UPSC Prelims 2003 · General Studies

Question 119: History and Culture

Consider the following statement:

1.Kitab-I-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II
2.Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early form of the musical style known as Qawwali.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

aOnly 1

bOnly 2

cBoth 1 and 2

dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (c).

Both are correct. Kitab-i-Nauras, a collection of songs in Dakhini praising Hindu deities such as Saraswati and Ganesh and Muslim saints, was composed by Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur, known for his syncretic outlook and his patronage of music. Amir Khusrau is credited with originating qawwali in India, blending Persian, Arabic and Indian musical elements.

1. Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur wrote Kitab-i-Nauras.
2. Amir Khusrau is credited with originating qawwali in India.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Statement 2 is also correct, so 'only 1' is incomplete.
(b) Statement 1 is also correct, so 'only 2' is incomplete.
(c) Correct: both.
(d) Both are correct, so 'neither' fails.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2003, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.