UPSC CSE Prelims
Temple Architecture Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

The Nagara style of temple architecture is characterized by a curvilinear (beehive-shaped) shikhara and is mainly associated with North India.

• Statement 1 is Incorrect: Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami is built in the Dravida style and does not have a Nagara shikhara.

• Statement 2 is Correct: Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole features a curvilinear Nagara-style shikhara.

• Statement 3 is Correct: Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh is one of the earliest examples of a Nagara-style temple in North India.

• Statement 4 is Incorrect: Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal is a classic Dravida-style temple with a pyramidal vimana.

• Therefore, statements 2 and 3 are correct, making Option B the correct answer.

Nagara vs Dravida Architecture

Important Facts

• Aihole is known as the "Cradle of Indian Temple Architecture."

• Pattadakal contains both Nagara and Dravida style temples.

• Dashavatara Temple (Deogarh) is a famous Gupta-period temple and an early example of Nagara architecture.

Memory Trick:

👉 Nagara = North = Curved Shikhara
👉 Dravida = South = Pyramid Tower

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — 1 and 2 only

This question tests knowledge about the historical and religious significance of Somnath Temple. Statement 3 is incorrect because the consecration was performed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, not Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Somnath Temple houses one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva, making it one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Hinduism.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Al-Biruni, the Persian scholar who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni, documented the grandeur of Somnath Temple in his writings, describing it as a stone structure built around the 10th century and fortified by the sea on three sides.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The Pran Pratishtha (consecration) of the reconstructed Somnath Temple in 1951 was performed by India's first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, not Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (who was the second President).

📝 Short Notes: Somnath Temple

• Location: Veraval (Prabhas Patan), Gujarat, on the western coast of India
• Religious Significance: One of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines, considered the first among them
• Historical Destruction: The temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times; most notably by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026 CE
• Al-Biruni's Account: Described the temple's magnificent architecture and wealth, which attracted invasions
• Modern Reconstruction: Initiated by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and K.M. Munshi in 1947; completed in 1951
• Consecration (1951): Performed by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on May 11, 1951
• Architectural Style: Present structure built in Chalukya style of temple architecture using sandstone

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 3 — 1 and 4

The Chausath Yogini Temple near Morena is a circular temple built during the Kachchhapaghata Dynasty in the 11th century CE. Its unique circular design has inspired popular belief that it influenced the architecture of the Indian Parliament building, though this lacks definitive historical proof.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The temple is indeed circular and was constructed during the reign of the Kachchhapaghata Dynasty around the 11th century CE.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: It is not the only circular temple in India; other examples include similar Chausath Yogini temples in Khajuraho, Jabalpur, and Bhedaghat.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The temple was dedicated to the worship of 64 Yoginis (Tantric goddesses) and was meant to promote Shakti/Tantric cult, not the Vaishnava cult.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: There is a popular belief that the circular, open-to-sky design of this temple inspired the architects of the Indian Parliament building, though not historically confirmed.

📝 Short Notes: Chausath Yogini Temples

• Meaning: Chausath means 64; these temples were dedicated to 64 Yoginis (female attendants of Goddess Durga/Shakti).
• Period: Mostly built between 9th-12th centuries CE during the rise of Tantric practices in India.
• Architecture: Typically circular or rectangular, hypaethral (open to sky), with small shrines arranged around a central courtyard.
• Major Temples: Morena (Madhya Pradesh), Hirapur (Odisha), Khajuraho (MP), Bhedaghat (MP), Jabalpur (MP), and Ranipur-Jharial (Odisha).
• Religious Significance: Associated with Shakti and Tantric worship, not Vaishnava or Shaiva traditions.
• Morena Temple Specifics: Built by Kachchhapaghata rulers; circular with 64 chambers; believed to have inspired the Indian Parliament's circular design.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 4 — Vijayanagara

The construction of elaborate 'Kalyana Mandapas' (marriage halls) within temple complexes was a distinctive architectural feature of the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-17th centuries). These ornate mandapas were specifically designed for the ceremonial marriage rituals of deities and became a hallmark of Vijayanagara temple architecture, distinguishing it from earlier South Indian styles.

📝 Short Notes: Vijayanagara Temple Architecture

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.

Detailed Explanation:

Panchayatan (from Sanskrit: pañcha = five + āyatana = dwelling) is a temple architectural style where the main shrine is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines at the four corners of the platform, creating a total of five shrines.

This style was popularized during the Gupta period (4th–6th century CE) and became a defining feature of Nagara-style temple architecture in North India, symbolizing the worship of five deities (Panchadevata): Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Surya, and Ganesha/Skanda.

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.