The question asks to identify the Chinese pilgrim whose visit made the reign of Harsha historically important. This requires knowledge of prominent Chinese travelers to India and the periods they visited.
Correct Option: D) Hsuan Tsang is the correct answer. He was a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during Harsha's reign and provided invaluable accounts of the political, social, and religious conditions of the time.
The question asks to identify the kingdoms that held power in Northern India during the period between the decline of the Guptas and the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century. This requires knowledge of the post-Gupta period political landscape of Northern India.
B) 1, 3, 4 and 6
The question asks about the number of Buddhist sects during the time a Chinese pilgrim visited India. This requires knowledge of historical facts related to Buddhism and Chinese pilgrims.
B) 18 — Historical records, particularly those from the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) who traveled to India in the 7th century CE, indicate that Buddhism was divided into 18 principal sects or schools during his time. These divisions arose from doctrinal differences and interpretations of the Buddha's teachings over several centuries.
The question asks to identify the plays authored by Harsha. This requires knowledge of the literary contributions of the ancient Indian emperor Harsha Vardhana.
Correct Option: D) All the above
| List I (Chronology (AD)) | List II |
| a) 5 C | i.) Hsuan Tsang left China for India |
| b) 6 C | ii.) The reign of Harshavardhana |
| c) 606-47 | iii.) The Guptas ruled over north and western India |
| d) 629 | iv.) Foundation of Buddhist structural complex at Nalanda |
The question asks to match historical events and periods with their corresponding centuries or specific years. This requires knowledge of ancient Indian history, specifically the Gupta period, the reign of Harshavardhana, the establishment of Nalanda, and the travels of Hsuan Tsang.
A) Based on the step-by-step matching:
This combination perfectly matches option A.
| List I ( Chronology (AD) ) | List II |
| a) 264 | i.) Hsuan Tsang's return to China |
| b) 645 | ii.) India's ancient past |
| c) 670 | iii.) Harshacharita by Banabhatta and Hsuan Tsang's account |
| d) 7 C | iv.) The Chinese pilgrim I-Tsing visited Nalanda |
The question requires matching historical events and periods with their corresponding chronological references. This involves knowledge of key dates and figures in ancient Indian history, particularly related to foreign travelers and literary works.
C) a-ii, b-i, c-iv, d-iii