[Mission 2022] QUIZ – 2022: INSIGHTS STATIC QUIZ, 1 March 2022 – Ancient & Medieval India + Art & Culture

Solution: c)

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta:

The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dharma Sutra or Promulgation of the Law Sutra is considered to be a record of the first teaching given by Gautama Buddha after he attained enlightenment.

According to tradition, the Buddha gave this teaching in Sarnath, to the “five ascetics”, his former companions with whom he had spent six years practicing austerities.

The main topic of this sutra is the Four Noble Truths, which are the central teachings of Buddhism that provide a unifying theme, or conceptual framework, for all of Buddhist thought.

This sutra also introduces the Buddhist concepts of the Middle Way, impermanence, and dependent origination.

Solution: b)

Apabhramsa School of Art

This school traces its origin to Gujarat and Mewar region in Rajasthan. It was the predominant school of painting in western India during 11th to 15th century. The most common themes of these paintings were Jain and in the later period the Vaishanava School appropriated them too.

The features of the human figures depicted in the paintings have fish-shaped bulging eyes; a pointed nose and a double chin.

The animal and bird figurines in the paintings are represented as toys. The most famous example is of Kalpasutra and the Kalakacharya Katha from 15th century.

Solution: d)

Amir Khusrau (1252-1325) introduced many new ragas such as ghora and sanam.  

He evolved a new style of light music known as qwalis by blending the Hindu and Iranian systems. The invention of sitar was also attributed to him.

Amir Khusrau was the famous Persian writer. He wrote a number of poems. He experimented with several poetical forms and created a new style of Persian poetry called Sabaqi- Hind or the Indian style.

He also wrote some Hindi verses. Amir Khusrau’s Khazain-ul-Futuh speaks about Alauddin’s conquests. His famous work Tughlaq Nama deals with the rise of Ghyiasuddin Tughlaq.

Solution: b)

The characters in a Kathakali performance are broadly divided into satvika, rajasika and tamasika types. Satvika characters are noble, heroic, generous and refined.

Mohiniyattam is characterized by graceful, swaying body movements with no abrupt jerks or sudden leaps.

Solution: a)

Most of the mural paintings are either in natural caves or in rock-cut chambers. The paintings follow a theme, the most common being Hindu, Buddhist and Jain. The Mural paintings are unique because of their sheer size. They cannot be contained on paper and need to be executed on the walls of large structures, usually caves and temple walls. In ancient period, these were utilised by three major religions: Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Some of the best examples are murals in the Ajanta- Ellora Caves.