What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram? 1. Both were built in the same period. 2. Both belong to the same religious denomination. 3. Both have rock-cut monuments. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(d) None of the statements given above is correct

Prelims · Art & culture · 18 questions

Architecture & sculpture

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Prelims 2026 · Q4

Hard Provisional key

Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara?

1.Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami
2.Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole
3.Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh
4.Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal

Select the answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 and 3

A Nagara shikhara is the northern, curving (rekha) tower. The Huchimalligudi at Aihole has a northern rekhanagara tower and the Deogarh temple has an early curvilinear latina shikhara, while the Malegitti Shivalaya and the Virupaksha temple carry southern Dravida towers.

✗ 1. The Malegitti Shivalaya on the Badami hill, an early Chalukyan temple, is built of finely jointed stone and topped by a Dravidian tower.
✓ 2. The sanctum of the Huchimalligudi at Aihole has a northern-style rekhanagara tower; it is also the temple where a vestibule before the sanctum first appears.
✓ 3. The early sixth-century Gupta-period temple at Deogarh (Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh) has a tall curving rekha-prasada shikhara, an early example of the classic Nagara style.
✗ 4. The Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal, built by Queen Lokamahadevi (c. 740), is in the southern Dravida style and is the largest temple in the group.

Remember · Chalukyan sites mix styles: Aihole's Huchimalligudi and Durga temples have rekhanagara towers; Badami's Malegitti Shivalaya and Pattadakal's Virupaksha are Dravida.

📘 Read it in NCERT: 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 “The presence of this curving latina or rekha-prasada type of shikhara also makes it clear that this is an early example of a classic nagara style of temple.”
Bagalkot District (Govt. of Karnataka), Aihole ↗ “The sanctum has a northern style “Rekhanagara” tower over it. The vestibule in front of the sanctum was introduced for the first time here.”
Bagalkot District (Govt. of Karnataka), Badami ↗ “Placed on the summit of a rocky hill, the temple is built of stone, finely joined without mortar, & with Dravidian tower.”
Bagalkot District (Govt. of Karnataka), Pattadakal ↗ “Built in the southern Dravida style, it is the largest temple in the enclosure.”

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2026 · Q12

Easy Provisional key

What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) The meditation of the Buddha

Early Buddhist sculptors did not carve the Buddha in human form; they suggested his presence through symbols. An empty seat stood for his meditation (the seat of enlightenment under the tree), the wheel for his first sermon at Sarnath, and the stupa for his mahaparinibbana.

✓ (a) The empty seat marks the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment.
✗ (b) The first sermon at Sarnath was shown by the wheel (dhammachakka), not by an empty seat.
✗ (c) The mahaparinibbana, the Buddha's final passing away, was represented by the stupa.

Remember · Aniconic symbols: empty seat = meditation/enlightenment; wheel = first sermon; stupa = mahaparinibbana; horse = the great departure.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “The empty seat (Fig. 4.14) was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and the stupa (Fig. 4.15) was meant to represent the mahaparinibbana.”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “Another frequently used symbol was the wheel (Fig. 4.16). This stood for the first sermon of the Buddha, delivered at Sarnath.”

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2026 · Q14

Hard Provisional key

Which of the following statements on the Amaravati Stupa and its relief sculpture is/are correct?

1.It was located in the lower Krishna valley.
2.In India, it was next only to the Sanchi Stupa in size.
3.The Amaravati school of sculpture made a lasting impact on the later South Indian sculpture, and its products were carried to Sri Lanka and South-east Asia.

Select the answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Amaravati, on the Krishna in coastal Andhra (the old Vengi region), had a great stupa (mahachaitya) whose lively relief slabs created a style that shaped later sculpture in the Deccan and the south and travelled overseas with Buddhism. It was not a smaller 'runner-up' to Sanchi, so statement 2 fails.

✓ 1. Amaravati lies on the Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, among the Vengi stupa sites such as Jaggayyapeta, Bhattiprolu and Nagarjunakonda; the Amaravati school of sculpture flourished in the lower valley of the Krishna and Godavari.
✗ 2. NCERT calls the Amaravati stupa one of the largest and most magnificent Buddhist stupas ever built (Britannica gives a diameter of about 50 m), so it was not a smaller 'runner-up' to Sanchi.
✓ 3. NCERT notes works that show the influence of the Amaravati style, and Britannica records that the style spread to Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura) and to much of South-east Asia.

Remember · Amaravati stupa: Krishna valley, Andhra (Satavahana–Ikshvaku era); dynamic relief narratives; style spread to the Deccan, Sri Lanka and South-east Asia.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “Vengi in Andhra Pradesh has many stupa sites like Jagayyapetta, Amaravati, Bhattiprolu, Nagarjunkonda, Goli, etc. Amaravati has a mahachaitya”
NCERT Class 11 · Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I, Chapter 4 “They show the influence of the Amaravati style of sculptures of the third century C.E.”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “the structure at Amaravati was one of the largest and most magnificent Buddhist stupas ever built.”
Art of the Satavahanas, e-PG Pathshala module script (CEC, UGC, nic.in), Fine Arts ↗ “Amaravati School of art, a thoroughly native school of sculpture, flourished in the lower valley of Krishna and Godavari”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Amaravati sculpture ↗ · reference work “The style also spread to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), as seen at Anurādhapura, and to much of Southeast Asia .”

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2025 · Q14

Medium

Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabhara'?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Mahendravarman I

The Mandagapattu inscription mentions the Pallava king Mahendravarman I, who ruled in the seventh century, with numerous titles such as Vichitrachitta (curious-minded), one of the three titles the question names. He was also a fine poet who left a satirical Sanskrit play.

✓ (a) Mahendravarman I, who ruled in the seventh century and built temples at Panamalai, Mandagapattu and Kanchipuram, is the king the Mandagapattu inscription credits with titles such as Vichitrachitta (curious-minded) and Chitrakarapuli (tiger among artists).
✗ (c) Narasimhavarman I, the son of Mahendravarman I, was also known as Mamalla ('wrestler' or 'warrior'); NCERT notes that he defeated Pulakeshin II and went on to capture Badami. That is not the set of titles in the question.
✗ (b) Simhavishnu is not the Pallava king whom NCERT links with the Mandagapattu inscription's titles such as Vichitrachitta; that is Mahendravarman I.

Remember · Mahendravarman I (Pallava, 7th century): titles such as Vichitrachitta and Chitrakarapuli at Mandagapattu; poet of a satirical Sanskrit play; rock-cut temples at Mandagapattu. His son Narasimhavarman I = Mamalla.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 5 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 5 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 5 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 5 “The inscription at Mandagapattu mentions Mahendravarman I with numerous titles such as Vichitrachitta (curious-minded),”
NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 3 “Mahendravarman I himself was a fine poet who left a satirical Sanskrit play.”
NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 3 “The latter was also known as 'Mamalla', which means 'wrestler' or 'warrior'; indeed, it was he who defeated Pulakeshin II and went on to capture Badami.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 5 “Chitrakarapuli (tiger among artists), Chaityakari (temple builder), which show his interest in art activities.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 5 “Mahendravarma I who ruled in the seventh century was responsible for building temples at Panamalai, Mandagapattu and Kanchipuram.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2023 · Q42

Medium

With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:

1.The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
2.Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
3.Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Only two

Statements 2 and 3 are correct, and statement 1 is not. Stupas were mounds that held sacred relics and were built as commemorative and votive structures in Buddhism, but NCERT notes the tradition of raising stupas may be older than Buddhism.

✗ 1. NCERT says the tradition of erecting stupas may have been pre-Buddhist; it later came to be associated with Buddhism. So the idea is not purely Buddhist in origin.
✓ 2. Places were held sacred because relics of the Buddha, such as his bodily remains or objects he used, were buried there, and these mounds were called stupas.
✓ 3. In Buddhist tradition stupas were built to honour sacred sites and as offerings. NCERT's art book describes many votive stupas, for example the small rock-cut ones around the hillock at Anakapalli.

Remember · Stupa: a mound holding relics, tied to Buddhism but with possibly pre-Buddhist roots; built as commemorative and votive monuments.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “This was because relics of the Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used by him were buried there. These were mounds known as stupas. The tradition of erecting stupas may have been pre-Buddhist, but they came to be associated with Buddhism.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “Many votive rock-cut stupas all around the hillock have also been excavated.”

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). Permalink ·

Prelims 2023 · Q81

Hard

With reference to the Indian History, Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) archaeological excavations

These five were colonial-era archaeologists and antiquarians who surveyed, recorded and dug up India's ancient sites, so the link is archaeological excavation.

✓ (a) Alexander Rea dug the Iron Age burial site of Adichanallur and was the first Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey's Southern Circle (1902), where A. H. Longhurst later served. James Burgess founded the Indian Antiquary journal (1872) and worked on the survey of monuments. Walter Elliot collected sculptures at Amaravati in 1854.
✗ (b) None of them is known for setting up the press or newspapers in colonial India.
✗ (d) Railway building was the work of engineers and railway companies; these five are known for antiquarian and archaeological work.

Remember · Rea (Adichanallur), Longhurst (ASI Southern Circle), Burgess (Indian Antiquary, monument surveys), Sewell (South Indian antiquities) and Elliot (Amaravati sculptures) are colonial-era archaeology names.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle: About Us ↗ “formerly called Southern Circle covering whole area of the then Madras Presidency was established in the year 1881. Sir Alexander Rea became the first Superintendent in 1902. Subsequently, great scholars like A.H. Longhurst”
Archaeological Survey of India: Excavations at Adichchanallur ↗ “The site was excavated by Alexander Rea of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1905”
Archaeological Survey of India: History ↗ “The founding of the journal Indian Antiquary in 1872 by James Burgess enabled publication of important inscriptions and their decipherment by scholars”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “In 1854, Walter Elliot, the commissioner of Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), visited Amaravati and collected several sculpture panels and took them away to Madras.”

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). Permalink ·

Prelims 2023 · Q82

Medium

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). Permalink ·

Prelims 2022 · Q96

Medium

The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple at Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple?

1.Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2.A description of Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.
3.Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Statements 1 and 2 are correct; statement 3 is not. The present Somnath temple was consecrated on 11 May 1951 by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President, not by S. Radhakrishnan.

✓ 1. Somnath, at Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Gujarat, is revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
✓ 2. Al-Biruni, the scholar who came to Ghazni after Mahmud took Khwarizm and who travelled with Mahmud's army, wrote about the shivalinga worshipped at Somnath and about its destruction by Mahmud; NCERT quotes him on this.
✗ 3. The temple rebuilt after independence was consecrated on 11 May 1951, with President Rajendra Prasad performing the installation ceremony.

Remember · Somnath: first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, raided by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, described by Al-Biruni; present temple installed by President Rajendra Prasad on 11 May 1951.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 1 (practise this chapter)

Sources

PIB — Somnath Swabhiman Parv (10 January 2026) ↗ “Somnath is revered as the first among the 12 Aadi Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.”
District Gir Somnath (Government of Gujarat) — History ↗ “On 11 May 1951, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the President of India performed the installation ceremony for the temple.”
NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 4 “Let us also refer again to al-Biruni, who, after explaining the origin of the shivalinga worshipped”
NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 4 “at the Somnath temple, recorded, "The image was destroyed by the Prince Mahmud. He ordered the upper part to be broken and the remainder to be transported to his residence, Ghazni.”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 1 “In 1017, when Sultan Mahmud invaded Khwarizm, he took several scholars and poets back to his capital, Ghazni; Al-Biruni was one of them.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2021 · Q31

Medium

With reference to Chausath Yogini Temple situated near Morena, consider the following statements:

1.It is a circular temple built during the reign of Kachchhapaghata Dynasty.
2.It is the only circular temple built in India.
3.It was meant to promote the Vaishnava cult in the region.
4.Its design has given rise to a popular belief that it was the inspiration behind the Indian Parliament building.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1 and 4

The hilltop temple at Mitaoli (Mitawali) in Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, is a circular yogini temple built by the Kachchhapaghata king Devapala in the 11th century. It has 64 cells for the sixty-four yoginis, a Shakta-Tantric cult rather than a Vaishnava one, and is one of very few circular temples, not the only one. Its round plan led many to believe it inspired the circular Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan).

✓ 1. An inscription dated 1323 CE records that the Kachchhapaghata king Devapala (c. 1055–1075) built it, and the temple is circular.
✗ 2. It is described officially as one of the very few circular temples in India; other yogini temples, such as Hirapur in Odisha, are also circular.
✗ 3. It is dedicated to the sixty-four yoginis, goddesses linked to Tantric worship; its cells now hold Shiva lingas, hence the name Ekattarso Mahadeva temple. Nothing links it to the Vaishnava cult.
✓ 4. Because both are circular, many visitors have concluded that the temple inspired the design of Parliament House, though this is a popular belief, not a documented fact.

Remember · Chausath Yogini (Ekattarso Mahadeva) temple, Mitaoli, Morena: circular, 64 cells, Kachchhapaghata king Devapala (11th century). Yogini temples: Tantric goddess cult (Hirapur, Bheraghat, Khajuraho).

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter)

Sources

District Morena (Government of Madhya Pradesh), Chausath Yogini Temple, Morena ↗ “According to an inscription dated to 1323 CE (Vikram Samvat 1383), the temple was built by the Kachchhapaghata king Devapala (r. c. 1055 – 1075). … This circular temple is one among the very few such temples in India. This is a yogini temple dedicated to sixty-four yoginis. … Many of these curious visitors have compared this temple with the Indian parliament building (Sansad Bhawan) as both are circular in style. Many have drawn conclusions that this temple was the inspiration behind the Sansad Bhawan.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “each dedicated to devis or goddesses associated with the rise of Tantric worship after the seventh century. Several such temples were dedicated to the cult of the yoginis across Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and even as far south as Tamil Nadu.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2021 · Q37

Medium

Consider the following pairs:

	Historical place	Well-known for
1.	Burzahom	Rock-cut shrines
2.	Chandraketugarh	Terracotta art
3.	Ganeshwar	Copper artefacts

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 2 and 3

Burzahom in the Kashmir valley is a Neolithic settlement known for subterranean pit dwellings, not rock-cut shrines. Chandraketugarh near Kolkata is famous for its early historic terracotta plaques and figurines, and Ganeshwar in Rajasthan's Khetri copper belt yielded a rich hoard of copper objects.

✗ 1. Burzahom is a Neolithic site (Srinagar) where people lived in subterranean pit dwellings cut into the natural soil with stone celts; it has no rock-cut shrines.
✓ 2. Chandraketugarh, an early historic town site (from about the 3rd century BCE) in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, has yielded a rich repository of terracotta art, part of Bengal's long terracotta tradition.
✓ 3. The Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture of the Khetri area in Rajasthan is marked by an unusual wealth of copper objects and probably supplied copper to the Harappans.

Remember · Burzahom (Kashmir): Neolithic pit dwellings. Chandraketugarh (West Bengal): terracotta plaques. Ganeshwar (Khetri, Rajasthan): copper artefacts.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 1 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter)

Sources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Tentative List: The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom ↗ “The subterranean pit-dwelling of Neolithic men (Aceramic Neolithic/Period I) were cut into the natural soil usually dug out with long stone celts”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 1 “There is evidence in the Khetri area for what archaeologists call the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture, with its distinctive non-Harappan pottery and an unusual wealth of copper objects.”
District North 24 Parganas (Government of West Bengal), Tourism ↗ “Chandraketugarh is located in the district of North 24 Parganas, only 38 km. north-east of Kolkata. The history of Chandraketugarh dates back to almost the 3rd Century B.C., during the pre-Mauryan era.”
IGNOU eGyanKosh (Govt of India central university), Patterns of Early Medieval Urbanisation, Unit 23: Port Town: Chandraketugarh ↗ · reference work “A rich repository of terracotta art has been recovered from Chandraketugarh. It is not only the most varied and large but extremely well made and beautifully executed.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “It appears that terracotta was the main medium of construction, and also for moulding plaques which depicted Buddhist and Hindu deities in Bengal until the seventh century.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2021 · Q49

Medium

Which one of the following statements is correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of Waghora river.

The Ajanta Caves are cut into a cliff above the Waghora river in Maharashtra, so option (a) is right. Each of the other three monuments stands in a different setting from the one named.

✓ (a) UNESCO describes the 30 Ajanta caves as excavated out of a vertical cliff above the left bank of the river Waghora, in the hills of Ajanta.
✗ (b) Sanchi's Buddhist monuments stand on a hill and forested plateau near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh. They are not in the gorge of the Chambal.
✗ (c) The Pandu-lena (Pandavleni) caves are on Trirasmi Hill just outside Nashik in Maharashtra, far from the Narmada.
✗ (d) The Amaravati stupa is on the bank of the Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh, not the Godavari.

Remember · Ajanta caves: horseshoe cliff above the Waghora river, Maharashtra. Pandu-lena is at Nashik, Sanchi is on a hill near Vidisha, Amaravati is on the Krishna.

Sources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ajanta Caves ↗ “The caves at Ajanta are excavated out of a vertical cliff above the left bank of the river Waghora in the hills of Ajanta.”
UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi ↗ “On a hill overlooking the plain and about 40 km from Bhopal, the site of Sanchi comprises a group of Buddhist monuments”
Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism): Pandavleni Caves, Nashik ↗ “Perched atop the Trirasmi Hill, just beyond Nashik, lies a treasure trove of ancient heritage known as the Pandavleni Caves.”
Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism): Amaravati Mahachaitya ↗ “Located on the southern bank of the Krishna River, near the modern town of Amaravati, stands a remarkable stupa.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q8

Hard

In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is 'Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Kanganahalli

The ruined stupa at Kanaganahalli, part of the Sannati complex on the Bhima in Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) district of Karnataka, yielded a relief of Ashoka with his queens that carries an inscription naming him, 'Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka). That is the site the question describes.

✓ (a) The Sannati–Kanaganahalli stupa in Gulbarga district, the largest stupa site excavated in Karnataka, was decorated with sculptural reliefs; one panel shows Ashoka with his queens together with an inscription mentioning him.
✗ (c) Shahbazgarhi (in present-day Pakistan) has one of Ashoka's Major Rock Edicts, a text carved on rock with no portrait of the king.
✗ (d) Sohgaura in Uttar Pradesh is known for a copper-plate inscription of the 4th–3rd century BCE, not a relief sculpture.

Remember · Kanaganahalli (Sannati, Kalaburagi, Karnataka): relief of Ashoka with his queens, with the inscription 'Ranyo Ashoka'. Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra: sites of Ashoka's Major Rock Edicts.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “In Karnataka, Sannati in Gulbarga district is the largest stupa site excavated so far. It also has a stupa like the one in Amaravati decorated with sculptural relief.”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 2 “KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal Mansehra Shahbazgarhi Kandahar Taxila Kalsi Topra Meerut”
Kalaburagi District, Government of Karnataka: Places of Interest ↗ “Kanaganahalli : an important Buddhist site is 3 km from Sannati, on the banks of the river Bhima.The Govt of Karnataka and ASI are planning to develop it as an international Buddhist center.”
IGNOU eGyanKosh (Govt of India central university), History Writing in Early India, Unit 5: Inscriptions and Prashastis (illustration caption) ↗ · reference work “Ashoka with his Queens, 1st-3rd Century CE Sannati-Kanaganahalli Stupa (Gulbarga District, Karnataka) with an Inscription Mentioning Him”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q11

Easy

Building 'Kalyaana Mandapas' was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Vijayanagara

Vijayanagara temple complexes (14th–16th centuries) added new elements: towering raya gopurams, pillared corridors and mandapas, including the kalyana mandapa, a pavilion built to celebrate the ritual marriage of the deities.

✓ (d) NCERT's study of Hampi lists mandapas and pillared corridors among the distinctive features of Vijayanagara temples and illustrates a kalyana mandapa meant for divine weddings.
✗ (a) The early western Chalukyas built their Deccan temples before about 750 CE, when the Rashtrakutas took over; the kalyana mandapa is not their hallmark.
✗ (c) The Rashtrakutas' greatest architectural achievement is the rock-cut Kailashnath temple at Ellora, not kalyana mandapas.

Remember · Vijayanagara temple hallmarks: raya gopurams, pillared mandapas and corridors, kalyana mandapas (divine weddings), chariot streets — e.g. Virupaksha and Vitthala temples, Hampi.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 3 “Other distinctive features include mandapas or pavilions and long, pillared corridors that often ran around the shrines within the temple complex.”
NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 3 “Fig. 7.22 A kalyana mandapa, meant to celebrate divine weddings”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “By about 750 CE, the early western Chalukya control of the Deccan was taken by the Rashtrakutas. Their greatest achievement in architecture is the Kailashnath temple at Ellora”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q72

Hard

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements:

1.White marble was used in making Buland Darwaza and Khankah at Fatehpur Sikri.
2.Red sandstone and marble were used in making Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza at Lucknow.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Neither statement is correct. Fatehpur Sikri's buildings are mainly of red sandstone with little marble, and the Nawabs of Awadh built Lucknow's Rumi Darwaza of lime-coated brick instead of the red sandstone the Mughals favoured.

✗ 1. UNESCO describes Fatehpur Sikri's buildings as constructed in red sandstone with little use of marble, and ASI says its palaces were built of red sandstone. White marble is not the material of Buland Darwaza or the Khankah.
✗ 2. The Rumi Darwaza (Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula's gateway of the 1780s) is made of bricks coated in lime, not red sandstone and marble. Nawabi Lucknow moved away from the Mughal use of red sandstone.

Remember · Fatehpur Sikri (Akbar) = red sandstone; Awadhi Lucknow (Bara Imambara, Rumi Darwaza) = lime-plastered brick.

Sources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Fatehpur Sikri ↗ “The buildings are constructed in red sandstone with little use of marble.”
Ministry of Culture, Government of India: Fatehpur Sikri (World Heritage) ↗ “The site is a stunning blend of Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles, unified by its red sandstone construction.”
Agra District, Government of Uttar Pradesh: Fatehpur Sikri ↗ “survives as a remarkably complete red-sandstone city. Its monuments include the 54-metre Buland Darwaza”
Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism): Rumi Darwaza, Lucknow ↗ “Unlike the red sandstone often favoured by the Mughals, the Nawabs opted for bricks coated in lime.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q74

Easy

With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Maitreya

Maitreya ("the loving one") is the future Buddha of Buddhist tradition, the only bodhisattva venerated by both Hinayana and Mahayana followers (IGNCA). Avalokiteshvara, Lokeshvara and Padmapani are named as bodhisattva figures or forms in the sources, not as the Buddha still to come.

✓ (c) The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts describes Maitreya as the future Buddha and the only bodhisattva venerated by both Hinayana and Mahayana followers.
✗ (a) Avalokiteshvara is the most popular Mahayana bodhisattva, known for his compassion for all beings; he vowed not to enter nirvana until all beings are freed from suffering.
✗ (b) Lokesvara appears in the Sadhanamala as a name for forms of the compassionate bodhisattvas, listed by IGNCA in its account of Avalokitesvara, who vowed not to enter nirvana until all beings are freed from suffering. It is not a name for the Buddha of the future, who is Maitreya.
✗ (d) Padmapani is another bodhisattva image of the Buddhist pantheon, listed by NCERT among the sculpted Bodhisattvas; it is not the future Buddha.

Remember · Maitreya = the Buddha of the future; Avalokiteshvara (with Lokeshvara forms and Padmapani) = bodhisattva figures of compassion.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

IGNCA (Ministry of Culture): Astamahabodhisattva, the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in Art and Literature ↗ “Maitreya or the loving one is the future Buddha who is the only Bodhisattva venerated by both the Hinayanists and the Mahayanists. … Avalokitesvara is the most popular and important of all the Mahayana Bodhisattvas because of his many virtues, especially his compassion for all the sentient beings … In the Sadhanamala , the Bodhisattvas have been described in a variety of forms and names such as Shadakasari Lokesvara, Simhanada Lokesvara, Khasarpana Lokesvara, Lokanatha, Rakta Lokesvara”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “other Buddhist images of Boddhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara, Padmapani, Vajrapani, Amitabha, and Maitreya Buddha started getting sculpted.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q69

Easy

The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings at

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Ajanta

The famous Padmapani painting is in Cave No. 1 at Ajanta. NCERT names the Padmapani and Vajrapani paintings of Cave No. 1 among Ajanta's best-known works.

✓ (a) NCERT lists ‘the famous Padmapani and Vajrapani in Cave No. 1’ among Ajanta's important paintings and notes that Cave No. 1 has the best-preserved examples.
✗ (d) Ellora also has Padmapani, but as a carved image, one of the pair guarding the large Buddha figures in its shrines. The renowned painting is at Ajanta.

Remember · Padmapani and Vajrapani, the Bodhisattva paintings of Ajanta Cave No. 1, are among India's best-known ancient murals.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “The other important paintings are the famous Padmapani and Vajrapani in Cave No. 1.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “The shrine Buddha images are big in size; they are generally guarded by the images of Padmapani and Vajrapani.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q75

Medium

Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples?

1.Arasavalli
2.Amarakantak
3.Omkareshwar

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only Arasavalli, near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, is famous for a Sun temple. Amarkantak is known as the source of the Narmada, and Omkareshwar is a Shiva shrine with a Jyotirlinga.

✓ 1. Arasavalli has the Suryanarayana Swamy temple, one of the few ancient Sun God temples in India. Its Ratha Saptami festival honours the Sun.
✗ 2. Amarkantak is a plateau in Madhya Pradesh where the Narmada and the Son rise. It is a pilgrimage centre, not a Sun-temple site.
✗ 3. Omkareshwar, on an island in the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, is a Shaiva site with one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva.

Remember · Arasavalli (Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh) has a famous Sun temple. Amarkantak is the source of the Narmada; Omkareshwar is a Jyotirlinga shrine of Shiva.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Srikakulam District, Government of Andhra Pradesh: Arasavilli ↗ “The famous Sun God Temple situated in Arasavalli Village which is at a distance of about 1 K.M. east of SRIKAKULAM Town in Andhra Pradesh”
Khandwa District, Government of Madhya Pradesh: Omkareshwar Mandhata ↗ “One of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Omkar-Mamaleswar and sidhdhawar kut of Jain are located in this place.”
NCERT Class 11 · India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3 “The Narmada originates on the western flank of the Amarkantak plateau at a height of about 1,057 m.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q65

Easy

What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram?

1.Both were built in the same period.
2.Both belong to the same religious denomination.
3.Both have rock-cut monuments.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 3 only

The only thing common to Ajanta and Mahabalipuram is that both have rock-cut monuments. Ajanta is a Buddhist cave site cut in two phases, about the 2nd-1st century BCE and the 5th century CE, while Mahabalipuram is a Pallava group of the 7th and 8th centuries whose dynasty was mostly Shaivite.

✗ 1. Ajanta's caves belong to two phases, about the 2nd-1st century BCE and the 5th century CE onwards; Mahabalipuram's monuments were made mostly in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Pallavas.
✗ 2. Ajanta's caves are Buddhist, whereas the Pallava monuments at Mahabalipuram were mostly Shaivite (with some Vaishnava shrines).
✓ 3. Both are famous for rock-cut caves and monuments: Ajanta's chaitya and vihara caves and Mahabalipuram's rock-cut mandapas and rathas.

Remember · Ajanta: Buddhist rock-cut caves (2nd century BCE to 5th century CE). Mahabalipuram: Pallava rock-cut and structural temples (7th-8th century), mostly Shaivite. Common feature: rock-cut architecture.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (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 4 “It has four chaitya caves datable to the earlier phase, i.e., the second and the first century BCE (Cave Nos. 10 and 9) and the later phase, i.e., the fifth century CE (Cave Nos. 19 and 26).”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “Mahabalipuram is an important coastal town from the period of the Pallavas. It is dotted with several important rock-cut and free-standing structural temples mostly made in the seventh and eighth centuries.”
NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 6 “Although they were mostly Shaivite, several Vaishnava shrines also survived from their reign”
UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram ↗ “This group of sanctuaries, founded by the Pallava kings, was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th centuries.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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