Under the rule of which king was the Sun Temple at Konark built?
- A.Anantha Padmanbhan
- B.Samudragupta
- C.Anantavarman Chodaganga
- D.Narasimhadeva 1
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Narasimhadeva 1. The Sun temple at Konark in Odisha was built in the thirteenth century by Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. It is shaped as a colossal chariot for the sun god Surya, with twelve pairs of carved stone wheels and seven horses straining to pull it; the wheels work as sundials. Built in the Kalinga style of the Nagara order, it stood by the sea and European sailors called it the Black Pagoda. The main tower has collapsed, but the jagamohana and the carvings survive, and UNESCO placed it on the World Heritage List in 1984. Option A is wrong because Anantha Padmanabhan is not a ruler linked with this temple. Option B is wrong because Samudragupta of the Gupta dynasty ruled a thousand years earlier and left no temple here. Option C is wrong because Anantavarman Chodaganga, of the same dynasty, began the Jagannath temple at Puri. Exam tip: Konark means Narasimhadeva I, Puri means Anantavarman Chodaganga, and both belong to the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
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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