MCQs with Answers and Explanations
Below is a CBSE Class 12 History (NCERT-aligned) set of 30 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) from
Chapter 6: Bhakti–Sufi Traditions – Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts.
CBSE Class 12 History
Chapter 6: Bhakti–Sufi Traditions
MCQs with Answers & Explanations (30)
1. What was the central idea of the Bhakti movement?
A. Performance of elaborate rituals
B. Personal devotion to a chosen deity
C. Worship through sacrifices
D. Authority of Brahmins
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
The Bhakti movement emphasised personal devotion and emotional attachment to God as the path to salvation, rejecting ritualism and priestly dominance.
2. The Alvars were devotees of:
A. Shiva
B. Vishnu
C. Brahma
D. Shakti
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
The Alvars were Tamil poet-saints who composed hymns in praise of Lord Vishnu and spread Vaishnava Bhakti in South India.
3. The Nayanars were associated with the worship of:
A. Vishnu
B. Rama
C. Shiva
D. Krishna
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The Nayanars were Shaiva saints devoted to Lord Shiva and played a major role in spreading Shaivite Bhakti traditions.
4. Which language was mainly used by early Bhakti saints in South India?
A. Sanskrit
B. Prakrit
C. Tamil
D. Persian
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The Alvars and Nayanars composed hymns in Tamil to reach ordinary people, making devotion accessible beyond elite Sanskrit circles.
5. What is meant by Nirguna Bhakti?
A. Worship of idols
B. Devotion to God with form
C. Devotion to a formless God
D. Worship through rituals
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Nirguna Bhakti focused on devotion to a formless, attribute-less God and rejected idol worship and ritual practices.
6. Which saint is closely associated with Nirguna Bhakti?
A. Tulsidas
B. Surdas
C. Kabir
D. Mirabai
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Kabir was a leading Nirguna Bhakti saint who preached devotion to a formless God and criticised religious orthodoxy.
7. Saguna Bhakti refers to:
A. Worship without attributes
B. Worship through meditation only
C. Devotion to God with form and qualities
D. Worship of nature
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Saguna Bhakti involved devotion to a personal God with attributes, such as Rama or Krishna.
8. Which deity was Mirabai devoted to?
A. Rama
B. Shiva
C. Krishna
D. Vishnu
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Mirabai expressed intense devotion to Lord Krishna through her devotional songs and poetry.
9. What was a major social message of the Bhakti movement?
A. Support of caste hierarchy
B. Promotion of ritual sacrifices
C. Equality before God
D. Importance of wealth
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Bhakti saints preached that devotion, not caste or status, determined one’s relationship with God.
10. Sufism is best described as:
A. A legal school of Islam
B. A political movement
C. The mystical tradition of Islam
D. A reformist sect
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Sufism emphasised inner spirituality, love, and personal experience of God rather than formal religious practices.
11. What were Sufi silsilas?
A. Religious scriptures
B. Political groups
C. Spiritual lineages
D. Sacred places
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Silsilas were chains of spiritual succession linking Sufi saints to the Prophet Muhammad.
12. Which Sufi order was most popular in India?
A. Qadiri
B. Naqshbandi
C. Chishti
D. Shattari
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The Chishti order gained widespread popularity due to its emphasis on love, service, and simplicity.
13. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti settled in:
A. Delhi
B. Ajmer
C. Lahore
D. Multan
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti established the Chishti order in Ajmer, which became an important spiritual centre.
14. What was a khanqah?
A. A royal court
B. A market place
C. A Sufi hospice
D. A mosque
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
A khanqah was a Sufi centre where disciples lived, trained spiritually, and served society.
15. Sama in Sufism refers to:
A. Silent meditation
B. Devotional music
C. Reading scriptures
D. Pilgrimage
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Sama involved devotional music and poetry used to attain spiritual ecstasy and closeness to God.
16. Which Sufi order supported the practice of sama?
A. Naqshbandi
B. Chishti
C. Qadiri
D. Suhrawardi
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
The Chishti order actively encouraged devotional music as a spiritual practice.
17. Dargahs are:
A. Religious schools
B. Forts
C. Tombs of Sufi saints
D. Mosques
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Dargahs were shrines built over the graves of revered Sufi saints and became pilgrimage centres.
18. The annual death anniversary of a Sufi saint is called:
A. Urs
B. Ziyarat
C. Namaaz
D. Sama
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
Urs symbolises the union of the saint with God and is celebrated with devotion and rituals.
19. Which Sufi order avoided close association with rulers?
A. Suhrawardi
B. Naqshbandi
C. Chishti
D. Qadiri
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The Chishtis believed that spiritual purity required distance from political power.
20. Which Bhakti saint is associated with the Ramcharitmanas?
A. Surdas
B. Tulsidas
C. Kabir
D. Namdev
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Tulsidas composed the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi, promoting Rama Bhakti.
21. Guru Nanak emphasised:
A. Idol worship
B. Ritual sacrifices
C. Belief in one God
D. Caste hierarchy
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Guru Nanak preached monotheism, equality, and rejection of caste distinctions.
22. Which social groups benefited most from Bhakti traditions?
A. Kings and nobles
B. Priests only
C. Lower castes and women
D. Merchants
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Bhakti movements gave voice to marginalised groups by rejecting caste and gender barriers.
23. Why did Bhakti saints reject Sanskrit?
A. It was religiously impure
B. It was difficult for common people
C. It was banned
D. It lacked vocabulary
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Regional languages allowed Bhakti saints to communicate directly with the masses.
24. Hagiographies are:
A. Administrative records
B. Religious laws
C. Biographies of saints
D. Royal chronicles
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Hagiographies describe the lives and miracles of saints but must be used carefully by historians.
25. A common feature of Bhakti and Sufi traditions was:
A. Support for rituals
B. Emphasis on personal devotion
C. Political ambition
D. Sanskrit learning
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Both traditions stressed love, devotion, and a personal bond with God.
26. Which form of literature became popular through Bhakti movements?
A. Court chronicles
B. Devotional poetry
C. Scientific texts
D. Legal manuals
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Devotional poetry in regional languages became the primary medium of Bhakti expression.
27. Which practice promoted inter-religious harmony?
A. Idol worship
B. Sama
C. Dargah worship
D. Royal patronage
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Dargahs attracted followers from different religions, promoting shared devotional spaces.
28. What did Bhakti saints mainly criticise?
A. Agriculture
B. Trade
C. Religious hypocrisy
D. Art
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
They opposed empty rituals, caste discrimination, and false religiosity.
29. Oral traditions were important because they:
A. Preserved exact texts
B. Spread teachings widely
C. Replaced scriptures
D. Prevented change
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Oral transmission helped devotional ideas reach illiterate populations.
30. Why are Bhakti–Sufi traditions historically significant?
A. They strengthened political power
B. They promoted cultural synthesis
C. They encouraged wars
D. They supported caste rigidity
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Bhakti and Sufi traditions fostered tolerance, social reform, and a shared cultural heritage in medieval India.