Indian Architecture & Sculpture: UPSC Prelims Quiz
Answer all questions carefully. Each question has exactly one correct answer.
Stone and Spirit: India's Built Heritage from Mohenjo-Daro to Vijayanagara•hard•13 questions•~15 min
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Question 01
hard
Consider the following statements about Harappan architecture:
1. The Indus Valley cities had monumental temples similar to Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations.
2. Harappans used standardised burnt mud bricks joined with gypsum mortar.
3. The 'Great Bath' found at Mohenjo-daro had no visible cracks or leaks.
4. The upraised citadel was located in the eastern part of the city.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Question 02
hard
Which of the following is correctly matched?
1. Dancing Girl — Terracotta — Mohenjo-daro
2. Pashupati Seal — Steatite — Mohenjo-daro
3. Mother Goddess — Bronze — Kalibangan
4. Unicorn Seal — Faience — Harappa
Select the correct answer:
Question 03
hard
The Ashokan Pillars differ from Achaemenian Pillars primarily because:
1. Ashokan pillar shafts are monolithic (single stone).
2. Achaemenian pillars are attached to state buildings.
3. Ashokan pillars use Chunar sandstone while Achaemenian pillars use marble.
4. Ashokan pillars have a Bell capital while Achaemenian pillars have an animal capital only.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Question 04
hard
With reference to the three schools of sculpture — Gandhara, Mathura, and Amaravati — consider the following matchings:
1. Gandhara — Spotted red sandstone — Satvahana patronage
2. Mathura — Influences from all three major religions — Kushana patronage
3. Amaravati — Narrative art / Jataka tales — Krishna-Godavari valley
4. Gandhara — Bluish-grey sandstone — Greco-Indian art
Which of the above are correctly matched?
Question 05
hard
Which of the following statements about Ajanta Caves is/are INCORRECT?
1. They are located on the Bagh river in Madhya Pradesh.
2. Blue colour is conspicuously absent from Ajanta paintings.
3. The caves were patronised by the Vakataka kings.
4. All 29 caves were used as Chaitya (prayer) halls.
Select the answer:
Question 06
medium
Consider the following features:
• Lavishly carved exterior; plain interior walls
• No pillars in the porch; iron girders used instead
• Mandap known as 'jagmohan'
• Shikhara known as 'rekhadeul'
These features belong to which sub-school of the Nagara style?
Question 07
hard
Which of the following correctly distinguishes Nagara and Dravidian temple architecture?
1. Water tanks are found inside Dravidian temples but not in Nagara temples.
2. Gopurams are the gateways in Nagara temples while elaborate boundary walls characterise Dravidian temples.
3. In Dravidian style, the spire over garbhagriha is called vimana, while the crowning element is called shikhara.
4. Only one vimana stands in Dravidian architecture, on the main temple, unlike Nagara where subsidiary shrines also have shikharas.
Which of the above is/are correct?
Question 08
medium
The Kailash Temple (Cave No. 16) at Ellora was carved out of a single monolith and is considered a masterpiece of Indian sculpture. It was built under the patronage of:
Question 09
hard
In the Nataraja sculpture, consider the following symbolisms:
1. The damru in the upper right hand represents destruction.
2. The dwarf (Apasmara) upon which Shiva dances represents ignorance.
3. The nimbus of flames around Nataraja symbolises the cycles of time.
4. The matted locks of Shiva represent the flow of river Ganga.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Question 10
hard
The Hoysala School of architecture is distinguished by which of the following unique features?
1. Stellate (star-shaped) ground plan instead of a cruciform plan.
2. Use of soft chlorite schist (soapstone) as the primary building material.
3. Upraised platform called 'jagati' about one metre high.
4. Large gopurams forming the main gateways of the temple complex.
Which of the above are correct?
Question 11
medium
Which Mudra is associated with the 'First Sermon of the Buddha at Sarnath' (Dhammachakraparivartana)?
Question 12
hard
Consider the following pairs of IVC Sites and their notable distinctions:
1. Surkotada — First actual remains of horse bones
2. Banawali — Only city with radial streets
3. Alamgirpur — Largest site of IVC
4. Rakhigarhi — Easternmost site of IVC
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Question 13
medium
The Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat was built by which ruler and is associated with which sub-school of Nagara architecture?
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