QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC QUIZ, 10 March 2020 – Art and Culture

Solution: c)

Pattachitra is a general term for traditional, cloth-based scroll painting based in Odisha.

Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu deities.

These paintings are based on Hindu mythology and specially inspired by Jagannath and Vaishnava sect.

All colours used in the Paintings are natural. The ‘pattachitra’ resemble the old murals of Odisha especially religious centres of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneshwar region, dating back to the 5th century BC.

Solution: d)

Kabir was a 15th century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism’s Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism’s scripture Guru Granth Sahib. His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti leader Ramananda. Kabir is known

for being critical of both Hinduism and Islam.

Kabir’s legacy survives and continues through the Kabir panth, a religious community that recognizes him as its founder. His Teachings are in the form of couplets known as Dohas. Questioned dogmas and rituals in both Hinduism and Islam, preached monism and Nirguna Brahma. During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views. When he died, both Hindus and Muslims had claimed him as theirs. His teachings openly ridiculed all forms of external worship of both Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam, the pre-eminence of the priestly classes and the caste system.

Solution: b)

Sanchi, also known as Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata in ancient times is situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is a religious place with historical and archaeological significance. Sanchi is famous in the world for stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth dating from 3rd century B.C. to 12^th century A.D.

The Sanchi stupas are noteworthy for their gateways as they contain ornamented depiction of incidents from the life of Buddha and his previous incarnations, “Bodhisattvas”, as described in the Jataka tales. Here, Gautam Buddha is depicted by symbols, such as the wheel, which represents his teaching.

Sanchi was virtually forgotten after the 13^th Century until 1818, when General Taylor, a British Officer rediscovered it, half buried and well preserved. Later in 1912, Sir John Marshal, Director General of Archaeology, ordered the restoration work at the site.

During Sunga times, several edifices were raised at Sanchi and its surrounding hills. The Asokan stupa was enlarged and faced with stones and decorated with balustrades, staircase and a harmika on the top. The reconstruction of Temple 40 and erection of Stupas 2 and 3 also date back to the same time. In the first century B.C., the Andhra-Satavahanas, who had extended their sway over the eastern Malwa, caused the elaborately carved gateways to Stupa 1. From the second to 4^th century A.D., Sanchi and Vidisha came under the Kushanas and Kshatrapas and subsequently passed on to the hands of the Guptas. During the Gupta period, some temples were built and sculptures were added.

The largest stupa, known as the Great Stupa, is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions of the compass. The gateways were probably carved around 100 A.D. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, containing a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed. The stupas at Sanchi trace the development of the Buddhist architecture and sculpture at the same location beginning from 3^rd century B.C. to 12^th century A.D. One of the most interesting features of all the sculptures here, is the lack of images of the Buddha in human form. The carvings have a wonderful vitality and show a world where people and animals live together in happiness, harmony and plenty. stylised depiction of nature is exquisite. Lord Buddha has been shown symbolically in inanimate figures. Presently under a UNESCO project, Sanchi and another Buddhist site, Satdhara, is being further excavated, conserved and environmentally developed.

Solution: a)

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India, is the largest of the western group of temples in the Khajuraho complex which was built by the Chandela rulers. Karla Cells are a complex of ancient Indian Buddhist rock-cut cave shrines located in Maharashtra. The caves house a Buddhist monastery dating back to the 2nd century BC.

The Dashavatara temple is one of the earliest Hindu stone temples still surviving today. Vishnu Temple shows the ornate beauty seen in Gupta style architecture.

Solution: c)

By the end of the fourth century B.C., there was a serious famine in the Ganges valley. Many Jain monks led by Bhadrabagu and Chandragupta Maurya came to Sravana Belgola in Karnataka.

Those who stayed back in north India were led by a monk named Sthulabahu who changed the code of conduct for the monks.

This led to the division of Jainism into two sects Svetambaras (whiteclad) and Digambaras (Sky-clad or Naked).

The first Jain Council was convened at Pataliputra by Sthulabahu in the beginning of the 3^rd century B.C.

According to the Digambara sect of Jainism, there were five Shruta Kevalins in Jainism – Govarddhana Mahamuni, Vishnu, Nandimitra, Aparajita and Bhadrabahu.

Shrutakevalin is a term used in Jainism for those ascetics who have complete knowledge of Jain Agama (texts).