Pietra Dura, the inlay technique of architecture can be found in which of the following monuments?
- A.Taj Mahal
- B.India Gate
- C.Char Minar
- D.Gateway of India
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, Taj Mahal. Pietra dura, an Italian term meaning hard stone, is the craft of cutting coloured semi-precious stones and setting them into marble to form flowers and creepers. Its finest Indian example is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built by Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1648 in memory of Mumtaz Mahal; the Indian name for the technique is parchin kari. Stones such as jasper, carnelian, lapis lazuli, jade and turquoise were used, and the same work appears in the Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb and the Red Fort. The Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Option B is wrong because India Gate in Delhi, designed by Edwin Lutyens, is a sandstone war memorial. Option C is wrong because the Charminar of Hyderabad, built by Quli Qutb Shah in 1591, is of granite and lime stucco. Option D is wrong because the Gateway of India in Mumbai, finished in 1924, is in the Indo-Saracenic style. Exam tip: pietra dura or parchin kari is Shah Jahan's marble inlay, at its best in 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.
Show answer
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
Show answer
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.
Show answer
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
Show answer
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
Show answer
The Qutub Minar came first, then Tughlaqabad Fort, then the Bada Gumbad of the Lodi period and last the Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri.
Read the full explanation →