QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC QUIZ, 27 January 2020 – Art & Culture

Solution: c)

The style of temple architecture that became popular in northern India is known as nagara. In North India it is common for an entire temple to be built on a stone platform with steps leading up to it. Further, unlike in South India it does not usually have elaborate boundary walls or gateways. While the earliest temples had just one tower, or shikhara, later temples had several. The garbhagriha is always located directly under the tallest tower.

Solution: d)

The Sun temple at Modhera dates back to early eleventh century and was built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026. The Solankis were a branch of the later Chalukyas. There is a massive rectangular stepped tank called the surya kund in front of it. Proximity of sacred architecture to a water body such as a tank, a river or a pond has been noticed right from the earliest times.

By the early eleventh century they had become a part of many temples. This hundred-square-metre rectangular pond is perhaps the grandest temple tank in India. A hundred and eight miniature shrines are carved in between the steps inside the tank.

Solution: b)

Right Knowledge (as per Mahavira) is the acceptance of the theory that there is no God and that the world has been existing without a creator and that all objects possess a soul.

Buddhism sheds any discussion on God and soul as futile. Buddha also taught that the soul does not exist, so there is no meeting ground in this case.

Right conduct (Jainism) refers to the observance of the five great vows such as not to injure life, not to lie, not to steal, not to acquire property and not to lead an immoral life.

Buddhism also forbids its monks from acquiring property (that may bring a sense of ego and pride to its monks and nuns) and injuring life.

Only Jainism advocates extreme penance, Buddhism preaches moderation.

Solution: d)

Akbar took a keen interest in the development of art and architecture during his reign. The principal feature of the constructions during Akbar’s reign was the use of red sandstone.

Some of the prominent construction works undertaken during Akbar’s reign are described below:

Agra Fort

• It was one of the first constructions started during the reign of Akbar. However, most of the structures present inside the fort were done during the reign of Shah Jahan.

Fatehpur Sikri

• One of the highlights of Indo-Islamic architecture was the creation of a new capital city by Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri.

Some of the important buildings inside the city are:

• Buland Darwaza
• Salim Chisti’s tomb
• Panch Mahal
• Jodha Bai’s palace or Mariam-uz-Zamani’s Palace
• Ibadat Khana
• Pachisi Court
• Hiran Minar

Solution: a)

The cults of Vaishnavism, Saivism and Sakti exercised tremendous influence on the pictorial art of these places. Among these the cult of Krishna was the most popular one which inspired the patrons and artists.