Name the location of the musical inscription containing groups of musical notes arranged for the benefit of his pupils by a king in the seventh or eighth century CE.
- A.Ennayiram
- B.Uttaramerur
- C.Siyyamangalam
- D.Kudumiyamalai
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Kudumiyamalai. The rock inscription at Kudumiyamalai records groups of musical notes set out by a king for his pupils.
Kudumiyamalai is in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. Its inscription, carved on a rock face near a Shiva temple and usually linked with the Pallava age, sets out notes of the seven-note scale in groups meant for playing on a stringed instrument. It is one of the oldest surviving written records of Indian music, and it shows that the ruling elite of the time studied and taught music.
A is wrong because the Ennayiram inscription of the Chola king Rajendra I describes a large Vedic college and its students. B is wrong because the Uttaramerur inscriptions of Parantaka I describe how a village assembly chose its committees by drawing lots. C is wrong because Siyyamangalam is known for a Pallava rock-cut cave temple, not a musical record.
Exam tip: Kudumiyamalai (Pudukkottai): music notes; Uttaramerur: village elections; Ennayiram: Vedic college under the Cholas.
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