MCQ Quiz – Ganga: The Sacred River of India
1. Who described Ganga as “the river of India, beloved of her people…”?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Rabindranath Tagore
d) Swami Vivekananda
2. During which civilization did the centre of Indian civilization shift to the Ganges basin?
a) Harappan Civilization
b) Vedic Civilization
c) Mauryan Empire
d) Gupta Empire
3. Which of the following cities is located on the banks of Ganga?
a) Patliputra
b) Allahabad (Prayagraj)
c) Murshidabad
d) All of these
4. In which ancient text is Ganga mentioned as ‘Nadistuti’?
a) Mahabharata
b) Rig-Veda
c) Ramayana
d) Upanishads
5. Who brought Ganga from heaven to earth, according to Hindu mythology?
a) King Harsha
b) King Bhagirath
c) King Ashoka
d) King Vikramaditya
6. Ganga is also called Bhagirathi because:
a) She flows from the Himalayas
b) She was brought by Bhagirath
c) She meets Yamuna at Prayag
d) She purifies all sins
7. In the Mahabharata, Ganga is considered the mother of:
a) Karna
b) Arjuna
c) Bhishma
d) Dronacharya
8. Ganga is considered consort of which three deities?
a) Vishnu, Indra, Surya
b) Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu
c) Rama, Krishna, Shiva
d) Brahma, Agni, Varuna
9. What is Ganga affectionately called in Hindu families?
a) Ganga Devi
b) Ganga Nadi
c) Ganga Mata
d) Ganga Jal
10. Which aquatic animal is the National Aquatic Animal of India?
a) Crocodile
b) Ganga River Dolphin
c) Mahseer Fish
d) Turtle
11. What is celebrated as the descent of Ganga every year?
a) Ganga Mahotsav
b) Ganga Dashahara
c) Ganga Jayanti
d) Ganga Navami
12. How many sins are believed to be washed away by bathing in Ganga on Ganga Dashahara?
a) 5
b) 7
c) 9
d) 10
13. The Maha Kumbh Mela is held at Allahabad after how many years?
a) 12 years
b) 72 years
c) 144 years
d) 100 years
14. Who was Megasthenes?
a) Chinese pilgrim
b) Greek ethnographer
c) Persian traveler
d) Mauryan king
15. Which work contains a verse describing Ganga as “uplifter of all”?
a) Rig-Veda
b) Ganga Lahiri
c) Ramcharitmanas
d) Bhagavad Gita
16. Who composed Ganga Lahiri in the 17th century?
a) Tulsidas
b) Kalidasa
c) Jagannatha
d) Surdas
17. According to belief, drinking Ganga water before death ensures:
a) Salvation of the soul
b) Rebirth in heaven
c) Wealth and prosperity
d) Long life
18. Which of these is considered a local “Ganga”?
a) Narmada
b) Banganga
c) Yamuna
d) Saraswati
19. Which of the following is NOT a role of sacred rivers?
a) Irrigation
b) Purification of sins
c) Providing fish and water transport
d) Producing electricity directly without dams
20. Which of these poetic lines best describes Ganga?
a) “Ocean of sweet wine, uplifter of all”
b) “River of tears, dark and deep”
c) “Silent stream of sorrow”
d) “Path of gold and diamonds”
