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Literature

Asked 33 times in UPSC Prelims · first asked 1996 · last asked 2023

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With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs: Literary work - Author: 1. Devichandragupta - Bilhana 2. Hammira-Mahakavya - Nayachandra Suri 3. Milinda-panha - Nagarjuna 4. Nitivakyamrita - Somadeva Suri. How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

2023Art & Culture
AOnly one
BOnly two
COnly three
DAll four

Explanation

In ancient Indian history, the pairs "Hammira-Mahakavya - Nayachandra Suri" and "Nitivakyamrita - Somadeva Suri" are correctly matched. Nayachandra Suri was the author of Hammira-Mahakavya, while Somadeva Suri wrote Nitivakyamrita. The other pairs, Devichandragupta - Bilhana and Milinda-panha - Nagarjuna, are not correctly matched.

Which one of the following statements about Sangam literature in ancient South India is correct?

2022Art & Culture
ASangam poems are devoid of any reference to material culture.
BThe social classification of Varna was known to Sangam poets.
CSangam poems have no reference to warrior ethic.
DSangam literature refers to magical forces as irrational.

Explanation

Sangam literature in ancient South India provides insights into the social structure of that time, including the knowledge of the social classification system of Varna. This indicates that Sangam poets were aware of the Varna system and incorporated references to it in their works, reflecting the societal norms and divisions prevalent during the Sangam period.

With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous

2021Art & Culture
AJain monks
Bplaywrights
Ctemple architects
Dphilosophers

Explanation

Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla, and Kshemeshvara were notable Sanskrit playwrights in ancient India. They are known for their contributions to classical Indian drama and have authored several renowned plays.

Who among the following is associated with 'Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?

2021Art & Culture
ABal Gangadhar Tilak
BJawaharlal Nehru
CMohandas Karamchand Gandhi
DSarojini Naidu

Explanation

'Songs from Prison' is a collection of translations of ancient Indian religious lyrics into English. This work is associated with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was a prominent leader in the Indian National Movement. Gandhi's time in prison allowed him to reflect on spirituality and Indian culture, leading to the translation of these songs.

With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements: 1. Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga 2. Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana 3. Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta-II. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

2020Art & Culture
A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C3 only
D1,2 and 3

Explanation

Panini is associated with the 5-6th Century BCE Period, known for his work the Astdhyayi, while Pushyamitra Shunga ruled in the Post Mauryan Period during the 2nd Century BCE. Amarasimha was part of the Court of Chandra Gupta-II, one of the Navratna. Kalidasa also belonged to the Court of Chandra Gupta-II. Therefore, the correct statement is that Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta-II, making option (c) the correct answer.

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer: List-I (Book): A. In Custody B. Sea of Poppies C. The Argumentative Indian D. Unaccustomed Earth List-II (Author): 1. Amartya Sen 2. Amitav Ghosh 3. Anita Desai 4. Jhumpa Lahiri

2009Art & Culture
AA-4; B-1; C-2; D-3
BA-4; B-2; C-1; D-3
CA-3; B-2; C-1; D-4
DA-3; B-1; C-2; D-4

Explanation

Within the Indian Panorama topic, candidates were asked to match a list of books with their respective authors. The books included were "In Custody," "Sea of Poppies," "The Argumentative Indian," and "Unaccustomed Earth." The correct matching was as follows: "In Custody" by Anita Desai, "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh, "The Argumentative Indian" by Amartya Sen, and "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri. The correct combination was A-3; B-2; C-1; D-4.

Who of the following is the author of a collection of poems called "Golden Threshold"?

2009Art & Culture
AAruna Asaf Ali
BAnnie Besant
CSarojini Naidu
DVijayalakshmi Pandit

Explanation

The collection of poems titled "Golden Threshold" was authored by Sarojini Naidu.

Who of the following is the author of the book "The Audacity of Hope"?

2009Art & Culture
AAl Gore
BBarack Obama
CBill Clinton
DHillary Clinton

Explanation

The book "The Audacity of Hope" was written by Barack Obama in 2006.

Who among the following wrote the poem, Subh-e Azadi?

2008Art & Culture
ASahir Ludhiyanvi
BFaiz Ahmed Faiz
CMuhammad Iqbal
DMaulana Abul Kalam Azad

Explanation

The poem "Subh-e Azadi" was penned in August 1947 following India's partition.

Match List-I with List-II: A. Bankimchandra B. Dinabandhu Mitra C. Premchand with 1. Shatranj ke Khilari 2. Debi Chaudhurani 3. Nil-Darpan 4. Chandrakanta

2008Art & Culture
AA-2; B-4; C-1
BA-3; B-4; C-2
CA-2; B-3; C-1
DA-3; B-1; C-4

Explanation

Devi Chaudhurani is a novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterji, while Nil Darpan is a play by Dinabandhu Mitra. Shatranj ke Khilari was written by Munsi Premchandra.

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer: List-I (Writer): A. V S Naipaul B. Salman Rushdie C. Paul Scott D. J G Farrell List-II (Book): 1. The Siege of Krishnapur 2. In a Free State 3. Midnight's Children 4. Staying On

2007Art & Culture
AA-2; B-3; C-4; D-1
BA-4; B-1; C-2; D-3
CA-2; B-1; C-4; D-3
DA-4; B-3; C-2; D-1

Explanation

In the matching exercise on Indian Panorama, the task was to pair the writers from List-I with their respective books from List-II. The correct match was A-2; B-3; C-4; D-1, which means V S Naipaul wrote "In a Free State," Salman Rushdie penned "Midnight's Children," Paul Scott authored "Staying On," and J G Farrell was the author of "The Siege of Krishnapur."

Who among the following wrote the book Bahubivah?

2007Art & Culture
ARaja Rammohan Roy
BIshwar Chandra Vidyasagar
CPandita Rambai
DRabindranath Tagore

Explanation

The book "Bahubivah" was authored in opposition to the practice of polygamy. The title is derived from the combination of "bahu" meaning many or more than one, and "bivah" meaning marriage.

For which one of the following books did Kiran Desai win the Man Booker prize 2006?

2007Art & Culture
AThe Secret River
BIn the Country of Men
CThe Inheritance of Loss
DMother's Milk

Explanation

Kiran Desai won the Man Booker Prize in 2006 for her second novel, "The Inheritance of Loss."

How is Gabriel Garcia Marquez well-known as

2007Art & Culture
AKnown for research in agriculture
BA renowned football coach
CA great writer who won the Nobel Prize for literature
DKnown for research in railway engineering

Explanation

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a Colombian writer, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 for his novels, short stories, screenplays, and journalism work. He is well-known for his contributions to literature.

Match List-l (Author) with List II (Book) and select the correct answer: List-I: A. Amartya Sen B. Bimal Jalan C. Arundhati Roy D. Mani Shankar Aiyar List-II: 1. An Ordinary Person Guide to Empire 2. The Argumentative Indian 3. The future of India 4. Confessions of a secular Fundamentalist

2006Art & Culture
AA-4; B-3; C-2; D-1
BA-2; B-3; C-1; D-4
CA-3; B-2; C-4; D-1
DA-2; B-3; C-4; D-1

Explanation

In this question, you were asked to match the authors with their respective books. The correct combination is: Amartya Sen with 'The Argumentative Indian,' Bimal Jalan with 'The Future of India,' Arundhati Roy with 'An Ordinary Person Guide to Empire,' and Mani Shankar Aiyar with 'Confessions of a Secular Fundamentalist.' The correct answer option is (b).

Which one of the following is not correctly matched? Prominent Indian Writer - Language

2006Art & Culture
ARaja Rao : Telugu
BGobind Trimbuk Desnpande : Marathi
CSubramaniyam Bharati : Tamil
DTara Shankar Joshi : Gujarati

Explanation

Raja Rao, known for his English language novels and short stories, with a strong foundation in Hinduism, was incorrectly matched with Telugu in the question.

Who is Wole Soyinka?

2006Art & Culture
AA well-known economist.
BA well-known football player.
CA well-known industrialist owning steel plants in many parts of the world.
DA Nobel Prize winner for literature.

Explanation

Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright and poet named Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Babatunde Soyinka. He made history as the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.

Which one of the following pairs is not matched?

2006Art & Culture
ASigmund Freud Psychoanalysis
BAnna Freud Child psychiatry
CMilton Friedman Economics
DEric R. Kandel Literature

Explanation

Eric Richard Kandel, an American neuropsychiatrist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2000 for his studies on how memories are stored in neurons.

Match List-I (Distinguished Ladies) with List-II (Area of work) and select the correct answer: List-I: A. Jhumpa Lahiri B. Sunita Narain C. Naina Lal Kidwai D. Ravina Raj Kohli List-II: 1. Science and environment 2. Novel-writing 3. Film industry 4. Banking 5. Television media

2004Art & Culture
AA-4; B-5; C-3; D-1
BA-2; B-1; C-4; D-5
CA-4; B-1; C-3; D-5
DA-2; B-5; C-4; D-1

Explanation

In the Indian Panorama topic, you were asked to match a list of distinguished women with their respective areas of work. The options provided were: (a) Jhumpa Lahiri - Banking; Sunita Narain - Television media; Naina Lal Kidwai - Film industry; Ravina Raj Kohli - Science and environment. (b) Jhumpa Lahiri - Novel-writing; Sunita Narain - Science and environment; Naina Lal Kidwai - Banking; Ravina Raj Kohli - Television media. (c) Jhumpa Lahiri - Banking; Sunita Narain - Novel-writing; Naina Lal Kidwai - Film industry; Ravina Raj Kohli - Television media. (d) Jhumpa Lahiri - Novel-writing; Sunita Narain - Television media; Naina Lal Kidwai - Banking; Ravina Raj Kohli - Science and environment. The correct answer was (b), with Jhumpa Lahiri being associated with Novel-writing, Sunita Narain with Science and environment, Naina Lal Kidwai with Banking, and Ravina Raj Kohli with Television media.

Which of the following authors won the Booker Prize twice?

2004Art & Culture
AMargaret Atwood
BJ.M. Coetzee
CGraham Swift
DIan McEwan

Explanation

The author who won the Booker Prize twice is J.M. Coetzee, a writer from South Africa. He received the prestigious award in 1983 for 'Life and Times of Michael K' and again in 1999 for 'Disgrace'.

Dilip Kaur Tiwana is well known as a:

2003Art & Culture
Aliterature
Bmusician
Cscientist
Dsportsperson

Explanation

Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana is widely recognized as a leading author of novels and short stories in modern Punjabi literature.

Match List-I (Book) with List-II (Author) and select the correct answer: List-I: A. Autobiography of an Unknown Indian B. India : A Wounded Civilization C. Confessions of a Lover D. The English Teacher List-II: 1. Mulk Raj Anand 2. Nirad C. Chaudhari 3. R. K. Narayan 4. V.S. Naipaul

2002Art & Culture
AA-1; B-3; C-2; D-4
BA-2; B-4; C-1; D-3
CA-1; B-4; C-2; D-3
DA-2; B-3; C-1; D-4

Explanation

In the matching exercise between List-I (Book) and List-II (Author), the correct pairing is as follows: Autobiography of an Unknown Indian is written by Nirad C. Chaudhuri, India: A Wounded Civilization is authored by V.S. Naipaul, Confessions of a Lover is penned by Mulk Raj Anand, and The English Teacher is written by R.K. Narayan. The correct matching sequence is A-2; B-4; C-1; D-3, which is option (b).

Assertion (A): The Aham and Puram poems of the Padinen Kilukanakku group formed a continuation of the Sangam composition. Reason (R): They were included under the post-Sangam works as against the Sangam works proper.

2000Art & Culture
ABoth A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
BBoth A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
CA is true but R is false
DA is false but R is true

Explanation

During the Sangam period, the didactic works known as Kilukanakku, which include Tirukurral and Naladiyar, were created. The Aham and Puram poems of the Kilukanakku group were composed after the Sangam period, continuing the tradition of Sangam compositions. This places them in the category of post-Sangam works rather than the original Sangam works.

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

2000Art & Culture
ABaki Itihas : Badal Sarkar
BSita Swayamvar : Vishnu Das Bhave
CYayati : Girish Karnad
DGiddha : Jabbar Patel

Explanation

In the Indian Panorama, which of the following pairs is incorrectly matched? (a) Baki Itihas : Badal Sarkar (b) Sita Swayamvar : Vishnu Das Bhave (c) Yayati : Girish Karnad (d) Giddha : Jabbar Patel. The correct answer is (c). The novel "Yayati" was written by V. S. Khandekar in Marathi. This work earned him both the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960 and the Jnanpith Award in 1974.

Match List I (Books) with List II (Authors) and select the correct answer: List-I (Books): A. My Music My Life B. Adha Gaon C. Radha D. The Pilferer List-II (Authors): 1. Laxman Gaikwad 2. Rahi Masoom Raza 3. Ramakanta Rath 4. Ravi Shankar

2000Art & Culture
AA-3; B-2; C-4; D-1
BA-4; B-2; C-3; D-1
CA-4; B-1; C-3; D-2
DA-3; B-1; C-4; D-2

Explanation

In the question about Indian Panorama, the task was to match a list of books with their respective authors. "My Music My Life" was authored by Pandit Ravi Shankar, "Adha Gaon" by Rahi Masoom Raza, "Radha" by Ramakanta Rath, and "The Pilferer" by Laxman Gaikwad. The correct match was A-4; B-2; C-3; D-1, which means that Pandit Ravi Shankar wrote "My Music My Life," Rahi Masoom Raza wrote "Adha Gaon," Ramakanta Rath wrote "Radha," and Laxman Gaikwad wrote "The Pilferer."

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List-I (Writers): A. Sashi Tharoor B. Amitav Ghosh C. Anita Desai D. Vikram Chandra List-II (Books): 1. Clear light of Day 2. Circle of Reason 3. Love and Longing in Bombay 4. Show Business

1999Art & Culture
AA-4; B-2; C-1; D-3
BA-4; B-2; C-3; D-1
CA-2; B-4; C-3; D-3
DA-2; B-4; C-3; D-1

Explanation

In this question, you were asked to match the writers with their respective books. The correct match is Shashi Tharoor with Show Business, Amitav Ghosh with Circle of Reason, Anita Desai with Clear Light of Day, and Vikram Chandra with Love and Longing in Bombay. This corresponds to option (a) in the choices provided.

The first writer to use Urdu as the medium of poetic expression was:

1999Art & Culture
AAmir Khusrau
BMirza Ghalib
CBahadur Shah Zafar
DFaiz

Explanation

Amir Khusrau, a Persian poet who lived from 1253 to 1325 CE, was connected with the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. Along with composing poetry in Arabic and Persian, he holds the distinction of being the pioneer in using Urdu as a form of poetic expression.

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? 1. Mrichchakatikam–Shudraka 2. Buddhacharita–Vasuvandhu 3. Mudrarakshasha–Vishakadatta 4. Harshacharita–Banabhatta

1998Art & Culture
A1, 2, 3 and 4
B1, 3 and 4
C1 and 4
D2 and 3

Explanation

In ancient history, which of the following pairs are matched correctly? 1. Mrichchakatikam–Shudraka 2. Buddhacharita–Vasuvandhu 3. Mudrarakshasha–Vishakadatta 4. Harshacharita–Banabhatta. The correct pairs are (b) 1, 3 and 4. In the original text, it was mentioned that Buddhacharita was authored by Ashvaghosh.

Which one of the following pairs of composers in different languages and their works on the Mahabharata theme is correctly matched?

1997Art & Culture
ASarladasa–Bengali
BKasirama–Oriya
CTikkana–Marathi
DPampa–Kannada

Explanation

Pampa, a Kannada poet, expressed his philosophical beliefs through his works. Vikramarjuna Vijaya, also called Pampa Bharata, is a Kannada rendition of Vyasa's Mahabharata.

Which one of the following is not a part of early Jains literature?

1996Art & Culture
ATherigatha
BAcarangasutra
CSutrakritanga
DBrihatkalpasutra

Explanation

Among the choices provided, Therigatha is the only option that does not belong to the early Jain literature. It should be noted that Therigatha is a part of the Buddhist literary tradition.

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer. [List-I: A. Vishakhadatta, B. Varahamihira, C. Charaka, D. Brahmagupta | List-II: 1. Medicine, 2. Drama, 3. Astronomy, 4. Mathematics]

1996Art & Culture
AA-1; B-3; C-4; D-2
BA-2; B-1; C-3; D-4
CA-2; B-3; C-1; D-4
DA-3; B-4; C-1; D-2

Explanation

In the given question, you were asked to match certain ancient Indian personalities with their respective fields of expertise. The correct match is Vishakhadatta with drama, Varahamihira with astronomy, Charaka with medicine, and Brahmagupta with mathematics. Therefore, option (c) A-2; B-3; C-1; D-4 is the correct answer. Explanation: Vishakhadatta is the playwright who wrote the drama 'Mudra Rakshasa'.

Prem Vatika, poems on the life of Krishna, were composed by:

1996Art & Culture
ABihari
BSurdas
CRaskhan
DKabir

Explanation

Raskhan, a Hindi poet who lived around 1558-1628, was known for his composition of Prem Vatika, poems that depicted the life of Lord Krishna. Despite being a Muslim, Raskhan was a devoted follower of Lord Krishna.

Which one of the following is an important historical novel written during the latter half of the nineteenth century?

1996Art & Culture
ARast Goftar
BDurgesh Nandini
CMaratha
DNibandhamala

Explanation

During the latter half of the nineteenth century, an important historical novel was written called "Durgesh Nandini" by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1862-1864 in Bangla. This novel holds significance in the literary landscape of that time period.