State PCS
'Kitab-i-Nauras', a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by:
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Answer: Option B — Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur
Detailed Solution
"Kitab-i-Nauras" ("Book of the Nine Rasas"), a collection of songs, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the Sultan of Bijapur, in the Dakhani language.
About the Kitab-i-Nauras:
- It contains 59 songs (poems) set to various ragas, along with 17 couplets (dohas).
- The songs praise the Hindu goddess Saraswati, the god Ganesha, Shiva and Parvati, as well as the Prophet and Sufi saints, such as Khwaja Bandanawaz Gesudaraz of Gulbarga.
- The title refers to the nine rasas (emotions) of Indian aesthetics.
- The songs reflect his deep knowledge of Indian classical music.
- His court poet Zuhuri wrote a Persian preface (the "Seh Nasr") to the book.
About Ibrahim Adil Shah II:
- He was the greatest ruler of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur.
- He was known for his religious tolerance; he was called "Jagadguru" by his subjects because of his support to the poor and to people of all religions.
- He was also called "Abla Baba" (friend of the poor).
- He was a great patron of music, painting, poetry and architecture.
- He built a new city near Bijapur, called Nauraspur, as a centre of music and the arts.
- He was a skilled player of the tambura and a singer.
- He had a deep devotion to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and music.
- Bijapur painting flourished at his court; many portraits of him survive.
Monuments of his time:
The Ibrahim Rauza at Bijapur, his tomb, is one of the finest buildings of the Deccan.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah wrote poetry in Dakhani Urdu.
- ✗Husain Shah Sharqi was a patron of music.
- ✗Baz Bahadur is known for his love of music and Rupmati.
Quick tip
Remember: Kitab-i-Nauras = Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur (Dakhani songs; "Jagadguru"; Nauraspur; Ibrahim Rauza).
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Music & Musical Instruments — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Music & Musical Instruments, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers Indian classical music, its two main traditions (Hindustani and Carnatic), gharanas, ragas and talas, folk music styles, and the musical instruments of India along with the artists who are famous for playing them. It also includes the four classes of instruments: string (tata), wind (sushira), percussion (avanaddha) and solid (ghana). Exam questions usually pair an instrument with its maestro, such as the sitar with Pandit Ravi Shankar, the shehnai with Ustad Bismillah Khan or the santoor with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Other common questions ask about the origin of a gharana, the instrument a folk style uses, or the class an instrument belongs to. Making a two-column list of instruments and artists is the quickest way to revise. Practise the music and musical instruments questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.