Bhakti & Sufi Movements MCQs for UPSC Prelims

44 practice questions on Bhakti & Sufi Movements from the Ancient & Medieval History section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 44 come with a written explanation and 3 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

10 Easy 29 Medium 5 Hard 3 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. Saint Nimbarka was a contemporary of Akbar. 2. Saint Kabir was greatly influenced by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - Neither 1 nor 2

Both statements collapse on simple chronology. Nimbarka, the Vaishnava philosopher of the dvaitadvaita school, is generally placed around the 12th to 13th century, several centuries before Akbar (1556-1605), so statement 1 is wrong. Kabir lived in the 15th century, roughly 1440-1518, whereas Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624) belonged to the age of Akbar and Jahangir; a later figure could not have influenced an earlier one, so statement 2 is also wrong. Kabir's actual influences were the nirguna bhakti tradition of Ramananda and Sufi mysticism. The answer is therefore neither 1 nor 2.

Q2
Previous year question medium

With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs: Historical person - Known as 1. Aryadeva - Jaina scholar 2. Dignaga - Buddhist scholar 3. Nathamuni - Vaishnava scholar How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. A None of the pairs
  2. B Only one pair
  3. C Only two pairs
  4. D All three pairs
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - Only two pairs

Aryadeva was a Mahayana Buddhist philosopher, the celebrated disciple of Nagarjuna in the Madhyamaka school, so calling him a Jaina scholar is wrong. Dignaga was indeed a Buddhist logician who founded the school of Buddhist epistemology, so the second pair is correct. Nathamuni was the Vaishnava acharya of Srirangam who compiled the Nalayira Divya Prabandham of the Alvars, so the third pair is correct. With pairs 2 and 3 right and pair 1 wrong, only two pairs are correctly matched.

Q3
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements : 1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. 2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there. 3. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

St. Francis Xavier was indeed one of the founders of the Society of Jesus alongside Ignatius of Loyola, so statement 1 is correct, and his feast is celebrated annually in Goa, making statement 3 correct. However, he died on Shangchuan (Sancian) Island off the coast of China in 1552; his body was later brought to Goa and enshrined at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, so the claim that he 'died in Goa' in statement 2 is wrong. Therefore only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Q4
hard

Consider the following pairs of Bhakti/Sufi figures and their distinctive associations: 1. Ramananda : preached in the vernacular and admitted disciples across caste lines in north India 2. Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya : a leading Chishti saint of Delhi whose disciples included Amir Khusrau 3. Dadu Dayal : founder of the Dadu Panth in Rajasthan, influenced by the Nirguna tradition How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

Ramananda popularised devotion in the vernacular and accepted disciples irrespective of caste; Nizamuddin Auliya was a major Chishti saint of Delhi whose circle included the poet Amir Khusrau; and Dadu Dayal founded the Dadu Panth in Rajasthan within the Nirguna Bhakti stream. All three pairs are correctly matched.

Q5
medium

Consider the following pairs of Bhakti and Sufi figures with the traditions or orders they are associated with: 1. Ramananda : Bhakti saint who taught in the Hindi-speaking region 2. Nizamuddin Auliya : Chishti silsila (order) 3. Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya : Suhrawardi silsila How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correctly matched. Ramananda was a Bhakti saint of north India who preached in the vernacular and counted Kabir and Ravidas among his followers. Nizamuddin Auliya was a leading saint of the Chishti silsila. Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya was a prominent saint of the Suhrawardi silsila, centred in Multan. Hence all three are correct.

Q6
medium

Which Bhakti saint-poet of Maharashtra is regarded as the founder of the Varkari tradition and is associated with a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita written in Marathi?

  1. A Jnaneshwar (Dnyaneshwar)
  2. B Namdev
  3. C Tukaram
  4. D Eknath
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Jnaneshwar (Dnyaneshwar)

Jnaneshwar (Dnyaneshwar) is regarded as a foundational figure of the Varkari movement and authored the Jnaneshwari, a celebrated Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram were also major Varkari saints, but the Marathi Gita commentary and the early founding role are attributed to Jnaneshwar. Hence Jnaneshwar is correct.

Q7
easy

The Bhakti saint who composed the Abhangas in Marathi and is closely associated with the Vithoba (Vitthala) temple at Pandharpur was:

  1. A Tukaram
  2. B Surdas
  3. C Chaitanya
  4. D Tulsidas
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Tukaram

Sant Tukaram, a 17th-century Marathi poet-saint of the Varkari tradition, composed devotional abhangas dedicated to Vithoba of Pandharpur. Surdas and Tulsidas were Hindi/Awadhi devotional poets of the north, while Chaitanya led the Gaudiya Vaishnava Krishna-bhakti movement in Bengal.

Q8
hard

With reference to the Sufi movement in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Chishti order was associated with Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. 2. The Suhrawardi order generally maintained closer links with the state and accepted official positions and grants. 3. The practice of 'sama' (devotional music) was accepted by the Chishtis. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correct. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, whose dargah is at Ajmer, founded the Chishti order in India. The Suhrawardi order, unlike the Chishtis who generally kept aloof from the state, was more willing to associate with rulers and accept state patronage and offices. The Chishtis accepted sama, devotional music and dance to induce mystical ecstasy. Hence all three statements are accurate.

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