UPSC Prelims 2017
Indian Art & Culture Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Explore 5 solved UPSC Prelims 2017 Indian Art & Culture questions with detailed step-by-step bilingual solutions, option analysis, and answer keys.
With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
- Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism.
- Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 only
This question tests knowledge of Buddhist philosophical schools, not Jainism or theatre. Statement 1 incorrectly identifies Sautrantika and Sammitiya as Jain sects when they were actually Buddhist schools. Statement 2 correctly describes the Sarvastivada doctrine of permanent existence of dharmas across past, present, and future.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Sautrantika and Sammitiya were Buddhist philosophical schools, not Jain sects; Sautrantika emphasized sutras over Abhidharma, while Sammitiya upheld the existence of a self (pudgala).
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Sarvastivadins held the doctrine "sarvam asti" (everything exists), believing that dharmas (constituents of phenomena) existed permanently in latent form across all three times rather than being wholly momentary.
Consider the following pairs:
| Tradition | Communities |
|---|---|
| 1. Chaliha Sahib Festival | Sindhis |
| 2. Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra | Gonds |
| 3. Wari-Warkari | Santhals |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — 1 only
This question tests the correct matching of cultural traditions with their associated communities. Only the first pair is correctly matched, as Chaliha Sahib is indeed a Sindhi Hindu festival, while the other two pairs incorrectly associate traditions with communities.
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Chaliha Sahib (also called Chalio or Chaliho) is a forty-day-long festival celebrated by the Hindu Sindhi community, observed in honor of Jhulelal (Uderolal), the patron saint of Sindhis.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra is a pilgrimage festival associated with the people of Uttarakhand (particularly the Garhwal region), not the Gond community, which is an indigenous tribe of central India.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Wari-Warkari is a pilgrimage tradition associated with devotees of Lord Vitthal (Vithoba) in Maharashtra, primarily involving the Marathi-speaking community, not the Santhals, who are an indigenous tribe of eastern India.
The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings at -
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — Ajanta
The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Indian art, located in Cave 1 of the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra. This exquisite mural depicts the compassionate Bodhisattva holding a lotus (padma), showcasing exceptional artistic skill, graceful composition, and spiritual depth that exemplifies the zenith of Buddhist cave art (5th-6th century CE).
Why other options are incorrect:
Badami: Known for rock-cut Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples built by the Chalukyas (6th-8th century CE), but not famous for the Padmapani painting.
Bagh: These caves in Madhya Pradesh have Buddhist paintings similar in style to Ajanta, but the iconic Padmapani is specifically at Ajanta.
Ellora: Famous for rock-cut temples of three religions and the monolithic Kailasa temple, but the Padmapani painting is not found here.
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With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:
- It is a song and dance performance.
- Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.
- It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 1 and 3 only
Manipuri Sankirtana is a traditional performance art form from Manipur that combines singing, drumming, and dancing to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna. It uses multiple musical instruments, not just cymbals.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Manipuri Sankirtana is indeed a song and dance performance that combines singing, dancing, and drumming as an integral part of Vaishnavite traditions in Manipur.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Besides cymbals (Kartal), Manipuri Sankirtana uses several other instruments including the Pung (barrel-shaped drum), which is the primary percussion instrument, along with Harmonium and other instruments.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: The performance is primarily dedicated to narrating the life, deeds, and leelas (divine plays) of Lord Krishna, forming a core aspect of Manipuri Vaishnavism and religious congregation.
Additional Information: Manipuri Sankirtana was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, recognizing its significance as a living tradition that encompasses ritual singing, drumming and dancing performed in temples and domestic spaces in Manipur.
Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples?
- Arasavalli
- Amarakantak
- Omkareshwar
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — 1 only
Among the given options, only Arasavalli is famous for its Sun temple. The Suryanarayana Temple at Arasavalli in Andhra Pradesh is a renowned 7th-century Sun temple built by the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, architecturally designed so that sun rays fall on the deity's feet twice annually.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Arasavalli in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, is home to the famous 7th-century Suryanarayana Sun Temple built by King Devendra Varma of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Amarakantak in Madhya Pradesh is known as the source of Narmada River and houses Kalachuri dynasty temples, but is not famous for a Sun temple.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a Shaivite pilgrimage center, not known for a Sun temple.
UPSC Prelims 2017 - Indian Art & Culture Chapter-wise Distribution
Religions in India
1 Qs (20%)Indian Architecture
1 Qs (20%)Indian Dance
1 Qs (20%)Indian Paintings
1 Qs (20%)Indian Handicrafts, Fairs & Festivals
1 Qs (20%)UPSC Prelims 2017 - Indian Art & Culture Questions FAQs
Q1 How many Indian Art & Culture questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2017?
Q2 What is the chapter-wise question distribution for Indian Art & Culture in UPSC Prelims 2017?
- Religions in India: 1 questions (20%)
- Indian Architecture: 1 questions (20%)
- Indian Dance: 1 questions (20%)
- Indian Paintings: 1 questions (20%)
- Indian Handicrafts, Fairs & Festivals: 1 questions (20%)