UPSC Static Quiz – Art and Culture : 13 April 2026

Solution: C

Explanation:

• Unlike the royal patronage of the Mauryas or Kushanas, the Amaravati (and other Andhra) stupas are unique for their “Lokadharma” (popular religion) nature.
• Inscriptions reveal that funding came from a wide base: perfumers, cobblers, merchants, monks, and notably, many women (nuns and laywomen). It represents a democratization of patronage.
• While Satavahana kings (like Pulumavi) are mentioned in inscriptions regarding specific gifts (like a Dharmachakra), the bulk of the construction was crowd-funded.

Solution: A

• Statement I is correct; the Double Dome was one of the most significant technical advancements of the Mughals, resolving a long-standing architectural dilemma. Before this, a dome tall enough to look impressive from the outside would create an awkwardly high and cavernous interior space.
• Statement II is correctand provides the precise explanation for how Statement I was achieved. By using two separate layers of masonry—an inner ceiling at a human-proportional height and an outer shell that soared much higher—the architects could ensure the building looked magnificent from a distance while remaining aesthetically pleasing and acoustically manageable from the inside.
• Humayun’s Tomb was the first full-scale Mughal monument to employ this technique, which later culminated in the Taj Mahal. Since Statement II describes the mechanism that enables the “majesty and proportion” mentioned in Statement I, it is the correct explanation.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrectbecause Krishnadevaraya maintained a policy of linguistic neutrality and widespread patronage. While he personally favored Telugu and Sanskrit for his writings, his court supported Kannada poets like Mallanarya and Tamil poets like Haridasa, making the empire a multilingual cultural hub.
• Statement 2 is correct: His court was adorned by the Ashtadiggajas, including Allasani Peddana and Tenali Ramakrishna, marking the Golden Age of Telugu literature.
• Statement 3 is correct: Apart from his Telugu masterpiece, he wrote the Sanskrit drama “Jambavati Kalyanam,”which deals with the Puranic marriage of Lord Krishna to the daughter of Jambavan.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct; the Hindustani tradition follows a time-theory(Samay) where certain ragas are believed to be most effective at specific times—Bhairav (early morning) and Yaman (evening) are classic examples.
• Statement 3 is correct; a Raga is defined by its scale, which includes its specific rules for going up and coming down the notes.
• Statement 2 is incorrect; the Melakartasystem (72 parent scales) is the foundation of Carnatic (South Indian) music. Hindustani music uses the Thaat system (10 parent scales).

Solution: C

• Basohli school is known for its bold colors, dramatic expressions, and decorative richness. A distinctive feature often highlighted in art-historical descriptions is the use of beetle-wing casings in ornamentation, especially to create a shimmering emerald-like effect in jewelry and borders. This makes pair A–i
• Mughal miniature painting developed under strong Persian influence but gradually incorporated European artistic elements, particularly during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir. The emphasis on naturalism, realism, accurate anatomy, shading, and foreshortening is a defining characteristic of the Mughal school. Hence, B–ii is correctly matched.
• Bundi school, a major branch of the Hadoti style of Rajasthani painting, is especially celebrated for its lush landscapes, dramatic skies, water bodies, dense vegetation, and frequent depiction of peacocks and other elements of nature. These features clearly establish the correctness of C–iii.