Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Raja Raj Chola I.

Key Points

• Raja Raj Chola I got the Brihadeshwara temple built at Thanjavur.
  • This South Indian style is most fully realized both in scale and detail in the Brihadeshwara temple built between 1003 and 1010 by the Chola king Rajaraja I.
  • Built by Tamil king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple.

Additional Information 

• Rajaraja I often described as Rajaraja the Great, was a Chola emperor and in his time the most powerful king in the south who was primarily responsible for restoring Chola's power and establishing his control over South India and the Indian Ocean.
• Brihadishvara Temple locally known as Thanjai Periya Kovil, and also called Rajarajeswaram, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located on the South Bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.

The correct answer is Onam.

Key Points

• Onam:
  • It is a harvest festival of Kerala.
  • It was celebrated to commemorate the arrival of King Mahabali.
  • The festival lasts for ten days.
  • It is celebrated every year in August-September.
  • Boat Race is conducted during this festival in Kerala.
• Pongal:
  • Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival celebrated mostly in the states of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu.
  • The harvest festival is named after the Tamil word, Ponga, which means to boil.
  • The first day of Pongal is called Bogi and is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra.
  • The second day of Pongal is known as Surya Pongal and is dedicated to the Sun God.
  • The third day of Pongal is called Mattu Pongal and is celebrated in the name of cows.
  • The fourth and final day of Pongal is called Kaanum Pongal, which marks the end of the harvest festival for the year.
  • It is celebrated in the month of January every year.
• Bihu:
  • It is a harvest festival that is celebrated to mark the shift in the Sun's solstice.
  • It is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the state of Assam.
  • It is celebrated three times a year. 
  • Rongali or Bohag Bihu is observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.
• Navratri:
  • It is celebrated as Durga Puja in various parts of Northeast India.
  • It is celebrated among the Hindus as a symbol of victory of goddess Durga for defeating Mahishasura.
  • The nine-day Durga festival, or Navratri is celebrated in September or October. 

The correct answer is Maharashtra.

Key Points

• The Elephanta caves:
  • They are located on Elephanta island (known as the island of Gharapuri) in Maharashtra.
  • They consist of two hills separated by a narrow valley.
  • This temple built in the caves is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
  • Rock-cut "Elephanta caves" were built between the middle of the 5th to the 6th century AD.
  • Elephanta Island is 10 km from the Gateway of India in Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra.
  • These caves have been given the status of World Heritage in 1987 by UNESCO.

Additional Information

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Junagadh Buddhist Caves is located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat state, India.
• Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple is located near Pathankot City on Shahpur Kandi Dam Road in the Indian state of Punjab.

The correct answer is ​Mahabodhi Temple.

Key Points

• The Mahabodhi Temple was built by the Mauryan emperor Great Ashoka in around 260 BCE.
• Mahabodhi Temple - Gaya, is the holiest site for all Buddhists all over the world.
  • It is the world heritage site, where Lord Buddha is said to attain his enlightenment.
  • Literally, the meaning of Mahabodhi is the Great Awakening Temple.

Important Points

• Buddhism is one of the top five religions in the world, in terms of the number of followers. 
• One of the first people we can thank for this was the ancient emperor Asoka.
• Asoka was a third-century BCE ruler of the Maurya Empire, one of the first states to unify nearly the entire Indian subcontinent.
• He was also the first Indian emperor to convert to Buddhism and put massive efforts into spreading the religion across India. 
• There are four major temples associated with the various stages of Buddha's life.
• The Mahabodhi Temple marks one of the most significant.
• it was in this place that the Mahatma Buddha sat under a  and meditated, ultimately achieving enlightenment and becoming the Buddha.
• Emperor Ashoka constructed the Vajrasana or the Diamond Throne, representing the seat of enlightenment.
• He also built a stupa in reverence of Gautama Buddha, which was there till the second century AD.
• During the reign of the Gupta kings in the seventh century AD, the Mahavira Mahabodhi temple was completed.
• The Pala kings of Bengal built the gold-painted statue of Buddha, which is made of Black stone.
• Here Gautama Buddha is seen seated in the Earth-touching posture or the Bhumisparsa Mudra.

The correct answer is Raja Ravi Varma.

Key Points

• Raja Ravi Varma -
  • Raja Ravi Varma was born on April 29, 1848, at Travancore Princely state of British India (Now Kerala).
  • He was best known for uniting Hindu mythological subject matter with European realist painting style. 
  • In addition to incidents in Hindu mythology, Varma painted many portraits of both Indians and British in India.
  • Some of his famous paintings are - Lady in the moonlight, Mother India, Harischandra in Distress, Jatayu Vadha, and Shri Rama Vanquishing the Sea. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

​Important Points

• Nandalal Bose -
  • He was associated with Shantiniketana.
  • He along with his students illustrated the constitution of India.Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• M. F. Husain - 
  • He was known for executing bold, vibrantly coloured narrative paintings in a modified Cubist style.
  • He was one of the most celebrated and internationally recognized Indian artists of the 20th century. 
  • His significant works include Man (1951), Vishwamitra (1973), and Passage Through Human Space. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Abanindranath Tagore -
  • ​He was the leading artist from the Bengal school of modern art in the early 20th century AD.
  • He is known for his painting Bharta Mata. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.