Test: Ancient, Medieval and Art & Culture- 3 - UPSC MCQ

Answer: b

Explanation: Early classical Tamil literature is known as Sangam literature meaning ‘fraternity’, indicating mainly two schools of poets, aham (subjective love poems), and puram (objective, public poetry and heroic). From South India, Tolkappiyam is a work on Tamil grammar. Tolkappiyam, was written, to understand early Tamil poetry. Tolkappiyam indicates five landscapes or types of love, and outlines their symbolic conventions.

Answer: d

Explanation: The twin epics, Silappadhikaram (the story of the anklet), written by Ilango-Adigal, and Manimekalai (the story of Manimekalai) by Chattanar, were written sometimes in A.D. 200-300 and give vivid accounts of Tamil society during that period. These are valuable storehouses and epics of dignity and sublimity, laying stress on the cardinal virtues of life.  In Manimekalai there is an elaborate exposition of the doctrines of Buddhism.

Answer: d

Explanation: The famous Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar, in the 6th century A.D., serves as a manual of precepts to guide one to noble living. It expounds a secular, moral and practical attitude towards life.

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Answer: a

Explanation: Brihadeshwara temple at Tanjor, Tamil Nadu was made by Raja Raja-I. In the year 2011, it completed 1000 years as it was built in 1011.

Answer: c

Explanation: Poet Kalidas wrote many beautiful poems and plays. His works in Sanskrit are considered the gems of Literature. He wrote passionate plays and poems. His wonderful skill is exhibited in his poem Meghaduta, Ritusambara, Kumar Sambhavam and Raghuvamsha. His plays are Abhijan Shakuntalam, Vikramorvashi and Malvikaganimithram.

Answer: a

Explanation: Kautilya’s Arthashastra is an important treatise of the Mauryan times. It reflects the state of society and economy at that time and provides rich material for the study of ancient Indian polity and economy.

Answer: d

Explanation: The Kushans were the pioneers of the Gandhara School of Art and a large number of monasteries; stupas and statues were constructed during the reign of Kanishka.

Answer: a

Explanation: The Geet Govinda of Jaidev is the finest poem of Sanskrit literature of its times.

Answer: a

The Nagara style has its origin in the structural temples of the Gupta period, especially the Dashavtara temple of Deogarh and the brick temple of Bhitargaon. Two distinct features of the Nagara style are planning and other elevation.

Answer: b

Explanation: In 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO adopted a resolution with overwhelming enthusiasm creating thereby a “Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage”.

The texts containing the teachings of Mahavira are called the Agamas, and are the canonical literature - the scriptures - of Svetambara Jainism.

Composed, expanded and redacted between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE,the Arthashastra was influential until the 12th century, when it disappeared. It was rediscovered in 1905 by R. Shamasastry, who published it in 1909. The first English translation was published in 1915.

Answer: b

Explanation: Dockyard of Lothal was located away from the main current to avoid deposition of silt. It is speculated that Lothal engineers studied tidal movements, and their effects on brick-built structures, since the walls are of kiln-burnt bricks. The dock, with a canal opening to allow water to flow into the river, thereby maintaining a stable water level.

The dock also possessed a lock-gate system—a wooden door could be lowered at the mouth of the outlet to retain a minimum column of water in the basin so as to ensure floatation at low tides

Answer: c

Explanation: Its name is derived from: Mohini- temptress and Attam- dance which is a graceful dance performed only by women. Its theme is love,devotion and has influences from Bharatanatyam and Kathakali.

Answer: b

Explanation: Garba is a dance form that originated in the Gujarat region. Traditionally it is performed during the nine-day Hindu festival Navaratri. Either the lamp (the Garba Deep) or an image of the Goddess Durga is placed in the middle of concentric rings and the people dance around the centre, bending sideways at every step, their arms making sweeping gestures, each movement ending in a clap.

Answer: d

Explanaton: Rath Yatra in Puri is the grandest procession that takes place, probably in entire world. Held in the month of July, it is also the biggest event held in Orissa. The festival is the celebration of Journey of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, to their birthplace Gundicha Mandir. The idols of the three gods is taken out of the Jagannatha Temple in three humongous chariots. The chariots are pulled by thousands of devotees along the wide roads of Puri. Millions of other pilgrims line these streets to get a glimpse of the gods in their chariots. The distance that is covered to Gundicha Temple is 3 km.