UPSC CSE Prelims
Indian Art & Culture Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Solved Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for Indian Art & Culture in UPSC CSE Prelims in English & Hindi Medium.
Chapter Breakdown: Scroll →
Some Buddhist rock-cut caves are called Chaityas, while the others are called Viharas. What is the difference between the two?
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.
In the context of the cultural history of India, a pose in dance and dramatics called ‘Tribhanga’ has been a favourite of Indian artists from ancient times till today. Which one of the following statements best describes this pose?
Detailed Explanation:
Tribhanga (meaning 'three bends') is a classical standing pose in Indian art and dance where the body forms a gentle S-shaped curve with bends at three points: neck, waist, and knee.
This tri-bent posture creates opposite curves at the waist and neck, making it the most graceful and sensuous pose in traditions like Odissi dance and temple sculpture, frequently depicted in images of Lord Krishna.
Consider the following historical places:
- Ajanta Caves
- Lepakshi Temple
- Sanchi Stupa
Which of the above places is/are also known for mural paintings?
Detailed Explanation:
Mural paintings are artworks painted directly on walls or ceilings, integral to the surface.
✅ Ajanta Caves: Famous for Buddhist mural paintings depicting Jataka tales and religious themes from 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE.
✅ Lepakshi Temple: Contains Vijayanagara-era mural paintings from 16th century, depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Vaishnava themes.
❌ Sanchi Stupa: Known for stone carvings and sculptures on gateways (toranas), but does not have mural paintings.
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Which of the following statements is/are applicable to Jain doctrine?
- The surest way of annihilating Karma is to practice penance.
- Every object, even the smallest particle has a soul.
- Karma is the bane of the soul and must be ended.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Nirjara (annihilation of karma) in Jain doctrine is achieved through penance (tapas) and austerities, which help shed accumulated karmic particles from the soul.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Jainism believes in universal vitalism – every object including stones, water, fire, and air possesses a soul (jiva), making even the smallest particle a living entity.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Karma is viewed as subtle matter that binds the soul and obstructs its natural qualities of infinite knowledge and bliss; liberation (moksha) requires complete elimination of karmic bondage.
All three statements are correct.
With reference to the history of philosophical thought in India, consider the following statements regarding Sankhya school:
- Sankhya does not accept the theory of rebirth or transmigration of the soul.
- Sankhya holds that it is the self-knowledge that leads to liberation and not any exterior influence or agent.
Which of the statements given above is /are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Sankhya school accepts the theory of rebirth and transmigration of the soul (Purusha). The cycle of samsara continues due to ignorance of the distinction between Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter).
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Sankhya holds that liberation (kaivalya) is achieved through self-knowledge (viveka-jnana) – the discriminative knowledge distinguishing Purusha from Prakriti. Being an atheistic school, it denies the role of any external agent or God in liberation.
Which one of the following describes best the concept of Nirvana in Buddhism?
Detailed Explanation:
Nirvana in Buddhism literally means "blowing out" or "extinguishing", referring to the extinction of the flame of desire (trishna), hatred, and ignorance.
It represents the cessation of suffering (dukkha) and the end of the cycle of rebirth (samsara), achieved when all cravings and attachments are eliminated, not the annihilation of self or a mere blissful state.
Consider the following Bhakti Saints:
- Dadu Dayal
- Guru Nanak
- Tyagaraja
Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Guru Nanak (1469-1539) was actively preaching when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat (1526), marking the fall of the Lodi dynasty.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Dadu Dayal (1544-1603) was born 18 years after the fall of the Lodi dynasty.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Tyagaraja (1767-1847), a Carnatic music composer, lived more than two centuries later.
With reference to the history of Indian rock-cut architecture, consider the following statements:
- The caves at Badami are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India.
- The Barabar rock-cut caves were originally made for Ajivikas by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
- At Ellora, caves were made for different faiths.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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.
With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and Jainism?
- Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment
- Indifference to the authority of the Vedas
- Denial of the efficacy of rituals
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Buddhism advocated the Middle Path (Madhyama Marga) avoiding extremes of luxury and penance, but Jainism emphasized extreme asceticism and severe penance for spiritual liberation.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Both Buddhism and Jainism rejected the authority of the Vedas and did not consider them as ultimate religious texts, marking them as heterodox (Nastika) traditions.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Both traditions denied the efficacy of Vedic rituals and sacrifices (yajnas), emphasizing instead personal ethical conduct, right knowledge, and mental discipline for attaining liberation.
How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dances?
- Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues is found in Kuchipudi dance but not in Bharatanatyam.
- Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the feet on its edges is a feature of Bharatanatyam but Kuchipudi dance does not have such a form of movements.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Kuchipudi dancers use Vachika Abhinaya (spoken dialogues) during performances, which is a unique feature not found in Bharatanatyam.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Dancing on brass plates (Tarangam) is a distinctive feature of Kuchipudi, not Bharatanatyam.
With reference to Dhrupad, one of the major traditions of India that has been kept alive for centuries, which of the following statements are correct?
- Dhrupad originated and developed in the Rajput kingdoms during the Mughal period.
- Dhrupad is primarily devotional and spiritual music.
- Dhrupad Alap uses Sanskrit syllables from Mantras.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Dhrupad originated in ancient times from Samaveda chanting and developed in temples during the 12th–15th centuries, well before the Mughal period. It was later patronized by Rajput and Mughal courts but did not originate there.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Dhrupad is primarily devotional and spiritual music, traditionally sung in temples before deities, emphasizing meditation and introspection.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: The Dhrupad Alap uses Sanskrit syllables from Vedic mantras such as "Om, Ananta, Hari, Narayana", reflecting its roots in Vedic chanting traditions.
With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices?
- Meditation and control of breath
- Severe ascetic exercises in a lonely place
- Recitation of holy songs to arouse a state of ecstasy in their audience
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Sufi mystics practised meditation (muraqaba) and breath control (habs-i-dam) techniques to attain spiritual concentration and self-purification.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Many Sufis engaged in ascetic practices (khalwa) involving seclusion in lonely places (khanqahs), fasting, and self-denial to detach from worldly desires.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Sama (musical assemblies) involving recitation of devotional songs (qawwali) and poetry (ghazals) were central to Sufi practice to induce spiritual ecstasy (wajd) and divine connection.
Lord Buddha’s image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called ‘Bhumisparsha Mudra’. It symbolizes
Detailed Explanation:
Bhumisparsha Mudra (Earth-touching gesture) depicts the moment when Siddhartha Gautama, under attack by Mara's temptations at Bodh Gaya, touched the ground with his right hand to call upon Earth goddess (Vasudhara/Sthavira) as witness.
The Earth testified to Buddha's accumulated merits, purity, and spiritual worthiness across countless past lives, defeating Mara's claim and confirming his right to enlightenment. The gesture symbolizes witnessing purity and chastity, not physical protection from disturbance.
The Nagara, Dravida and the Vesara are the:
Detailed Explanation:
Nagara (Northern style), Dravida (Southern style), and Vesara (Mixed style) are the three main styles of Indian temple architecture.
Nagara features beehive-shaped shikharas, Dravida has pyramidal vimanas, and Vesara combines elements of both styles, prevalent in the Deccan region.