UPSC CSE Prelims
Architecture in Ancient India Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — Only two

Out of the three statements, only statements 2 and 3 are correct. While stupas were indeed repositories of relics and served as votive and commemorative structures in Buddhist tradition, the concept of stupa itself predates Buddhism and originated as pre-Buddhist burial mounds.

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The concept of stupa is not Buddhist in origin; it existed in pre-Buddhist times as burial mounds and was later adopted and transformed by Buddhism into a sacred monument.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Stupas generally served as repositories of relics, containing physical remains or belongings of the Buddha or revered Buddhist monks.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Stupas functioned as votive (devotional offerings) and commemorative structures, marking significant events in Buddha's life or expressing religious devotion.

📝 Short Notes: Stupas in Ancient India

• Pre-Buddhist Origin: Stupas originally existed as burial mounds (chaityas) in ancient India before Buddhism emerged.
• Buddhist Adoption: Buddhism adopted and transformed the stupa into a central religious monument, especially after Buddha's Parinirvana (483 BCE).
• Purpose: Stupas served triple functions - repositories of sacred relics (sarira), commemorative monuments marking important Buddhist events, and votive structures built as acts of devotion.
• Key Components: A typical stupa consists of a hemispherical dome (anda), a square railing (harmika), and an umbrella-like structure (chhatravali).
• Famous Examples: Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh), Amaravati Stupa (Andhra Pradesh), and Dhamek Stupa (Sarnath) represent different architectural styles and periods.
• Circumambulation: Devotees perform pradakshina (clockwise walking) around stupas as a form of worship and meditation.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — Andhra

Dhanyakataka (modern-day Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh) was an ancient city located in the Andhra region of South India. It flourished as a prominent Buddhist centre under the Mahasanghika sect, one of the earliest Buddhist schools that later influenced the development of Mahayana Buddhism. The site is renowned for its magnificent stupa and sculptural art, making it a major pilgrimage and learning centre in ancient times.

📝 Short Notes: Ancient Buddhist Centres in India

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — Only two

Out of the three given pairs, two are correctly matched. Bhaja is correctly associated with Buddhist cave shrines (2nd century BC rock-cut caves near Pune), and Sittanavasal is correctly known for Jain cave shrines (ancient Jain monument in Tamil Nadu). However, Besnagar (Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh) is not particularly known for a Shaivite cave shrine; it is more famous for the Heliodorus Pillar, an ancient Garuda pillar dedicated to Lord Vishnu, along with remains of Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu temples.

✅ Pair 1 (Besnagar : Shaivite cave shrine) – Incorrect: Besnagar (Vidisha) is primarily known for the Heliodorus Pillar (Garuda pillar dedicated to Vishnu), not for a Shaivite cave shrine.
✅ Pair 2 (Bhaja : Buddhist cave shrine) – Correct: Bhaja Caves in Maharashtra are well-known rock-cut Buddhist caves dating to the 2nd century BC.
✅ Pair 3 (Sittanavasal : Jain cave shrine) – Correct: Sittanavasal in Tamil Nadu is famous for its ancient Jain cave shrine with beautiful frescoes.

📝 Short Notes: Famous Cave Shrines of India

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of Waghora river.

The Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments, are located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra in the horseshoe-shaped gorge of the Waghora River. Let us evaluate each statement:

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Ajanta Caves are indeed situated in the gorge of the Waghora River in Maharashtra.

❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Sanchi Stupa is located on a hilltop near the Betwa River in Raisen District, Madhya Pradesh, not near the Chambal River.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Pandu-lena Caves (Nasik Caves) are carved into the Trirashmi hills near Nashik, Maharashtra, not in the gorge of the Narmada River.

❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: Amaravati Stupa is located on the banks of the Krishna River in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, not the Godavari River.

📝 Short Notes: Major Buddhist Monuments and Their Locations

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — 3 only

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Ajanta caves were built between 2nd century BCE to 6th century CE (primarily under Vakataka and Gupta periods), while Mahabalipuram monuments were constructed in 7th-8th centuries CE under the Pallava dynasty. They belong to different periods separated by at least a century.

❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Ajanta caves are Buddhist monuments serving as monasteries and prayer halls (chaityas and viharas), whereas Mahabalipuram monuments are predominantly Hindu, dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu with structures like Shore Temple and Pancha Rathas.

✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Both sites feature rock-cut architecture. Ajanta has 30 rock-cut cave temples carved into basalt cliffs, while Mahabalipuram showcases rock-cut monuments including rathas, mandapas, and relief sculptures carved from granite monoliths.

Detailed Explanation:

Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli was created during the Mauryan Empire under Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE (c. 260 BCE), making it the earliest monument among the options.

Varaha Image at Udayagiri dates to the Gupta period (c. 401-402 CE), Rock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram were built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th-8th centuries CE, and Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar was constructed in the 11th century CE.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex is located in Tabo village, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, founded in 996 CE, known as the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas'.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Lhotsava Lhakhang temple is located in Nako village, Kinnaur district, not in Zanskar Valley. Nako is in the Trans-Himalayan region of Kinnaur, featuring Nako Lake and Nako Monastery (1025 CE).

✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Alchi Temple Complex (Alchi Gompa) is a Buddhist monastic complex located in Alchi village, Leh District, Ladakh, famous for its 11th-12th century murals and Indo-Himalayan art.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Ajanta Cave 26 houses the grand Mahaparinirvana sculpture of Buddha with celestial musicians above and mourning disciples below, a masterpiece of Buddhist rock-cut art.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: The colossal Varaha Avatar sculpture (rescuing Goddess Earth from cosmic waters) is located at Udayagiri Caves, Madhya Pradesh, not Mount Abu; Mount Abu features Dilwara Jain temples.

✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) contains the iconic "Arjuna's Penance"/"Descent of Ganga" – the world's largest open-air rock relief carved on two massive boulders.

Detailed Explanation:

Chaitya is a Buddhist prayer hall or shrine that contains a stupa at one end, serving as a place of worship and congregation.

Vihara is a residential monastery consisting of a central hall with small cells (living quarters) connected to it, where monks resided, meditated, and studied.

Detailed Explanation:

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Barabar Caves in Bihar (3rd century BCE, Mauryan period) are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, not the Badami Caves (6th–7th centuries CE, Chalukyas).

❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Barabar Caves were made for the Ajivika sect by Emperor Ashoka and his grandson Dasaratha, not by Chandragupta Maurya.

✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Ellora Caves (6th–9th centuries CE) were excavated for three faiths — Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism — reflecting religious harmony.