Religious Movements MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Religious Movements - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Mirabai

Key Points

• Meerabai is called "Radha of Rajasthan" and her guru's name was Raidas.
• Meerabai was born in 1498 in Kurki village in Pali, Rajasthan.
• Meerabai is known for her devotion to Krishna. "Meera Padaavali" is her major work.
• Mirabai established the "Dasi Sampradaya".
• The father's name of Meerabai was Ratan Singh Rathore.
• Mahatma Gandhi called Mirabai "the first Satyagrahi woman".
• Gavari Bai was born in the princely state of Jodhpur in 1920 and is known as "Meera of Bangar".
• Samanbai was a resident of Mahund village in Alwar and was the daughter of devotee Ramnath.
• She composed the free verse of Radha and Krishna.
• "Karmathi Bai" was the daughter of Katharia Purushottam of Purohitpur in the Bangad region.
• She was a contemporary of Akbar and spent most of her time in Vrindavan.

The correct answer is 1849.

Key Points

• The second Anglo-Sikh war was fought between 1848 and 1849.
• Battles were fought in Ramnagar and Chilianwala.
• This war led to the complete control of Punjab by the British.
• Punjab was annexed by the British in March 1849 (under Lord Dalhousie) as per the Treaty of Lahore.
• The eleven-year-old Maharaja, Duleep Singh was pensioned off to England.
• Dalhousie was recommended for his role in the annexation of Punjab to the British and was made a Marquis.
• The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond went into British hands.

Key Points

• Ramananda was a 14th-century poet-saint and a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement in northern India.
• Also known as Ramanandacharya, he was born into a Brahmin family and spent most of his life in Varanasi, a sacred city for Hindus.
• Exact birth and death dates remain uncertain, but he is believed to have lived during the 14th to 15th centuries, when the Bhakti movement flourished in North India under Islamic rule.
• Philosophical Influences:
  • Ramanuja, a South Indian Vedanta scholar, influenced his devotional themes and philosophy.
  • He was also influenced by Nathpanthi ascetics and the Yoga school of Hindu philosophy.
  • Devotion to Rama: Ramananda was a prominent Rama worshipper and is credited with spreading the Bhakti movement in northern India.
• Social Reformer:
  • Opened the Bhakti movement to all people, regardless of birth, caste, creed, or gender.
  • Made religious teachings more accessible to the public by writing and speaking in Hindi.
• Disciples:
  • Kabir (a Muslim weaver)
  • Ravidas (a cobbler)
  • Sena (a barber)
  • Dhanna (a Jat peasant)
  • Sadhana (a butcher)
  • Narahari (a goldsmith)
  • Pipa (a Rajput prince)
• Legacy:
  • Revered as the bridge between the southern and northern Bhakti movements.
  • Credited with founding the Sant-parampara (tradition of Bhakti saints) in northern India.

The correct answer is Guru Hargobind.Key Points

• Guru Hargobind
  • He became a guru at the age of 11 after the death of his father Guru Arjan Dev
  • Guru Hargobind is credited with developing a strong Sikh army. This brought him into direct conflict with the Mughals.
  • It is believed that Guru Hargobind carried two swords at his succession ceremony.
  • He was an adept swordsman, wrestler and rider as he had been imparted training in military warfare and martial arts.
  • He constructed the Akal Takht, the highest seat temporal seat of the Sikhs. Spiritual and temporal matters related to the Sikh community are resolved at Akal Takht.
  • Besides building an army, he founded congregational prayers to promote Sikhism.
  • He sent his followers to various places across India to spread the word of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs.

Additional Information

1. Guru Nanak- He was the founder of Sikhism as well as the first Sikh Guru.  He started the practice of "Langer".
2. Guru Angad- He also developed the Gurumukhi script.
3. Guru Amar Das- Composed the Anand Sahib, introduced the simple Anand Karaj marriage and abolished Sati among the Sikhs.
4. Guru Ram Das- He laid the foundation of the holy city of Amritsar and initiated the construction of the Golden Temple.
5. Guru Arjan Dev- Compiled the Adi Granth and constructed the Golden Temple.
6. Guru Hargobind- Created the Sikh martial art called Gatka. Built the Akal Takhat.
7. Guru Har Rai- He was known as the "tender-Hearted Guru".
8. Guru Har Kishan- Youngest Sikh Guru, installed at the age of 5.
9. Guru Teg Bahadur- Refused to convert to Islam and was beheaded by Aurangzeb.
10. Guru Gobind Singh- He was the last Sikh Guru. He established the military force of "Khalsa".

The correct answer is - Tulsidas

Key Points

• Tulsidas
  • Tulsidas is one of the most celebrated Hindi and Awadhi poets in Indian literature.
  • He is known for writing works with a strong spiritual and devotional tone, often dedicated to Lord Rama.
  • Tulsidas composed the following famous works:
    • Gitawali: A collection of devotional songs centered on Lord Rama.
    • Kavitawali: A series of poems highlighting the virtues and life of Lord Rama.
    • Vinaya Patrika: A collection of hymns and prayers expressing humility and devotion.
  • His other renowned work is the Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem that narrates the story of Lord Rama.

Additional Information

• Other notable poets
  • Surdas: A devotional poet known for his compositions dedicated to Lord Krishna, especially in his work Sursagar.
  • Chaitanya: A saint and poet who played a key role in the Bengal Vaishnavism movement, focusing on the devotion to Lord Krishna.
  • Namadeva: A prominent saint and poet of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra, known for his devotional hymns.
• About the Bhakti Movement
  • The Bhakti movement emerged as a spiritual reform movement in medieval India, emphasizing devotion to a personal deity.
  • It produced a number of saint-poets who composed devotional literature in regional languages.
  • Notable figures include Meera Bai, Kabir, Surdas, and Tulsidas.
• Significance of Tulsidas’ works
  • Tulsidas’ writings are considered a cornerstone of Hindu devotional literature.
  • They have contributed significantly to the spread of the Rama Bhakti tradition across India.
  • His works remain widely read and recited in temples and homes across the country.

The correct answer is Guru Gobind Singh.Key Points

• Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the Tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh.
• Its formation was a key event in the history of Sikhism.
• The founding of Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs during the festival of Vaisakhi.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Guru Gobind Singh.Key PointsGuru Gobind Singh

• The tenth and the last guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh was born on 5 January 1666 in Patna, Bihar.
• ​He became a Guru at the age of 9 on 24 November 1675. He was the tenth and last Guru of Sikhism.
  • He introduced the five Ks of Sikhism which refers to the 5 items that a Khalsa Sikh should wear at all times. These are as follows:​
  • Kesh- uncut hair
  • Kangha- a wooden comb for hair
  • Kirpan- iron dagger
  • Kara- an iron bracelet
  • Kachera- cotton tieable undergarments

Additional Information Guru Tegh Bahadur:

• He was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
• Aurangzeb beheaded Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675.
• He founded the city of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab in 1665.

Guru Nanak:

• He was the founder of the Sikh religion.

• His teachings are found in the Guru Granth Sahib.

• Guru Nanak emphasized the worship of one God.

• He started the practice of "Langer".

Guru Angad-

• He was the second of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
• He also developed the Gurumukhi script.

Guru Arjan Dev:

• He was the fifth Sikh guru.
• He was credited with compiling of the first official edition of the Sikh scripture called the Adi Granth, 
• He built the famous Harmandar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
• He was killed by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

Guru Ram Das

• Guru Ram Das, fourth of the 10 gurus.
• He founded the city of Amritsar.

Guru Har Gobind

• He was the son of Guru Arjan Dev and was known as a "soldier saint”.
• He was the sixth of the 10 gurus.
• He organized a small army and became the first Guru to take up arms to defend the faith.

Guru Har Rai

• He was the seventh of the 10 gurus.
• He gave shelter to Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal Ruler Shah Jahan, who was later persecuted by Aurangazeb.

Important Points Order of Sikh Gurus

• Guru Nanak
• Guru Angad
• Guru Amar Das
• Guru Ram Das
• Guru Arjan Dev
• Guru Hargobind
• Guru Har Rai
• Guru Har Kishan
• Guru Teg Bahadur
• Guru Gobind Singh

The correct answer is Banda Bahadur.

Key Points

• After Guru Gobind Singh's death, the institution of Guruship came to an end and the leadership of the Sikhs passed to his trusted disciple Banda Singh Bahadur.
• Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh warrior & a commander of the Khalsa army.
• Since creating his Khalsa rule at Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur had abolished the zamindari regime & had given "property rights" to the land tiller.
• Banda Singh had rallied together with the lower castes & peasants of Punjab from "Delhi to Lahore"  and had undertaken a vigorous "unequal struggle" against the army of Mughal for almost 8  years.
• However, in the year 1715, he was captured and put to death. There many reasons for his failure. One, the Mughal army was very strong, and second the upper castes & classes of Punjab had joined forces against Banda Singh Bahadur because of his campaign for the rural poor & the lower castes.​

Additional Information

• Guru Nanak Dev was the first Sikh guru. 
• Guru Arjan Dev was executed by Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
• Khalsa Panth - a kind of Praetorian Guard was founded by Guru Gobind Singh on April 13, 1699.
• Guru Har Krishan was the youngest Sikh guru, he became guru at the age of 5. 

Important Points

• Golden temple:-
  • Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat (December,1588).
  • The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself.
  • The planning to excavate the holy tank (Amritsar or Amrit Sarovar ) was chalked out by Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak.
  •  But it was executed by Guru Ramdas Sahib under the supervision of Baba Budha ji. 

The correct answer is option 1, i.e Nayanar.

• Nayanar is called Shaivism in the Bhakti Movement.

• The seventh to ninth centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements, led by the Nayanars (saints devoted to Shiva) and Alvars (saints devoted to Vishnu).

• They came from all castes including those considered “untouchable” like the Pulaiyar and the Panars.

• They were sharply critical of the Buddhists and Jains and preached ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation.
• They drew upon the ideals of love and heroism as found in the Sangam literature (the earliest example of Tamil literature, composed during the early centuries of the Common Era), and blended them with the values of bhakti.
• There were 63 Nayanars, best known among them were Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manikkavasagar.
• There were 12 Alvars, who came from equally divergent backgrounds, the best known being Periyalvar, his daughter Andal, Tondaradippodi Alvar and Nammalvar.
• Their songs were compiled in the Divya Prabandham.

Trick to remember - If you reverse "A" of Alvar, you get V or Vishnu. Hence Alvars are devotees of Vishnu. The other term would be for Shiva Devotees.

​Bodhisattva:

• An individual who is on the path of getting enlightenment to become a buddha is referred to as Bodhisattva.

Wali:

• The terms Sufi, Wali, Darvesh, and Faqir are used for Muslim saints.
• Wali was a Sufi who claimed proximity to Allah.
• They are the saints who attempted to achieve the development of their intuitive faculties through ascetic exercises, contemplation, renunciation, and self-denial. 

The correct answer is Guru Ram Das.

• Guru Ram Das (1574 - 1581), fourth of the 10 gurus, founded the city of Amritsar.
• He started the construction of the famous Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs.
• He requested the Muslim Sufi, Mian Mir to lay the cornerstone of the Harmandir Sahib.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Key Points

• Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Guru of the Sikhs.
  • He is the second Sikh martyr.
  • He was born at Amritsar in Punjab in 1621.
  • He was also the father of Guru Gobind Singh.
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in Delhi in 1675 under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Important Points

• Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Sikh Guru.
• Guru Amar Das was the third Guru of the Sikhs.
  • He struggled against the Sati system and the Purdah system.
• Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Guru of the Sikhs.
  • He founded the Swarn mandir and composed the Adi Granth

The correct answer is Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Key Points

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the contemporary of the Mughal Emporer - Babur.
• There are 10 Sikh gurus.

Additional Information

• Important points to remember about the 10 Sikh Gurus are:

The correct answer is Shri Guru Gobind Singh ji.

Key Points

• Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
  • He is the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
  • He was born in Patna, Bihar in 1666. 
  • Khalsa Panth, a community that considers Sikhism as its faith was founded by Guru Gobind Singh.
  • Guru Gobind Singh was considered as the last human Sikh Guru.

Additional Information

• Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Guru of the Sikhs.
  • He is the second Sikh martyr.
  • He was born at Amritsar in Punjab in 1621.
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in Delhi in 1675 under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
• Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of the Sikh religion.
  • Guru Nanak was born on 14th April 1469 at Rai Bhoi di Talvandi(Present day Nankana Sahib) in Pakistan.
  • His birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan.
  • He is considered the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• ​Shri Guru Hargobind was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
  • The process of militarization in Sikhism was introduced by ​Guru Hargobind.
  • The Akal Takht, one of five takhts (seats of power) of the Sikhs was built by Shri Guru Hargobind.

The correct answer is Guru Angad Dev

Key Points

• Guru Angad Dev was the second of the ten human form Gurus (divine messengers) of the Sikh faith.
• Guru Angad invented the present form of the Gurmukhi script.
• It became the medium of writing the Punjabi language in which the hymns of the Gurus are expressed.

Additional Information

Sikh Gurus:

1. Guru Nanak Dev (1469 -1539)
2. Guru Angad Dev (1539 -1552)
3. Guru Amar Das Sahib (1552 - 1574)
4. Guru Ram Das Sahib (1574 - 1581)
5. Guru Arjan Dev (1581 - 1606)
6. Guru Har Gobind Sahib (1606 - 1644)
7. Guru Har Rai Sahib (1644 - 1661)
8. Guru Har Krishan Sahib (1661 - 1664)
9. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (1665 - 1675)
10. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (1675 - 1708)
11. Guru Granth Sahib (1708 - eternity)

The correct answer is Mughals.

Key Points

• After the death of Shri Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikhs revolted against the Mughals under the leadership of Banda Bahadur. 
• After Guru Gobind Singh's death, the institution of Guruship came to an end and the leadership of the Sikhs passed to his trusted disciple Banda Singh Bahadur.
• Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh warrior & a commander of the Khalsa army.
• Since creating his Khalsa rule in Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur had abolished the zamindari regime & had given "property rights" to the land tiller.
• Banda Singh had rallied together with the lower castes & peasants of Punjab from "Delhi to Lahore" and had undertaken a vigorous "unequal struggle" against the army of Mughals for almost 8  years.
• However, in the year 1715, he was captured and put to death. 
• There are many reasons for his failure. One, the Mughal army was very strong, and second, the upper castes & classes of Punjab had joined forces against Banda Singh Bahadur because of his campaign for the rural poor & the lower castes.

Additional Information

• Gurus of Sikh-
  1. Guru Nanak - founder of Sikhism
  2. Guru Angad
  3. Guru Amar Das
  4. Guru Ram Das
  5. Guru Arjan 
  6. Guru Hargobind
  7. Guru Har Rai
  8. Guru Har Krishan
  9. Guru Tegh Bahadur
  10. Guru Gobind Singh - introduced Khalsa, 'five Ks', proclaimed Guru Granth Sahib as the future and final Guru