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Indian HistoryEasyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GK

Which kingdom was described by Governor-General Lord Dalhousie as "A cherry that will drop into our mouth one day"?

  1. A.Delhi
  2. B.Awadh
  3. C.Jhansi
  4. D.Gwalior

Correct answer

B. Awadh

Explanation

The correct answer is B, Awadh. In 1851 Lord Dalhousie called Awadh a cherry that would one day drop into the Company's mouth, and five years later he annexed it.

Awadh was a rich and fertile kingdom that had been a subsidiary ally of the British since 1801. Dalhousie, Governor-General from 1848 to 1856, wanted it for its revenue and for the cotton and markets of the region. Because Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had heirs, the Doctrine of Lapse could not be used. Instead, in February 1856, Awadh was annexed on the charge of misgovernment, and the Nawab was sent to Calcutta. The annexation angered the many sepoys of the Bengal army who came from Awadh and fed the Revolt of 1857.

A is wrong because Delhi was not a kingdom that Dalhousie sought to annex; the Mughal emperor there was already a pensioner of the Company. C is wrong because Jhansi was taken in 1853 under the Doctrine of Lapse. D is wrong because Gwalior was not annexed by Dalhousie.

Exam tip: Awadh = annexed 1856 for misgovernment; Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur = Doctrine of Lapse.

Practice Questions

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Q1.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2019, GKHard

Which one of the following is not a change brought about by the Indian Independence Act of 1947?

  1. A.The Government of India Act, 1935 was amended to provide an interim Constitution.
  2. B.India ceased to be a dependency.
  3. C.The Crown was the source of authority till new Constitution was framed.
  4. D.The Governor-General was the constitutional head of Indian Dominion.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The Crown was the source of authority till new Constitution was framed.

The Indian Independence Act did not keep the Crown as the source of authority; it ended British authority over India from 15 August 1947.

Q2.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2023, GKMedium

Which of the following statements about the Vaishnava saint of Assam, Shankardeva, is/are correct ?

1. His teachings are often known as the Bhagavati dharma.

2. He encouraged the establishment of satras or monasteries and namghars or prayer halls for the transmission of spiritual knowledge.

3. His major compositions include the Kirtana-ghosha.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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

All three statements about Shankardeva are correct. Shankardeva (Sankaradeva) was the leading Vaishnava saint of Assam in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Q3.Indian HistoryAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKMedium

Consider the following pairs :

1. Gajapati - Name of a powerful Dynasty in Orissa

2. Ashvapati - Deccan Sultans

3. Narapati - Rayas of Vijayanagara

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.1, 2 and 3
  4. D.None of the above
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 3

All three titles were in use in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century India, and each pair is matched correctly. Gajapati means 'lord of elephants' and was the title of a powerful ruling family of Orissa, the Gajapatis who succeeded the Eastern Gangas.

Q4.Indian HistoryAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2020, GATMedium

Which one of the following statements about the Revolt of 1857 is correct ?

  1. A.It was a Revolt carefully organised and planned by the Rajas, Nawabs and Taluqdars
  2. B.Rumours and prophecies did not play any role in its outbreak and spread
  3. C.The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of their caste and creed.
  4. D.The British succeeded in quickly and easily controlling the rebels
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of their caste and creed.

The rebels wanted Hindus and Muslims to stand together against British rule. Proclamations issued in the name of Bahadur Shah Zafar called on everyone to join the fight, recalling the Mughal past when different communities had lived together.