Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Humayun.

• Miniature painting in India was started by Humayun.

Key Points

• Miniature paintings were brought to India by the Mughals.
• Mughals were assisted by Persians.
• These paintings depicted the events and lifestyles of the Mughals.
• Humayun appointed Persian artist Mir sayid Ali and Khawaja Abdus Samad to his court.
• A typical miniature painting has a phrase or poetry written in the Urdu script on the upper or cover end.

Additional Information

• The earliest Miniature paintings in India can be traced back to the 7^th century AD when they flourished under the patronage of the Palas of Bengal.
• Buddhist texts and scriptures were illustrated on 3-inch-wide palm leaf manuscripts, with images of Buddhist deities. Pala art was defined by subdued colors and sinuous lines, evocative of the murals in Ajanta.
• It was Jainism that inspired the miniature artistic movement of the Western Indian style of miniature painting. This form prevailed in the regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Malwa, from the 12^th-16^th century AD.
• Jain manuscripts were illustrated using exaggerated physical traits, vigorous lines, and bold colors.
• Miniature Art in India truly thrived under the Mughals (16th-18th century AD), defining a rich period in the history of Indian art.
• The Mughal style of painting was an amalgamation of religion, culture, and tradition. Persian styles melded with local Indian art to create a highly detailed, rich art form.

The correct answer is Aihole.

Key Points

• Lad Khan temple
  • It is located in  Aihole in Karnataka.
  • It is one of the oldest Hindu temples.
  • It is dedicated to Shiva.
  • It is also known as The Chalukya Shiva Temple

Additional Information

• Sanchi is a town in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Sanchi is famous for stupas, monolithic Asokan pillars, Monastries, etc.
• Ellora
  • Ellora caves are located near Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
  • It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.
• Elephanta
  • They are the rock-cut Caves in Maharastra.
  • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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 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 Sculpture of Mathura school were influenced by the stories and imageries of all three religions- Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.

Key Points

Mathura School of Art:

• Mathura was a great centre of art and culture during the period of the Kushans.
• In Gandhara art the Greco- Roman influence is strongly present.
• In Mathura art, the important religions of India, such as Brahmanism, Jainism and Buddhism are represented. It is believed that the first Buddha images were carved at Mathura at the same time as in the Gandhara School.
• Mathura has produced Buddha images of various dimensions. The Mathura style evolved with native spirit and elements.
• There are quite a number of female figures on the railings of the stupas, and these are beautifully attired according to Indian taste.
• The spirit of Mathura sculpture displays the peaceful atmosphere. The features are naturalistic rather than realistic.
• The Indian elements derived from the ideal yogi type, namely the lotus feet and the meditative gaze.
• Mathura artists rejected the Greco- Roman realistic features and chose naturalistic features to create the sculptures. The entire figure clothed with refinement. 

 Additional InformationAmaravati School of Sculpture: 

• During the Satavahana period, an aesthetic movement of greater magnitude developed in Andhra Pradesh.
• Several stupas with refined sculptures of exceptional beauty are the contributions of this period.
• The sculptures belonging to Amaravati school are found in the valley of Krishna on the sites and museums of Jaggayyapetta, Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda. 
• The Amaravati style is more elegant and sophisticated. The sculptured panels of Amaravati are characterised by delicacy of forms, and linear grace.
• Numerous scenes of dance and music adorn these reliefs displaying joy of life. The sculptural remains of Amaravati, known as the 'marbles' are created by using white limestone. It creates the illusion of marble and is as fresh as when it was carved.
• It reflects narratives theme based on life of Buddha and Jataka stories Buddha is depicted both in human as well as in animal form
• Both religious and secular images were present in this style.

Gandhara School 

• It was based on Greco-Roman norms encapsulating foreign techniques and an alien spirit.
• The foreign influence is evident from the sculptures of Buddha in which they bear resemblance to the Greek sculptures.
• Grey sandstone (Blue-grey Mica schist to be precise) is used in Gandhara School of Art.
• The Gandharan Buddha image was inspired by Hellenistic realism, influenced by Persian, Scythian, and Parthian models. 
• In this art, Buddha’s curls were altered into wavy hair.
• The head of the Buddha matched very much with Greek God Apollo.
• Gandharan sculptures show strong Greek influences in the depiction of a ‘man-god’ and of wavy hair, sandals and extensive drapery.
• The depiction of Buddha as a ‘man-god’ in Gandharan sculpture is believed to be inspired from Greek mythology.
• Some examples of Gandharan art depict both Buddha and the Greek god, Hercules.