Q1. Which of the following fruits were NOT commonly consumed by the Harappans?
- Coconut
- Pomegranate
- Banana
- Watermelon
Correct Option: 3. Banana
Explanation: Based on archaeological and botanical studies, Harappans consumed a variety of fruits including:
• Coconut
• Pomegranate
• Dates
• Lemon
• Watermelon
There is no evidence of banana cultivation or consumption during the Indus Valley period. Banana is believed to have been domesticated much later in Southeast Asia and spread to the Indian subcontinent at a later stage.
Q2. Which site provides evidence of an earthquake during the Harappan period?
- Mohenjo-Daro
- Kalibangan
- Banawali
- Surkotada
Correct Option: 2. Kalibangan
Explanation: Kalibangan, located in Rajasthan, is one of the key Indus Valley sites.
Archaeological layers at Kalibangan show signs of sudden destruction, including:
• Tilted or cracked walls
• Displaced structures
This points to a massive earthquake that may have contributed to the site’s abandonment.
Kalibangan also has evidence of fire altars, ploughed agricultural fields, and wooden drainage systems — all showcasing a developed but fragile urban system vulnerable to natural disasters.
Q3. What was the primary material used in Harappan textile production?
- Linen
- Silk
- Wool
- Cotton
Correct Option: 4. Cotton
Explanation: The Harappans were among the first people in the world to cultivate cotton.
• Fragments of cotton cloth were found preserved on silver objects at Mohenjo-Daro.
• Spindle whorls and other tools related to spinning were also discovered.
There is no archaeological evidence of silk, linen, or wool in the Indus Valley Civilization — wool came later, associated with pastoral cultures in the Vedic age.
Q4. According to Mortimer Wheeler, who was responsible for the decline of the Harappan Civilization?
- Internal conflicts
- Aryan invaders
- Natural disasters
- Mesopotamians
Correct Option: 2. Aryan invaders
Explanation: Mortimer Wheeler, a British archaeologist, popularized the Aryan invasion theory in the 1940s.
He interpreted:
• Skeletal remains found at Mohenjo-Daro as signs of massacre.
• Rig Vedic hymns (e.g., calling Indra “puramdara” or fort-destroyer) as historical references to the destruction of Indus cities.
However, modern scholars widely reject this theory, arguing that the decline was gradual and likely due to climate change, river shifts, and economic factors — not an abrupt Aryan invasion.
Still, Wheeler’s theory remains important in the historiography of early India.
Q5. Which of the following elements from Harappan religion has continued into modern Hinduism?
- Worship of Vishnu
- Worship of Buddha
- Worship of Pashupati (Shiva) and Lingam
- Worship of Prophet
Correct Option: 3. Worship of Pashupati (Shiva) and Lingam
Explanation: A seal discovered at Mohenjo-Daro shows a figure surrounded by animals, seated in a yogic posture, wearing a horned headdress.
This has been interpreted by scholars like John Marshall as an early form of Lord Shiva or Pashupati (Lord of Beasts).
• Similarly, Lingam worship — a symbolic representation of Shiva — finds early parallels in the cylindrical stones found at Harappan sites.
Other religious continuities from Harappa into later Hinduism include:
• Mother Goddess worship
• Sacred animals and trees
• Swastika symbol
This indicates a strong cultural and religious continuity between Harappan religion and later Vedic/Hindu practices.