Consider the following pairs:
| Site | Well known for | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Besnagar | Shaivite cave shrine |
| 2. | Bhaja | Buddhist cave shrine |
| 3. | Sittanavasal | Jain cave shrine |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Only two
Pairs 2 and 3 are correct; pair 1 is not. Besnagar is known for the Heliodorus pillar set up in honour of Vasudeva (a Vaishnava monument), not for a Shaivite cave shrine.
- ✗ 1. Besnagar, near Vidisha, is famed for the Khamb Baba (Heliodorus) pillar, raised as a Garuda pillar in honour of Vasudeva. It is a Vaishnava monument, not a Shaivite cave shrine.
- ✓ 2. Bhaja, in Maharashtra, is one of the Buddhist rock-cut cave sites of western India dating from the second century BCE onwards, with a chaitya hall.
- ✓ 3. Sittanavasal in Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu, has a Jain cave monastery of the seventh century with painted walls and ceilings.
Remember · Besnagar: Heliodorus (Garuda) pillar for Vasudeva. Bhaja: Buddhist caves and chaitya hall, Maharashtra. Sittanavasal: Jain cave shrine with paintings, Tamil Nadu.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle: Besnagar, Khamb Baba (Heliodoras Pillar) ↗ “This pillar was setup as a Garuda dhwaja in honour of God Vasudeva. This pillar is known as Khambaba, the pillar erected by Heliodorous, a Greek Ambassador.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Chapter 4 “In western India, many Buddhist caves dating back to the second century B.C.E. onward have been excavated. These include Bhaja, Kanheri, Karla, Ajanta, Ellora, Bedasa, Nashik, Junnar, Pitalkhora, etc.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Chapter 4 “Sittanavasal in Pudukottai district is the location of a Jain monastery of the seventh century.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2023, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·