Humayun's Tomb, built in 1570, is a fine specimen of great ____ architecture.
- A.British
- B.Chola
- C.Mughal
- D.Magadh
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Mughal. Humayun's Tomb in Delhi is one of the earliest and finest examples of Mughal architecture.
The tomb was built in 1570 on the orders of Humayun's widow Bega Begum, also called Haji Begum, and the architect was Mirak Mirza Ghiyas of Persia. It was the first garden tomb in India, set in a charbagh, the four-part garden divided by water channels, and the first large structure to use red sandstone with white marble inlay and a high double dome. This plan became the model for the Taj Mahal built about eighty years later. UNESCO placed the tomb on the World Heritage list in 1993.
Option A is wrong because British architecture in India belongs to the colonial period after the eighteenth century. Option B is wrong because Chola architecture means Dravidian temples such as the Brihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur. Option D is wrong because Magadha is an ancient kingdom, not a style of tomb building.
Exam tip: Humayun's Tomb is the first garden tomb of India and the model for the Taj Mahal.
Practice Questions
View allWhich one of the following statements about the Elephanta Island is correct?
- A.It was given its name by the British after a large elephant structure located there.
- B.It contains one large cave.
- C.It is well-known for a spectacular carving of Vishnu described in the Vishnudharmottara Purana.
- D.It is associated with the Pashupata sect.
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The Elephanta caves are Shaiva rock-cut shrines, and their imagery is linked by scholars to the Pashupata order of Shiva worshippers.
Read the full explanation →The tagline 'Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India' is associated with the logo for
- A.Archaeological Survey of India
- B.India Tourism Development Corporation
- C.Geological Survey of India
- D.Geographical Indications (GI) of India
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In November 2018 the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion of the Commerce Ministry launched a common logo for GI-tagged products with the tagline "Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India".
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about Buddhist Stupas in India is not correct?
- A.Ashoka played an important role in popularizing the Stupa cult.
- B.They were repositories of relics of Buddha and other monks.
- C.They were located in rural areas.
- D.They were located close to trade routes.
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Stupas grew up near towns and along trade routes, where traders and townspeople could visit and fund them. A stupa is a hemispherical mound built over relics of the Buddha or of revered monks.
Read the full explanation →Who was/were the 10th century composer(s) of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham?
- A.Alvars
- B.Nayanars
- C.Appar
- D.Sambandar
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The Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 4,000 sacred verses of Tamil Vaishnavism, is the work of the twelve Alvars, gathered into one collection in the 10th century.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following : 1. Tughlaqabad Fort 2. Bada Gumbad in Lodhi Garden 3. Qutub Minar 4. Fatehpur Sikri Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of building the above monuments?
- A.3, 1, 4, 2
- B.3, 1, 2, 4
- C.1, 3, 2, 4
- D.1, 3, 4, 2
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The Qutub Minar came first, then Tughlaqabad Fort, then the Bada Gumbad of the Lodi period and last the Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri.
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