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Q16 (IAS/2019) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Indian classical music Official Key

With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is option A because Akbar gave him the title "Mian," which is an honorific meaning learned man[2], not "Tansen." Tansen was his actual name, not a title bestowed by the emperor.

Option B is correct as he composed many songs in praise of Hindu deities[3]. Option C is also correct since he composed songs in praise of Kings and Emperors, including Islamic hymns in reverence to[4] Emperor Akbar[3]. Option D is correct as Tansen of Gwalior was credited with composing many ragas[5].

Therefore, option A is the only incorrect statement, making it the right answer to this question that asks which statement is "not correct."

Sources
  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tansen
  2. [4] https://www.rudraveena.org/theBlogMusicFiles/Indian%20Music%20and%20Mian%20Tansen%20by%20Pt.%20Birendra%20Kishore%20Roy%20Chowdhury.pdf
  3. [5] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Music and Dance > p. 218
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct? [A] Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Ak…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 · 5/10
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This is a classic 'Attribution Swap' trap. The question tests depth on a specific personality (Tansen) by mixing generic truths (B, C, D) with one specific historical falsehood (A). While standard books cover Tansen's ragas and patronage, the specific origin of his title requires reading the fine print in culture modules (CCRT/Nitin Singhania).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Did Emperor Akbar give the title "Tansen" to the musician Mian Tansen?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Akbar considered him one of the Navaratnas ... and gave him the title Mian, an honorific, meaning learned man."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states what Akbar bestowed: the passage says Akbar gave him the title 'Mian', an honorific.
  • This addresses the question by identifying the specific title Akbar conferred (Mian), rather than 'Tansen'.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Akbar, impressed by Tansen’s musical prowess, bestowed upon him the honorific title ‘Mian,’ signifying a learned man."
Why this source?
  • Directly reports that Akbar 'bestowed upon him the honorific title ‘Mian’', linking the emperor to the conferment of 'Mian'.
  • Supports answering whether Akbar gave the name 'Tansen' by showing the title credited to Akbar was 'Mian'.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Emperor Akbar accorded the title 'Mian' to Tansen, which translates to 'learned"
Why this source?
  • States that 'Emperor Akbar accorded the title 'Mian' to Tansen', again naming 'Mian' as the title from Akbar.
  • Reinforces the point that the imperial title from Akbar was 'Mian', not explicitly 'Tansen'.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Music and Dance > p. 218
Strength: 5/5
“According to Ain-i-Akbari, Tansen of Gwalior, credited with composing many ragas, was patronised by Akbar along with 35 other musicians. Jahangir and Shah Jahan were patrons of music. Though there is a popular misconception that Aurangzeb was against music, a large number of books on Indian classical music were written during his regime. His queens, princes and nobles continued to patronise music.”
Why relevant

Ain-i-Akbari explicitly mentions 'Tansen of Gwalior' as patronised by Akbar, showing the imperial record identifies the musician by the name 'Tansen'.

How to extend

A student could check whether Ain-i-Akbari or related court texts list this name as a formal title or as a personal/epithet, by consulting the primary text or modern editions/translations.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Peasants, Zamindars and the State > 8. The Ain-i Akbari of Abu'l Fazl Allami > p. 217
Strength: 4/5
“The Ain-i Akbari was the culmination of a large historical, administrative project of classification undertaken by Abu'l Fazl at the order of Emperor Akbar. It was completed in 1598, the forty-second regnal year of the emperor, after having gone through five revisions. The Ain was part of a larger project of history writing commissioned by Akbar. This history, known as the Akbar Nama, comprised three books. The first two provided a historical narrative. We will look at these parts more closely in Chapter 9. The Ain-i Akbari, the third book, was organised as a compendium of imperial regulations and a gazetteer of the empire.”
Why relevant

The Ain-i-Akbari is described as an official compendium compiled at Akbar's order, indicating that names and court designations were recorded in an authoritative source.

How to extend

One could use this to prioritize searching Ain-i-Akbari/Akbar Nama entries for wording that indicates a conferred title versus a popular name.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Literature > p. 219
Strength: 4/5
“administration. Abul Fazal, patronised by Akbar, compiled the history of Akbar in Akbar Nama and described Mughal administration in his work Ain-i-Akbari. The Ain-i-Akbari is commendable for its interest in science, statistics, geography and culture. Akbar Namah was emulated by Abdul Hamid Lahori and Muhammad Waris in their joint work Padshah Nama, a biography of Shah Jahan. Later Muhammad Kazim in his Alamgir Nama, a work on the reign of the first decade of Aurangzeb, followed the same pattern. poet of Akbar. The translation of Upanishads by Dara Shukoh, entitled Sirr-I-Akbar (the Great Secret), is a landmark. The Masnawis of Abul Faizi.”
Why relevant

Abu'l Fazl (patronised by Akbar) compiled Akbar Nama and Ain-i-Akbari, implying contemporaneous histories produced under Akbar's patronage are the right place to look for court-bestowed titles.

How to extend

Use this pattern to examine these specific works (or their translations/indices) for any phrase like 'given the title' or 'conferred the name' regarding musicians.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 4: India on the Eve of British Conquest > Weak Rulers after Aurangzeb—An Internal Challenge > p. 64
Strength: 3/5
“Akbar II (1806-37) He gave the title of Raja to Rammohan Rai. In 1835, the coins bearing the names of Mughal emperors were stopped. Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857) Bahadur Shah II or Bahadur Shah Zafar (Zafar being his surname) was the last Mughal emperor. The Revolt of 1857 had made a futile attempt to declare him the Emperor of India. He was captured by the English and sent to Rangoon where he died in 1862. In legal terms, the Mughal Empire came to an end on November 1, 1858 with the declaration of Queen Victoria.”
Why relevant

An example is given of a Mughal emperor (Akbar II) conferring a title ('Raja' to Rammohan Rai), showing Mughal emperors did formally bestow titles.

How to extend

Apply this general practice to Akbar's reign: a student could look for documentary evidence that Akbar similarly conferred honorifics on courtiers and musicians.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > 14.9 Mughal Society > p. 214
Strength: 3/5
“In Mughal social structure, the nobles came mostly from Central Asia and Iran. Afghans, Indian Muslims (shaikhzadas), Rajputs and Marathas also obtained the status of nobility. It is estimated that during the reign of Akbar 15% of the nobility consisted of Rajputs. Raja Man Singh, Raja Todar Mal and Raja Birbal were Rajput nobles of repute during Akbar. The Rajputs appointed Kayasths and Khatris for various positions in government administration. There were continuous migrations from Central Asia as there were better career prospects in India. These migrations led to the enrichment of culture through assimilation of diversity. Though the nobility was divided on ethnic lines they formed a composite class promoting a syncretic culture by patronising. painters, musicians and singers of both Persian and Indian origin.”
Why relevant

The Mughal court actively patronised musicians and promoted a syncretic culture, indicating prominent musicians like Tansen would have been publicly recognized at court.

How to extend

Combine this with a world/primary-source search to see if such public recognition took the form of formal titles, nicknames, or simply patronage records.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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