History of India

• James Mill (1773–1836), in his The History of British India (1817), distinguished three phases in the history of India, namely Hindu, Muslim and British civilisations.
•  This periodisation has been influential, but has also been criticised for the misconceptions it gave rise to. 
• Another influential periodisation is the division into "ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods", although this periodisation has also been criticised.
• Romila Thapar notes that the division into Hindu-Muslim-British periods of Indian history gives too much weight to "ruling dynasties and foreign invasions", neglecting the social-economic history which often showed a strong continuity.
• The division into Ancient-Medieval-Modern periods overlooks the fact that the Muslim conquests occurred gradually during which time many things came and went off, while the south was never completely conquered.
• According to Thapar, a periodisation could also be based on "significant social and economic changes", which are not strictly related to a change of ruling powers.

Random and Funny Facts

1. Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour.
2. In the UK, it is illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day!
3. Pteronophobia is the fear of being tickled by feathers!
4. When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red.
5. A flock of crows is known as a murder.
6. “Facebook Addiction Disorder” is a mental disorder identified by Psychologists.
7. The average woman uses her height in lipstick every 5 years.
8. 29th May is officially “Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day“.
9. Cherophobia is the fear of fun.
10. Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.
    
11. If you lift a kangaroo’s tail off the ground it can’t hop.
12. Hyphephilia are people who get aroused by touching fabrics.
13. Billy goats urinate on their own heads to smell more attractive to females.
14. The person who invented the Frisbee was cremated and made into frisbees after he died!
15. During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools.
16. If Pinokio says “My Noes Will Grow Now”, it would cause a paradox.
17. Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting. (If they lived in the same place)
18. King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe beside him.
19. Bikinis and tampons invented by men.
20. An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it.

World Wide Web - History of Postage Stamps

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web was invented by the English computer scientist Timothy Berners-Lee in 1989. At the time, he was working at CERN, a particle physics laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Tim Berners-Lee came up with the idea, and created the software and tools needed for the Web. The first web page went online in 1991.

In 1989, the early internet was mostly a network of computers at colleges and laboratories. CERN was the largest internet node in Europe. Tim Berners-Lee wrote to his bosses about his idea for a large network of pages that would live on the internet. They supported his work, but they didn’t find commercial support at the time. Berners-Lee went ahead and built the tools for the web anyway, and had the main ones ready by the end of 1990.

• Tim Berners-Lee posted the first web page on August 6, 1991. The address was http://info.cern.ch, which now has a copy of the first web page, and information about the beginning of the World Wide Web.


• It is important to know the difference between the World Wide Web and the internet. The internet is the network of computers that information travels between. The World Wide Web is made up of all the web pages that are stored on these computers. Many other types of information move on the internet.


• Tim Berners-Lee was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, and has received many other awards and honors for developing the World Wide Web.


• Sir Tim Berners-Lee is currently the director of the World Wide Web Consortium, also known as the W3C. The W3C discusses changes to the way the Web operates, and sets standards for web programming languages and browser software.


• The World Wide Web reached 1 billion websites in September, 2014.

Ball Point Pens - History of Ball Point Pens

Ball Point Pens

The first successful ball point pen was invented by a Hungarian editor in the 1930s named László Bíró, who was looking for a way to use fast-drying newspaper ink for handwriting. Although his invention was the first successful ball point pen designed, others had tried for several years to create a more convenient writing instrument.

László's brother György was a chemist, and helped him to develop an ink that would work perfectly with his new pen design. The brothers filed a patent for their invention of the ball point pen in 1938, just in time for use by British pilots in World War II.

• The first patent granted for a ball point pen design was in 1888 to John J. Loud. His design was useful for marking leather but not for writing on paper and his patent eventually lapsed.
• The ball point pen was invented to replace the fountain pen, and the earlier writing instruments still used by many, quills and ink pots. These older writing devices often smeared, smudged, and splattered. Ink pot spills were also a big problem, as ink stains almost anything it touches.
• Marcel Bich purchased the patent for the ball point pen from the Bíró brothers in 1945. He later shortened his name to BIC, the famous pen company we know today.
• Bic's redesign made ball point pens affordable to everyone.
• Approximately 14 million Bic pens are sold every day around the world.
• In some countries, ball point pens are still referred to as 'Biros'.

Spanish Numbers 1-100

0: cero (say-ro)1: uno(oo-no)2: dos(dose)3:tres(trace)4:cuatro(kwat-ro)5:cinco(sink-o)6:seis(saze)7:siete(see-yet-eh)8: ocho(och-o)9: nueve(new-eh-veh)10: diez(dee-ace)11: once(ohn-say)12: doce(dos-say)13: trece(treh-seh)14: catorce(ca-TOR-say)15: quince(KEEN-say)16: dieciséis(dee-AY-see-saze)17: diecisiete(dee-AY-see-see-AY-tay )18: dieciocho(dee-AY-see-och-o)19: diecinueve(dee-AY-see-new-EH-veh)20: veinte(Veh-een-tee)21: veintiuno(Veh-een-tee-oo-no)22: veintidós(Veh-een-tee-DOS)23: veintitrés(Veh-een-tee-TRACE)24: veinticuatro(Veh-een-tee-KWAT-ro)25: veinticinco(Veh-een-tee-SINK-o)26: veintiséis(Veh-een-tee-saze)27: veintisiete(Veh-een-tee-see-ay-tay)28: veintiocho(Veh-een-tee-OCH-o)29: veintinueve(Veh-een-tee-new-EH-veh)30:treinta(treh-een-tah)31: treinta y uno(treh-een-tah ee oo-no)32: treinta y dos(treh-een-tah ee DOS)33: treinta y tres(treh-een-tah ee tres)34: treinta y cuatro(treh-een-tah ee KWAT-ro)35: treinta y cinco(treh-een-tah ee SINK-o)36: treinta y seis(treh-een-tah ee saze)37: treinta y siete(treh-een-tah ee see-ay-tay)38: treinta y ocho(treh-een-tah ee OCH-o)39 treinta y nueve(treh-een-tah ee new-EH-veh)40 cuarenta(kwar-EN-tah)41 cuarenta y uno(kwar-EN-tah ee oo-no)42 cuarenta y dos(kwar-EN-tah ee DOS)43 cuarenta y tres(kwar-EN-tah ee tres)44 cuarenta y cuatro(kwar-EN-tah ee KWAT-ro)45 cuarenta y cinco(kwar-EN-tah ee SINK-o)46 cuarenta y seis(kwar-EN-tah ee saze)47 cuarenta y siete(kwar-EN-tah ee see-ay-tay)48 cuarenta y ocho(kwar-EN-tah ee OCH-o)49 cuarenta y nueve(kwar-EN-tah ee new-EH-veh)50 cincuenta(sink-KWEN-tah)51 cincuenta y uno(sink-KWEN-tah ee oo-no)52 cincuenta y dos(sink-KWEN-tah ee DOS)53 cincuenta y tres(sink-KWEN-tah ee tres)54 cincuenta y cuatro(sink-KWEN-tah ee KWAT-ro)55 cincuenta y cinco(sink-KWEN-tah ee SINK-o)56 cincuenta y seis(sink-KWEN-tah ee saze)57 cincuenta y siete(sink-KWEN-tah ee see-ay-tay)58 cincuenta y ocho(sink-KWEN-tah ee OCH-o)59 cincuenta y nueve(sink-KWEN-tah ee new-EH-veh)60 sesenta(seh-SEHN-tah)61 sesenta y uno(seh-SEHN-tah ee oo-no)62 sesenta y dos(seh-SEHN-tah ee DOS)63 sesenta y tres(seh-SEHN-tah ee tres)64 sesenta y cuatro(seh-SEHN-tah ee KWAT-ro)65 sesenta y cinco(seh-SEHN-tah ee SINK-o)66 sesenta y seis(seh-SEHN-tah ee saze)67 sesenta y siete(seh-SEHN-tah ee see-ay-tay)68 sesenta y ocho(seh-SEHN-tah ee OCH-o)69 sesenta y nueve(seh-SEHN-tah ee new-EH-veh)70 setenta(seh-TEHN-tah)71 setenta y uno(seh-TEHN-tah ee oo-no)72 setenta y dos(seh-TEHN-tah ee DOS)73 setenta y tres(seh-TEHN-tah ee tres)74 setenta y cuatro(seh-TEHN-tah ee KWAT-ro)75 setenta y cinco(seh-TEHN-tah ee SINK-o)76 setenta y seis(seh-TEHN-tah ee saze)77 setenta y siete(seh-TEHN-tah ee see-ay-tay)78 setenta y ocho(seh-TEHN-tah ee OCH-o)79 setenta y nueve(seh-TEHN-tah ee new-EH-veh)80 ochenta(och-EHN-tah)81 ochenta y uno(och-EHN-tah ee oo-no)82 ochenta y dos(och-EHN-tah ee DOS)83 ochenta y tres(och-EHN-tah ee tres)84 ochenta y cuatro(och-EHN-tah ee KWAT-ro)85 ochenta y cinco(och-EHN-tah ee SINK-o)86 ochenta y seis(och-EHN-tah ee saze)87 ochenta y siete(och-EHN-tah ee see-ay-tay)88 ochenta y ocho(och-EHN-tah ee OCH-o)89 ochenta y nueve(och-EHN-tah ee new-EH-veh)90 noventa(no-VEHN-tah)91 noventa y uno(no-VEHN-tah ee oo-no)92 noventa y dos(no-VEHN-tah ee DOS)93 noventa y tres(no-VEHN-tah ee tres)94 noventa y cuatro(no-VEHN-tah ee KWAT-ro)95 noventa y cinco(no-VEHN-tah ee SINK-o)96 noventa y seis(no-VEHN-tah ee saze)97 noventa y siete(no-VEHN-tah ee see-ay-tay)98 noventa y ocho(no-VEHN-tah ee OCH-o)99 noventa y nueve(no-VEHN-tah ee new-EH-veh)100 cien(see-EHN)

States and Capitals of India

Capital of India

Country	Capital
India	New Delhi

States and Capitals of India

S.no	State	Capital
1	Andhra Pradesh	Hyderabad (De jure - 2 June 2024) Amaravati (proposed)
2	Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar
3	Assam	Dispur
4	Bihar	Patna
5	Chhattisgarh	Raipur
6	Goa	Panaji
7	Gujarat	Gandhinagar
8	Haryana	Chandigarh
9	Himachal Pradesh	Shimla
10	Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)
11	Jharkhand	Ranchi
12	Karnataka	Bengaluru
13	Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram
14	Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal
15	Maharashtra	Mumbai
16	Manipur	Imphal
17	Meghalaya	Shillong
18	Mizoram	Aizawl
19	Nagaland	Kohima
20	Odisha	Bhubaneswar
21	Punjab	Chandigarh
22	Rajasthan	Jaipur
23	Sikkim	Gangtok
24	Tamil Nadu	Chennai
25	Telangana	Hyderabad
26	Tripura	Agartala
27	Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow
28	Uttarakhand	Dehradun
29	West Bengal	Kolkata
S.no	Union Territories	Capital
1	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Port Blair
2	Chandigarh	Chandigarh
3	Dadar and Nagar Haveli	Silvassa
4	Daman and Diu	Daman
5	Delhi	Delhi
6	Lakshadweep	Kavaratti
7	Puducherry	Pondicherry

National Flowers by Country

Country	National Flower	Interesting Information
Antigua & Barbuda	Dagger's Log (Agave Karatto Miller)	The yellow colored flowers rise from the large rosette of the Agave plant.
Argentina	Ceibo (Erythrina Crista-galli)	The flower was adopted on December 2, 1942.
Armenia	No National Flower	Armenia is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet Republics.
Australia	Golden Wattle (Acacia Pycnantha)	September 1 is National Wattle Day (Each of Australia's territories is also represented by an official flower).
Austria	Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum)	The star-like flowers are short living perennials.
Azerbaijan	Not Chosen any Flower.	Azerbaijan was one of the first to declare independence of the country.
Bahamas	Yellow Elder or Yellow Cedar (Tecoma Stans)	The flowers bloom in late summer/early fall.
Bahrain	No National Flower	Bahrain is considered part of eastern Arabia.
Balearic Islands	Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus)	Carnations can be easily grown from cuttings.
Bangladesh	Water Lily (Nymehaea Nouchali)	Bangladesh adopted the flower in 1971.
Barbados	Pride of Barbados, also known as Dwarf Poinciana & Flower Fence (Poinciana Pulcherrima)	More common varieties of the flower are those with a fiery red and yellow "sunset color".
Belarus	Flax (Linum Usitatissimum)	The flowers last only until the heat of the mid-day sun hits them.
Belgium	Red Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas)	The flower is one of the easiest wildflowers to grow.
Belize	Black Orchid (Trichoglottis Brachiata)	Black Orchids acquired the name by virtue of their very dark intense color, which tends to be dark brown and maroon.
Bermuda	Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium Montanum)	The Blue-eyed Grass is a member of the iris family.
Bhutan	Blue poppy (Meconopsis Betonicifolia)	The flower is native to the rocky mountain slopes of Tibet.
Bohemia	Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris)	The pale pink flowers bloom at the tips of the stems in summer.
Bolivia	Kantuta (Cantua Buxifolia)	The tubular flowers come in wild form, magenta, bicolor and subtile (slightly bicolored) varieties.
Brazil	Cattleya Orchid (Cattleya Labiata)	Cattleya orchids are commonly called "corsage orchids" as the blooms are frequently used in corsages due to their exceptional beauty and fragrance.
British Columbia	Dogwood Tree Flower (Cornus Nuttalli)	The four-petaled white flowers bloom in spring.
Bulgaria	Rose (Rosa)	Roses are more fragrant on a sunny day.
Canada	Maple Leaf (Acer)	Maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees.
Cayman Islands	Wild Banana Orchid (Schomburgkia Thomsoniana)	This orchid specie is found only in the Cayman Islands.
Chile	Copihue/Chilean Bellflower (Lapageria Rosea)	The Chilean Bellflower is best grown on a partially shady and sheltered wall.
China	Plum Blossom (Prunus Mei)	Plum Blossoms are the earliest blooms of the year, indicating the start of spring.
Colombia	Christmas orchid (Cattleya Trianae)	The Christmas orchid has a fetid smell.
Costa Rica	Guaria Morada (Purple Orchid) (Cattleya Skinneri)	The flower was adopted on June 15, 1939.
Croatia	Iris Croatica (Hrvatska Perunika)	It grows only in the northern and northwestern Croatia.
Cuba	Butterfly Jasmine (Mariposa)	The white Butterfly Jasmine is an endemic Jasmine specie.
Cyprus	Rose (Rosa)	The more fragrant the rose, the shorter it's vase life.
Czech Republic	Rose (Rosa)	Miniature roses were first developed in China.
Denmark	Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum Frutescens)	Marguerites produce large, single, daisy-like flowers most of the summer.

Ecuador	Rose (Rosa)	Named from the equator, which crosses the country.
Egypt	Lotus (Nymphaea Lotus)	The pure white lotus flower, the only plant to fruit and flower simultaneously.
Estonia	Corn-flower or Bachelor's Button Centaurea (Cyanus)	The flower was adopted on June 23, 1988.
Ethiopia	Calla Lily	The flower is a solitary, showy, funnel shaped unfurling spathe.
France	Iris (Iris)	Iris flowers have three petals often called the "standards", and three outer petal-like sepals called the "falls".
French Polynesia	The Tiare (Gardenia Taitensis)	The flower is especially symbolic of Tahiti. The Tiare Anei is the emblem of the isle of Vavau. The Tiare Apetahi is the emblem of Raiatea.
Finland	Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria Majalis)	The Lily of the Valley are mostly used in bridal arrangements because of their sweet perfume.
Germany	Knapweed (Centaurea Cyanus)	In Germany, it is custom for an unmarried person to wear this flower in the buttonhole.
Greece	Bear's Breech (Acanthus Mollis)	The fresh or dried flower spikes are used in floral arrangements.
Greenland	Willow Herb (Epilobium)	The name Willow-herb refers to the willow-like form of the leaves.
Guam	Puti Tai Nobiu (Bougainvillea Spectabilis)	The flowers of the bougainvillea can be of several different colors from pink to red, orange, white and yellow.
Guatemala	White Nun Orchid or Monja Blanca (Lycaste Skinnerialba)	The flower is a rare flower in the Verapaz district of Guatemala symbolizing peace, beauty and art.
Guyana	Water Lily (Victoria Regia)	The largest flowers can measure 10 inches to one foot in diameter
Holland(The Netherlands)	Tulip (Tulipa)	Tulip bulbs are a good substitute for onions in cooking.
Honduras	Orchid (Brassavola Digbiana)	The rose was the national flower of Honduras from 1946-1969.
Hong Kong	Orchid (Bauhinia Blakeana)	The flower is Calyx tubular with a corolla of five petals colored in deep purple.
Hungary	Tulip (Tulipa)	Tulip is the common name for between 50 and 150 species of the genus Tulipa in the lily family, Liliaceae.
Iceland	Mountain Avens (Dryas Octopetala)	The flowers are produced on stalks of up to 10 cm long, with eight creamy-white petals.
India	Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera)	The lotus is an aquatic perennial.
Indonesia	1) Melati (Jasmine) (Jasminum Sambac) 2) Moon Orchid (Phalaenopsis Amabilis) 3) Rafflesia (Rafflesia Arnoldi Indonesia)	Indonesia adopted the 3 flowers on June 5, 1990 to mark the World Environment Day
Iran	Red Rose (Rosa)	To make a dark red rose appear blacker, its stem can be put in water that has black ink in it.
Iraq	Rose (Rosa)	The rose is said to be originally from Persia and was introduced to the west by Alexander.
Ireland	Shamrock	Shamrock is the common name for several unrelated herbaceous plants with trifoliate leaves.
Israel	No National Flower	Israel is located in the Middle East.
Italy	Stylized Lily	Even the Iris is said to be the Flower Emblem of France.
Jamaica	Lignum Vitae or Wood of Life (Guaiacum Sanctum)	The flower is indigenous to Jamaica and was found by Christopher Columbus.
Japan	Chrysanthemum (Imperial), Cherry Blossom Sakura	The sakura trees are the subject of the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan
Jordan	Black Iris (Iris Nigricans)	The dark purple colored Iris has six petals, three which are drooping and three upright.
Laos	Champa Flower(Calophyllum Inophyllum), also known as Plumeria.	The attractive white flowers are scented and waxy.
Kazakhstan	Lily(Lilium) serves as the Unofficial National Flower.	Citizens are guaranteed free secondary education.
Kuwait	Rhanterum Epapposum, locally called Arfaj.	Have more than 10% estimated oil reserves of the world with it.
Kyrgyzstan	Shyrdak Symbols of Kyrgyzstan and also the Tulip.	The Kyrgyz came under tsarist Russian rule during the 19th century.
Latvia	Oxeye Daisy, or Pipene (Leucanthemum Vulgare)	The flower was earlier known as Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum
Lebanon	No National Flower	Cedar of Lebanon is the National Tree of Lebanon.

Liberia	Pepper	These are small, white, star-shaped flowers.
Libya	Pomegranate blossom	The flowers are with fiery red blossoms.
Lithuania	Rue or Herb of Grace (Ruta graveolens)	The Rue's fragrance is strong, characteristically aromatic and sweet.
Luxembourg	Rose (Rosa)	One of the most famous rose gardens was planted by Empress Josephine at the Chateau de la Malmaison in France on 1804.
Madagascar	Poinciana (Delonix Regia)	In early summer, the voluminous red blooms appear and hold for 4-8 weeks.
Maldives	Pink Rose (Rosa)	The oldest painting in the world depicts a five-petaled pink rose.
Malta	The Maltese Centaury Paleocyanus Crasifoleus	The flower was adopted in the early 1970s
Republic of Moldova	No Flower has been Designated.	Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its President in 2001.
New Zealand	Kowhai	Kowhai or botanically known as Sophora Microphylla, is a beautiful yellow or golden flower.
Paraguay	Jasmine-of-the-Paraguay	Jasmine flowers are white in most species.
Peru	Kantuta, Inca magic flower	Kantuta come in 4 varieties: wild form, Magenta, bicolor and Subtile.
Philippines	Sampaguita (Jasminum Sambac)	The flower blooms full-year and have white, small, dainty, star-shaped blossoms, which open at night and wilt in less than a day.
Poland	Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas)	Corn Poppy or Red Poppy is the wild poppy of agricultural cultivation.
Portugal	Lavender	Used in cooking, the potency of the lavender flowers increase with drying.
Puerto Rico	Puerto Rican Hibiscus, or Flor de Maga (Montezuma Speciossisima)	The common garden Hibiscus is also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon".
Republic of Molossia	Common Sagebrush (Artemisia Tridentata)	Common Sagebrush is very drought tolerant and needs good drainage.
Romania	Dog Rose (Rosa Canina)	The white or pink 5-petalled flowers are 4-6 cm across and come in clusters of 1-5.
Russia	Camomile (Matricaria Recutita)	The flower has an aromatic, fruity and floral fragrance.
San Marino	Cyclamen (Cyclamen)	The flowers are produced in whorls of 3-10, with each flower on a slender stem 3-12 cm tall with five united petals.
Scotland	Thistle (Cirsium Altissimum)	The thistle flower is a favorite flower among butterflies.
Seychelles	Tropicbird Orchid	These are sprays of white flowers with long spurs like the tails of tropicbirds.
Sicily	Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus)	The carnation is native to Eurasia and has been cultivated for more than 20 centuries.
Singapore	Vanda Miss Joaquim Orchid	The flower is a hybrid orchid between Vanda teres & Vanda hookeriana
Slovakia	Rose (Rosa)	The first historical reference of the rose is by the Sumerians from ancient Mesopotamia.
Slovenia	Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus)	Carnations can be propagated by planting young flowering shoots.
Spain	Red carnation	The National Flower of Spain is the Red Carnation.
Sri Lanka	Nil Mahanel Water Lily (Nympheae Stellata)	The flower, a blue water lily, was adopted on Feb. 26, 1986.
S. Africa	Protea (Protea Cynaroides)	The King protea is originally from the Cape Town area of South Africa.
S. Korea	Rose of Sharon (Moogoonghwa) (Hibiscus Syriacus)	Hibiscus Syriacus are pink-mauve single flowers having a dark magenta eye. The flower is not a rose, but its large exotic blossoms attract hummingbirds and tiny insects.
Sweden	Linnea (Linnea Borealis)	The flowers are pink, bell-like, very fragrant and grow in pairs.
Switzerland	Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum)	The flowers are starfish-like white, wooly blooms.
Syria	Jasmine	Jasmine flowers are generally white, although some species have yellow flowers.
Tahiti	Tahitian Gardenia (Gardenia Taitensis)	The flowers are fragrant and are good for cutting.
Taiwan(Republic of China)	Plum blossom (Prunus Mei)	Most plum blossoms have five petals and range in color from white to dark pink.
Thailand	Ratchaphruek	The color of the flower is shining yellow contrasting great importance.
Trinidad and Tobago	Chaconia (Warszewiczia Coccinea)	The flower is also known as the Pride of Trinidad & Tobago or Wild Poinsettia
Tonga	Red-blossomed Heilala	The Red-blossomed Heilala festival in Tonga is celebrated during the Heilala Festival every July 4.
Turkey	Tulip (Tulipa)	Tulips do not grow in the open or in tropical climates as they need cold winters to grow.
Turkmenistan	Not yet selected any flower.	Turkmenistan contains the fifth largest reserves of natural gas in the world.
Ukraine	Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus)	Most flower heads on a field of blooming sunflowers are turned towards the east, the direction of sun rise.
United States of America	Rose (Rosa)	The rose was officially adopted on November 20, 1986.
United Kingdom(England)	Tudor Rose (Rosa)	The Tudor Rose is a graphic design created by King Henry VII in 1485, with a red rose laid atop a white one.
United Kingdom (Wales)	Leek (Babbingtons Leek), Daffodil (Narcissus Amaryllidaceae)	The Leek and the Daffodil are both emblems of Wales. The national flower of Wales is usually considered to be the Daffodil. However, the Leek has even older associations as a traditional symbol of Wales - possibly because of its colors, white over green that echo the ancient Welsh flag.
Uruguay	Ceibo Erythrina (Crista-Galli)	Ceibo Erythrina are bright red flowers.
Uzbekistan	Not selected any flower.	Being one of the most populous countries of Central Asia.
Venezuela	Orchid	Orchids form the world's largest family of plants.
Virgin Islands	Yellow Elder or Yellow Trumpet (Tecoma Stans)	The yellow flowers have a very sweet fragrance and attract hummingbirds, butterflies and/or birds.
Yemen	Arabian Coffee (Coffea Arabica)	Individual coffee flowers are white, fragrant, with waxy, linear petals.
Yugoslavia	Lily of the Valley (Convallaria Majalis)	Lily of the Valley are fragrant bell shaped flowers.
Zimbabwe	Flame Lily (Gloriosa Rothschildiana)	The large, claw like flowers open yellow and red and then change to a rich claret edged with gold.

Indian History & Culture

No.	Question	Answer
01	Alexander invaded India in	326 BC
02	The Mauryan Empire was established in	322 BC
03	The First Mughal Emperor of India was	Babur
04	Taj Mahal was built by	Shahjahan
05	Lala Lajpat Rai was also known as	Lion of Punjab
06	Chandragupta II was also known as	Vikramaditya
07	The city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by	Akbar
08	The Red Fort in Delhi was built by	Shahjahan
09	Battle of Panipat was faught in	1761 AD
10	The first President of India was	Dr.Rajendra Prasad
11	"Swaraj is my birthright!" was said by	Bal Gangadhar Tilak
12	The capital of Mysore during the rule of Tipu Sultan was	Srirangapatnam
13	Battle of Plassey was fought in	1757 AD
14	The first Governor-General of Bengal under the East India Company was	Warren Hastings
15	Ashoka was born in	269 BC
16	Permanent settlement in Bengal was introduced by	Lord Cornwallis
17	The last Governor-General of India was	C.Raja Gopalachari
18	The first session of the Indian National Congress was held at	Bombay (Mumbai)
19	Quit India Movement started in the year	1942 AD
20	Sir Thomas Roe,English Ambassador, visited India during the reign of	Jahangir
21	In the battle of Plassey, Lord Clive defeated	Siraj-ud-Daula
22	The city of Calcutta was founded in	1690 AD
23	The capital of king Vikramaditya's kingdom was	Ujjain
24	The first Viceroy of India was	Lord Canning
25	The name of the famous horse of Rana Pratap was	Chetak
26	The Grand Trunk road was built during the reign of	Shersa Suri
27	Tipu Sultan was born in	1750 AD
28	Home Rule Movement was started by	Annie Besant
29	Shivaji was crowned in	1664 AD
30	East India Company was established in the year	1600 AD
31	The capital city of ancient India was	Indraprastha
32	The first woman ruler in India was	Razia Begum
33	The capital of the Mauryan was	Patliputra
34	The construction of Qutb Minar in Delhi was completed by	Ala-ud-din
35	Din-i-Ilahi was founded by	Akbar
36	Rabindranath tagore was born in	1861 AD
37	The most famous king of Vijayanagar Empire was	Krishnadevaraya
38	Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan was also known as	Frontier Gandhi
39	Samudra Gupta is popularly known as	Napolean of India
40	The first Tamil hero who fought against the British was	Veerapandya Kattabomman
41	Akbar's tomb is situated at	Sikandrabad
42	Gautama Buddha was the son of	Shuddhodan
43	Shivaji's mother was	Jeejabai
44	Gandhiji's mother was	Puthali Bai
45	The political teacher of shivaji was	Dadoji Konddev
46	Timur invaded India in the year	1398 AD
47	Mahmud Ghazni was the son of	Sabaktageen
48	The city of Ahmedabad was established by	Ahmed Shah I
49	Rani padmini was	Queen of Rana Ratna simha,the king of Chittoor
50	The real name of Babar was	Zahiruddin Muhammed
51	The meaning of the word "Babar" is	Tiger
52	Vijayasthamba is located at	Chittoor Fort
53	Timur was the ruler of	Samarkhand,Central Asia
54	The Indian social reformer who fought for the abolition of Sati was	Rajaram Mohan Roy
55	The first British Governor General of free India was	Lord Mountbatten
56	Dadabhai Naoroji was associated with the theory of	"Drain of Wealth"
57	The kingdom of South India well known for its Naval power was	The Cholas
58	Aligarh Muslim University was founded by	Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
59	The first Indian ruler who prohibited Sati was	Akbar
60	The Mughal ruler who was to recruit Rajput nobles in his administration was	Akbar
61	The reforms announced by the British Govt.in 1909 are known as	The Morle-Minto Reforms
62	The architect who designed the capital City of New Delhi was	E.L.Lutyens
63	At the time of independence, the number of princely states in India were	552
64	The Indian Prime Minister known as "Man of Peace" was	Lal Bahadur Shastri
65	The Indian king who fought the last Anglo-Mysore War against the English was	Tipu Sultan
66	Kohinoor Diamond was taken away by	Nadir Shah
67	The full name of Shahjehan was	Khurram Shihabuddin Mohammed Shahjehan
68	The Bardoli satyagraha was started by	Mahatma Gandhi
69	The founder of Arya Samaj was	Swamy Dayanand Saraswati
70	The Governor General who abolished Sati was	Lord William Bentinck
71	Bihar was earlier known as	Magadha
72	Agra was earlier known as	Akbarabad
73	"Harsha Charit" was written by	Banabatta
74	Chandragupta Maurya spent the last days of his life at	Sravanabelagola
75	Jalianwala Bagh Massacre took place at	Amritsar
76	Vijayanagar kingdom was situated on the banks of river	Tungabhadra
77	In 1498,the sea route to india was discovered by	Vasco-da-gama
78	King Bhoja was from the which dynasty	Pratihara
79	The period 1206 Ad to 1526 AD is known as	The Delhi Sultanate
80	Agra city was founded by	Sikandar Lodhi
81	Vijaynagar Empire was founded by	Harihara and Bukka
82	The Vijayanagar kings fought frequent wars with the	Bahamani Sultans
83	The last king of the Vijayanagar empire was	Rama Raya
84	Shankaracharya was associated with which movement	Bhakti
85	Ramanuja preached the philosophy of	Vishishtadvaita
86	The followers of Ramanuja are known as	Vaishnavas
87	Kabir was the disciple of	Ramanand
88	The founder of Sikh religion was	Guru Nanak
89	Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the year	1526 AD
90	Babar died in the year	1530 AD
91	Humayun was defeated by	Sher Shah Suri
92	Humayun died at the age of	48 years
93	Akbar was crowned in the year	1556 AD
94	In the second battle of Panipat, Akbar defeated	Himu
95	Akbar died in the year	1605 Ad
96	The original name of Nurjahan was	Mehrunisa
97	Jehangir was known for his	Justice
98	Jehangir died in the year	1627 AD
99	Aurangzeb was the son of	Shahjehan
100	Aurangzeb died in the year	1707 AD
101	The first Guru of the sikhs was	Guru Nanak Dev
102	The tenth Guru of the sikhs was	Guru Gobind Singh
103	Amritsar was founded by	Guru Ram Das
104	The Golden Temple was built by	Guru Arjan Dev
105	The Akal Takht was built by	Guru Hargobind
106	Guru Gobind Singh was born in	1666 AD
107	The `Khalsa' at Anandpur Sahib was founded by	Guru Gobind Singh
108	Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born in	1780 AD
109	Bahadur Shah Zafar died in the year	1862 AD
110	Shivaji died at age of	50 years
111	In tne year 1798,who was appointed as the Governor-General	Wellesley
112	Wellesley started the policy of	Subsidiary Alliance
113	Dalhousie became the Governor-General in	1848 AD
114	The first war of Indian Independence fought in 1857 is also known as	The Sepoy Mutiny
115	The Lady ruler who participated in the 1857 Revolt was	Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi
116	The Indian Association was formed in 1876 at	Calcutta
117	The Indian National Congress was formed in	1885 AD
118	The Rowlatt Act was passed in the year	1919 AD
119	The Jalianwala Bagh Massacre took place in the year	1919 AD
120	The movement launched in 1920 is known as	The Non-Co-operation Movement
121	The Simon Commission came to India in the year	1928 AD
122	Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by	Bindusara
123	Ashoka invaded Kalinga in the year	261 BC
124	Ashoka died in the year	232 BC
125	Ashoka ruled for a period of	40 years
126	The last king of Maurya dynasty was	Brihadratha
127	Chandragupta was succeeded by	Samudragupta
128	The Iron Pillar near Qutb Minar was erected by	Chandragupta II
129	Fahien, a Chinese traveller visited india during the reign of	Chandragupta II
130	Harshavardhana ascended the throne at the age of	16 years
131	Harshavardhana was defeated by	Pulakeshin II
132	The Chinese traveller who visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana was	Hieun Tsang
133	Akbar was succeeded by	Jehangir
134	Jehangir was succeeded by	Shahjehan
135	In ancient times this river was called Shatadru. How do we know it now?	Sutlej.
136	In the Rigveda there is a reference to the "Dasharajna Yuddha". What does this refer to?	It was a battle of 10 kings fought between Sudasa, a king of the Tritsu family on one side, and a confederacy of 10 tribes on the other. It was fought on the banks of the Parushni (Ravi). Sudasa defeated his enemies in this battle.
137	Who was the ruler of the territory between the Jhelum and the Ravi when Alexander invaded India?	Paurava or Porus as the Greeks called him.
138	When Porus surrendered to Alexander, Alexander asked him how he wished to be treated. What was Porus' reply?	"As one King would treat another". This was his famous reply that has become a classic. Hearing this Alexander not only reinstated Porus on the throne, but he also added territories towards the east and domains of many republican states to the existing kingdom of Porus (according to Plutarch).
139	Who was Megasthenes?	Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador to the Mauryan Court.
140	Who sent Megasthenes as his ambassador to the Mauryan Court?	Seleucus Nikator.
141	Where did Seleucus Nikator rule?	Babylon. He gradually extended his empire from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus.
142	Whom did Chandragupta Maurya defeat to establish his kingdom?	The Nanda dynasty of Magadha.
143	Who helped Chandragupta Maurya defeat the Nanda rulers?	Kautilya also called Chanakya.
144	Of which territories was Ashoka the Viceroy before he became the king?	Taksha-Shila and Ujjain.
145	"Beloved of the gods" and "of amiable appearance". Ashoka used these titles in his inscriptions. Can you give the original titles?	"Devanampiya" and "Piyadassi" (Devanampriya and Priyadarshin).
146	What was unique about the personal bodyguards of the Maurya rulers?	They were women.
147	Who was the last Maurya King?	Brihadratha.
148	Who overthrew Brihadratha?	Pushyamitra, who was his Commander-in-chief.
149	What was the name of the dynasty that succeeded Mauryan dynasty?	The Shunga dynasty. (Pushyamitra founded this dynasty after he overthrew the Mauryan ruler)
150	From which source have historians got some details of the overthrow of the Mauryan dynasty?	Bana's Harshacharita written almost eight centuries after the event.

151	The Allahabad Pillar inscription is the most authentic record about the reign of a famous Emperor. Identify that Emperor.	Samudra Gupta
152	The Hindu kingdom of Champa flourished outside the present boundaries of India. Where would the kingdom be located in today's context?	Vietnam. During this period, the country was considered a great centre of Vedic education.
153	What is Theravada in the context of Buddhism?	It is a major form of Buddhism prevalent in Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
154	Where is Angkor Vat located?	It is located in the ancient kingdom of Kambuja (modem Cambodia). It means Temple (Vat) of the city (Angkor).
155	Who constructed Angkor Vat?	Suryavarman II.
156	To whom is Angkor Vat dedicated?	Vishnu.
157	Who wrote Uttara-Rama-Charitam?	Bhavabhuti.
158	What is the Gandhara art also known as?	Indo-Greek. The Gandhara sculptures drew their inspiration from the Hellenic (Greek) art of Asia Minor.
159	After whom have the rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu been named?	The five Pandavas and Draupadi.
160	To which dynasty did Gautamiputra Shatakarni belong?	Shatavahanas.
161	Who founded the Shatavahana dynasty?	The founder of the family was Simuka but it was Shatakarni I who raised it to eminence.
162	Who wrote the Buddha Charita?	Ashvaghosha.
163	To which dynasty did Kanishka belong?	The Kushana dynasty
164	On the banks of which river did Harappa lie?	Ravi. Mohenjodaro was on the bank of the Sindhu (Indus.)
165	Name the trading station of the Indus Valley Civilisation.	Lothal.
166	The 'Sapta Sindhu' was the area of the initial Aryan settlement. To what region did it refer?	The land of the Sindhu (Indus) and its principal tributaries.
167	Which is the crime that is most often mentioned in the Rjgveda?	Cattle-lifting.
168	What does the word 'Sangam' refer to in Tamil History?	It is the literary assembly of Tamil scholars held at Madurai under the patronage of the Pandyan Kings.
169	Which great Chola Emperor started the tradition of installing epigraphs with historical introductions?	Rajaraja Chola.
170	Nalanda and Vikramshila were very famous in ancient India. What was the reason for their fame?	These were the centres where the famous Buddhist Universities flourished.
171	What were Nalanda, Vikramshila in reality?	Buddhist monasteries. They later took on the shape of universities.
172	What does the term Bhagavata relate to?	CC.
173	Greek sources refer to him as Sandrocottus (Androcottus). How do we know him?	Chandragupta Maurya.
174	What does the term 'dwija' mean?	'Dwija' describes those who wear the sacred thread after Upanayanam. Literally 'Dwija' means twice-born.
175	What was the reason for the importance of Kaveripattanam during the Sangam period?	It was among the chief ports of the Tamil countries that carried on trade with the Romans.
176	What was the intoxicating drink that was consumed by the Rig Vedic Aryans during religious ceremonies?	Soma.
177	How do we better know "Sakyamuni" (Shakyamuni)?	Buddha.
178	Who was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara of the Jains?	Vardhamana Mahavira
179	On the basis of the Dhamma that Ashoka propagated, what is "Shusrusha"?	Shusrusha meant obedience to father, mother, teacher and men of high caste.
180	What is the literal meaning of Mohenjodaro?	Mound of the dead.
181	What is a Stupa?	It is a kind of tomb where the relics of Buddha or other Buddhist monks are kept.
182	What were the four sights which Gautam saw, while being driven around the city?	An old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic.
183	Who was the chief deity of the Sangam Period?	Murugan (Karttikeya)
184	Which Gupta ruler is also known as 'Kavi Raja'?	Samudragupta.
185	Samudragupta is represented on coins as playing a particular musical instrument. Which musical instrument is that?	Veena.
186	What is common to the following: Kumarasambhava, Ritusamhara, Raghuvamsham and Meghdootam?	They are all works of Kalidasa.
187	What was the name of Harsha's sister?	Rajyashri
188	What was the title assumed by Harsha when he ascended the throne?	Shiladitya
189	Whom did Harsha succeed?	His elder brother, Rajyavardhana.
190	Mahendra, the son of Ashoka, was sent as a Buddhist missionary to a particular kingdom. Identify the kingdom.	Sri Lanka
191	In ancient times, who were the foreigners who were called Yavanas?	The Greeks. The word was derived from the Old Persian form of the word 'Yauna', signifying originally the Ionian Greeks, but later, all people of Greek nationality. In the medieval times it came to be used for all foreigners irrespective of their place of origin.
192	What was Sumatra called as, in ancient times?	Suvarnadvipa.
193	Who systematised the rules of Sanskrit grammar (4 Century BC) in the work Ashtadhyayi?	Panini.
194	One of the chief sources of revenue from villages mentioned in the Ashokan inscriptions is the "Bhaga". What is it?	Bhaga: King's share of the produce of the soil, usually l/6th. The other source of revenue was the Bali. The Bali was the land tribute paid to the King.
195	In the Mauryan times if someone were referring to the Karshapana, what would he be talking about?	The Karshapana was a copper coin that was in use during the Mauryan times. Dharana was a Silver coin and the Kakani were smaller copper coins.
196	Where is Gandhara art found?	The ruins of Taksha-shila, in modern Pakistan and Afghanistan.
197	What were the Jains originally called?	Nirgrantha.
198	In Jainism a small group of people were called Ganadharas. Who were they?	The close disciples of Mahavira were called Ganadharas.
199	For a while, Bhagavatism and Brahmanism were separate sects. How did the two merge into one?	When Krishna, the main deity of Bhagavatism, began to be identified with Vishnu, the main deity of Brahmanism, the two sects merged into one.
200	What is the importance of the Khyber and Bolan passes in Indian history?	The land route between India and West Asia lies through these passes.
201	Which city in ancient India was famous for its textile industry?	Mathura
202	What is Stridhana?	It is the exclusive property of a married lady, something she often inherits from her mother.
203	According to the Arthashastra the Senapati was an important member of the Mantri Parishad. What was his role?	Commander-in-Chief of the army.
204	Jyotisha is one of the Vedangas. What does it deal with?	Astronomy and astrology
205	Two popular assemblies used to control the affairs of the Vedic kingdoms. Name them.	Sabha: - Body of the elders. Constituted of               Brahmins and rich patrons. Samiti: - An assembly of common people.          Meant for the discharge of administration.
206	Who or what are the 'Uttariya' and 'Antariya'?	In ancient India, antariya (dhoti) a lower garment was worn by all common people. Uttariya was the garment that covered the upper part of the body. In addition to these the well-to-do people wore Prapata around the waist. Around the prapata, the rich wore Rasana, usually of gold. Ushneesha was used to cover the head and Stanapatta was worn to cover the breasts.
207	Who built the rock-cut temples at Ellora?	The Rashtrakuta king, Krishna I.
208	In the context of Buddhism, what is Vinaya Pitaka?	It is the work that deals with the governance of the life of Buddhists. It also describes the gradual development of the Sangha and the life and teachings of Buddha.
209	What is contained in the Sutta Pitaka?	Sutta Pitaka incorporates the greatest literary works of Buddhism. Of the five collections, the first four consist of discourses of Buddha.
210	Patanjali's Mahabhashya refers to some of the stories about Krishna's early life. Who does Patanjali call Samkarshana?	Balarama.
211	With which modern township would you identify the ancient port of Suppara (also known as Surparaka)?	Nala Sopara an extended suburb of modern Mumbai.
212	What was the basis of barter for common articles during the Vedic period?	Paddy.
213	In which script were a majority of the Ashoka inscriptions written?	Brahmi. Brahmi script was used in the whole of the country, except the northwest.
214	What script did Ashoka use in the inscriptions of the Northwest of India?	Kharoshti script.
215	The Jaina texts were finally compiled in the sixth century A.D. in Vallabhi in Gujarat. In which language were they written?	Prakrit.
216	Who wrote the Arthashastra?	Kautilya.
217	Which is a very important source of information for the social, political and economic life of the people living in the Tamil Naidu area in the early Christian era?	Sangam literature.
218	Who is the author of the Greek work "Indika"?	Megasthenes. This book, however, is not available to us in its entirety and survives only in quotations by subsequent classical writers.
219	When did the Vikram Samvat begin in India?	It began in 57 B.C.
220	Over which part of present-day India did the Pala dynasty rule?	Bengal.
221	When did the Shaka era begin in India?	78A.D.
222	Who started the Shaka era?	Kanishka of the Kushana dynasty.
223	When did the Gupta era begin in India?	In 320 A.D., after Chandragupta of the Gupta dynasty.
224	Over which kingdom did Kharavela rule?	Kalinga.
225	According to Buddhist sources, a dreaded dacoit had a transformation of heart and took refuge in Buddha's Dhamma. Who was he?	Angulimala.
226	An accomplished and rich dancer gave away her mango-grove to the Sangha of Buddha and became his disciple. Name her.	Amrapali.
227	Why was the Indus Valley Civilisation originally called the Harappan Civilisation?	It was so called because the first site of this civilization was discovered (in 1921) at the modern site of Harappa, in present day Pakistan.
228	What was the basis of the town planning of the people of the Indus Valley Civilisation?	It was the Grid System. In the format that they used all roads cut across each other almost at right angles. This led to the city being divided into blocks.
229	What was the most important public place in Mohenjodaro?	It was the Great Bath. It was probably used for ritual bathing.
230	What religion did Kharavela patronise?	Jainism.
231	The Greeks called cotton "Sindon". There is a reason behind this name. What is it?	The people of the Indus Valley Civilisation were the first to produce cotton and therefore the Greeks called it Sindon. This word is derived from the name Sindh.
232	Karikala Chola founded a famous city. What was it?	Puhar. Identified with Kaveripatnam the Chola capital.
233	To which Age does the Indus Valley Civilisation belong?	The Bronze Age. Iron was not known to them.
234	What is the birthplace of Shankaracharya?	Kaladi. Shankaracharya was a famous exponent of the Advaita philosophy. Advaita literally means not two. Advaita believes in an eternal being and holds that the plurality is nothing but illusion.
235	How many books or Mandalas does the Rig Veda contain?	Ten.
236	Who introduced chariots drawn by horses into India?	The Aryans
237	Who was born to Siddhartha and Trishala in the year 540 B.C.?	Vardhamana Mahavira
238	According to the Arthashastra, the Purohita was an important member of the Mantri Parishad. What was his role?	He was the High Priest.
239	In ancient India handicraftsmen were organised into economic corporations or guilds. What were these Guilds called?	Shreni.
240	Who wrote Kadambari?	Banabhatta.
241	At what age did Mahavira abandon the world and become an ascetic?	At the age of 30 yrs.
242	Where and when did Mahavira pass away?	In 468 B.C at Pavapuri, in modern Bihar.
243	Jainism was divided into two sects. Name them.	Shvetambara: - Those clad in white. Digambara: - Those who are sky-clad (or are                      naked)
244	Where was Buddha born?	Buddha was born in the royal grove in Lumbini near Kapilavastu.
245	Where did Buddha deliver his first sermon?	At Sarnath.
246	What was the path to be followed to be free from misery according to Buddha?	He recommended following the eight-fold path, (ashtanga magga)
247	Under whose rule did Magadha first attain prominence?	Bimbisara. According to Ashwaghosha, Bimbisara belonged to the Haryanka dynasty.
248	Who was the Royal Physician at Bimbisara's court?	Jivaka.
249	Which was the capital of the kingdom of Magadha before Pataliputra?	Girivraja. Also called Rajagriha or Rajgir.
250	Who succeeded Bimbisara to the throne of Magadha?	Ajatashatru.
251	Which dynasty succeeded the dynasty of Bimbisara?	The Shishunagas. They conquered the kingdom of Avanti, and made it a part of the Magadhan empire.
252	Where was Pataliputra situated?	It was situated at the confluence of the Gandak, the Son, and the Ganga. It is present-day Patna.
253	What were the reasons behind the refusal of the Greek soldiers to accompany Alexander beyond the Beas?	They were war weary and home sick. The hot climate of India did not suit them. Having experienced the fighting abilities of the Indian people they were apprehensive about the power of the Nandas. All these reasons contributed to their refusal.
254	What theme does Vishakhadatta's play, Mudrarakshasa, deal with?	The strategies adopted by Chanakya against the enemies of Chandragupta Maurya.
255	Which were the four divisions of the army in ancient India?	Infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots.
256	Why did Ashoka exempt the village of Lumbini from 'Bali' (tribute paid to the king)?	Because this was the birthplace of Gautama Buddha.
257	Menander, also known as Milinda, was the most famous of the Indo-Greek kings. Where was his capital city?	Sakala, modern Sialkot.
258	Who was the Buddhist monk who converted Menander into Buddhism?	Nagasena or Nagarjuna.
259	What is the Milinda Panha?	It is a book, which records the conversation between Nagarjuna and Menander. Milinda Panha literally means Questions by Milinda.
260	Who issued the first long inscription in chaste Sanskrit?	Rudradaman, the famous Shaka ruler.
261	We know of two successive dynasties of the Kushanas. Who founded them?	The first dynasty was founded by Kadphises I and the second by Kanishka.
262	The Shakas and the Kushanas completely identified themselves with Indian culture. What factors helped them in this?	They did not have a script of their own nor did they have any organised religion.
263	What were the articles of clothing introduced in India by the Shakas and the Kushanas?	Trousers, long coat, tunic and turban. The turban, however, is mentioned as a head dress in ancient India (Ushneesha)
264	How were the foreign elements like Shaka, Pahlava and the Kushanas assimilated into Indian society?	Since they came as conquerors they were classified as Kshatriyas.
265	Buddhism was divided into two sects. What were they?	Mahayana: - The Great wheel. Hinayana: - The Lesser wheel.
266	Name the two Buddhist centres located in present day Andhra Pradesh?	Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati.
267	What was the contribution of the Greeks to Indian theatre techniques?	The use of curtain was borrowed from the Greeks. The curtain was called "Yavanika".
268	Over which areas did the Shatavahana dynasty rule?	The Deccan and Central India.
269	Over which area of India did Rashtrakutas rule?	Northern Maharashtra.
270	Who were Gandhikas?	Artisans who are mentioned as giving donations to the Buddhists. Originally Gandhika meant perfumes but was later used to describe shopkeepers. The name Gandhi is said to have been derived from it.
271	What was the Buddhist temple known as?	Chaitya.
272	What was a Buddhist monastery known as?	Vihara.
273	What were the main articles of trade of the Southern Kingdoms of the Cholas, the Cheras and the Pandyas?	Spices especially pepper, ivory, pearls, muslin and silk.
274	Name two of the epics of the Sangam Age.	Silappadikaram, Jivakachintamani and Manimekalai.
275	What was the Uttarapatha?	It was the route that was used for trade. It ran from Taksha-shila to Broach on the Western coast.
276	Which empire rose on the remains of the Kushan Empire?	The Gupta Empire.
277	Who were Lichchhavis? What are they known for?	Lichchhavis ruled over a vast area from Magadha to Nepal. They were best known for the democracy they practised. It would not be correct to compare it with democracy as understood today. Some preferred to call it oligarchy.
278	Who wrote 'Hitopadesha'?	Narayana Bhatta. Hitopadesha is a collection of stories, most of which were drawn from the Panchatantram of Vishnu Sharma.
279	Who is regarded as the first important King of the Gupta dynasty?	Chandragupta I.
280	Which Gupta ruler adopted the title 'Vikramaditya'?	Chandragupta II. He is regarded as the greatest of the Gupta rulers (376 to 414 AD).
281	Who was the Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the time of Chandragupta II?	Fa-Hien.
282	Who was the first Gupta king to assume the title 'Rajadhiraja"?	Chandragupta I. In addition to 'Rajadhiraja', Samudragupta assumed the titles 'Parambhattaraka' and 'Paramabhagavata'.
283	What was the image on the royal seal of the Guptas?	Garuda.
284	Who was the author of the play 'Mrichchhakatikam'?	Shudraka.
285	Which empire rose on the ruins of the empire of the Pallavas of Kanchi?	The Chola Empire.
286	A ruling dynasty at Thanesar, (in modern Haryana), extended its authority over the feudatories of the Gupta Empire. Who was the ruler who achieved this?	Harsha.
287	Which city did Harsha make his capital?	Kanauj.
288	Who was the Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the time of Harsha?	Hiuen Tsang.
289	Who was the ruler of South India who prevented Harsha from extending his kingdom southwards?	The Chalukya King Pulakesin II.
290	What religion did Harsha follow during his early years?	He was a devotee of Shiva.
291	Which religious sect did Harsha patronise in his later years?	The Buddhist.
292	What are the Vedangas?	The limbs of the Vedas. It was necessary to learn the Vedanga to understand the Vedas. The Vedangas were : a) Shiksha (phonetics) b) Kalpa (rituals) c) Vyakarana d) Nirukta (etymology) e) Chhanda (metrics) f) Jyotisha (astronomy)
293	Who was reputed to be the author of the following books: Priyadarshika, Ratnavali and Nagananda?	Harsha.
294	In which book would you find the famous Gayatri mantra?	Rigveda.
295	In the Rigveda, a daughter is sometimes referred to as 'duhitr'. What is the literal translation of the word?	One who milks the cow.
296	Who was the first person to hold that the earth was a sphere and rotated on its axis?	Aryabhata. He also declared that the eclipses were not the work of Rahu but were caused by the shadow of the earth falling on the moon. Varahamihira and Brahmagupta later astronomers did not agree with his view. Aryabhata also gave an accurate approximation ofn.
297	What is the 'Dharmachakrapravartana'?	The preaching of the first sermon by Buddha.
298	Who was responsible for establishing the order of nuns in Buddhism?	Ananda, the personal attendant of Buddha, was largely responsible for the admission of Gautami (the widowed stepmother of Buddha) into the Sangha. This was the beginning of the order of nuns.
299	Who deciphered the Asokan inscriptions?	James Prinsep.
300	The word 'Aryan' originates from the Sanskrit word 'Arya'. What was the meaning of the word?	Of good family.