Art And Culture - Art, Architecture And Literature - MCQ Online Test (1) - UPSC MCQ

The Indo Islamic architecture was synthesis of architectural form of different religions. For decorative purposes it used:

• Pietra-dura: Enlaying of precious and semiprecious stones on the walls of the building.
• Tesselation: Decoration on walls and floors with mosaic.
• Dado panel: Lower part of the interior wall finished differently from other walls.
• Arbesque: Ornamental designs of lines, leaves and flowers.
• Jali work: Ornamental screens with geometric figures like hexagon etc.

• Rajaraja-I was the most powerful ruler of theChola Empire.He was a great conqueror. Hedefeated the Cheras, Pandyas and theChalukyas. He defeated Mahinda-V of Ceylonand built a Siva temple at Anuradhapuram.He even conquered Maldives.Thus the powerof Cholas extended beyond South India. Hewas a follower of Saivism. Devaram wascollected and codified only during his period.He constructed the Brahadeeswara Templeat Tanjore in 1010 A.D.
• Chandragupta Maurya accepted Jainism andwent to Sravanbelgola to observe samlekhnain which a jain follower fast unto death to getliberated from the samsara.
• Mahendravarman-I was the son of Simhavishnu. Conflicts arose between theChalukyas and the Pallavas during thisperiod. He lost the northern parts of thePallavaKingdom to Pulakesin II. Though afollower of Jainism, he embraced Saivism dueto Saint Appar's influence.He was a versatilescholar. Hetook up the titles likeChitrakarapuli and Vichitra Chitta for hisexcellence in building,painting and music. Heconstructed the cities of Mahendramangalamand Mahendravadi.

The assessment of land revenue was done onthe basis of the measurement of the land,however the peasants were given option ofpaying in cash or kind. Hence, statement 1 is wrong.

Sher shah introduced a ces at rate of twoand a half seers per bigha in order to guardagainst famine and other natural calamities.Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The Bhilai Steel Plant, located in Bhilai, in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, was set up with the help of the USSR in 1955. Bokaro Steel Plant is located in the Bokaro district of Jharkhand. It is the fourth integrated public sector steel plant in India built with Soviet help in 1972 . 

• While Carnatic music is sung and performedin only one style. There exists various styleof singing and performing in Hindustanimusic. Each style of school is called a'gharana'. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Unlike Hindustani music, Carnatic music doesnot adhere to time or Samay concept. In Hindustan classical music, each raag isrendered only at aspecific time. The time ofthe raag depends on the vaadi swar and theanuvadi saars. This is so as each raag withit's particular swar is more effective ifperformed at a particular time. It is supposedto enhance the ras(mood) of the raag.Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Carnatic Style employs Shrutis or semitonesto create a Raga and thus have many moreRagas than the Hindustani style. Carnaticragas differ from Hindustani ragas. Thenames of ragas are also different. However, there are some ragas which have the samescale as Hindustani ragas but have differentnames; such as Hindolam and Malkauns, Shankarabharanam and Bilawal. There is athird category of ragas like Hamsadhwani, Charukeshi, Kalavati etc. which areessentially Carnatic Ragas. They share thesame name, the same scale (same set ofnotes) but can be rendered in the two distinctively different Carnatic andHindustani styles. Hence, statement 3 iscorrect.

• Kabir belonged to the Nirguna tradition ofBhakti. Kabir preached a religious systemstrictly montheistic advocating abolition ofVarnaashrama, and casting doubt on theauthority of the Vedas and the other sacredbooks.
• The school of Kabir sought to understandIslam and was sufficiently broad minded toincorporate some of its basic principles. Thatis why his references are available in the Sufiliterature as well. Abul Fazl called Kabir amuwahhid (monotheist). Hence statement 1,2 and 3 are correct.
• Bijak is the authoritative account of kabir'sphilosophy, while Bani is collection of hymsand poems by Dadu, who was inspired byKabir. Hence, statement 4 is wrong.

• Located in Kacchi plains of Baluchistan,Mehrgarh provides the earliest evidence ofsettled agriculture in the subcontinent andprobably south Asia. It is considered aprecurser to Indus Valley Civilization.
• Additional Information : Dholavira, thelargest of all Indus settlements was characterized by a middle town evidences ofirrigation, findings of gold rings, etc.Kalibangan site is situated on banks of Ghagghar river in Rajasthan and provides evidence of earliest ploughed field in Indai inits proto-harappan phase.

• The branch of knowledge which studies coinsis called numismatics. So statement 1 iscorrect.
• Earliest coins, called punch marked, are insilver and copper. Some gold punch-markedcoins are also reported to have been found,but they are very rare and their authenticityis doubtful. Statement 2 is also correct.
• The punch-marked coins are the earliestcoins of India and they bear only symbols onthem. Each symbol is punched separately,which sometimes overlap the another. Thesehave been found throughout the country,from Taxila to Magadha to Mysore or evenfurther south. They do not bear anyinscription, or legend on them. statement 3is also correct.

Correct Answer :- b

Explanation:- (a) Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas are 3 varnas were entitled to upanayana or investiture with the sacred thread according to the Vedic mantras.

(b)In later Vedic times popular assemblies lost importance, and royal power increased at their cost. The Vidatha completely disappeared. The Sabha and Samiti continued to hold the ground, but their character changed.At the lower levels, the administration was carried on by the village assemblies. The importance of the samiti and the sabha had diminished during the later vedic period.

(c) Ashramas or four stages of life were not well established in Vedic times.

• Pulakesin II was defeated by Narsimhavarman I, son and successor of Mahendravarman I, After this victory Narasimhavarman adopted the tittle of Vatapikonda. He is also said to havedefeated the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Kalabhrs.

All are correctly matched.Kurnool - Traces of ash have been found herewhich suggests that people were familiarwith the use of fire.Bagor - This site provides the earliestevidence for the domestication of animals.Mehrgarh - Women and men learnt to growbarley and wheat, and rear sheep and goatsfor the first time in this area.

• The most remarkable development in thereligious field in India from about the sixthcentury A.D was the spread of tantricism. Itarose as a result of the large-scale admissionof the aboriginal peoples in brahmanicalsociety. It laid great stress on the use ofmagic rituals. They were intended to satisfy the material desires of the devotees forphysical possessions and to cure the day-todaydiseases and injuries.
• Tantricism admitted both women andshudras into its ranks. It permeated Jainism,Buddhism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
• Therefore, only 1 and 2 are correct.

• Buddhism did not follow absolute non voilence.
• As per buddhist doctrine one can kill if it is necessary. Buddhist Monks even used to consumed meat.

Aryabhatta discovered algebra and alsoformulated the area of a triangle, which ledto the origin of Trigonometry.Varahamihira in Panch Siddhantika gives thesummary of five schools of astronomypresent in his time.Zero was discovered in India in the secondcentury BC. Brahmagupta’s BrahmasputaSiddhanta is the very first book thatmentioned ‘zero’ as a number, hence,Brahmagupta is considered as the man whofound zero.Varahamihira’s Brihatsamhita of the sixthcentury AD is a work in the field ofastronomy.

2 only. Though P waves travel with fastest speed, they are not most destructive. L waves are most violent and destructive. It’s the S waves that are analogous to light waves because S waves are transverse in the nature and the particle moves at right angles to the direction of propagation.

• Khajuraho temples were patronised byChandella dynasty. Some of the features ofthe temples include:
  • The temples are made of sandstone.
  • Both the interior and exterior walls are lavishly decorated with carvings.Temple walls of the templespatronized by Solanki rulers weredevoid of any carvings.
  • Panchayatan style of temple makingis followed. Stellate plan style,whereby shrines are led out in theshape of an intricately designed star,is followed in Hoysala School of art.
  • The temples were generally north oreast facing.
  • The temples were built on relatively high platforms.
• Examples - Lakshamana Temple, KandariyaMahadeva Temple.
• Some Jain temples are also found inKhajuraho.

• Major eighteen works were called asMelkannakku .18 Minor works were calledKilkanakku. Many of the social events arepresented in this literature like economy inancient time etc. showing social evolution.Tolkapiyyam, Silppadikaram and Manimeklaiwere also written during this time.
• Tolkkappiyam deals with grammar andPoetics.
• Silappadikarm deals with love story in whicha dignatory called Kovalan prefers acourtesan called Madhavi of kaveripattanamto his noble wedded wife Kannagi andManimekalai is another story which dealswith adventures of the daughter born out ofunion of Kovalan and Madhavi.

• The sufi orders are broadly divided into two:Ba-shara, that is, those which followed theIslamic law(shara) and be-shara, that is thosewhich were not bound by it. Both types oforders were significant in India, the laterbeing followed more by wandering saints.Although the saints didn't established anorder some of them became figures of populrveneration for Both Hindus and Muslims.
• Of the ba-shara movements, two acquiredsignificant influence. These were Chisti andSuharwadi silsilahs. The Chisti andSuharwardi silsilahs which followed Ba-sharatradition acquired significance influence inIndia. Hence, statement 1 is wrong andstatement 2 is correct.

• The movement that emerged in Karnataka in twelfth century was led by a brahamananamed Basavanna. Hence, statement 1 iscorrect.
• The followers of the movement known as Virashaivas or Lingayats worship Shiva in hismanifestation as a linga. Hence, statement 2is wrong.
• The Lingayats encouraged certains practicesthat were disapproved in the Dharmashastra,such as post- puberty marriage and theremarriage of widows. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• The system of Amara Nayakas was majorpolitical innovation of the Vijayanagaraempire. The amara nayakas were militarycommanders who were given territories togovern by the raya. Hence, statement 1 iscorrect.
• They collected taxes and other dues from the peasants, craftpersons and traders in thearea. They retained part of the revenue forpersonnel use and for maintaining astipulated contingent of horses and elephants.
• During the course of the seventeenthcentury, many of these nayaks establishedindependent kingdoms. This hastened thecollapse of the central imperial structure.Hence, statement 4 is correct.

• Under the dahsala system , the averageproduce of different crops as well as theaverage prices prevailing over the lastten(dah) years were calculated. The revenuewas not fixed for ten years. Hence,statement 1 is wrong.
• Under the ghalla- bakshi system, the producefrom land was divided between the peasantsand the state in fixed proportion.

• Statement 1 and 2 are incorrect becauseHsuan Tsang visited during Harsha's rule . Hecame to India to study in the BuddhistUniversity of Nalanda and to collect Buddhisttexts from India. Under his influence, Harshabecame supporter of Buddhism. WhereasChandragupta II period or during Gupta Age,Buddhism no longer received royalpatronage and the Chinese traveller whovisited was Fa-Hsien . Chandraguptareceived education at Taxila University.Hence,Statement 3 is correct.
• Hsuan Tsang translated mostly MahayanaBuddhist works written in Sanskrit inChinese.

Theory of karma means that a person in hispresent birth has to bear the consequencesof his actions performed in his previous birth. It is associated with Vedanta chool ofphilosphy.

• "Pradakshinapatha refers to thecircumbulatory or pathway around the mainshrine. In earlier temple architecture,basically in Nagara style there were threekinds of shrines which were classified on thebasis of patway around the main shrine.
• In sandhara type there were nopradakshinapath around the main shrinewhereas in nirandhara type there is pathwayto do 'parikrama' around the main shrine.
• In saravatobhadra the shrine can beaccessed from all sides as it has multiplegods and godesses facing different direction,there is particular sequence for placing thesedeities in circular manner. Example ofsarvatobhadra shrine is Vishnu temple atDeogarh".
• Hence D is the correct answer.

• The Milindapanho, Buddhist text which datesfrom approximately 100 BC is record ofdialogue between Indo-Greek king Milinda'squestions on Buddhism to the sageNagasena therefore it is non-canonical.
• Canonical literature are the one which laydown the basic tenets of religion or sect.
• There stories of Buddha in Jataka talescontains the teachings and principles of Buddhism there fore it is canonical. It is thepart of Suttapitaka.
• Therigatha literature contains the songs forBuddhist nuns and one of the earliestliterature created by women.
• Suttapitaka contains teachings by Buddhahimself in a dialogue form.

• Akbar abolished both jizyah and pilgrimagetax. Hence, statement 1 is wrong.
• Akbar treated Rajput and Mughal officialsequally for e.g Man Singh and Bhagwant Dasrose to mansab ranks of 7000 and 5000respectively. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Akbar did not treat matrimonial alliances astest of loyalty and submission. Nomatrimonial relations were established withthe Hadas of Ranthambhor, yet Surjan Hadawas allotted jagirs in Garh-Katanga, served inGujarat and elsewhere and rose to the rank2000. Again, when the rulers of Sirohi and Banswara submitted, no matrimonialrelations were established with them. Neitherwere the matrimonial alliances forced uponthe Rajputs, it was more the force ofcircumstances and a realisation on the partof the rajas the benefits these marriagesmight confer on them.
• Hence, statement 3 is wrong.

• Ugadi is celebrated as New Year’s Day inKarnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The name Ugadi is derived from the name “Yuga Adi”, which means ‘the beginning of a new age’. Itis celebrated on the first day of the Hindumonth Chaitra, which marks the onset ofspring.
• The festival of Losar marks the beginning of New Year in Ladakh region of Jammu andKashmir. Losar is Tibetan word for ‘newyear’.
• Gudi Padwa is celebrated as New Year’s Dayin Maharashtra. It is celebrated on the sameday as Ugadi i.e., the first day of the month Chaitra. Lord Brahma is worshipped on thisday and the gudi, Brahma’s flag (also calledBrahmadhvaj), is hoisted in every house as asymbolic representation of Rama’s victoryover Ravana.
• Vishu is celebrated as New Year’s Day inKerala. It is celebrated on the first day of theMalayalam month of Medam (mid-April onthe Gregorian calendar). Offerings to thedivine called Vishukanni are neatly arrangedon the eve of the festival and consist of rice,linen, cucumber, betel leaves, holy texts,coins and yellow flowers called konna (Cassiafistula). It is considered auspicious to see theVishukanni first thing in the morning. On thisday, people read the Ramayana and go totemples, Hindu places of worship. Childrenburst crackers, people wear new clothes andprepare special dishes and the elders of thehouse give out money to the children,servants and tenants. The money given iscalled Vishukaineetam.

Bhagvatism originated in post Maurya times. Vishnu was a minor god in Vedic times who represented sun and the fertility cult. Laterhe was merged with a non-Vedic tribal god Narayana and came to be known as Narayan-Vishnu. Narayan was called bhagavat and hisworshippers were called bhagvatas. AlsoVishnu came to be identical with a legendaryhero of the Vrishni tribe of western Indiaknown as Krishna-Vasudeva. By 200 B.C.three streams of worshippers and their godsmerged into one and resulted into creation of Bhagavatism or Vaishanavism. Bhagvatism was marked by bhakti and ahimsa. Theahimsa doctrine suited the agriculturalsociety, and was in keeping with the old cultof life giving fertility associated with vishnu.

The three faces of Maheshmurti in Elephantacave are with different expressions on theirfaces and different crowns as per their iconographic prescription. The central headis the main Shiva in a calm, peaceful andmeditating state. In the left of main Shivathere is the face of Uma with all femininecharacters. The right face is of Bhairavclearly shown in profile in anger with bulgingeyes and moustache.