Odisha, with its rich cultural heritage and historical significance, has been a center of various historical events and developments. For candidates preparing for OSSSC examinations, understanding the history of Odisha is crucial. Here’s a compilation of 30 multiple-choice questions to aid in your preparation.
Top 30 History of Odisha MCQS For OSSSC RI,ARI, Amin, SFS, ICDS Supervisor
- Which Greek historian referred to the Gangetic Kalinga Region as “Gangaridum Calingarum Regia”?
(a) Plutarch
(b) Pliny
(c) Megasthenes
(d) Diodorus
Ans. (c) Megasthenes - According to Pliny, Kalinga was divided into how many regions?
(a) Two
(b) Three
(c) Four
(d) Five
Ans. (b) Three - The division of Kalinga into three regions by Pliny includes all of the following except:
(a) Gangarides
(b) Maceo
(c) Calingae
(d) Mahishasura
Ans. (d) Mahishasura - Who among the following wrote “The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea” which gives information about Kalinga?
(a) Ptolemy
(b) Pliny
(c) An anonymous Greek sailor
(d) Hiuen Tsang
Ans. (c) An anonymous Greek sailor - Which Greek geographer provided an account of the ports of Kalinga in the 2nd century A.D.?
(a) Pliny
(b) Megasthenes
(c) Ptolemy
(d) Hiuen Tsang
Ans. (c) Ptolemy - The people called ‘Oretes’ mentioned by Ptolemy are identified with which of the following groups?
(a) Gangarides
(b) Odras
(c) Calingae
(d) Dravidians
Ans. (b) Odras - The Malaya mountain mentioned by Ptolemy is associated with which of the following?
(a) Vindhya Range
(b) Western Ghats
(c) Malaya mountain
(d) Eastern Ghats
Ans. (d) Eastern Ghats - Which Chinese pilgrim visited Odisha in 638-39 AD and provided valuable information about Kalinga?
(a) Hiuen Tsang
(b) I-Tsing
(c) Fa-Hien
(d) Xuanzang
Ans. (a) Hiuen Tsang - The works “On Yuan Chwang’s Travels” and “Life of Hiuen Tsang” are associated with which Chinese traveler?
(a) I-Tsing
(b) Hiuen Tsang
(c) Fa-Hien
(d) Xuanzang
Ans. (b) Hiuen Tsang - Gerini’s ‘Researches on Ptolemy’ and Tibetan historian Lama Taranath’s history provide valuable information about which region?
(a) Magadha
(b) Kalinga
(c) Dravida
(d) Gandhara
Ans. (b) Kalinga - The earliest coins found in Odisha, which were in circulation between the 4th century B.C. to 4th century A.D., are known as:
(a) Puri-Kushana coins
(b) Gupta coins
(c) Punch-marked coins
(d) Nala coins
Ans: (c) Punch-marked coins - The Kushana coins and their imitations, found across various parts of Odisha, are referred to as:
(a) Naga coins
(b) Puri-Kushana coins
(c) Ganga fanams
(d) Sarbhapuriya coins
Ans: (b) Puri-Kushana coins - Which type of coins was issued during the Gupta period and found in parts of Odisha such as Bhanapur and Khiching?
(a) Silver coins
(b) Punch-marked coins
(c) Archer-type gold coins
(d) Copper coins
Ans: (c) Archer-type gold coins - The Nala coins, which provide insights into the Nala rule in South Kosala, are characterized by:
(a) The presence of a human figure
(b) A blank reverse side and a humped bull on the obverse side
(c) Geometrical designs
(d) Images of deities
Ans: (b) A blank reverse side and a humped bull on the obverse side - Which dynasty’s coins have been instrumental in reconstructing the history of Western Odisha and have been found in regions like Chatishgarh and Cuttack?
(a) Gupta
(b) Sarbhapuriya
(c) Ganga
(d) Somavamsi
Ans: (b) Sarbhapuriya - The Kalachuri coins, which were found in regions like Sonepur and Khurda, were made from which materials?
(a) Gold and silver only
(b) Copper only
(c) Gold, silver, and copper
(d) Iron and bronze
Ans: (c) Gold, silver, and copper - The Chhindika Nagas, who ruled over Sonepur in the 12th century AD, issued coins primarily made of:
(a) Silver
(b) Copper
(c) Gold
(d) Bronze
Ans: (c) Gold - Which coins, discovered in Odisha and bearing a lotus with eight petals, are believed to belong to the Yadavas of Devagiri?
(a) Puri-Kushana coins
(b) Padmatankas
(c) Naga coins
(d) Gupta coins
Ans: (b) Padmatankas - The Ganga fanams, small gold coins issued by the Ganga kings, have been found in which of the following locations in Odisha?
(a) Angul, Cuttack, and Sonepur
(b) Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, and Bargarh
(c) Sambalpur, Rourkela, and Koraput
(d) Balasore, Puri, and Bhubaneswar
Ans: (a) Angul, Cuttack, and Sonepur - The Gajapati Pagoda coins, found in Karnataka, were likely issued during which period?
(a) 1st-3rd century AD
(b) 5th-7th century AD
(c) 13th-15th century AD
(d) 16th-18th century AD
Ans: (c) 13th-15th century AD - Who conducted the exploration in 1875 at Angul, Talcher, Dhenkanal, and Bursapalli that exposed pre-historic sites of Odisha?
(a) R.P. Chanda
(b) Valentine Bali
(c) Paramananda Acharya
(d) B.B. Lal
Ans: (b) Valentine Bali - Which famous paleolithic site in Odisha was discovered by Paramananda Acharya and C. Worman?
(a) Dhauli
(b) Sisupalgarh
(c) Kulina
(d) Harirajpur
Ans: (c) Kulina - Who is credited with locating extensive paleolithic sites in Central and Northern Odisha?
(a) G.C. Mahapatra
(b) R.P. Chanda
(c) B.B. Lal
(d) K.K. Basa
Ans: (a) G.C. Mahapatra - What significant discovery at Dhauli and Jaugada sheds light on the Kalingan history of the third century B.C.?
(a) Paleolithic tools
(b) Rock art and edicts of Asoka
(c) Fortified city remains
(d) Maritime artifacts
Ans: (b) Rock art and edicts of Asoka - Which city is assumed to be the capital city of Kharavela as identified by the excavation at Sisupalgarh?
(a) Dhauli
(b) Jaugada
(c) Kalinganagari
(d) Golbai
Ans: (c) Kalinganagari - Who conducted the excavation at Sisupalgarh in 1949, which opened a new chapter in the history of Odisha?
(a) K.K. Basa
(b) Monica L. Smith
(c) B.B. Lal
(d) R.K. Moanty
Ans: (c) B.B. Lal - Which sites give insight into the maritime activities of the people of ancient Odisha?
(a) Kulina and Dhauli
(b) Sisupalgarh and Jaugada
(c) Manikpatna and Golbai
(d) Harirajpur and Bursapalli
Ans: (c) Manikpatna and Golbai - Which archaeologist’s recent excavations at Harirajpur have revealed many unexplored aspects of ancient Odisha?
(a) R.P. Chanda
(b) G.C. Mahapatra
(c) K.K. Basa
(d) B.B. Lal
Ans: (c) K.K. Basa - The art and architecture of which two sites added to the sources of history of ancient Odisha?
(a) Kulina and Sisupalgarh
(b) Khandagiri and Udayagiri
(c) Dhauli and Jaugada
(d) Angul and Talcher
Ans: (b) Khandagiri and Udayagiri - Which historian’s work on Mayurbhanj contributed significantly to the early history of Odisha?
(a) G.C. Mahapatra
(b) K.K. Basa
(c) R.P. Chanda
(d) Monica L. Smith
Ans: (c) R.P. Chanda
