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GS Paper IUPSC Prelims 2023
South Indian Kingdoms
Question No. 4Interactive Test Mode
00:00
+2-0.66

Q4. Which one of the following explains the practice of ‘Vattakirutal’ as mentioned in Sangam poems?

Which one of the following explains the practice of ‘Vattakirutal’ as mentioned in Sangam poems?

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Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution

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Official UPSC Answer KeyUPSC Prelims 2023 • Ancient History

Correct Answer: Option (D) — A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death

Concept & Option Breakdown

Standard Reference Verified

In ancient Tamil Sangam culture, 'Vattakirutal' (Vadakkiruthal) was a ritual practice in which a defeated king or warrior, in order to preserve his honor and prestige, would sit facing North and starve himself to death.

Elimination Heuristic & Exam Approach

Term recognition: 'Vatakku' in Tamil means North. The ritual involved facing North to fast unto death after suffering a dishonor in battle.

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Question Specifications & Syllabus Mapping

Examination & YearUPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023 (Q4)
Paper & Marking SchemeGS Paper I • 2 Marks (-0.66 Negative for incorrect response)
Syllabus Subject & TopicAncient History → South Indian Kingdoms
Official Answer KeyOption (D) — A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death

Related & Repeated Prelims PYQs (2)

Questions from other UPSC Prelims years testing the same or closely linked concept.

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2022 • Q3283% Match

Which one of the following statements about Sangam literature in ancient South India is correct?

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2020 • Q6781% Match

With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct description of the term Paramitas?

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Frequently Asked Questions — UPSC Prelims 2023 Q4

What is the official answer for UPSC Prelims 2023 GS Paper I Question 4 (Ancient History)?

The official UPSC answer key for this 2023 Ancient History (South Indian Kingdoms) question is Option (D): "A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death". Correct attempts carry 2 Marks with -0.66 Negative penalty for wrong answers.

Which UPSC Prelims syllabus topic does this 2023 question belong to?

This question belongs to GS Paper I under the subject "Ancient History" and micro-topic "South Indian Kingdoms". You can explore all repeated questions from South Indian Kingdoms in Acme AI's 3D Prelims PYQ Realm or practice 50 full-length and sectional tests in the APT Prelims Test Series.

How can I solve this South Indian Kingdoms UPSC Prelims question using option elimination?

Term recognition: 'Vatakku' in Tamil means North. The ritual involved facing North to fast unto death after suffering a dishonor in battle.

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