Question Discussion & Solution

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.

Key Points

Ajanta Caves-

• The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist cave temples in Ajanta, India, some of which date from the 2nd century BC. Encompassing both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the Ajanta caves preserve some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India.
• Out of 29, 25 caves were used as Viharas or residential caves while 4 were used as Chaitya or prayer hills.
• It is said that Buddhist monks lived, studied and prayed in Ajanta caves for a long time.
• The Ajanta Caves were carved in the 2nd century BC out of a horseshoe-shaped cliff along the Waghora River.
• The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

Ellora caves- 

• The Ellora caves, locally known as 'Verul Leni' is located on the Aurangabad - Chalisgaon road at a distance of 30 km north - northwest of Aurangabad, in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
• Ellora is one of the largest rock-cut monastery - temple caves complexes in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 km north of Aurangabad.
• Sculptors, inspired by Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, created elaborate rock carvings. Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas or halls of worship, Viharas or monasteries and Hindu and Jain temples.
• Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and 11th century A.D., the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (Cave 29).
• The Kailasha temple features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world.
• During the regime of the Rashtrakuta were the famous Ellora caves of Maharashtra built.

Extra facts:

• Madhya Pradesh- Bagh Caves
• Maharashtra - Ajanta Caves, Bhaja Caves, Elephanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Kanheri Caves
• Karnataka- Badami Caves
• Bihar - Barabar Caves
• Madhya Pradesh- Udaygiri Caves
• Andhra Pradesh - Borra Caves
• Tamilnadu - Varah Caves

The correct answer is Kerala.

• Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makar Sankranti in the Kerala states.

Key Points

• Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makara Sankranti at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
  • Makara Jyothi is a star that appears in the sky on Makara Samkramam, when the Sun moves from dhanu Rasi (Sagittarius) to Makaram Rasi (Capricorn) on the first day of the Malayalam month of Makaram, January 14 (Makara Sankranti) this year.
  • Onam is the most important and popular festival in Kerala. Celebrated with much pomp and fervor, Onam is a harvest festival.

Additional Information

The correct answer is These are the main two styles of temple architecture in India.

Key Points

• The main component of the Indian temple architecture are the following:
  • Garbhagriha (womb-house):. It is a cave-like structure housing the chief deity of the temple.
  • Mandapa: It is the entrance of the temple.
  • Shikhara/Vimana: It is a mountain-like structure on top. In north India, it is called Shikhara.
    • Shape: Curve.
    • In south India, it is called Vimana.
    • Shape: Pyramidal tower.
  • Amalaka: Notched stone disk at the top of the temple. Mostly seen in north Indian temples.
  • Pedestal: It is a raised platform of stone on which temples are built.

Important Points

Additional Information

• Vesara Architecture:
  • E.g: Ladkhan temple of Aihole.
  • It has two principal components Vimana & Mandapa joined by Antrala.
  • It is a mixture of both Nagara & Dravidian style of temple architecture.
  • It is also known as Chalukya style or Karnataka style.
  • It follows mostly Dravida style up to the boundaries and then Nagara style features in the superstructure.

• Lohri, the bonfire harvest festival of Punjab celebrated in the month of Magh, is symbolic of new beginnings.
• The festival is celebrated every year on January 13 with much enthusiasm and zeal.
• It is primarily the harvest festival of the Punjabis.
• This festival denotes the harvesting of the Rabi crops and hence all the farmers get together in order to thank god for giving them such a wonderful harvest.
• The rituals related to Lohri symbolize the attachment of the people with Mother Nature.