In north India, around the twelfth century, a group of weavers gathers every evening to listen to a religious teacher whose own father was a weaver. He does not work within the orthodox Brahmanical framework. He speaks in the language of the ordinary people around him and asks his listeners to question the authority of the Vedas. His circle of followers keeps widening among artisans, but the local court shows no interest in him.
Soon after this period, a new element weakened the power of many Rajput states and of the Brahmanas associated with them. What was it?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The coming of the Turks, which led to the Delhi Sultanate
Option (1) The coming of the Turks, which led to the Delhi Sultanate — Correct. The coming of the Turks ended in the Delhi Sultanate in the thirteenth century. This weakened many Rajput states and the Brahmanas tied to them, and brought changes in culture and religion.
Option (2) The conquest of Sind by the Arab general Muhammad Qasim — Incorrect. Muhammad Qasim conquered Sind in 711. That is far too early to follow a twelfth-century setting.
Option (3) The formation of Sultanates in the Deccan and other regions — Incorrect. The Deccan Sultanates were formed after the Delhi Sultanate. They came later and in another region.
Option (4) The rise of the Mughal Empire in north India — Incorrect. The Mughal Empire was set up only in the sixteenth century, long after the Rajput states had been weakened.
NCERT (2026-27): “4. Religious Ferment in North India … |