QUESTION 1 OF 26
Jaunpur, once called the 'Shiraz of India', was the capital of which medieval dynasty?
Explanation: Jaunpur was the capital of the Sharqi dynasty in the 15th century and earned the title 'Shiraz of India' for its architecture and learning.
QUESTION 2 OF 26
Fatehpur Sikri, built by Akbar near Agra, was largely abandoned soon after its construction mainly due to:
Explanation: Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned within a couple of decades of its construction primarily because of an inadequate and unreliable water supply.
QUESTION 3 OF 26
The Taj Mahal at Agra was built by Shah Jahan in memory of which person?
Explanation: The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631.
QUESTION 4 OF 26
Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was deposed by the British in 1856 on grounds of:
Explanation: The British East India Company annexed Awadh in 1856 and deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, citing alleged misgovernance as the justification.
QUESTION 5 OF 26
Under which Nawab of Awadh was the capital shifted from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775?
Explanation: Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah moved the capital of Awadh from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775, after which Lucknow flourished as a center of art and culture.
QUESTION 6 OF 26
The Bara Imambara in Lucknow, famous for its 'Bhulbhulaiya' labyrinth, was constructed under which Nawab?
Explanation: The Bara Imambara was built in 1784 by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, partly as a famine-relief project, and includes a maze of narrow interconnecting passages called the Bhulbhulaiya.
QUESTION 7 OF 26
The tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah in Agra, sometimes called the 'Baby Taj', was built by Nur Jahan for whom?
Explanation: Empress Nur Jahan built the Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb in Agra for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg; it was the first Mughal structure built entirely of white marble with pietra dura inlay work.
QUESTION 8 OF 26
Kalpi, a town in the Bundelkhand region, was historically noted during the Mughal era for its production of which craft?
Explanation: Kalpi was a well-known centre for handmade paper production during the Mughal period and was also a site of resistance during the 1857 revolt.
QUESTION 9 OF 26
The historic city of Prayagraj was known by which name during the Mughal era, given by Akbar?
Explanation: Emperor Akbar renamed the ancient city of Prayag as Allahabad; the name Prayagraj was restored in more recent times, reviving its ancient identity.
QUESTION 10 OF 26
The 'Awadh' region of UP, historically ruled by the Nawabs, broadly corresponds to which part of the state?
Explanation: The Awadh region, historically governed by the Nawabs of Awadh, corresponds broadly to central UP, including Lucknow, Faizabad (Ayodhya), and surrounding districts.
QUESTION 11 OF 26
Which sandstone, quarried in the Fatehpur Sikri area, was used to build much of Akbar's city there?
Explanation: Fatehpur Sikri was constructed largely from locally quarried red sandstone, giving the city its distinctive reddish appearance.
QUESTION 12 OF 26
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, a wetland habitat near Lucknow, is located in which UP district?
Explanation: Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, a wetland site attracting migratory birds, is situated in Unnao district close to Lucknow.
QUESTION 13 OF 26
The Lucknow gharana of Kathak, known for its grace and expressive gestures (abhinaya), received strong patronage from which Nawab?
Explanation: Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh, himself a skilled dancer and composer, was a major patron of the Lucknow gharana of Kathak, emphasising elegance and expressive storytelling.
QUESTION 14 OF 26
Awadhi cuisine, associated with Lucknow, is particularly known for its slow-cooking technique called:
Explanation: Awadhi cuisine is renowned for the dum pukht technique, in which food is slow-cooked in a sealed pot, developed under the patronage of the Nawabs of Awadh.
QUESTION 15 OF 26
Awadhi, the dialect used by Tulsidas in the Ramcharitmanas, is traditionally spoken across which part of UP?
Explanation: Awadhi is traditionally spoken across central Uttar Pradesh, encompassing the historical Awadh region including Lucknow, Faizabad, and Ayodhya.
QUESTION 16 OF 26
The Taj Mahal at Agra is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site primarily as an outstanding example of:
Explanation: The Taj Mahal is recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of Mughal architecture, admired for its symmetry, marble craftsmanship, and garden layout.
QUESTION 17 OF 26
Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, includes the Buland Darwaza, built to commemorate Akbar's victory over which region?
Explanation: The Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri was constructed to commemorate Akbar's successful military campaign in Gujarat and remains one of the tallest gateways of its kind.
QUESTION 18 OF 26
The tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah in Agra is historically significant in Mughal architecture chiefly because it was:
Explanation: The Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb is considered a precursor to the Taj Mahal, being the first Mughal building constructed entirely of white marble with detailed pietra dura inlay work.
QUESTION 19 OF 26
Which UP city, apart from being the state capital, also historically served as the seat of the Nawabs of Awadh's court and culture?
Explanation: Lucknow, the present capital of Uttar Pradesh, was historically the seat of the Nawabs of Awadh and flourished as a centre of court culture, art, and cuisine.
QUESTION 20 OF 26
The medieval Sharqi rulers of Jaunpur were especially known for patronising which field?
Explanation: The Sharqi rulers of Jaunpur were notable patrons of architecture and scholarship, building distinctive mosques and earning the city its reputation as a centre of learning.
QUESTION 21 OF 26
Bateshwar, a temple town on the Yamuna in Agra district, is traditionally known for hosting a major annual:
Explanation: Bateshwar, located on the banks of the Yamuna in Agra district, is well known for its historic annual cattle fair alongside its cluster of ancient temples.
QUESTION 22 OF 26
Mehtab Bagh, a Mughal-era garden offering a view of the Taj Mahal, is situated across the Yamuna from Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal on which bank?
Explanation: Mehtab Bagh is a Mughal charbagh-style garden laid out on the opposite bank of the Yamuna river, directly facing the Taj Mahal.
QUESTION 23 OF 26
The historic princely state of Awadh, before its annexation, maintained its own currency and administrative apparatus, with Lucknow serving as its:
Explanation: Lucknow served as the political and cultural capital of the princely state of Awadh from 1775 until its annexation by the British in 1856.
QUESTION 24 OF 26
The historic town of Farrukhabad, founded in the early 18th century, was named after which Mughal emperor?
Explanation: Farrukhabad was founded in the early 18th century and named in honour of the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar.
QUESTION 25 OF 26
The historic Jama Masjid of Sambhal, a UP town, is traditionally believed by some local accounts to have been built by which Mughal emperor?
Explanation: The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is traditionally attributed to the first Mughal emperor Babur, who commissioned it in the early 16th century.
QUESTION 26 OF 26
The historic Jama Masjid complex, a notable Mughal-era structure, is found in which western UP town besides Agra and Fatehpur Sikri?
Explanation: Sambhal, in western UP, contains notable Mughal-era structures including a historic Jama Masjid attributed to Babur.
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More UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh PSC) GK MCQs topics
Ancient & Buddhist Heritage28 QMedieval UP (Sultanate & Mughal)26 Q1857 Revolt & Colonial Era16 QFreedom Movement & Modern History8 QUP Polity & Administration14 QUP Geography & Economy60 QArt, Culture, Dialects & Cuisine of UP23 Q
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