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 Fatehpur Sikri.

• Akbar commissioned the construction of a white marble tomb for Shaikh Salim Chishti next to the majestic Friday mosque at Fatehpur Sikri.
• The Mosque is also known as Jama Masjid.
• The gateway to this tomb is known as Buland Darwaza (The door of victory).
• It was built in 1602 A.D. to commemorate Akbar's victory over Gujarat.
• Buland Darwaza is the highest gateway in the world and is an example of Mughal architecture.

Additional Information

• The city Fatehpur Sikri itself was founded as the capital of the Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar.
• It served this role from 1571 to 1585.
• Akbar abandoned it due to a campaign in Punjab and was later completely abandoned in 1610. 
• Fatehpur Sikri is currently a town in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh.

The correct answer is Dholavira.

Key Points

• In July 2021, the Indus valley site Dholavira was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.
  • Now Gujarat has three world heritage sites, Champaner near Pavagadh, Rani ki Vav in Patan and the historic city of Ahmedabad.
  • Dholavira is now the 40^th treasure in India to be recognized as a World Heritage site.
  • According to a press release by the Ministry of Culture, India submitted the nomination for Dholavira to the World Heritage Centre in January 2020. The site was on the UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014.
  • UNESCO has already given India a new world heritage site in the form of the Rudreswara/ Ramappa Temple in Telangana in the ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee.
  • Ramappa Temple dates back to the 13^th century.
  • This session of the World Heritage Committee is being chaired from Fuzhou in China.

Additional Information

• Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani.
• Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

The correct answer is Ustad Bismillah Khan

Important Points

• Ustad Bismillah Khan was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon village, Bihar.
• He settled in Varanasi with his father Prophet Bakhsh Khan at a very young age.
• Bismillah Khan was awarded the "Bharat Ratna" in 2001 by the Government of India.
• Ustad Bismillah Khan played the clarinet from the Red Fort when the country became independent in 1947.
• He died on 21 August 2006 at the age of 90.
• Anant Lal was a famous shehnai player from the Banaras Gharana.
• Pandit Ram Sahay was the shehnai player of the Banaras Gharana and was a royal musician in the court of Nawab Asafuddaula of Lucknow.
• Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan was a famous shehnai player. He was awarded the 'Bangbhushan Award' by the Government of Bengal.

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.