Previous Year Question
Consider the following:
The arrival of Babur into India led to the
introduction of gunpowder in the sub-continent
introduction of the arch and dome in the region's architecture
establishment of Timurid dynasty in the region
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is incorrect. Babur did not introduce gunpowder into India for the first time. Gunpowder and firearms were known in India before Babur's invasion of 1526 CE. Historian Iqtidar Alam Khan's research documents the use of cannon and muskets in India during 1442–1526. Babur's significance lay in the highly effective battlefield use of field artillery and gunpowder weapons. At the First Battle of Panipat, his Ottoman gunners Ustad Ali and Mustafa formed an important part of his military system.
Statement 2 is also incorrect. Arches and domes had appeared in Indian architecture long before Babur. During the Delhi Sultanate, the tomb of Balban, dating to about 1287–88 CE, provides an early example of a true arch. Under the Khaljis, structures such as the Alai Darwaza displayed fully developed true arches and true domes. Therefore, Babur's arrival in 1526 cannot be regarded as the introduction of the arch and dome into Indian architecture.
Statement 3 is correct. Babur was a descendant of Timur on his father's side. After defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 CE, he established the foundations of his rule in northern India. Thus, a new branch of Timurid political rule, subsequently known as the Mughal Empire, was established in India.