Consider the following information:
| Archaeological Site | State | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chandraketugarh | Odisha | Trading Port town |
| 2. | Inamgaon | Maharashtra | Chalcolithic site |
| 3. | Mangadu | Kerala | Megalithic site |
| 4. | Salihundam | Andhra Pradesh | Rock-cut cave shrines |
In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3
Rows 2 and 3 are correctly matched. Inamgaon (Maharashtra) is a Chalcolithic site and Mangadu (Kerala) is a megalithic site. Chandraketugarh is a port town but in West Bengal, not Odisha, and Salihundam is a Buddhist complex of stupas and viharas, not rock-cut cave shrines.
- ✗ 1. Chandraketugarh was a trading port town, but it lies in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, not in Odisha.
- ✓ 2. Inamgaon, in Pune district, Maharashtra, is a well-excavated Chalcolithic (copper-stone age) village site.
- ✓ 3. Mangadu (Mangad) in Kollam, Kerala, is one of the megalithic urn-burial sites excavated by the Kerala Department of Archaeology.
- ✗ 4. Salihundam in Andhra Pradesh is a Buddhist settlement with votive stupas, a mahastupa, chaityas and viharas built on a hill, not rock-cut cave shrines.
Remember · Chandraketugarh: West Bengal port town. Inamgaon: Maharashtra Chalcolithic. Mangadu: Kerala megalithic. Salihundam: Andhra Buddhist stupa-vihara complex.
Sources
- IGNOU eGyanKosh: Unit 23, Port Town: Chandraketugarh ↗ · reference work “It is situated thirty five kilometres away from the city of Kolkata, in the North 24 Parganas.”
- IGNOU eGyanKosh: Unit 3, Chalcolithic Cultures ↗ · reference work “Multi-disciplinary studies at sites like Inamgaon in Maharashtra threw substantial light on past subsistence, religious practices and social organisation.”
- Department of Archaeology, Government of Kerala: Madankavu Mangad ↗ “The Madankavu urn-burial site at Mangad, Kollam, is one of the major megalithic sites excavated by the Department of Archaeology.”
- Andhra Pradesh Tourism: Salihundam ↗ “This site is now protected by the ASI, contains several votive stupas, a mahastupa, chaityas and viharas.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·