UP History — Set 15
UP GK · UP इतिहास · Questions 141–150 of 200
Akbar made which city his primary capital after abandoning Fatehpur Sikri?
Correct Answer: C. Agra
After abandoning Fatehpur Sikri around 1585, Akbar made Agra his primary capital again. Fatehpur Sikri had served as the Mughal capital for only about 14 years. Agra remained the Mughal capital through the reigns of Jahangir and Shah Jahan, during which the city reached the peak of its architectural grandeur.
The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) at Fatehpur Sikri is famous for which architectural feature?
Correct Answer: B. Its central carved pillar with radiating beams
The Diwan-i-Khas at Fatehpur Sikri is famous for its central carved column which fans out into a platform connected to the four corners by bridges. Akbar is said to have sat on this platform to conduct discussions with scholars of different faiths. The unique design reflects the architectural innovation of the Mughal period.
Jahangir's tomb, built after his death in 1627, is located in?
Correct Answer: C. Lahore
Jahangir's tomb (Shahdara Bagh) is located in Lahore, Pakistan, not in Uttar Pradesh. However, Jahangir spent significant time in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. The Nur Jahan tomb adjacent to Jahangir's mausoleum in Lahore is notable. Nur Jahan herself designed much of the tomb's architecture.
The Taj Mahal was built using which type of stone as the primary material?
Correct Answer: D. White marble
The Taj Mahal was built primarily using white Makrana marble from Rajasthan. It took approximately 22 years (1632-1653) and 20,000 workers to complete. The marble has semi-translucent properties that make the Taj appear to change colour at different times of day. Precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid using the pietra dura technique.
The main architect of the Taj Mahal is traditionally credited to be?
Correct Answer: D. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is traditionally credited as the main architect of the Taj Mahal. He was the imperial architect at the court of Shah Jahan. The dome was designed by Ismail Khan of Turkey. The Taj complex also includes a mosque, a guesthouse, and elaborate gardens designed on the Persian charbagh pattern.
Safdar Jang, who built the Safdar Jang Tomb in Delhi, was the Nawab of which state?
Correct Answer: C. Awadh
Safdar Jang (Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur) was the second Nawab of Awadh and also served as Prime Minister (Wazir) of the Mughal Empire. He succeeded Saadat Khan as Nawab around 1739. His tomb in Delhi was built in 1754 and represents one of the last examples of Mughal garden tomb architecture.
Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh was defeated by the British in which battle?
Correct Answer: B. Battle of Buxar
Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula was defeated by the British in the Battle of Buxar in 1764. He fought alongside Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II and the ousted Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim. After defeat, he signed the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765, which marked the beginning of British political domination over Awadh.
The Imambara complex built by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula in Lucknow includes a mosque named after which caliph?
Correct Answer: A. Asafi Mosque
The Bara Imambara complex in Lucknow includes the Asafi Mosque, named after Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula who built it in 1784. The Asafi Mosque is one of the finest examples of Awadhi architectural style, blending Mughal and European elements. Entry to the mosque is restricted to Muslims, while the Imambara is open to all.
Which Nawab of Awadh signed the Subsidiary Alliance with the British in 1801?
Correct Answer: C. Saadat Ali Khan
Saadat Ali Khan (the brother of the deposed Nawab Wazir Ali) signed the Subsidiary Alliance with the British under Lord Wellesley in 1801. Under this treaty, Awadh ceded large territories including Rohilkhand and the lower Doab to the British. This reduced Awadh to a rump state entirely surrounded by British territory.
Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was a noted composer of which music form?
Correct Answer: C. Thumri
Wajid Ali Shah was a renowned composer of Thumri, a semi-classical vocal form. He composed under the pen name 'Akhtar' and created many famous thumris and ghazals. After his exile to Calcutta in 1856, he continued his patronage of the arts and is credited with developing the Lucknow style of Kathak and Thumri.