2022 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2022 · GS Paper I

Question 52: History and Culture

In medieval India, the term “Fanam” referred to :

aClothing
bCoins
cOrnaments
dWeapons

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

The fanam was a small gold coin widely used in south India in medieval times, under the Cholas and later the Vijayanagara empire. The name survived for small coins in later centuries, such as the Travancore fanam in Kerala. It was a coin, not clothing, an ornament or a weapon. Remember it with other medieval southern currency names such as the gold varaha or pagoda.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Fanam was not a type of clothing.
  • (b) Correct. The fanam was a coin.
  • (c) Fanam was not an ornament.
  • (d) Fanam was not a weapon.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2022, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.