Pariksha SaathiGeneral Studies
Indian Art and Culture: Practice Questions with Answers
234 practice questions on Indian Art and Culture, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.
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Q.201
Gol Gumbaz at Vijayapura (Bijapur), famous for its huge dome and 'whispering gallery', is the tomb of which ruler?
- A Ibrahim Adil Shah II
- B Yusuf Adil Shah
- C Ali Adil Shah I
- D Muhammad Adil Shah
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Correct answer: (D) Muhammad Adil Shah
Gol Gumbaz, completed in 1656, is the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur in Karnataka. The Ibrahim Rauza in the same city is the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II.
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Q.202
Pichwai paintings, hung behind the image of Shrinathji, are mainly associated with which town?
- A Nathdwara
- B Pushkar
- C Kishangarh
- D Bundi
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Correct answer: (A) Nathdwara
Pichwai (literally 'that which hangs behind') are large cloth paintings made at Nathdwara, near Udaipur in Rajasthan, for the Shrinathji temple of the Pushtimarg (Vallabha) tradition.
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Q.203
The Jantar Mantar at Jaipur, an astronomical observatory and UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by which ruler?
- A Sawai Pratap Singh
- B Sawai Jai Singh II
- C Raja Man Singh I
- D Sawai Madho Singh I
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Correct answer: (B) Sawai Jai Singh II
Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, built five observatories in the early 18th century, at Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura; the Jaipur observatory is the best preserved of them.
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Q.204
Mudiyettu, the ritual dance-drama of Kerala inscribed by UNESCO in 2010, enacts the battle between Goddess Kali and which demon?
- A Mahishasura
- B Raktabija
- C Darika
- D Bhasmasura
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Correct answer: (C) Darika
Mudiyettu is performed in Bhagavati temples of Kerala after the harvest and depicts Kali's victory over the demon Darika. Mahishasura is the demon slain by Durga in the Devi Mahatmya.
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Q.205
Phad, the long cloth scroll painting of Rajasthan, is traditionally used by Bhopa priest-singers to narrate the epics of which folk deities?
- A Gogaji and Tejaji
- B Ramdevji and Mallinath
- C Krishna and Balarama
- D Pabuji and Devnarayan
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Correct answer: (D) Pabuji and Devnarayan
Phad paintings, associated with the Joshi painters of Shahpura in Bhilwara district, are unrolled at night performances where Bhopas sing the epics of Pabuji and Devnarayan. They serve as portable shrines of these hero-deities.
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Q.206
The 72 'Melakarta' raga classification system, formulated by Venkatamakhin, belongs to which musical tradition?
- A Hindustani classical
- B Carnatic classical
- C Sufi qawwali
- D Rabindra Sangeet
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Correct answer: (B) Carnatic classical
The 72 melakarta (parent) ragas are the basis of Carnatic music and were systematised by Venkatamakhin in his Chaturdandi Prakashika (17th century). Hindustani ragas are grouped into ten thaats by Bhatkhande.
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Q.207
Qutbuddin Aibak began the Qutub Minar but completed only its first storey. Which of his successors added the next three storeys?
- A Balban
- B Iltutmish
- C Razia Sultan
- D Alauddin Khalji
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Correct answer: (B) Iltutmish
Iltutmish, Aibak's son-in-law and successor, raised three more storeys. After lightning damaged the top in the 14th century, Firoz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt it, giving the minar its present five storeys.
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Q.208
The Sun Temple at Modhera in Gujarat, with its stepped tank called Surya Kund, was built in 1026-27 CE under which dynasty?
- A Solanki (Chaulukya)
- B Paramara
- C Pratihara
- D Vaghela
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Correct answer: (A) Solanki (Chaulukya)
The Modhera Sun Temple was built in the reign of Bhima I of the Solanki (Chaulukya) dynasty of Gujarat. The Paramaras ruled Malwa, and the Vaghelas came to power in Gujarat later, in the 13th century.
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Q.209
Bastar Dussehra, a long tribal festival centred on the worship of the goddess Danteshwari rather than on Rama, is celebrated in which state?
- A Odisha
- B Jharkhand
- C Madhya Pradesh
- D Chhattisgarh
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Correct answer: (D) Chhattisgarh
Bastar Dussehra at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh runs for many weeks and honours Danteshwari, the presiding deity of the Bastar region. It is noted for its huge wooden chariot drawn by tribal communities.
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Q.210
In which year was the Kumbh Mela inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
- A 2010
- B 2014
- C 2017
- D 2019
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Correct answer: (C) 2017
The Kumbh Mela was inscribed in 2017. UNESCO noted that its traditions are passed on largely through the teacher-disciple (guru-shishya) relationship of saints and sadhus.
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Q.211
Ramman, a religious festival and ritual theatre inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2009, is celebrated in which state?
- A Himachal Pradesh
- B Uttarakhand
- C Sikkim
- D Jammu and Kashmir
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Correct answer: (B) Uttarakhand
Ramman is performed by the villagers of Saloor-Dungra in Chamoli district, in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, in honour of the local deity Bhumiyal Devta. It combines masked dances with recitations of episodes from the Ramayana.
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Q.212
In which year was the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya in Bihar inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List?
- A 1993
- B 2002
- C 2004
- D 2010
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Correct answer: (B) 2002
The Mahabodhi Temple Complex was inscribed in 2002; its brick temple stands beside the Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Bihar's second World Heritage Site, Nalanda Mahavihara, was added in 2016.
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Q.213
The famous miniature painting 'Bani Thani', painted by Nihal Chand, belongs to which school of Rajasthani painting?
- A Kangra
- B Bundi
- C Kishangarh
- D Mewar
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Correct answer: (C) Kishangarh
Bani Thani, often called the Indian Mona Lisa, was painted by Nihal Chand at the court of Raja Sawant Singh of Kishangarh in the 18th century. Kangra is a Pahari school, not a Rajasthani one.
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Q.214
The carved railings and a gateway of the Bharhut stupa, a Shunga-period monument from Madhya Pradesh, are now displayed mainly in which museum?
- A National Museum, New Delhi
- B Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai
- C Indian Museum, Kolkata
- D Government Museum, Chennai
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Indian Museum, Kolkata
Alexander Cunningham found the Bharhut remains in Satna district in 1873, and the railing and gateway were shifted to the Indian Museum, Kolkata. Its relief panels carry labels naming Jataka stories.
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Q.215
The Kalbelia dance of Rajasthan, inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, is performed by a community traditionally known for which occupation?
- A Snake charming
- B Puppetry
- C Camel herding
- D Pottery
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Correct answer: (A) Snake charming
The Kalbelia are a nomadic community of Rajasthan traditionally engaged in snake charming. Their dance imitates the movements of a serpent, with women dancing in black swirling skirts.
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Q.216
The Shore Temple at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), a structural stone temple on the Bay of Bengal coast, was built under which dynasty?
- A Chola
- B Pandya
- C Chera
- D Pallava
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Correct answer: (D) Pallava
The Shore Temple was built in the early 8th century by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha). It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram' in Tamil Nadu.
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Q.217
Raghurajpur, a heritage crafts village famous for Pattachitra cloth painting, is located in which state?
- A West Bengal
- B Odisha
- C Andhra Pradesh
- D Bihar
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Correct answer: (B) Odisha
Raghurajpur in Puri district of Odisha is home to chitrakar families who paint Pattachitra, mainly on themes of Lord Jagannath and Krishna. A scroll-painting tradition called patachitra also exists in West Bengal.
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Q.218
Sankirtana, the ritual singing, drumming and dancing tradition inscribed by UNESCO in 2013, belongs to which state?
- A Assam
- B Odisha
- C Tripura
- D Manipur
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Correct answer: (D) Manipur
Manipuri Sankirtana is performed by the Vaishnava people of the Manipur valley at religious festivals and life-cycle ceremonies. Accompanied by drums and cymbals, it narrates the life of Krishna.
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Q.219
Bronze images of Shiva as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, are among the best-known works of the metal sculpture of which dynasty?
- A Rashtrakuta
- B Hoysala
- C Kakatiya
- D Chola
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Correct answer: (D) Chola
Chola bronzes of the 10th-12th centuries, cast by the lost-wax method, include the celebrated Nataraja dancing within a ring of fire. Hoysala art is better known for intricately carved soapstone temples.
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Q.220
The Brihadeeswara temple at Thanjavur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a vimana about 66 metres high, was built by which ruler?
- A Rajaraja Chola I
- B Rajendra Chola I
- C Karikala Chola
- D Kulottunga Chola I
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Rajaraja Chola I
Rajaraja Chola I completed the Brihadeeswara (Rajarajeswaram) temple around 1010 AD. His son Rajendra Chola I built the similar temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
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Q.221
India's national song 'Vande Mataram' is taken from which novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay?
- A Durgeshnandini
- B Kapalkundala
- C Devi Chaudhurani
- D Anandamath
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Correct answer: (D) Anandamath
Vande Mataram appears in Anandamath (1882), a novel set against the background of the Sannyasi rebellion. Durgeshnandini, Kapalkundala and Devi Chaudhurani are other novels by Bankim.
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Q.222
Pandit Birju Maharaj, a legendary exponent of the Lucknow gharana, was a master of which classical dance?
- A Kathak
- B Kathakali
- C Odissi
- D Mohiniyattam
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Correct answer: (A) Kathak
Birju Maharaj belonged to the Lucknow (Kalka-Bindadin) gharana of Kathak, the classical dance of North India. Kathak has three main gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras.
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Q.223
The famous mural of Bodhisattva Padmapani, holding a blue lotus, is found in which cave complex?
- A Ellora
- B Ajanta
- C Bagh
- D Sittanavasal
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Correct answer: (B) Ajanta
Padmapani and Vajrapani are the most famous murals of Cave 1 at Ajanta in Maharashtra, painted under Vakataka patronage in the 5th century. Bagh caves (Madhya Pradesh) and Sittanavasal (Tamil Nadu) also have murals but not these.
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Q.224
Arrange the following Sikh Gurus in chronological order of their Guruship: 1. Guru Hargobind 2. Guru Angad Dev 3. Guru Tegh Bahadur 4. Guru Ram Das
- A 2, 4, 1, 3
- B 4, 2, 1, 3
- C 2, 1, 4, 3
- D 2, 4, 3, 1
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Correct answer: (A) 2, 4, 1, 3
Guru Angad Dev was the second Guru, Guru Ram Das the fourth, Guru Hargobind the sixth and Guru Tegh Bahadur the ninth, so the order is 2, 4, 1, 3.
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Q.225
Charminar in Hyderabad was built in 1591 by which ruler?
- A Quli Qutb Mulk
- B Abdullah Qutb Shah
- C Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah
- D Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah
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Correct answer: (C) Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Qutb Shahi sultan of Golconda, built the Charminar when he founded the city of Hyderabad. Quli Qutb Mulk was the founder of the dynasty.
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Q.226
The Shalimar Bagh, a terraced Mughal garden on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, was laid out by which emperor?
- A Babur
- B Akbar
- C Aurangzeb
- D Jahangir
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Correct answer: (D) Jahangir
Jahangir laid out the Shalimar Bagh in 1619 for Nur Jahan, following the Persian charbagh plan with water channels and terraces. Babur is credited with the Aram Bagh at Agra.
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Q.227
The Veerabhadra temple at Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh, known for its large 16th-century ceiling murals, was built under which empire?
- A Kakatiya
- B Bahmani
- C Vijayanagara
- D Chola
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Correct answer: (C) Vijayanagara
The temple was built in the 16th century by the brothers Virupanna and Viranna, governors under the Vijayanagara king Achyuta Deva Raya. Its murals of epic and Puranic scenes are among the finest of the Vijayanagara period.
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Q.228
Pandit Jasraj, the renowned Hindustani vocalist, belonged to which gharana?
- A Kirana
- B Patiala
- C Mewati
- D Agra
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Correct answer: (C) Mewati
Pandit Jasraj was the leading exponent of the Mewati gharana and took its music to wide audiences in India and abroad. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan is associated with the Patiala gharana.
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Q.229
Consider the following statements: 1. Pavakoothu of Kerala is a form of glove puppetry. 2. Gombeyatta of Karnataka is a form of shadow puppetry. Which of these statements is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
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Correct answer: (A) Only 1
Only statement 1 is correct. Pavakoothu is Kerala's glove puppet theatre, whereas Gombeyatta of Karnataka uses string puppets; Karnataka's shadow form is Togalu Gombeyatta.
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Q.230
Ashtadhyayi, the foundational treatise of Sanskrit grammar consisting of about 4,000 sutras, was composed by which scholar?
- A Patanjali
- B Panini
- C Katyayana
- D Bhartrihari
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Correct answer: (B) Panini
Panini composed the Ashtadhyayi (eight chapters) around the 5th-4th century BC. Katyayana wrote the Varttika on it and Patanjali the Mahabhashya commentary.
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Q.231
The Tyagaraja Aradhana, an annual festival at which Carnatic musicians sing the saint-composer's kritis together, is held at which place in Tamil Nadu?
- A Madurai
- B Thiruvaiyaru
- C Kanchipuram
- D Chidambaram
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Thiruvaiyaru
Tyagaraja spent his later life and attained samadhi at Thiruvaiyaru on the banks of the Kaveri in Thanjavur district, where the Aradhana is held every year. The group rendering of his five Pancharatna kritis is its highlight.
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Q.232
Which classical dance form of Kerala is traditionally performed by men wearing elaborate make-up and costumes, with stories drawn from the epics?
- A Kathakali
- B Kuchipudi
- C Odissi
- D Sattriya
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Kathakali
Kathakali is the dance-drama of Kerala, traditionally performed by male artists with heavy, colour-coded make-up (green for noble heroes, red for villains). Kuchipudi is from Andhra Pradesh and Sattriya from Assam.
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Q.233
The Udayagiri caves near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, known for a colossal relief of Varaha rescuing the earth goddess, belong to which period?
- A Gupta
- B Mauryan
- C Shunga
- D Paramara
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Gupta
The Udayagiri caves were excavated in the early 5th century CE, and an inscription there refers to Chandragupta II; the Varaha panel is a landmark of Gupta sculpture. They should not be confused with the Jain Udayagiri caves of Odisha.
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Q.234
Which of the following cities is NOT a venue of the Kumbh Mela?
- A Haridwar
- B Ujjain
- C Nashik
- D Varanasi
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Varanasi
The Kumbh Mela rotates among four places: Prayagraj (Sangam), Haridwar (Ganga), Ujjain (Shipra) and Nashik (Godavari). Varanasi, though a major pilgrimage city, is not a Kumbh venue.
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How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.