UPSC Prelims 2016 · Question 14 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2016 question on Magadha Bards Chronicles
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2016
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectAncient History
- TopicVedic Period
- DifficultyHard
- TypeDirect
With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories and epic tales was the profession of who of the following?
Show answer
Answer: D. Magadha
Verdict
The answer is Magadha. The magadhas, along with the sutas, were the bards who memorised chronicles, dynastic histories and epic tales.
Analysis
In the Gupta period the preservation of dynastic history and epic narrative was the work of a distinct occupational group, the sutas and magadhas, who transmitted these materials orally. Shramana refers to a wandering ascetic of the renouncer traditions, particularly Buddhist and Jaina. Parivrajaka likewise denotes a wandering mendicant. Agraharika refers to a holder of an agrahara, that is a Brahmin grantee of a revenue free village. None of these three is an occupational bard.
Source
Romila Thapar, Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations.
How to crack it
Three of the four options describe religious or landholding statuses rather than a profession, and the question asks specifically for a profession, so the option set can be narrowed on category before content. Note also the confusion the question exploits: Magadha is far better known as a kingdom, and candidates reject it as an occupational term for that reason. When a familiar proper noun appears among unfamiliar technical terms, check whether it has a second meaning rather than dismissing it.