Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

British manufacturers printed images of Indian gods, goddesses (like Krishna, Saraswati, Lakshmi), and historical figures (like Maharaja Ranjit Singh) on cloth labels for the following reasons:

1. Divine approval: Association with gods gave a sense of divine endorsement to the goods, making buyers trust the product.
2. Creating familiarity: The image of familiar deities made the foreign-manufactured cloth appear less alien and more acceptable to Indian consumers.
3. Respect for royalty: Figures of emperors and nawabs conveyed the message that if the product was used by respected rulers, its quality was unquestionable.

Source: The Age of Industrialisation, Section 6 – Market for Goods

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Examiners expect three distinct reasons for a 3-mark question — one point per mark. Avoid vague statements; use the exact logic from the textbook: divine approval, familiarity, and association with royalty/respect. Mention at least one example (e.g., Krishna, Saraswati, Ranjit Singh) to show textual grounding. Do not simply list names — briefly explain the purpose behind each image type.