1. The Sangam Age is associated with which region of India?
A. North India
B. Eastern India
C. South India (Tamil Nadu)
D. Western India
Answer: C. South India (Tamil Nadu)
2. The Sangam Age is generally dated between:
A. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE
B. 600 BCE – 300 BCE
C. 300 BCE – 300 CE
D. 600 CE – 1200 CE
Answer: C. 300 BCE – 300 CE
3. Sangam literature was primarily written in:
A. Sanskrit
B. Prakrit
C. Tamil
D. Pali
Answer: C. Tamil
4. The word “Sangam” means:
A. Kingdom
B. Assembly or Academy of Poets
C. Temple
D. Market
Answer: B. Assembly or Academy of Poets
5. According to tradition, how many Sangams were held?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Answer: C. Three
6. Which three dynasties ruled during the Sangam Age?
A. Maurya, Gupta and Kushan
B. Chola, Chera and Pandya
C. Pallava, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta
D. Satavahana, Kushan and Gupta
Answer: B. Chola, Chera and Pandya
7. Which was the emblem of the Cholas?
A. Bow
B. Fish
C. Tiger
D. Elephant
Answer: C. Tiger
8. Which was the emblem of the Pandyas?
A. Fish
B. Bow
C. Tiger
D. Bull
Answer: A. Fish
9. Which was the emblem of the Cheras?
A. Bow and Arrow
B. Fish
C. Tiger
D. Lion
Answer: A. Bow and Arrow
10. The capital of the Cholas during the Sangam Age was:
A. Madurai
B. Vanji (Karur)
C. Uraiyur
D. Kanchipuram
Answer: C. Uraiyur
11. The capital of the Pandyas was:
A. Madurai
B. Uraiyur
C. Vanji
D. Kaveripattinam
Answer: A. Madurai
12. The capital of the Cheras was:
A. Madurai
B. Uraiyur
C. Vanji (Karur)
D. Kanchipuram
Answer: C. Vanji (Karur)
13. Which Sangam ruler is famous for the Battle of Venni?
A. Nedunchezhiyan
B. Karikala Chola
C. Senguttuvan
D. Perunarkilli
Answer: B. Karikala Chola
14. Karikala Chola is famous for constructing the:
A. Brihadeshwara Temple
B. Grand Anicut (Kallanai) Dam
C. Shore Temple
D. Meenakshi Temple
Answer: B. Grand Anicut (Kallanai) Dam
15. Which Chera ruler is known as the “Red Chera”?
A. Senguttuvan
B. Nedunchezhiyan
C. Karikala
D. Nedunjeral Adan
Answer: A. Senguttuvan
16. Senguttuvan is associated with the worship of:
A. Shiva
B. Murugan
C. Kannagi (Pattini cult)
D. Vishnu
Answer: C. Kannagi (Pattini cult)
17. Which Pandya ruler won the Battle of Talaiyalanganam?
A. Karikala
B. Senguttuvan
C. Nedunchezhiyan
D. Perunarkilli
Answer: C. Nedunchezhiyan
18. Which is the earliest extant work of Tamil grammar?
A. Silappadikaram
B. Tolkappiyam
C. Manimekalai
D. Pattinappalai
Answer: B. Tolkappiyam
19. Tolkappiyam was written by:
A. Ilango Adigal
B. Sattanar
C. Tolkappiyar
D. Kapilar
Answer: C. Tolkappiyar
20. Which epic was written by Ilango Adigal?
A. Manimekalai
B. Silappadikaram
C. Tolkappiyam
D. Civaka Cintamani
Answer: B. Silappadikara
21. Manimekalai was written by:
A. Kapilar
B. Sattanar
C. Ilango Adigal
D. Avvaiyar
Answer: B. Sattanar
22. Silappadikaram and Manimekalai are known as:
A. Vedas
B. Tamil Epics
C. Buddhist Canon
D. Sangam Anthologies
Answer: B. Tamil Epics
23. Which foreign work mentions trade with South India?
A. Indica
B. Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
C. Arthashastra
D. Rajatarangini
Answer: B. Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
24. Which Roman author described trade with South India?
A. Pliny the Elder
B. Megasthenes
C. Strabo
D. Ptolemy
Answer: A. Pliny the Elder
25. The most important port of the Cholas was:
A. Muziris
B. Korkai
C. Kaveripattinam (Puhar)
D. Arikamedu
Answer: C. Kaveripattinam (Puhar)
26. Muziris was the famous port of the:
A. Cholas
B. Cheras
C. Pandyas
D. Pallavas
Answer: B. Cheras
27. Korkai was an important port of the:
A. Cheras
B. Cholas
C. Pandyas
D. Pallavas
Answer: C. Pandyas
28. Which commodity was most famous in the Roman trade with South India?
A. Cotton
B. Pepper
C. Wheat
D. Tea
Answer: B. Pepper
29. Roman gold coins have been found in large numbers in:
A. Kashmir
B. Tamil Nadu and Kerala
C. Punjab
D. Gujarat only
Answer: B. Tamil Nadu and Kerala
30. The chief deity of the Kurinji (mountain) region in Sangam literature was:
A. Indra
B. Varuna
C. Murugan
D. Shiva
Answer: C. Murugan
31. Which landscape in Sangam literature is associated with agriculture?
A. Kurinji
B. Mullai
C. Marutham
D. Neithal
Answer: C. Marutham
32. Match the following correctly:
- Chola – Tiger
- Chera – Bow
- Pandya – Fish
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
33. Which pair is correctly matched?
A. Tolkappiyam – Tolkappiyar
B. Silappadikaram – Ilango Adigal
C. Manimekalai – Sattanar
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
34. Consider the following statements:
- Sangam literature was written in Tamil.
- Karikala built the Kallanai Dam.
- Madurai was the capital of the Pandyas.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
35. Arrange the following dynasties in alphabetical order:
A. Chera → Chola → Pandya
B. Chola → Chera → Pandya
C. Pandya → Chola → Chera
D. Chera → Pandya → Chola
Answer: A. Chera → Chola → Pandya
36. Which of the following is NOT a Sangam work?
A. Tolkappiyam
B. Silappadikaram
C. Manimekalai
D. Arthashastra
Answer: D. Arthashastra
37. Which port was famous for pearl fishing?
A. Muziris
B. Kaveripattinam
C. Korkai
D. Tamralipti
Answer: C. Korkai
38. Which of the following is correctly matched?
A. Kaveripattinam – Cholas
B. Muziris – Cheras
C. Korkai – Pandyas
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
39. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Pepper was a major export from South India.
- Roman coins have been found in South India.
- The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea describes Indo-Roman trade.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
40. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Sangam literature provides information on the political, social and economic life of ancient Tamilakam.
- The Sangam Age is associated with the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms.
- Tolkappiyam is the earliest extant Tamil grammatical work.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3