Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Lokayata system.

Key Points

• Charvaka philosophical system 
  • It is also called Lokayata Philosophy-the philosophy of masses.
  • It was developed around c. 600 BCE.
  • It rejected all supernatural claims, all religious authority and scripture.
  • It says that the ultimate good in life is a pleasure.
  •  It emphasised perception/evidence (pramana) and observation (anubhava) of the real, material world.

 Additional Information

• Astika system is defined as one that accepts the authority of the Vedas, the superiority of the Brahmans, and a society made up of the four traditional classes (varna).
• Mimamsa system provides rules for interpreting the early Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas and offers a philosophical rationale for observing Vedic rituals.
• Vaisesika system - According to the Vaisesika system all objects of valid knowledge come under seven categories- Substance (Dravya), Quality (Guṇa), Action (Karma), Generality (Sāmānya), Particularly (Vaiśeṣa), Inherence (Samavāya), Non-existence (abhāva).

Key Points

Mohini Attam:

• Mohiniattam or Mohiniyattam is an Indian classical dance form that evolved in the state of Kerala.
• Mohiniattam is among the two popular dance arts of the state, the other being Kathakali.
• Mohiniyattam is considered a very graceful form of dance meant to be performed as solo recitals by women.
• It is believed to have originated in the 16th century.
• It is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Important Points

• Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, the doyen of classical dance form Mohiniyattam passed away in the Palakkad district of Kerala. She was 77.
• She was regarded as a matriarch of Mohiniyattam and was well-known for her experimental reforms in this classical dance form which helped to preserve and popularise the traditional art form. 

Thus, Mohini Attam is a famous dance form of Kerala.

Additional Information

Kuchipudi:

• Kuchipudi, one of the major dance forms of India was originated from Andhra Pradesh.
• It is the traditional dance of the state.
• It grew largely as a product of the Bhakti movement beginning in the 7th Century AD.
• Kuchipudi derives its name from the village Kuchelapuram, where it was nurtured by great scholars and artists who built up the repertoire and refined the dance technique.

Bharat Natyam:

• Bharata Natyam is a form of Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu.
• It is known for its grace, elegance, purity, tenderness, expression and sculpturesque poses.

Kathak:

• Kathak is a North Indian dance that originated in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• The name Kathak comes from the word "Katha" which means a story.

Kathakali:

• Kathakali is a classical Indian dance form which is a story play genre of art is the folk dance form of Kerala.
• Kathakali is the most difficult style of the traditional dance form.
• In this, the actors speak ‘sign language’ where hand gestures are used to dictate word part of the character and facial and eye movements express emotions and mood.
• Kathakali is based on the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. 

Odissi:

• Odissi is a dance of love and passion touching on the divine and the human, the sublime and the mundane.
• The Natya Shastra mentions many regional varieties, such as the south-eastern style kanharis were the chief repositories of this dance.
• The maharis, who were originally temple dancers came to be employed in royal courts which resulted in the degeneration of the art form.

The correct answer is Gujarat.

Key Points

• Garba:
  • It is a popular folk dance of Gujarat.
  • It is performed throughout nine nights of Navaratri.
  • It is performed by the womenfolk of Gujarat. 
  • Garba danced around the symbol to honour the fact that all humans have the Divine energy of Devi within them.

Additional Information

• Some other common folk Dances are - 

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 Gautam.

Key Points

• Nyaya philosophy is the base on which the higher philosophies of India have been built.
• The founder of this school philosophy is Akshpaad Gautam, who composed the Nyaya sutras.
• It says that all our sufferings are dues to our ignorance, therefore to overcome them acquiring the right knowledge is very important.
• The Nyaya philosophy recognizes sixteen categories and the first category is known as ‘pramāna’ which focuses on the logical and epistemological character of the Nyāya system.
• It professes that there are four independent pramānas (sources of valid knowledge). These are- perception, inference, comparison, and verbal testimony or sabda.
• According to Nyāyikas, perception is the direct and immediate cognition produced by the interaction between the object and sense-organs.
• For perceptual cognition, four elements are necessary. These are- the self, mind, sense organs, and objects.