Prelims 2002 · archive
EasyWhich one of the following statements is not correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) The statue of Gomateshwara at ShravanaBelagola represents the last Tirthankara of Jains.
The Gomateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola shows Bahubali, the son of the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha. The last Tirthankara was Mahavira, so statement (a) is wrong. The other three statements are correct.
- ✗ (a) The colossal granite statue is of Lord Bahubali (Gomateshwara). Jain tradition counts him as the son of the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha. Mahavira, preceded by 23 earlier tirthankaras, was the last Tirthankara.
- ✓ (b) Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh is described by the Government of India's Incredible India portal as the largest monastery in India.
- ✓ (c) The Khajuraho temples were built by the Chandella dynasty, whose power peaked between 950 and 1050.
- ✓ (d) The Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid (Halebidu) is dedicated to Shiva as Nataraja.
Remember · Gomateshwara = Bahubali, son of Rishabhanatha (first Tirthankara), not a Tirthankara himself. Mahavira was the 24th and last. Tawang is India's largest monastery; Khajuraho is Chandella.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “at Sravana Belagola the famous statue of Gomateshwara, the granite statue of Lord Bahubali which stands eighteen metres or fifty-seven feet high, is the world's tallest monolithic free-standing structure.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “According to Jaina tradition, Mahavira was preceded by 23 other teachers or tirthankaras – literally, those who guide men and women across the river of existence.”
- Britannica: Bahubali ↗ · reference work “the son of the first Tirthankara (literally, “ford maker,” a metaphor for saviour), Rishabhanatha”
- Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism): 8 Spectacular Buddhist Monasteries in India ↗ “Tawang Monastery is the largest in India. Also the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama, this monastery”
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Khajuraho Group of Monuments ↗ “The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050.”
- NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “Dedicated to Shiva as Nataraja, the Halebid temple is a double building with a large hall for the mandapa to facilitate music and dance.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2002, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·