CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Textual Traditions and Mahabharata -

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CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Textual Traditions and Mahabharata

⏱️ 30 Minutes

❓ 20 Questions

📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.

CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Textual Traditions and Mahabharata

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QUESTION 1 OF 20

Match the text or inscription with the social group or historical evidence it highlights:

List I	List II
1. Mandasor Inscription	a. Complex status of merchants (sarthavaha)
2. Mrichchhakatika	b. Generosity of a chief in ancient Tamilakam
3. Matanga Jataka	c. History of a guild of silk weavers
4. Puranaruru	d. A chandala Bodhisattva

Answer Review

1 Match the text or inscription with the social group or historical evidence it highlights:

List I	List II
1. Mandasor Inscription	a. Complex status of merchants (sarthavaha)
2. Mrichchhakatika	b. Generosity of a chief in ancient Tamilakam
3. Matanga Jataka	c. History of a guild of silk weavers
4. Puranaruru	d. A chandala Bodhisattva

A 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a

B 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c

C 1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-b

D 1-a, 2-d, 3-c, 4-b

💡 Short Explanation

Mandasor records silk weavers. Mrichchhakatika highlights merchants. Matanga and Puranaruru reveal alternative social realities.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Mandasor inscription records the history of a guild of silk weavers (c). Mrichchhakatika presents the complex status of merchants or sarthavahas (a). Matanga Jataka features a chandala Bodhisattva (d). Puranaruru celebrates generosity in ancient Tamilakam (b). Therefore Option C correctly matches all pairs.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Incorrectly links Mandasor with a chandala and misplaces other sources.
Option B → Reverses evidence related to merchants and Tamilakam.
Option D → Assigns incorrect themes to all major texts.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Match each source with its most famous NCERT reference.

Final Logic:

Only Option C correctly pairs all four sources and themes.

🧠 Memory Trick

Mandasor–Silk, Matanga–Chandala

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Sources of Social History

2 Assertion (A): The Mandasor inscription provides insights into the nature of guilds or shrenis.
Reason (R): The Satavahana rulers were commonly identified through metronymics.

A Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

C A is true, but R is false.

D A is false, but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

Mandasor inscription discusses guilds. Satavahanas used metronymics. The two facts are unrelated.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Mandasor inscription indeed provides information about guilds and occupational groups. Satavahana rulers were also identified through metronymics such as Gotami-puta. However, the metronymic practice has no connection with the information on guilds contained in the Mandasor inscription. Therefore both statements are true, but unrelated.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The Reason does not explain the Assertion.
Option C → The Reason is historically correct.
Option D → The Assertion is clearly true.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Evaluate each statement independently before testing causation.

Final Logic:

Both statements are true but belong to different historical contexts.

🧠 Memory Trick

Guild ≠ Metronymic

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Guilds and Satavahanas

3 According to the Manusmriti, the "duties" of _______ included living outside the village, using discarded utensils, and wearing ornaments of iron.

A Nishadas

B Mlechchhas

C Shrenis

D Chandalas

💡 Short Explanation

Manusmriti prescribed harsh restrictions. Chandalas faced social exclusion. Iron ornaments are specifically mentioned.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Manusmriti prescribed that chandalas live outside villages, use discarded utensils, wear clothes of the dead, and adorn themselves with iron ornaments. These prescriptions reflected ideas of untouchability and social exclusion. Therefore Option D is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Nishadas were hunting-gathering communities, not described this way.
Option B → Mlechchha referred broadly to outsiders.
Option C → Shrenis were guilds, not social groups subjected to these duties.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Memory Recall

Application:

Recall the specific Manusmriti description.

Final Logic:

The listed duties are uniquely associated with chandalas.

🧠 Memory Trick

Chandala = Iron Ornament

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Chandalas

4 Which of the following is incorrect regarding the Buddhist alternative understanding of social inequalities found in the Sutta Pitaka?

A It claims that kingship was a divine order exclusively ordained by Brahma.

B It suggests that originally all beings lived in an idyllic state of peace.

C It suggests the institution of kingship was based on human choice.

D It reveals recognition of human agency in creating and institutionalising economic and social relations.

💡 Short Explanation

Buddhist texts reject divine-origin theory. Kingship arose through human choice. Human agency is emphasized.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Sutta Pitaka presents kingship as a social institution created by people to maintain order. It emphasizes human agency rather than divine ordination. Therefore Option A is incorrect. Options B, C, and D accurately reflect the Buddhist explanation of social and political organization.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Correctly reflects the idyllic-state narrative.
Option C → Human choice is central to Buddhist kingship theory.
Option D → Buddhist texts acknowledge human agency in social relations.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Extreme Word Filter

Application:

Watch for absolute phrases such as "exclusively ordained."

Final Logic:

Buddhist theory rejects divine origin and stresses human action.

🧠 Memory Trick

Buddha → People Choose King

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Buddhist Theory of Kingship

5 The fact that texts like the Dharmasutras were compiled by Brahmanas implies that their claim to universal validity was _______.

A likely more complicated in real social relations

B universally accepted by all nomadic pastoralists

C enforced flawlessly by the Shaka rulers

D exclusively applicable to South India

💡 Short Explanation

Normative texts express ideals. Society was diverse and dynamic. Actual practices often differed.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians distinguish between normative prescriptions and lived realities. Since Dharmasutras were composed by Brahmanas, their claim to universal acceptance must be critically examined. Social practices varied across regions and groups. Therefore Option A correctly reflects the historian's approach.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Universal acceptance cannot be assumed.
Option C → Shaka rulers did not flawlessly enforce Dharmasutras.
Option D → These texts were not limited to South India.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Apply historical criticism to normative sources.

Final Logic:

Prescriptions do not automatically reflect actual social practice.

🧠 Memory Trick

Norms ≠ Reality

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Reading Normative Texts

6 Assertion (A): Early historians initially believed everything laid down in Sanskrit normative texts was actually practised.
Reason (R): Non-Brahmanical texts systematically erased the existence of chandalas.

A Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true, but R is not the explanation of A.

C A is true, but R is false.

D A is false, but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

Early historians trusted normative texts. Later studies questioned this assumption. Non-Brahmanical texts often preserved alternative voices.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Early historians often assumed that prescriptions in Sanskrit texts reflected actual practice. Later scholarship challenged this view by examining diverse sources. The Reason is false because non-Brahmanical texts did not erase chandalas; rather, they frequently provided alternative perspectives about marginalized groups.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The Reason is incorrect.
Option B → Both statements are not true.
Option D → Assertion is historically correct.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Test the truth of each statement separately.

Final Logic:

Assertion is correct; Reason contradicts available evidence.

🧠 Memory Trick

More Sources, More Reality

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Historians and Sources

7 Arrange the following archaeological and textual developments in chronological order based on B.B. Lal's excavations and textual history:
1. Mud-brick and burnt brick houses with soakage jars at Hastinapura (Phase 3)
2. Sutas circulating compositions orally before Brahmanas took over
3. Mud walls with prominent reed-marks at Hastinapura (Phase 2)

A 1, 2, 3

B 3, 2, 1

C 2, 3, 1

D 3, 1, 2

💡 Short Explanation

Oral traditions predated written compilations. Phase 2 precedes Phase 3 archaeologically. Historical sequence moves from oral to developed settlements.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The provided answer key is incorrect. Sutas circulated epic traditions before Brahmanical compilation. Archaeologically, Phase 2 at Hastinapura predates Phase 3. Therefore the correct sequence is 2 → 3 → 1, making Option C the correct answer.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Places the latest phase before earlier developments.
Option B → Ignores the earlier oral circulation of traditions.
Option D → Misplaces textual and archaeological chronology.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Place oral traditions before archaeological phases and order phases numerically.

Final Logic:

Oral transmission preceded Phase 2, which preceded Phase 3.

🧠 Memory Trick

Suta → Phase 2 → Phase 3

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Mahabharata and Archaeology

8 The central story of the epic regarding the conflict over patrimony suggests that the concern with patriliny _______.

A was rejected completely by wealthy men

B only applied to families without sons

C was a concept introduced only by the British

D was not unique to ruling families and was possibly shared by wealthy men and Brahmanas

💡 Short Explanation

Mahabharata centers on inheritance disputes. Patriliny shaped elite society. Concern extended beyond rulers.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Mahabharata's inheritance conflict reflects broader social concerns about lineage and patrimony. Historians suggest these anxieties were likely shared by wealthy men and Brahmanas as well as ruling families. Therefore Option D best captures the significance of the epic's central conflict.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Wealthy groups generally valued patrilineal inheritance.
Option B → Patriliny was not limited to sonless families.
Option C → Patriliny long predates British rule.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect the epic narrative with broader social realities.

Final Logic:

Patriliny was a widespread elite concern.

🧠 Memory Trick

Mahabharata = Inheritance Conflict

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Patriliny and Patrimony

9 Which of the following is incorrect about the Brahmanical strategies to enforce varna norms?

A Asserting that the varna order was of divine origin.

B Advising kings to ensure norms were followed within their kingdoms.

C Attempting to persuade people that their status was determined by birth.

D Encouraging intermarriage to blur the boundaries between varnas.

💡 Short Explanation

Brahmanical texts sought social boundaries. Birth-based hierarchy was emphasized. Intermarriage was generally discouraged.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Brahmanical authorities tried to preserve the varna system by emphasizing divine origin, hereditary status, and royal enforcement. Encouraging intermarriage would weaken social distinctions rather than reinforce them. Therefore Option D is the incorrect statement.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Divine origin was a major ideological strategy.
Option B → Kings were advised to uphold social norms.
Option C → Birth was presented as the basis of status.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Identify the option that contradicts the goal of preserving varna divisions.

Final Logic:

Intermarriage weakens boundaries rather than enforcing them.

🧠 Memory Trick

Varna Rules = No Boundary Blur

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Enforcement of Varna Norms

10 The Satavahana ruler who claimed to be a unique Brahmana and destroyer of Kshatriya pride, yet practiced endogamy, was _______.

A Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani

B Rudradaman

C Charudatta

D Ekalavya

💡 Short Explanation

Satavahana inscriptions reveal social complexity. The ruler made strong Brahmanical claims. Marriage practices showed contradictions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani described himself as a unique Brahmana and destroyer of Kshatriya pride. Yet the Satavahanas also practiced endogamous marriage patterns. This illustrates the gap between ideological claims and actual social practices. Therefore Option A is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Rudradaman was a Shaka ruler.
Option C → Charudatta is a literary character.
Option D → Ekalavya belongs to the Mahabharata narrative.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Memory Recall

Application:

Recall the specific Satavahana inscription discussed in NCERT.

Final Logic:

The description matches Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani.

🧠 Memory Trick

Gotami-puta = Brahmana Claim

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Satavahanas and Social Identity

11 The monumental task of preparing the Critical Edition involved comparing verses from manuscripts written in a variety of _______.

A ancient languages other than Sanskrit

B poetic metres

C scripts from different parts of the country

D international dialects

💡 Short Explanation

Hundreds of manuscripts were collected. Manuscripts came from different regions. Variations in scripts were compared.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Critical Edition project at Pune involved comparing manuscripts of the Mahabharata collected from various regions of India. Though the language was Sanskrit, the manuscripts were written in different regional scripts. Therefore Option C is correct. Options A, B, and D do not describe the basis of comparison.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The manuscripts were primarily in Sanskrit, not different ancient languages.
Option B → Poetic metre was not the primary basis of comparison.
Option D → International dialects were not involved in the project.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Focus on manuscript traditions and regional textual transmission.

Final Logic:

Different scripts, not different languages, characterized the manuscripts.

🧠 Memory Trick

Critical Edition = Many Scripts, One Epic

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Critical Edition of Mahabharata

12 The footnotes and appendices in the critical edition of the Mahabharata are crucial because they represent _______.

A the exact thoughts of the god Brahma

B complex processes of dialogue between dominant traditions and local ideas

C the mistranslations of European gentlemen

D the purely financial records of the Kuru kingdom

💡 Short Explanation

Variants preserve regional traditions. Different communities adapted the epic. Footnotes reveal textual diversity.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The footnotes and appendices record textual variations found in different manuscripts. These variations reflect interactions between dominant traditions and local cultural interpretations. Thus they help historians understand how the Mahabharata evolved over time. Therefore Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The Critical Edition is a scholarly reconstruction, not divine revelation.
Option C → Variants are not translation mistakes.
Option D → The notes do not contain financial records of the Kuru kingdom.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Understand the purpose of preserving manuscript variants.

Final Logic:

Textual variations reveal historical dialogue and adaptation.

🧠 Memory Trick

Footnotes = Local Voices

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Significance of the Critical Edition

13 Assertion (A): The critical edition found common elements in manuscripts stretching from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu.
Reason (R): Polyandry was prevalent in the Himalayan region.

A Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true, but R is not the explanation of A.

C A is true, but R is false.

D A is false, but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

Common elements existed across manuscripts. Polyandry occurred in some Himalayan communities. The two facts are unrelated.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Critical Edition identified core passages common to manuscripts from distant regions. Separately, historians note that polyandry existed in some Himalayan societies and may help explain acceptance of Draupadi's marriage. However, this does not explain the common textual elements. Hence Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Polyandry does not explain manuscript similarities.
Option C → The Reason is historically valid.
Option D → The Assertion is clearly correct.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Test each statement separately and then examine causation.

Final Logic:

Both statements are true, but there is no explanatory link.

🧠 Memory Trick

Common Text ≠ Polyandry

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Critical Edition and Social Contexts

14 According to historians, the story of the nishada Ekalavya and his teacher Drona demonstrates how the epic _______.

A rejected the Dharmasutras entirely

B promoted equality among all varnas

C proved that hunting was a Brahmana occupation

D reinforced prescriptions about "proper" social roles through storytelling

💡 Short Explanation

Ekalavya challenged social hierarchy. Drona protected established norms. The story reinforces prescribed roles.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians interpret the Ekalavya episode as supporting Brahmanical ideas regarding social hierarchy and appropriate occupations. Although Ekalavya displayed exceptional talent, he was denied equal recognition. Thus the narrative reinforces prescribed social roles. Therefore Option D is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The story does not reject Brahmanical prescriptions.
Option B → The episode highlights inequality rather than equality.
Option C → Hunting was not considered a Brahmana occupation.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Identify the social message embedded in the narrative.

Final Logic:

The story legitimizes established social boundaries.

🧠 Memory Trick

Ekalavya = Role Enforcement

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Ekalavya Narrative

📄 Passage

"While the Brahmanas considered some people as being outside the system, they also developed a sharper social divide by classifying certain social categories as "untouchable". This rested on a notion that certain activities, especially those connected with the performance of rituals, were sacred and by extension "pure"... In sharp contrast to the purity aspect, some activities were regarded as particularly "polluting"."

Based on the passage, what formed the basis of classifying certain categories as "untouchable"?

A The notion that specific ritual activities were sacred and "pure", while others were "polluting".

B The political rebellion of these groups against the king.

C The wealth accumulated by these specific social categories.

D Their refusal to participate in warfare.

💡 Short Explanation

Purity and pollution shaped hierarchy. Ritual activities were considered sacred. Polluting work led to exclusion.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The passage explicitly links untouchability to ideas of purity and pollution. Activities associated with rituals were regarded as pure, whereas occupations such as handling corpses were considered polluting. This distinction became the basis for social exclusion. Hence Option A is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Political rebellion is not mentioned.
Option C → Wealth was not the basis of untouchability.
Option D → Participation in warfare is unrelated to the passage.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Locate the exact explanation provided in the passage.

Final Logic:

Purity-pollution ideology formed the basis of untouchability.

🧠 Memory Trick

Pure vs Polluting

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Untouchability

16 According to the text, which of the following activities was regarded as particularly "polluting"?

A Performing sacrifices

B Trading goods

C Handling corpses and dead animals

D Gathering honey and tubers

💡 Short Explanation

Purity-pollution distinctions were important. Certain occupations were stigmatized. Contact with dead bodies was considered polluting.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Brahmanical ideas classified some occupations as polluting, especially those involving corpses and dead animals. Such activities were associated with untouchability and social exclusion. Therefore Option C is correct. Options A, B, and D were not identified as particularly polluting in this context.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Sacrifices were linked with ritual purity.
Option B → Trade was a Vaishya occupation.
Option D → Gathering forest produce was not specifically cited as polluting.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Identify the occupation directly associated with impurity.

Final Logic:

Handling the dead was considered especially polluting.

🧠 Memory Trick

Dead Bodies = Pollution

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Purity and Pollution

17 The Sanskrit used in the Mahabharata is far _______ than that of the Vedas, suggesting it was widely understood.

A more complex

B more poetic

C simpler

D harder to translate

💡 Short Explanation

Epic Sanskrit evolved after Vedic Sanskrit. Language became more accessible. Wider audiences could understand it.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that the Sanskrit of the Mahabharata is much simpler than Vedic Sanskrit. This suggests the text was intended for broader audiences and was more widely understood. Therefore Option C correctly completes the statement.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Mahabharata Sanskrit is generally less complex.
Option B → Poetic quality is not the intended comparison.
Option D → Simpler language is usually easier, not harder, to translate.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Relate language simplification to wider accessibility.

Final Logic:

Simpler Sanskrit enabled broader understanding.

🧠 Memory Trick

Epic Sanskrit = Easier Sanskrit

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Language of the Mahabharata

18 Chinese pilgrims like Fa Xian and Xuan Zang wrote observations that corroborate the social degradation of chandalas originally prescribed in _______.

A Brahmanical texts

B Sangam literature

C Upanishads

D Roman accounts

💡 Short Explanation

Chinese pilgrims recorded social realities. Their accounts mention untouchability. These observations match Brahmanical prescriptions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Fa Xian and Xuan Zang described practices of untouchability and social exclusion. Their observations support descriptions found in Brahmanical texts such as the Manusmriti regarding chandalas. Therefore Option A is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Sangam literature focuses on Tamil society and patronage.
Option C → Upanishads are not the source of these prescriptions.
Option D → Roman accounts do not provide this evidence.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect travelers' observations with textual prescriptions.

Final Logic:

Chinese accounts corroborate Brahmanical descriptions.

🧠 Memory Trick

Fa Xian Confirms Manusmriti

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Chinese Pilgrims and Chandalas

19 Which of the following is incorrect about the term 'itihasa' as used in early Sanskrit tradition for the Mahabharata?

A Its literal meaning is "thus it was".

B It is generally translated as "history".

C It implies the memory of an actual conflict might be preserved in the narrative.

D It proves beyond doubt that every mythical event in the epic is an established historical fact with concrete corroborative evidence.

💡 Short Explanation

Itihasa means "thus it was." Historical memory may survive in epics. Myth and history coexist in narratives.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians recognize that epics may preserve memories of real events while also containing myths, symbolism, and literary additions. Therefore Option D is incorrect because it treats every epic event as historically proven. Options A, B, and C are acceptable interpretations of the term itihasa.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Correctly reflects the literal meaning.
Option B → Itihasa is often translated as history.
Option C → Historians acknowledge possible historical memories.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Extreme Word Filter

Application:

Look for absolute phrases such as "beyond doubt" and "every."

Final Logic:

Historical narratives cannot automatically validate every mythical episode.

🧠 Memory Trick

Itihasa ≠ Guaranteed Fact

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Mahabharata as Itihasa

20 The story by Mahashweta Devi titled "Kunti O Nishadi" illustrates how the Mahabharata is a dynamic text by _______.

A strictly translating the original Sanskrit into English

B drawing attention to questions on which the Sanskrit text is silent

C proving that polyandry never existed

D focusing solely on archaeological excavations

💡 Short Explanation

Modern authors reinterpret epics. New perspectives highlight marginalized voices. Dynamic texts invite fresh questions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Mahashweta Devi's "Kunti O Nishadi" reimagines the Mahabharata by focusing on characters and issues neglected in the original narrative. It demonstrates how epics continue to generate new interpretations and raise unanswered questions. Therefore Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → The work is a reinterpretation, not a translation.
Option C → The story does not seek to disprove polyandry.
Option D → It is a literary intervention, not an archaeological study.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Understand how modern retellings engage with classical texts.

Final Logic:

The story highlights silences and alternative viewpoints.

🧠 Memory Trick

Mahashweta = New Questions

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kinship, Caste and Class – Topic: Mahabharata as a Living Tradition

CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Textual Traditions and Mahabharata

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Answer Review