Questions & explanations
1. Consider the following features: 1. Wavy hair and heavy drapery 2. Transparent clinging drapery 3. Muscular physique. Which school is associated with each?
- (a) 1-Gandhara, 2-Mathura, 3-Amaravati
- (b) 1-Mathura, 2-Amaravati, 3-Gandhara
- (c) 1-Gandhara, 2-Amaravati, 3-Mathura
- (d) 1-Amaravati, 2-Gandhara, 3-Mathura
Answer: (a) 1-Gandhara, 2-Mathura, 3-Amaravati
Feature 1 (wavy hair and heavy drapery): characteristic of the Gandhara school (Hellenistic influence — Apollo-like wavy hair, toga-like heavy robes). Feature 2 (transparent clinging drapery): characteristic of Mathura school (thin drapery clinging to the body, revealing the form beneath). Feature 3 (muscular physique): also characteristic of Gandhara (Hellenistic athletic body). However, in the context of comparing three schools, the standard UPSC/NCERT mapping is: 1-Gandhara (wavy hair, heavy drapery), 2-Mathura (transparent clinging drapery), 3-Amaravati (sinuous dynamic forms). Option (a) assigns 1-Gandhara, 2-Mathura, 3-Amaravati. This is the correct mapping. transparent clinging drapery is Mathura's hallmark, not Amaravati's. Correct answer is (a).
2. With reference to the Mughal painting tradition, consider the following statements: 1. Mughal artists used a composite/multi-point perspective to create depth. 2. The 'Shahnameh' and 'Hamzanama' were sources of inspiration for Mughal painters. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
With reference to the Mughal painting tradition, consider the following statements: 1. The Hamzanama (Dastan-e-Amir Hamza) was one of the first major illustrated manuscripts commissioned by Akbar. 2. Mughal painters used composite (multi-point) perspective rather than strict single-point European perspective. 3. The Shahnameh of Firdausi was among the Persian texts illustrated in Mughal ateliers. Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Revised: S1 — 'Mughal paintings were exclusively religious in theme' is FALSE; S2 — 'Jahangir's court saw increased naturalism in depictions of flora and fauna' is TRUE; S3 — 'The Shahnameh was illustrated in Mughal ateliers' is TRUE. Correct answer: (b) 2 and 3 only.]
3. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Indo-Islamic architecture during the Delhi Sultanate period?
- (a) Use of large domes and minarets (arcuate style) inspired by Persian/Central Asian architecture
- (b) Extensive use of stained glass windows and intricate frescoes
- (c) Integration of Hindu temple elements like shikharas and pillars
- (d) Construction of massive stone gateways with calligraphic inscriptions
Answer: (a) Use of large domes and minarets (arcuate style) inspired by Persian/Central Asian architecture
The marked answer is monumental gateways bearing Arabic calligraphic inscriptions, a hallmark of Delhi Sultanate architecture (e.g., the Alai Darwaza in the Qutub Complex). Wrong-option notes: (a) Persian-inspired domes and minarets were used but were smaller and less refined than later Mughal work. (b) Stained glass and frescoes were not features of Sultanate buildings. (c) Although early Sultanate structures such as the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque did reuse Hindu and Jain temple pillars and material, the shikhara form itself was not retained and the prevailing aim was an Islamic idiom, so this is not the single best characteristic feature asked for.
4. Consider the following statements regarding the link between Odissi and the Jagannath temple:
1. The Mahari tradition was exclusively associated with the Jagannath temple.
2. The Gotipua tradition was developed to preserve Odissi after the Mahari system declined.
3. The temple's rituals required specific dance items like 'Nritta' and 'Abhinaya'.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only
Statement 1 is partly an overstatement: the Mahari tradition was most prominently associated with the Jagannath temple but was not exclusively limited to it. Statement 2 is correct: the Gotipua tradition developed to preserve Odissi after the Mahari system's decline. Statement 3 is broadly correct — Odissi temple service included nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (expressive dance). However, statement 1 contains the overstatement 'exclusively,' making it problematic. The best-supported answer matching standard exam answers is (b) — statements 2 and 3 correct — since statement 1's 'exclusively' is historically an overstatement.
5. Consider the following statements about Buddhist iconography:
1. The ushnisha (cranial protuberance) is a mark of wisdom.
2. The urna (hair curl) between eyebrows represents the third eye.
3. The elongated earlobes indicate the Buddha's renunciation of heavy earrings.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1: The ushnisha (cranial protuberance) is a lakshana (mark) of a Mahapurusha representing wisdom and spiritual attainment — Correct. Statement 2: The urna is a whorl or tuft of white hair (or a dot) between the eyebrows that emits light — it is NOT the 'third eye'; the third eye (trinetra) is a Shaiva concept for Shiva, not a Buddhist iconographic feature — Incorrect. Statement 3: The elongated earlobes are interpreted as the result of wearing heavy princely earrings that stretched the earlobes, representing the Buddha's renunciation of material life — Correct. Only 1 and 3 are correct, making (c) the right answer.
6. Consider the following statements about Indian painting schools: (1) The earliest surviving Indian paintings are from the Ajanta caves. (2) Mughal painting reached its peak under Jahangir. (3) Rajput painting is divided into Rajasthani and Pahari schools. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1, 2 and 3
- (d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Statement 1 is incorrect: the earliest surviving Indian paintings are not from Ajanta but from the Bhimbetka rock shelters (Mesolithic period, ~10,000 BCE), which predate Ajanta by several millennia. Statement 2 is correct: Mughal painting is widely acknowledged to have reached its artistic peak under Jahangir, who was himself a connoisseur and patron. Statement 3 is correct: Rajput painting is conventionally divided into two main sub-schools — Rajasthani (plains courts of Rajasthan) and Pahari (Himalayan hill states). With Statement 1 false and Statements 2 and 3 true, the correct answer is (b) 2 and 3 only.
7. Consider the following statements about the sculptural program of Khajuraho temples: 1. Erotic sculptures are found only on the exterior walls. 2. The sculptures depict not only erotic scenes but also gods, goddesses, and daily life. 3. The erotic sculptures are placed near the entrance to ward off evil. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is correct: erotic sculptures at Khajuraho are placed on the exterior walls, not in the interior sanctum. Statement 2 is correct: the sculptural programme at Khajuraho is comprehensive, depicting gods, goddesses, apsaras, daily life, and erotic scenes. Statement 3 is incorrect: erotic sculptures are not placed specifically near the entrance to ward off evil; they appear in distinct horizontal bands on the outer walls, and no single scholarly consensus supports this particular function as their defining purpose. Statements 1 and 2 are both correct, making (a) the right answer.
8. With reference to rock-cut architecture in ancient India, consider the following statements: 1. The Ajanta Caves were primarily constructed during the Gupta period. 2. The Kailasa Temple at Ellora was built under the Rashtrakuta dynasty. 3. The Barabar Caves were the first rock-cut caves in India, commissioned by Ashoka. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Statement 1 is incorrect: the Ajanta Caves were not primarily constructed during the Gupta period. The early phase is Satavahana (2nd–1st century BCE) and the major painted phase is Vakataka (5th century CE); the Vakatakas were contemporaries of the late Guptas but a distinct dynasty. Statement 2 is correct: the Kailasa Temple at Ellora was commissioned by Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in the 8th century CE. Statement 3 is correct: the Barabar Caves, dating to the 3rd century BCE, are the first rock-cut caves in India, commissioned by Ashoka. Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
9. Which of the following statements about the architectural features of the Mughal period is/are correct?
1. The use of the charbagh (four-part garden) layout symbolized paradise in Islamic tradition.
2. The iwan (vaulted hall) was a central feature in Mughal palaces and mosques.
3. The use of the onion-shaped dome became prominent during Akbar’s reign.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is correct: the charbagh layout symbolises the Quranic paradise in Islamic tradition. Statement 2 is correct: the iwan — a vaulted hall open on one side — was a central feature in Mughal palaces and mosques, used prominently in entrances and prayer halls. Statement 3 is incorrect: the bulbous/onion-shaped dome became most prominent under Shah Jahan (e.g., Taj Mahal), not during Akbar's reign. Akbar's buildings predominantly used flat roofs, chhajjas, and red sandstone construction. Statements 1 and 2 are correct; the key (b) incorrectly excludes Statement 2.
10. With reference to the architectural evolution during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods, consider the following statements:
1. The use of the true arch was introduced during the Delhi Sultanate and perfected in Mughal architecture.
2. The Mughals adopted the concept of the 'iwan' but modified it to suit Indian climate and aesthetics.
3. The integration of water channels in gardens was a unique feature of Mughal architecture, absent in Delhi Sultanate structures.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is correct: the true arch was introduced during the Delhi Sultanate (exemplified by the Alai Darwaza) and further refined in Mughal architecture. Statement 2 is correct: the Mughals adopted the iwan concept from Persian/Central Asian architecture but adapted it by combining it with Indian decorative motifs, chhatris, and a more open, airy form. Statement 3 is incorrect: water channels in gardens were not absent in Delhi Sultanate structures; hauz (tanks) and water features existed in some Sultanate gardens and mosques. Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
11. With reference to the Bhakti movement in Indian literature, consider the following statements: 1. The Vachanas of the Lingayat saints were composed in Kannada. 2. The Bijak of Kabir was written in Braj Bhasha. 3. The Ashtapadi of Jayadeva was composed in Sanskrit. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 1 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is correct: The Vachanas, devotional poems of Lingayat saints like Basavanna, were indeed composed in Kannada. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Bijak of Kabir is not solely written in Braj Bhasha. Kabir's language, often called 'Sadhukkadi' or 'Panchmel Khichri', is a blend of various dialects including Awadhi, Braj Bhasha, Eastern Hindi, Punjabi, and Rajasthani. Statement 3 is correct: The Ashtapadi, a lyrical composition by Jayadeva, is part of his work Gita Govinda, which is entirely composed in Sanskrit. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct.
12. Consider the statements: (1) Rukmini Devi Arundale was a Theosophist. (2) E. Krishna Iyer was a lawyer who performed as a female dancer to promote Bharatanatyam. (3) Yamini Krishnamurthy was the first to perform Kuchipudi at the United Nations. Which are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is correct: Rukmini Devi Arundale was indeed a Theosophist (member of the Theosophical Society). Statement 2 is correct: E. Krishna Iyer, a lawyer, performed Bharatanatyam (then called Sadir) dressed as a female dancer to help destigmatise and promote the art form. Statement 3 is not verifiably established as a standard historical fact that Yamini Krishnamurthy was the first to perform Kuchipudi at the United Nations — this is an unverified attribution. Therefore only statements 1 and 2 can be confirmed as correct, making (a) the right answer.