UPSC Static Quiz – Art and Culture : 10 June 2026

Solution: A

• Statement-I is correct; the Mughal school is defined by its secular, materialistic, and aristocratic style, which set it apart from the contemporary religious-folk traditions.
• Statement-II is also correctand provides the logical reason for the nature described in Statement-I. Since the paintings were commissioned by emperors like Akbar and Jahangir for their imperial libraries and albums, the subject matter focused on court grandeur, hunting expeditions, and individual portraits to record the empire’s glory.
• Unlike the Rajput or Pahari schools, which were used to illustrate religious texts for wider devotion, Mughal art remained a sophisticated courtly practice. Thus, the focus on the ruler’s life directly explains the secular and aristocratic character of the school.

Solution: B

• Statement-I iscorrect; Basohli is the initiation point of the Pahari school in the mid-17th century.
• Statement-II is alsocorrect, as it accurately describes the stylistic traits of the Basohli school, including the unique use of beetle-wings and the specific eye shape.

However, Statement-II does not explain Statement-I. The fact that a style has “fish-shaped eyes” or “beetle-wings” is a description of the style, not a reason for why it was the earliest center. The school’s chronological priority was due to political stability and the early patronage of rulers like Raja Kirpal Pal.

Solution: D

• Statement-I isincorrect; while Kota began as an offshoot of the Bundi school and borrowed its repertoire, it developed a highly distinct identity known as the Kota Kalam.
• Statement-II iscorrect; the Kota school is uniquely celebrated for its vibrant and spontaneous hunting (Shikar) scenes. The artists excelled at depicting animals, combat, and rugged terrain with a level of detail and passion that surpassed the parent Bundi school. Kota paintings are characterized by their calligraphic execution and marked shading, especially the double-lid eye.
• Therefore, Kota is not merely a reinterpretation but a stylistic evolutionthat focused on themes relevant to its own martial and social context.

Solution: A

• Statement-I iscorrect, as rainfall is a primary driver of the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks.
• Statement-II iscorrect; the formation of carbonic acid (H2CO3) through the dissolution of CO2 in rainwater is a fundamental mechanism of chemical weathering.
• Statement-III iscorrect; oxidation (reaction of iron with dissolved oxygen) is another key chemical weathering process.
• Since both carbonic acid formation and oxidationare specific scientific reasons why rainfall causes chemical weathering, both Statement-II and Statement-III serve as valid explanations for Statement-I.

Solution: B

• Statement-I iscorrect; Sansar Chand is the most famous patron of Kangra art.
• Statement-II iscorrect and explains Statement-I, as his religious devotion provided the thematic impetus and financial support for the school’s masterpieces.
• Statement-III is alsocorrect; the migration of Mughal-trained artists was the cause for the initial development of the Pahari style (the Guler bridge). However, Statement-III does not directly explain why the school reached its zenith specifically under Sansar Chand. It explains the origins of the skilled workforce, but the zenith was a result of his specific personal patronage and vision.
• Thus, both II and III are correct facts, but only Statement-II serves as a direct explanationfor the personal patronage mentioned in Statement-I.