UPSC Static Quiz – Art and Culture : 27 April 2026

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct: The Vijayanagara Empire(1336–1646 CE) developed a highly sophisticated monetary system. The gold Pagoda, also referred to as the Varaha, was the highest denomination. These coins prominently featured the boar (Varaha), an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the dynastic emblem, as well as images of deities like Shiva-Parvati, Vishnu-Lakshmi, and Balakrishna.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The empire was polyglot and multi-cultural. Consequently, coin inscriptions featured Devanagari (Nagari), Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil scripts, reflecting the linguistic diversity of its subjects rather than being restricted to one script.

Solution: B

• The Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs are significant not for medieval political boundaries or ethnographic institutions, but for their prehistoric scientific and ritual importance.
• Archaeological and archaeo-astronomical studies indicate that the menhirs are deliberately arranged in large alignments that correspond to solar movements, particularly the equinoxes and solstices. This suggests their use as an astronomical observatory by megalithic communities to track seasonal cycles, agricultural timing, and ritual calendars.
• The site is located in present-day Telangana, not the Bastar region, and has no connection with the Muria Gonds’ Ghotul system.
• Chronologically, the menhirs belong to the Iron Age megalithic tradition (roughly 1000 BCE to early historic period), and are carved from locally available stone, not organic materials like ivory or teak.

Their scale, preservation, and systematic orientation make Mudumal one of the most extensive and scientifically remarkable megalithic astronomical landscapes in India, underscoring the advanced observational knowledge of prehistoric societies.

Solution: C

• The Manki-Munda systemis a centuries-old self-governance framework of the Ho adivasi community in Jharkhand. Each village is led by a Munda (headman), and a group of 8–15 villages (a pidh) is overseen by a Manki.
• In 1837, the British official Captain Thomas Wilkinsoncodified this into Wilkinson’s Rules, recognizing the tribal heads and integrating them into the colonial administration for revenue and order. Post-independence, the system has continued to operate as customary law because no formal civil alternative was enacted.

Solution: D

(i)-Y: The boar (Varaha) symbol was the royal insignia of the Vijayanagara Empire, used on their gold Pagoda coins to signify the ruler as the protector of the Earth.

(ii)-X: Pre-Prabhas Ware is a rare ceramic tradition found in the Early Harappan settlement at Lakhapar, Gujarat, indicating a distinct regional culture dating back to 3300 BCE.

(iii)-Z: White-painted Black-and-Red Ware is a diagnostic pottery type of the Iron Age in South India, found in sites like Sivagalai, Adichanallur, and Thirumalapuram, serving as a marker for the Megalithic culture.

Solution: B

• Ratnagiri, located in the Jajpur district of Odisha, is one of the most significant Buddhist monastic complexes in India, flourishing between the 5th and 13th centuries CE. It is a pre-eminent center for Vajrayana (Tantrayana or Tantric) Buddhism, a school that emphasizes esoteric rituals, mantras, and the worship of a large pantheon of deities.
• Recent excavations have unmasked colossal Buddha heads (some 3-4 feet tall) and female deities like Tara, which are characteristic of Vajrayana iconography. Ratnagiri is part of Odisha’s “Diamond Triangle” (along with Udayagiri and Lalitagiri) and likely served as a hub for the propagation of Buddhism to Southeast Asia via maritime trade routes.