Civil Services (Prelims) Examination Special
Quick Revision Notes

History

Palas: who controlled most of Bengal and Bihar, was the third power involved in the three-sided conflict between Rashtrakutas and Pratiharas over the control of Kanauj. Pala dynasty was established by Gopala in the eighth century A.D. He attained renown from the fact that he was not hereditary king but was elected.

Paragana: During the rule of the so-called Slave dynasty in India, the empire was divided into provincial units called Paraganas placed under the charge of a military officer. Prakrit: This language received royal patronage during the reign of Satavahanas.

Rajsekhar: was the Sanskrit poet who lived in the court of Mahendrapala-I.

Ratika: or rati is a weight between 1.5 to 3 Gunjas; between 5 to 8 grains of rice. It was the basic weight (measure) in ancient India.

Ratnakara: denoted the Arabiasn Sea in ancient Indian historical geography.

Rishabha: is supposed to be the mythical founder of Jainism.

Sardeshmukhi: was an additional levy of 10%, which Shivaji demanded on the basis of his claim as the hereditary Sardeshmukh (chief headman) of Maharashtra.

Shahrukh: It was silver coin of the Mughals.

Sharada script: The Kashmiri language was originally written in Sharada script.

Subuktigin: was the first Turkish invader of India.

Tanka: was a silver coin of the Sultanate period of India.

Tehqiq-i-Hind: Alberuni’s work on India. It contains observations on Indian civilization which are remarkably incisive and acute.

Turushkadanda: was a tax collected by the Gahadavalas during the early medieval India.

Vagbhata: is regarded as unrivalled in his knowledge of the basic principles of Ayurveda.

Vatapi (or Badami): now in the Bijapur district of Karnataka, where Pulakesin I, founder of the Chalukya dynasty in the middle of the sixth century, established himself as lord of Vatapi or Badami (capital of Chalukyas). It is wellknown for Chalukyan sculpture found in the cave temples here.

Vidushaka: the constant companion and confidant of the hero in Sanskrit dramas, was nearly always a Brahmin.

Vikramasila University: was a great Tantrik University founded by the Pala king Dharmapala in A.D. 810. It was a hotbed of moral corruption, sorcery and idolatry. In A.D. 1198, the soldiers if Ikhtiar Khilji raised the structure to the ground and killed every monk in the University.

Wood's Despatch of 1854: It related to educational reforms. Lord Dalhousie took measures to carry out the scheme embodied in the famous despatch of Sir Charles Wood (July 1854) which embraced vernacular schools throughout the districts, and above all the glorious measures of grants-in-aid to all schools, without reference to caste or creed.

Yakshagana: was the south Indian dance tradition that appeared for the first time in the Vijayanagar period. Zabti System: was introduced by Akbar for land revenue administration. In Zabti system, land was measured and assessment of land revenue was based upon it.    

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