
to him true worship lay in love and devotion. Bhakti Movement is known to transcend
the practice of strict rituals and religious practices. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is known to
have revolutionized and re-oriented Bhakti Movement, giving it impetus through
simplicity in teachings, propagating Bhakti ideas through his disciples, instructing them
to write books, and overall making it a mass movement
The very first mandate by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to his disciples was to go to each
house and ask people to chant ‘Hari Bol’. By this, he propagated amongst people the
practice of ‘Nama Simaran’ as a mode of devotion and love for God. Further, he
propagated his message of ‘Hari Bol’ through ‘Sankirtan Mandali’. In these Mandalies,
 devotees used to chant, sing and dance. Through Sankirtan, chanting of Hari Bol and
combined dance and chant, Mahaprabhu brought people from different caste, creed,
religion and sex together.
The message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or Gaudiya School of thought is now
propagated through ISKCON Movement across the world. It has participation of
devotees from around the world. In other words it can be said that Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu not only revolutionized Bhakti movement but also universalized it.
Q: Why indentured labour was taken by British from India to other colonies? Have
they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (2018)

Indentured labour was a system of bonded labour that was instituted following the
abolition of slavery throughout British Empire in 1833 as newly free men and women
refused to work for low wages on sugar, tea plantations and rail construction projects in
British colonies of West Indies, Fiji, Mauritius and Ceylon.

 In 19th century people were recruited as indentured labor from regions like
Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Central India and dry districts of Tamil Nadu as these
regions experienced many changes such as -
 Decline of cottage industries, rising land rents and clearing of land for mines and
plantations.
 All this affected lives of poor as they failed to pay their rents and became deeply
indebted – forcing them to migrate in search of work to escape poverty and famine.
 India’s large population provided the British Empire with a steady source of work
force. Thus, British exploited both the vulnerability and readily available large
population.

Once placed in British colonies, festivals such as Muharram, Holi served as a placental
link to preserve their cultural Identity.

 In Trinidad, the annual Muharram procession was transformed in to carnival

‘Hosay’ for Imam Hossain drawing a large crowd.
 The protest religion of RASTAFARIANISM popularized by Bob Marley reflects
social and cultural links with Indian migrants to Carribean.
 Chutney music became popular in Trinidad.
 Bollywood kept alive the cultural identity among indentured labor.
 A rigid caste system of Indian society melted as indentured people identified
more with ‘Indianness’, promoting fraternal feeling.
 Initiatives such as ’Know India Programme’ are conscious efforts by Government
of India to ensure a continuum of new generations with Indian ethos.

However, the Sri Lankan 13th Amendment to constitution is reminder that the quest to
preserve their culture continues in some places. By and large, indentured labour have
been able to retain their cultural heritage and renew their links with India both as potent
act of resistance and a powerful affirmation of their distinctness.
 2017
Q:-  Highlight the importance of new objective that got added to the vision of
Indian independence since the twenties of the last century. (2017)

HIDE ANSWER
The ‘twenties of the last century’ was the watershed moment for the Indian national
movement. With emergence of new scenarios and actors the movement became a true
mass movement.
This decade started on the backdrop of Russian Revolution and emergence of
communism as an alternative to Imperialism which presented a new ray of hope for the
colonies undergoing struggle for independence. With the rise of socialists and
communists in India, the issues of peasants and workers became an important objective
of Indian independence.
Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and with some initial experiments
on limited scale in Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad, finally in the early twenties he
was all set to take the leadership of Indian National Movement and this changed the
vision of Indian independence.

o Starting with Non Cooperation Movement in the early twenties, he led Civil

Disobedience Movement in early thirties and finally Quit India in early forties. In these
years, Indian national movement transformed from the movement of few middle
class elites, to a mass movement.
o The objectives of Independence became Swaraj and Sarvodaya where the fruit
of independence was to be tasted by the last man standing in the row and not mere the
transfer of power from one set of white elites to another Indian elites.
o After twenties the goal of political independence was gradually broadened by the
constructive programmes where the issues of untouchability and Hindu- Muslim unity
were also considered as important goals.
o Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy was shaped during Karachi resolution
of 1931.

Hence the vision of Indian independence was broadened in scale and scope after the
twenties of last century.
Q:-  Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India
crippled the rural economy. (2017)

HIDE ANSWER
When the Britishers took over, traditional Indian artisans ruled the world and supplied
about a quarter of all manufactured goods produced in the world as famously quoted by
Peter, the Great that ‘commerce of India was the commerce of world!’
 Nationalist economists proposed that with the beginning of British rule in mid-
eighteenth century, the process of deindustrialization started for the traditional artisanal
industry. The various reasons for that were:

o The traditional artisanal industry lost its many patrons, like rulers, zamindars etc.
after the coming of colonial rule.
o The colonial rule flooded Indian market with cheaper manufactured
goods against which Indian handicrafts lost the competition.
o The colonial rule also opened Indian markets with zero import tax which went
in favour of British manufactured goods. Moreover, Indian goods were severely
restricted in foreign markets due to various regulations and taxes leading to loss of
market.
o The artisans also suffered at the hands of colonial power by having to agree to
exploitative terms. The English carried on the put-out system of manufacture where the
artisan was supplied with the materials and the finished product was brought at a low
price. The English also procured raw cotton from peasants, at a low price and sold it at
exorbitant rates to the artisans. Thus, the artisan suffered both as a buyer and a
seller.
o With the advent of railways in mid-nineteenth century onwards the process of
deindustrialization was further fastened by colonial economic and commercial
penetration into the hinterlands of India.

This not only eroded the prosperous income base for millions of Indian artisans but
eroded the labour productivity of Indian agriculture due to crowding and the twin pillars
of traditional Indian rural economy were completely crumbled.
Thus, in a short span of just 200 years (1757-1947) the entire rural economy which was
self-sustained and prosperous for ages was completely crippled.
Q:- Why did the ‘Moderates’ fail to carry conviction with the nation about their
proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century?
(2017)

HIDE ANSWER
The moderates were not against the British rule per se and had strong belief in sense of
justice and goodness of the British rule. They pursued the policy of gradualism and
constitutionalism. Constitutional reforms, administrative re-organisation and protection
of civil rights were high on agenda and methods of prayers, petition and protest were
followed.
Moderates met limited success in later stages due to various reasons–

o The political jargons used by the moderates were alien to uneducated masses.
There was also lack of political faith in the masses. Thus people largely remained aloof.
o It was gradually realised that the British didn’t concede to any of the major
demands of the moderates.
o Indian Council Act 1892 was criticised. Moves such as further amplification of
repressive laws under IPC and reduction in number of members in Calcutta Corporation
didn’t go down well with progressive elements in INC.  
o Political ideologies of the moderates were blamed to be inefficient. Methods
followed by moderates were described as political mendicancy. The result
was emergence of a more militant school of thought.

However, the role of moderates can also not be negated. They were first to create
national awakening among Indians and prepared a solid ground for mass
oriented national movement at later stages that followed.

Q:-  Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a
fragmented polity? (2017)

HIDE ANSWER
The first half of the eighteenth century witnessed decline and disintegration of the
mighty Mughal Empire and rise of virtually independent regional powers. Lack of strong
central authority and emergence of regional power weakened the political structure that
led to rise of foreign power.
Factors that could be considered to play potent role in fragmented polity were–

o The Mughal court saw a host of weak emperors in succession, emperors who
were incapable to command the glorious empire and would rather indulge
in wasteful extravagance of pomp and show. Courtrooms became kingmaker’s ground
for treachery and war of succession became recurrent.
o A number of powerful kingdoms such as Bengal, Avadh, Hyderabad and Mysore
arose and became virtually independent from the Mughal Empire. 
o The weakened Mughal Empire was challenged by Marathas time and again.
Marathas captured vast swathes of territory in northern and central India.
o The remaining illusion of continued domination of Mughal power was shattered
by Nadir Shah’s (Shah of Persia) invasion of India in 1739.
o Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali also made frequent inroads into Punjab and
finally took over Delhi in 1756-57. Marathas, who were considered as only contender to
fill the power vacuum in Delhi, were defeated by Abdali's forces in the Third Battle of
Panipat (1761). The war didn’t decide who will rule India but who would not.

After these series of events, the Mughal Empire ceased to exist as an all-India empire in
practice. The British took advantage of the entire situation. They defeated the forces of
Bengal in Battle of Plassey and finally combined forces of Bengal, Awadh and Mughal
were crushed in Battle of Buxar.

2016
Q:- Explain how the upraising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the
evolution of British policies towards colonial India. (2016)

HIDE ANSWER
The Revolt of 1857 gave a severe jolt to the British administration in India and made its
re-organization inevitable. The Government of India’s structure and policies underwent
significant changes after the Revolt.
Changes in Administration: By the Act of Parliament of 1858, the power to govern
India was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown. The authority
over India was now to be exercised by a Secretary of State for India aided by a Council.
The Indian Council Act of 1861 enlarged the Governor’s Council for the purpose of
making laws, which was known as the Imperial Legislative Council.
Provincial Administration: The British had divided India for administrative
convenience into provinces, three of which- Bengal, Bombay and Madras-were known
as Presidencies. The Presidencies were administered by a Governor and his Executive
Council of three, who were appointed by the Crown.
Changes in the army: The domination of the army by its European branch was
carefully guaranteed. The proportion of Europeans to Indians in the army was raised.
The crucial branches of artillery, tanks and armored corps were put exclusively in
European hands. The Indians were strictly excluded from the higher posts.
Divide and Rule: Immediately after the revolt they suppressed Muslims, confiscated
their lands and property on a large scale, and declared Hindus to be their favorite. After
1870, this policy was reversed and an attempt was made to turn Muslims against the
nationalist movement. The Government cleverly used the attraction of government
service to create a split between the educated Hindus and Muslims.
Relations with Princely States: Loyalty of Princely States was now rewarded with the
announcement that their right to adopt heirs would be respected and the integrity of
their territories guaranteed against future annexation.
The officials became hostile to the educated Indians when the latter began to organise a
nationalist movement among the people and founded the Indian National Congress.
The lands of most of the talukdars of Awadh were restored to them. The zamindars and
landlords were now hailed as the traditional and ‘natural’ leaders of the Indian people.
Their interest and privilege were protected and they, in turn, became the firm supporters
of British rule in India.
Hence, in essence, uprising in 1857 was an important mark from which the British
government started consolidating its hold over India, with an aim of having long lasting
empire.
Q:-  Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the
Gandhian phase. (2016)
 HIDE ANSWER
The freedom struggle in India symbolized a cauldron in which various sections of
society contributed according to their potential to create a flavor of nationalism. In this
context the role of women is very significant. The role of women in national movement
evolved through various stages during which they were awarded different roles. Initially
stages, the literati portrayed Indian women as ‘Mother’ and linked it to ‘Bharat
Mata’ (in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya’s Anand Nath). The reform movements of
19th century presented the image of Ideal mother, Ideal wife and Ideal sister.
Women’s active participation in mass movements began with the Swadeshi Movement
in 1905 and only grew in later movements. Gandhiji accorded special role to women in
NCM and CDM. He glorified their strength despite accepting their biological and social
limitations. During Gandhian struggles the image of women changed from motherhood
to sisterhood. To inspire confidence in them, Gandhiji presented examples
of Sita and Damayanti. Some of women leaders during Gandhian struggle are as
follows:

 Anusuya Ben — Accompanied gandhiji in his tours and actively participated in

1918 Ahmedabad Textile milk strikes.
 Sarojini Naidu — Led the raid on Dharasana salt works during civil movement
following gandhiji arrest along with his son Manilal.
 Mridula Sarabai — A Gandhian who worked with Vanara Sena (Organised by
Indira Gandhi).
 Besant — Helped Gandhiji organised Rowlatt Satyagrahs through Home Rule
Leagues.

In addition to these Gandhian leaders, women also participated in freedom struggle in

other capacities:

 Revolutionary Extremists — Kalpana Dutta (Chittagong Armoury raid), Bina

Das/shot Bengal governor point blank, Durga Bhabhi/member of HSRA) etc.
 Women during Quit India Movement — Usha Mehta (Congress Radio),
Sucheta Kriplani/Underground movement) etc.
 Indian National Army’s Rani Jhansi regiment led by Lakshmi Swaminadhan
(Sehgal).

Q:- Highlight the difference in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and
Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom. (2016)

HIDE ANSWER
Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose were both legendary personalities,
gigantic in their political moral and ethical stature. Both played crucial roles in the
freedom movement. They were both internationalists and humanists as well as secular
in their approach and anti-social in their outlook. In spite of their common thought
process, there were glaring differences in their approach. They are as follows:
 Subhash Chandra Bose was a radical socialist meaning that he wanted to
change the existing socio-economic situation whereas Gandhi was a conservative.
 The young members, of INC including Bose demanded complete self-rule without
any compromise while the senior members were okay with dominion status for India
within British rule.
 Bose had a strong revolutionary urge to achieve freedom while Gandhi believed
in passive resistance.
 Bose proposed the idea of complete Independence from the British rule. He
wanted Swaraj based on all out struggle. Gandhi on the other hand believed in the
concept of Struggle-Truce-Struggle. Gandhi was in favour of trusteeship theory and
aspired village to be self-sustained economy.
 Bose was a strong supporter of Fascism which was obvious in his strong belief
that India needed a political system which was a mix of fascism and communism.
Gandhi on the other hand was an anti fascist who did not propagate any such extreme
political system.
 Bose was open to the idea of taking foreign assistance to achieve freedom as
seen in the formation of Indian national Association while Gandhi was completely
against any such idea.

Despite their ideological defferences both Gandhi and Bose spoke highly of each other.
There were occasions when Bose praised Gandhi for his success in involvement of
women in freedom struggle. Even Gandhi while differing from Bose’s extreme methods
had utmost admiration for his unique effort for India’s freedom, mainly his struggle for
freedom from outside India. Cue must be taken from these two great leaders’ tolerance
and respect towards each other even after serious difference of opinion.
POST INDEPENDENCE CONSOLIDATION
 Has the formation of linguistic states strengthened the cause of Indian unity?
(2016)

Though the demand for linguistic states precedes India’s independence, it was resisted
by national leaders in the early years of independence. It was feared that demand for
separate states along linguistic lines would endanger the unity of the young nation. It
was felt that linguistic states may foster separatism and create pressures on the newly
founded nation.
However, the prophets of gloom and doom have been disproved. Linguistic states have
strengthened not weakened Indian unity. It did not lead to the disintegration of the
country as was feared. By accepting linguistic claims of all regions, the threat of division
and separatism was reduced. The linguistic states underlined the acceptance of the
principle of diversity. By embracing democracy, India did not merely adopt this format of
elections, but it was a choice in favour of recognizing and accepting the existence of
difference which could at times be oppositional. By reorganizing states on linguistic
lines, a major grievance and source of discord was removed which could have led to
separatist tendencies.
 Further, linguistic states have in no manner adversely affected the federal structure of
the union. The central government wields as much authority as it did before. If anything,
national government has been strengthened by the creation of coherent state units
which could be administered through a medium that the vast majority of the population
understands.
In hindsight, instead of being a force of division, language has proved to be a cementing
and integrating influence.
ART AND CULTURE

 Q:- 1. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in

Gandhara art.

HIDE ANSWER

Gandhara art is a style of Buddhist visual art that developed between the 1st century
BCE and the 7th century CE in what is now northwestern Pakistan and eastern
Afghanistan. The region came under the political influence of a variety of kingdoms
which resulted in the emergence of a mixed school of art. The sculptural tradition in
Gandhara had the confluence of Bactria, Parthia and the local Gandhara tradition.
However, the real patrons of this school of art were the Scythians and the Kushanas,
particularly Kanishka.
Features of Gandhara art borrowed from Greco-Bactria:

 The Gandhara school drew upon the anthropomorphic traditions of Roman

religion and represented the Buddha with a youthful Apollo-like face, dressed in
garments resembling those seen on Roman imperial statues. Its significance lies in the
fact that until then Buddha was not represented in a human-like figure.
 Wavy hair in a top knot, sometimes a moustache on the face, urna (a
dot or third eye) between the eyebrows, elongated earlobes, garment with thick pleats
usually covering both shoulders, and muscular formation of the body are other
resembling features.
 Other motifs and techniques that Gandhara school incorporated from
classical Roman art, include vine scrolls, cherubs bearing garlands, tritons, and
centaurs.
 The images having physiognomic features depicting symbolic
expression such as of calmness, sharp outlines, smooth surface, expressive
images etc. are the centre point of attraction.

Gandhara art not only assimilated the features of Hellenistic art but also borrowed many
West Asiatic and Central Asiatic features such as:
 Disc-shaped attribute behind the head of Buddha was associated with
solar deities of ancient Persian and Greek art.
 Figures with conical and pointed caps on their heads resemble the
Scythian caps of similar design.
 The regular depiction of fire worship in the Gandhara art, a trait which was
probably derived from Iranian sources.

The foreign elements imbibed in the Gandhara art not only placed it on a high pedestal
of artistic achievements but also made possible the naturalistic depiction of the human
form for the first time in the Indian art history.

 2018

1. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment.

Discuss. (2018)

HIDE ANSWER

India has a vast basket of diverse art and cultural heritage which need institutional
support and encouragement to address areas critical for their survival and preservation.
We need to preserve our art heritage because of the following reasons.

 Presently, many Indian art forms are on the verge of extinction such as
Manjusha painting of Bihar, traditional art of Puppetry, Parsi embroidery, Naga craft,
Dhokra handicraft, etc., which need protection and preservation.
 India has a unique identity in the world for its art and culture which
represents Indian civilization on world platform and if it vanishes the uniqueness of India
will get affected.
 For many tribal communities, art and craft is the source of income.
 This is also the source of attraction for tourism which contributes to
economic development of the country.
 Art heritage also represents “unity in diversity” of India and builds a bridge
between people living abroad to get connected with their native country.
 Art and culture is also a part of soft power in world politics.

Government has started many initiatives to preserve the rich art heritage of the country,
such as, Scheme for Conservation of Wall Painting (1996-97), Ek Bharat Shresth
Bharat programe, Tribal haats, GI tag to the local products, e-haat, etc. Apart from strict
implementation of such programmes, Government should provide financial assistance
 to strengthen regional and local museums, preserve art heritage through virtual media,
and promote local paintings on products like wallet, mobile cover, pillow cover, etc.

 2016

1. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives

successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate. (2016)

HIDE ANSWER

After the death of the Buddha, Stupas were raised in his honor. The relics of the
Buddha were distributed to different kingdoms and Stupas were erected over them. The
Buddhist Stupa transcends its predecessor, the burial mound, by shifting the emphasis
from a particular relic to a higher transcendental actuality as realized by the Buddha, i.e.
the Buddha's enlightenment.

 The Jataka stories were depicted on the torans of Stupas. The Jataka
stories are a method of teaching Buddhists the lessons of karma, samsara and dharma.
The overall structure of the Jataka Tales is about the cycle of samsara that the Buddha
had to experience before reaching enlightenment.
 The main structure of the Great Stupa consisted of a flattened
hemispherical dome, called an anda, placed atop a cylindrical base. Anda, literally an
egg, alluded not only to the shape, but to its deeper significance as a symbol of latent
creative power.
 The anda was also intended as an architectural replica of the infinite dome
of heaven, representing the cycle of death and rebirth.
 The harmika, located at the summit of the anda, symbolized the zenith
beyond life and death (nirvana). Its resemblance to a sacrificial altar was of particular
significance for the attainment of nirvana required the sacrifice of the self and the world
(what was below needed to be sacrificed to reach the top).
 The parasol was always a distinguishing feature that implied royalty and
dignity; it symbolized the sacred Tree of Life or enlightenment.
 The three elements of the chattra at Sanchi represented the Three Jewels
of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma (the Law), and the Sangha (the community of
monks).
 Vedikas were repeated around the stupa and on the terrace on which the
anda rested (medhi level). They served to demarcate the boundary of the sacred
precinct with the secular world.
 In this way Buddhist stupa-art successfully expounds Buddhist ideals.

 2017

1. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta
numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times? (2017)

HIDE ANSWER

Gupta coins are among the most remarkably detailed coins from ancient India featuring
exquisite artistic details. They stand out from coins crafted during the reign of other
dynasties on following counts:

 Achievement of remarkable craftsmanship was evident by the finesse of

the variety of images carved on both faces of the coin and its smooth and even wedges.
 Detailed carvings ranged from Chandragupta riding a horse to
Samudragupta playing a Veena and the Goddess Lakshmi to a sacrificial horse for
Ashvamedha ceremony and so on.
 Apart from these detailed images, there were inscriptions as well, often
adding details of the image inscribed on the coin.
 Also, most of the important kings of Gupta dynasty are now believed to
have had multiple coin-types during the course of their reign, in which older designs
were dropped and newer motifs were adopted.
 Scholars have pointed out that such designs were made possible by use
of clay-molds by skilled mint-masters.

In the post-Gupta period, not only the quality of gold coins fell, but also the numbers of
gold coins being issued dropped drastically. Due to systemic economic distresses,
town-based artisans producing good quality coins were forced to migrate to the
countryside causing a decline of craft production and a decay of townships. Without
urban centres and foreign trade, and with increasing decentralisation of political power
which had resulted from the urban to rural migration of artisans, the excellence of Gupta
numismatic art could not be sustained or recreated in the times that followed.

o 2016
 2. Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an
accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning
and literature. Discuss. (2016)

HIDE ANSWER

Krishnadeva Raya who ruled the kingdom of Vijayanagara was one of the greatest
statesmen which medieval South India had produced. Called variously as
‘Kannadaraya’, ‘Sri Karnata Mahisa’ and ‘Kannada Rajya Ramaramana’, his rule saw all
round prosperity of South India, culturally and materialistically.
Krishnadeva Raya was a great patron of literature and was known as Abhinava Bhoja.
Himself being a scholar, he wrote the Telugu work Amuktamalyada and a Sanskrit
play, Jambavati Kalyana.

 He had eight great scholars called Ashtadiggajas in his court. They

included Allasani Peddana often described as the Andhra-kavitapitamaha. His famous
work was Manucharitamu; another famous poet was Nandi Thimmanna, the author
of Parijathapaharanamu.
 Other eminent literary luminaries were Tenali Ramakrishna, Kumara
Dhurjati and Rama Raja Bhushana.
 He asked the Kannada poet Thimmanna to complete the Kannada
Mahabharatha started by Kumara Vyasa.
 Telugu poet Peddanna was personally honoured by him for his proficiency
in Telugu and Sanskrit and Krishnadevaraya himself gave a helping hand to lift the
palanquin in which the poets book 'Manucharitamu' was placd and taken in a
procession.

It is said whenever Krishna-devaraya met the poet while riding on his elephant, he gave
him a lift. According to Nidatavolu Venkata Rao, the reign of Krishnadevaraya is a
glorious chapter in the South Indian literary history. The imperial court had
representatives of Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil poets, who contributed largely
to their respective literatures.

WORLD HISTORY

 2017

4. What problems were germane to the decolonization process in the

Malay Peninsula? (2017)
 HIDE ANSWER

Malay Peninsula was under the British influence since they first came in the late
18th century looking towards Southeast Asia for new resources. Since then the British
East India Company traded and partly controlled the region. The growth of their China
trade further increased the company’s desire for bases in the region near it.
The decolonization of Malaya Peninsula was an extension of the series of
decolonization movements going across the Asia and Africa and was influenced from
this process which speeded-up after the World War-II.

o Malay Peninsula was a multi-racial, multi-cultural society with Malay

Chinese and Indians forming major ethnic and interest groups which was a suitable
condition for colonial powers to consolidate their regime.
o Fall of Singapore and Japanese advances in Malay Peninsula during the
World War–II forced the British to consider reassessment of its non-interventionist
policies in favour of ethnic cooperation and multiracial government in this region. But
with the presence of diverse interest of different groups reaching to a consensus was a
tough task.
o Cold War ideological rivalry was prevalent in Malayan Peninsula too
where with the rise of commintern aligned communist parties like Malayan Communist
Party and Chinese Communist Organization, the fear of Malayan Peninsula falling to the
Communists emerged.  It was a nightmare for the liberal democracies/ colonial powers
(i.e. British) which ensured transfer of power to ideologically friendly regimes.

The decolonization of Malayan Peninsula was largely a result of long reconciliation

process between the Malayan nationalist and the European colonial powers.  Their
mutual compromise gave the British the confidence to speed up the process of
decolonization through a smooth decolonization process.

 2016

7. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of
Western-educated Africans. Examine. (2016)

HIDE ANSWER

The anti colonial struggles in West Africa as response to European imperialism

assumed both violent and non-violent form of resistance and spanned from late
nineteenth century to mid twentieth century. The form of resistance depended upon
number of factors - influence of religion, nature of the colony, degree of imperialism etc.
 The role of intellectuals in the freedom struggle in various phases stood out as beacon
of hope for later movements (apartheid in South Africa in second half of twentieth
century). One of the outstanding figures in West Africa colonial struggle was Samouri
Toure. He created large Mandinka Empire in West Africa and his struggle is a significant
example of pragmatic resistance against French. He manufactured firearms, relocated
his kingdom and engaged in diplomacy with both French and British.
Another form of resistance continued alongside violent resistance i.e. , the use of
propaganda through press and literature by intellectuals. J.T. Jabavu established the
press ‘Native opinion’ (Imvozaba NTsundu) through which Black south Africans
expressed their opinions. The ‘Lagos weakly Record’ was founded by John Payne
Jackson, an America-Liberian journalist who was influential in Lagos, Nigeria in 19th–
20th Century.
Besides press, the African intelligentsia also used societies, clubs and associations as
vehicles for arising consciousness and disseminating information. The Gold Coast
Aborigines Rights Protection Society (APRS) was one was one such associations
formed in 1880s. In 1898 the ARPS successfully sent a petition to London to address
issues with land Bill, and later for repealing the Town council ordinance. Another
important organization founded in twentieth century was the ‘National Congress of
British west Africa’ located in the gold cost which consisted of mostly African intellectual.

 2019

13. Explain how the foundations of the modern world were laid by the
American and French revolutions.

HIDE ANSWER

The American Revolution and the French Revolution are considered as a cardinal
epoch in world history. It gave a death blow to the old orthodox system of governance
and installed modern ideals for governing nations.

American Revolution’s contribution to Modern World

o Principles of liberty and democracy: The declaration of independence

proclaimed that “all men are equal”. It provided an impetus to the people of the world to
demand liberty and freedom.
o Constitutionalism: The revolution led to the first written constitution in the
world which served as an inspiration for many nations who borrowed many ideas from
the American constitution.
o The American war of independence gave birth to a novel system of
government, viz, Federalism. In the course of time, the federal form of government got
popularity. This provided a nice template for powersharing in diverse countries that
needed complex polities.
o Promotion of Human Rights: The American war of independence laid
stress on the rights of the human being. The “Declaration of Rights” of Thomas
Jefferson awakened the people about their rights.

French Revolution’s contribution to Modern World

o The democratisation of society: The French Revolution was a pan-

European revolution. It hacked the roots of the ancient system in Europe and ended the
centuries-old feudal system. Before the revolution, the society was based on inequality,
disparity, privileges and concessions. The revolution attacked the roots of this disparity.
It initiated a new social organization.
o Ideals of modernity: liberty, equality and fraternity brought political
awakening in Europe.
o Secularism: The revolution ended the sovereignty, despotism and
corruption of the Church. The importance of the worship of intellect and reason became
more prominent.
o The people demanded not only political freedom but also right to property
and freedom of expression. They also demanded voting rights. Women claimed equal
rights with men.
o The Revolution aroused the spirit of nationalism. It paved the way for the
unification of Italy and Germany. It also popularized the concept of democracy.
o Colonised peoples reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their
movements to create a sovereign nation-state.
o Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of individuals who
responded to the ideas coming from revolutionary France.

French and American revolution not only laid the edifice for a newly emerging
egalitarian society and a new way of polity in their respective countries but they also
acted as the philosophical basis and aspiration of the people of other nations. The
revolutions highlighted the fundamentals of a civilised world which continues to shape
the global aspirations of today’s time.