MCQ with Answers for Practice – History Chapter 7 – India’s Cultural Roots
Class 6 Social Science – Exploring Society: India and Beyond
Theme C — Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
History Chapter 7: India’s Cultural Roots
This includes All types of MCQs normally asked in school exams, tests, and NCERT exercises.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) – History Chapter 7: India’s Cultural Roots
- The word “Veda” means
a) Prayer
b) Knowledge
c) Ritual
d) Song
Answer: b) Knowledge
The Sanskrit word vid means knowledge, from which the word Veda is derived.
- How many Vedas are there?
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
Answer: c) Four
The four Vedas are the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.
- The most ancient of the Vedas is
a) Yajur Veda
b) Sama Veda
c) Atharva Veda
d) Rig Veda
Answer: d) Rig Veda
The Rig Veda is considered the oldest and contains many hymns.
- The Vedas were originally
a) Written on palm leaves
b) Carved on stones
c) Recited orally
d) Printed in books
Answer: c) Recited orally
They were memorised and passed down through oral tradition for generations.
- The hymns of the Vedas were composed by
a) Kings
b) Traders
c) Rishis and rishikas
d) Soldiers
Answer: c) Rishis and rishikas
Male sages were called rishis and female sages were called rishikas.
- The idea “Truth is one, sages call it by many names” comes from
a) Upanishads
b) Mahabharata
c) Rig Veda
d) Ramayana
Answer: c) Rig Veda
This famous line reflects the Vedic belief in one ultimate reality.
- UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as heritage in
a) 1998
b) 2008
c) 2018
d) 1988
Answer: b) 2008
UNESCO honoured Vedic chanting as intangible cultural heritage.
- The term ṛitam refers to
a) Wealth
b) War
c) Truth and cosmic order
d) Ritual fire
Answer: c) Truth and cosmic order
Ṛitam means the universal law that maintains order in the cosmos.
- Early Vedic society was organised into
a) Kingdoms
b) Empires
c) Janas
d) Cities
Answer: c) Janas
A jana was a clan or tribe of people.
- The words sabhā and samiti refer to
a) Temples
b) Assemblies
c) Rivers
d) Markets
Answer: b) Assemblies
These were gatherings where people discussed matters of society.
- Yajña means
a) Meditation
b) Sacrifice/ritual offering
c) Dance
d) Storytelling
Answer: b) Sacrifice/ritual offering
A yajña is a ritual performed with offerings into fire.
- The Upanishads introduced ideas such as
a) Trade and farming
b) War and conquest
c) Karma and rebirth
d) Architecture
Answer: c) Karma and rebirth
They discussed deeper philosophical ideas about life and existence.
- According to Vedanta, the ultimate reality is called
a) Indra
b) Atman
c) Brahman
d) Agni
Answer: c) Brahman
Vedanta teaches that Brahman is the supreme universal reality.
- “Tat tvam asi” means
a) Truth is great
b) You are That
c) God is one
d) Knowledge is power
Answer: b) You are That
It expresses the unity of the individual self with the universal reality.
- The ātman refers to
a) Body
b) Soul or inner self
c) Mind
d) Breath
Answer: b) Soul or inner self
Ātman is the divine essence present in every being.
- Yoga developed as a method to
a) Win wars
b) Gain wealth
c) Realise the divine essence
d) Build cities
Answer: c) Realise the divine essence
Yoga helps in spiritual growth and self-realisation.
- Buddhism did NOT accept the authority of
a) Kings
b) Vedas
c) Monks
d) Teachers
Answer: b) Vedas
Buddhism developed independently of Vedic authority.
- Siddhartha Gautama was born in
a) Bodh Gaya
b) Lumbini
c) Vaishali
d) Sarnath
Answer: b) Lumbini
Lumbini, now in Nepal, is known as the Buddha’s birthplace.
- The Buddha attained enlightenment at
a) Sarnath
b) Kushinagar
c) Bodh Gaya
d) Rajgir
Answer: c) Bodh Gaya
He meditated under a pipal tree and became enlightened there.
- The word “Buddha” means
a) Teacher
b) Monk
c) Enlightened one
d) King
Answer: c) Enlightened one
Buddha means the awakened or enlightened one.
- According to the Buddha, suffering is caused by
a) Wealth
b) Nature
c) Ignorance and attachment
d) Gods
Answer: c) Ignorance and attachment
He taught that desire and ignorance lead to suffering.
- Ahimsa originally means
a) Prayer
b) Non-hurting
c) Sacrifice
d) Truth
Answer: b) Non-hurting
It means avoiding harm in thoughts and actions.
- The community of Buddhist monks is called
a) Sabha
b) Sangha
c) Matha
d) Gurukul
Answer: b) Sangha
The Sangha is the community of monks and nuns.
- Jainism was taught by
a) Buddha
b) Ashoka
c) Mahavira
d) Patanjali
Answer: c) Mahavira
Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.
- Mahavira was born near
a) Lumbini
b) Vaishali
c) Pataliputra
d) Ujjain
Answer: b) Vaishali
His birthplace was in present-day Bihar.
- The word “Jain” comes from
a) Jiva
b) Jina
c) Jana
d) Japa
Answer: b) Jina
Jina means conqueror of ignorance and attachment.
- Anekantavada teaches that
a) Only one truth exists
b) Truth has many aspects
c) Violence is wrong
d) Rituals are important
Answer: b) Truth has many aspects
It says reality cannot be understood from a single viewpoint.
- Aparigraha means
a) Non-violence
b) Meditation
c) Non-possession
d) Worship
Answer: c) Non-possession
It encourages limiting material desires.
- The Jataka tales are stories about
a) Vedic kings
b) Jain monks
c) Buddha’s previous births
d) Tribal heroes
Answer: c) Buddha’s previous births
They teach moral lessons through stories of earlier lives.
- The Charvaka school believed
a) In rebirth
b) In karma
c) Only the material world exists
d) In strict rituals
Answer: c) Only the material world exists
Charvakas rejected ideas like rebirth and afterlife.
- Tribal traditions in India are mainly passed down through
a) Printed books
b) Stone inscriptions
c) Oral traditions
d) Government records
Answer: c) Oral traditions
Tribal knowledge, stories, and beliefs are transmitted orally from generation to generation.
- A tribe is generally a group of people who share
a) Only the same job
b) A common culture, language, and traditions
c) The same religion only
d) Urban lifestyles
Answer: b) A common culture, language, and traditions
Tribes usually live as close-knit communities with shared customs and heritage.
- The Constitution of India refers to tribes as
a) Janapadas
b) Vanavasis
c) Janjati
d) Gram sabha
Answer: c) Janjati
The Hindi term janjati is used for tribal communities.
- Many tribal belief systems consider which of the following as sacred?
a) Only temples
b) Only animals
c) Natural elements like mountains, rivers, and trees
d) Only books
Answer: c) Natural elements like mountains, rivers, and trees
Nature is deeply respected and worshipped in many tribal traditions.
- The deity Jagannath of Puri is believed to have
a) Foreign origins
b) Tribal origins
c) Buddhist origins
d) Jain origins
Answer: b) Tribal origins
Tradition holds that Jagannath was originally a tribal deity.
- The Toda tribe of the Nilgiris regard many ______ as sacred.
a) Rivers
b) Animals
c) Mountain peaks
d) Caves
Answer: c) Mountain peaks
Several peaks in the Nilgiris are believed by the Todas to be the homes of deities.
- The tribal deity Singbonga is worshipped mainly in
a) Rajasthan
b) Eastern India
c) Punjab
d) Gujarat
Answer: b) Eastern India
The Munda and Santhal tribes worship Singbonga as a supreme deity.
- Donyipolo, worshipped in Arunachal Pradesh, represents
a) Fire and wind
b) Earth and sky
c) Sun and Moon
d) River and mountain
Answer: c) Sun and Moon
Donyipolo combines the Sun (Donyi) and Moon (Polo) as a supreme divine force.
- The interaction between tribal traditions and Hinduism has led to
a) The disappearance of tribal culture
b) Constant conflicts
c) Mutual cultural enrichment
d) No cultural exchange
Answer: c) Mutual cultural enrichment
Both traditions influenced each other over centuries through shared beliefs and practices.
- The banyan tree is used in the chapter as a symbol of
a) Forest life
b) Trade routes
c) Indian civilisation with many roots and branches
d) Tribal settlements
Answer: c) Indian civilisation with many roots and branches
It represents deep roots, unity, and diverse cultural branches growing from the same base.