QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC QUIZ, 22 August 2020 – Art and Culture

Solution: d)

The themes of the paintings are the events from the life of the Buddha, the Jatakas and the Avadanas. Some paintings such as Simhala Avadana, Mahajanaka Jataka and Vidhurpundita Jataka cover the entire wall of the cave.

The other important paintings are the famous Padmapani and Vajrapan. Figures in these caves are painted with considerable naturalism and there is no over-stylisation.

Solution: a)

The inscription written in Sanskrit and it is in Kannada script.

Many inscriptions are found at Aihole, but the inscription which is found at Meguti Temple popularly known as Aihole inscription, which has the significance in the history of India, witnessed for the many historical events of Chalukyas.

There is a mention about the defeat of Harshavardhana by Pulikeshi II. And there is a mention about the victory of Chalukyas on Pallavas, also mentioned about the shifting of the capital from Aihole to Badami by Pulikeshi. There is mention about the poet Kalidasa.

Solution: a)

• The most important Chola paintings are those in Brihadeswara temple. The paintings were executed on the walls of the narrow passage surrounding the shrine.
• The great tradition of painting show narrations and aspects related to Lord Shiva, Shiva in Kailash, Shiva as Tripurantaka, Shiva as Nataraja, a portrait of the patron Rajaraja and his mentor Kuruvar, dancing figures, etc.
• The paintings of Brihadeswara temple exemplify the stylistic maturity the artists evolved over the years.
• Sinuous pre-determined flow of lines, supple modelling of figures, elongation of the physiognomic features of human figures—all these represent the perfection the Chola artist had achieved during the period on the one hand and the phase of transition on the other.

Solution: b)

• Guru Nanak did not wish to establish a new religion, but after his death his followers consolidated their own practices and distinguished themselves from both Hindus and Muslims.
• Also he did not give the name Sikhism. He rejected sacrifices, ritual baths, image worship, austerities and the scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims.
• It was Guru Gobind Singh who defined its five symbols: uncut hair, a dagger, a pair of shorts, a comb and a steel bangle.

Solution: b)

The main architectural features of Odisha temples are classified in three orders, i.e., rekhapida, pidhadeul and khakra.

The temples of Odisha constitute a distinct substyle within the nagara order. In general, here the shikhara, called deul in Odisha, is vertical almost until the top when it suddenly curves sharply inwards.

Deuls (part of the word pidhadeul) are preceded, as usual, by mandapas called jagamohana in Odisha.