'Souls are not only the property of animal and plant life, but also of rocks, running water and many other natural objects not looked on as living by other religious sects.' The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?

The correct answer is B, All-India War Memorial. India Gate was built as the All-India War Memorial to honour soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War and in the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the chief architect of New Delhi. The Duke of Connaught laid its foundation stone in 1921, and it was completed in 1931. The names of thousands of soldiers are carved on its walls. In 1972, after the 1971 war, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was added beneath the arch. Option A is wrong because the Afghan war is only one of the wars it remembers, and that was never its name. Option C is wrong because 'Archway of Delhi' is just a description, not an official name. Option D is wrong because the memorial honours the Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army, not only British soldiers. Exam tip: India Gate = All-India War Memorial, designed by Lutyens, built 1921–1931.

The correct answer is C, Jasnathi Siddha. The fire dance of Rajasthan is performed by men of the Jasnathi Siddha sect, who dance barefoot on a bed of glowing embers to the beat of drums, calling out 'fatai, fatai'. It is performed mostly at night during their religious gatherings, and its main centre is Katariyasar in Bikaner district, the seat of the sect's founder. The sect was founded by Jasnath ji in the late 15th century, and his followers live by a set of 36 rules. The dancers leap through and even lift the embers, yet the performance is treated as an act of faith, not a show. Option A is wrong because the Bishnoi sect, founded by Jambhoji, is known for protecting trees and blackbuck, not for a fire dance. Option B is wrong because the Ramsnehi sect is a devotional sect of Rama worship with centres such as Shahpura, and it has no fire dance. Option D is wrong because the Dadupanth, founded by Dadu Dayal and centred at Naraina, is also not linked with this dance. Exam tip: Agni nritya – Jasnathi Siddhas – Katariyasar (Bikaner).

The correct answer is B, A-ii, B-iii, C-i, D-iv. Nihalchand was the master painter of Kishangarh in the 18th century under Raja Sawant Singh, the poet-king known as Nagaridas; his 'Bani Thani', with its long nose, arched eyebrows and lotus-shaped eyes, is often called the Mona Lisa of India. Ustad Ali Raza, a painter who came from Delhi, worked at Bikaner in the 17th century under Maharaja Karan Singh, which is why Bikaner painting shows a strong Mughal touch. Sahibdin was the leading painter of Mewar under Maharana Jagat Singh I; his Ragamala of 1628 and his Ramayana paintings shaped the Udaipur style. Shivdas is counted among the painters of the Marwar, or Jodhpur, school. Option A is wrong because it gives Shivdas to Bikaner and Ali Raza to Marwar. Option C is wrong because it gives Shivdas to Mewar and Sahibdin to Marwar. Option D is wrong because it links Sahibdin with Bikaner and Ali Raza with Mewar. Exam tip: Bani Thani–Nihalchand–Kishangarh; Ragamala–Sahibdin–Mewar; Ali Raza–Bikaner; Shivdas–Marwar.

The correct answer is A, Sarangi. Pandit Ram Narayan, born in Udaipur in 1927, lifted the sarangi from an instrument that only accompanied singers to a solo concert instrument, and he was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan. Ustad Sultan Khan, born in Sikar district, was a sarangi master and singer known around the world for his work with other musicians, and he received the Padma Bhushan. The sarangi is a bowed string instrument carved from a single block of wood, with three main gut strings played with a bow and many sympathetic strings that ring along; its sound is said to come closest to the human voice. Option B is wrong because the kamaycha is a bowed folk instrument of the Manganiyar musicians of Jaisalmer and Barmer, not the instrument of these two classical masters. Option C is wrong because the tabla is a pair of drums, not a string instrument. Option D is wrong because the sitar is a plucked instrument, made world-famous by Pandit Ravi Shankar. Exam tip: Rajasthan's sarangi masters are Ram Narayan (Udaipur) and Sultan Khan (Sikar).

The correct answer is B, Bharia. Patalkot is a deep, horseshoe-shaped valley in the Tamia area of Chhindwara district, and most of its villages are home to the Bharia tribe. The valley floor lies more than a thousand feet below the surrounding Satpura plateau, so for a long time the Bharias lived almost cut off from the outside world, depending on the forest for food and herbal medicine. The Bharias of Patalkot are one of the three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Madhya Pradesh, along with the Baiga and the Sahariya. Option A is wrong because the Bhil, the largest tribe of the state, live mainly in western districts such as Jhabua, Alirajpur and Dhar. Option C is wrong because the Khairwar are a separate tribe and not the main community of Patalkot. Option D is wrong because the Oraon belong mainly to the Chhotanagpur region of Jharkhand. Exam tip: Patalkot, Chhindwara, Bharia tribe, one of the three PVTGs of Madhya Pradesh with the Baiga and Sahariya.