A group of college students from Bengaluru visits a village in the Krishna-Tungabhadra doab. Among huge boulders they see the ruins of Vijayanagara: broken gateways, long stone walls and halls with carved pillars. Local elders tell them tales of a great city that was sacked in a battle and later deserted. Their teacher explains that scholars rebuilt the history of this empire by putting together such local tales with ruins, inscriptions and written records. She adds that a British officer working for the English East India Company was the first to survey the site and draw its map.
Why did this officer collect local histories and survey historic sites in India?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → To understand India's past and make governance of the colony easier
Option (1) To understand India's past and make governance of the colony easier — Correct. Mackenzie wanted to understand India's past so that the Company could govern the colony more easily. Knowledge of old laws and customs was seen as useful for ruling.
Option (2) To find old temple lands that could be taxed by the Company — Incorrect. His aim was knowledge for governance in general. Taxing temple lands was not the purpose he gave.
Option (3) To help local rulers restore the temples for regular worship — Incorrect. Mackenzie worked for the Company, and his surveys served its rule. Temple restoration for worship was outside his aim.
Option (4) To prepare maps of trade routes for the Company's merchants — Incorrect. Trade-route maps were not his purpose. He surveyed historic sites and gathered local histories.
NCERT (2026-27): “1. The Discovery of Hampi … |