Nitin Singhania Test: Indian Architecture, Sculpture & Pottery- 3 - UPSC MCQ

• Cave No. 10 The Viswakarma Cave is also locally known as the Sutar-ka-jhopra (Carpenter's hut).

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  Cave No. 15 is Dashavatar temple. 

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  Cave No. 16 is Kailash temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

These are Buddhist caves located in Junagadh district of Gujarat. There are not actually caves here, but three different sites can be found (1) Khapra Kodiya, (2) Baba Pyare, (3) Uparkot. A unique feature of the Junagadh caves is the presence of a 30-50 ft high citadel known as “Upar Kot" in front of the prayer hall.

• Maski Inscription: Maski is a village and an archaeological site in Raichur district of Karnataka. It lies on the bank of the Maski river which is a tributary of the Tungabhadra. The site has a minor rock edict of Emperor Ashoka. 

• It was the first edict of Emperor Ashoka that contained the name Ashoka in it instead of devanampriya or Priyadassi. The inscription remains a dharma shasana, and tells the people to follow the tenets of Buddhism. Moreover, the inscription also suggests the spread of Mauryan rule up to the Krishna valley of north-eastern Karnataka.

• Aihole Inscription: Aihole in Karnataka was the first capital of Chalukyas. 

• Many inscriptions were found at Aihole, but the inscription found at Negoti Temple popularly known as Aihole inscription talks about many historical events of Chalukyas. 

• The inscription is written in Sanskrit and it is in Kannada script.

•  Hathigumpha Inscription: The Hathigumpha Inscription also known as Elephant Cave Inscription from Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves In Odisha, was inscribed by King Kharavela during 2nd century BCE. 

• The Hathigumpha Inscription consists of seventeen lines in Prakrit language and in Brahmi script. Hathigumpha Inscription at Udayagiri Caves is the main source of information about Kalinga ruler Kharavela. 

• The Hathigumpha Inscription is like the history of Kharavela as a king, a conqueror, a patron of culture and a champion of Jainism.

It is the Mount or vehicle of the main deity and was placed just before the sanctum sanctorum.

• From the fifth century A.D. Onwards, a distinct style of temple architecture developed in the northern part of India, known as the Nagara style of architecture.

• Even in the Nagara school, different sub-schools emerged in western, central and eastern parts of the country. Some of the features of Nagara style are: The temples generally followed the Panchayatan style of temple making, which consisted of subsidiary shrines laid out in a crucified ground plan with respect to the principal shrine. 

• Presence of assembly halls or mandaps in front of the principal shrine. Outside the garbhagriha, images of the river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, were placed There were no water tanks or reservoirs present in the temple premises. The temples were generally built on upraised platforms. The porticos had a pillared approach.

• In the central part of India, the Chandela rulers style of temple making of their own - known as Khajuraho school Chandel school. 
• The features of the temples here include: In these temples, both the interior and exterior walls were lavishly decorated with carvings. 
• The sculptures were generally erotic in their themes and drew inspiration from Vatsyayana's Kamasutra. The temples were made of sandstone. The temples had three chambers - garbhagriha, mandapa and Ardha-mandapa. 
• Some temples had a vestibular entrance to the garbhagriha known as antarala. The temples were generally north or east facing.
• Panchayatan style of temple making was followed. Even the subsidiary shrines had Rekha-prasad shikharas. This created an impression of a mountain range.
• The temples were built on a relatively high platform and belong to Hindu as well as Jain religion. Example: Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Lakshman temple at Khajuraho, etc.

This was the first stage of Pallava temple architecture. The temples built under Mahendravarman were basically rock-cut temples. Under him, the temples were known as mandapas, unlike the Nagara style in which the mandapas meant only the assembly hall.

Explanation of the Vesara School of Art

The Vesara School of Art is a distinct architectural style that emerged in medieval India, blending elements of the Northern (Nagara) and Southern (Dravida) architectural traditions. It is known for its unique contributions to temple architecture, particularly in the Deccan region. Analyzing the given statements helps clarify the characteristics and contributions of the Vesara School:

- The art of Gopuram reached its climax in this style

- Gopurams, the monumental tower-like gateways at the entrance of temples, are more closely associated with the Dravidian architectural tradition of the South. While Vesara architecture did incorporate elements of both Northern and Southern styles, the climax of Gopuram art is typically not attributed to the Vesara school but to the Dravidian style, particularly in temples of Tamil Nadu.

- It was also known as Madurai School

- The term "Madurai School" is not commonly used to refer to the Vesara style. Madurai, a city in Tamil Nadu, is renowned for its significant contributions to Dravidian architecture, such as the Meenakshi Amman Temple. The Vesara style is not specifically linked to Madurai or termed as the Madurai School.

- The concept of secular buildings inside the temple premises was introduced in this school

- While Vesara architecture is noted for its innovative temple designs, including the integration of various architectural elements, the specific introduction of secular buildings within temple premises is not a feature uniquely attributed to the Vesara school. Temples across India, in various architectural styles, have incorporated structures with secular or utilitarian purposes alongside religious spaces.

Conclusion:

Given the analysis:

- Statement 1 is incorrect as it misattributes the pinnacle of Gopuram art to the Vesara style.
- Statement 2 is incorrect as the Vesara style is not known as the Madurai School.
- Statement 3, while it touches on the multifunctional nature of temple complexes, is not exclusively characteristic of the Vesara school.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is D: None of the above. Vesara architecture is celebrated for its blend of architectural traditions and innovative designs but does not specifically align with the claims made in the statements provided. For more in-depth information on architectural styles and history, you may consider exploring educational resources available on [EduRev](https://edurev.in/).