Which one of the following has been an important early Chola painting discovered at the Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur in 1931?
- A.Buddha with Chauri-bearers on either side
- B.Shiva as Yoga-Dakshinamurti
- C.Yakshi Kali
- D.Parshvanatha with snake-hood on a lion-throne
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Shiva as Yoga-Dakshinamurti. The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur was built by Rajaraja Chola I and dedicated to Shiva, so its early Chola murals show Shaiva themes. In 1931 S. K. Govindaswami found these paintings on the walls of the dark passage around the sanctum, hidden beneath a later layer of Nayaka painting. The scenes include Shiva as Yoga-Dakshinamurti, the teacher seated in meditation, Shiva as Tripurantaka destroying the three cities, Nataraja, and the story of the saint Sundarar. They are among the finest surviving examples of Chola wall painting. Option A is wrong because a Buddha flanked by chauri-bearers is a Buddhist theme, seen at sites such as Ajanta, not in a Shaiva temple. Option C is wrong because Yakshi Kali is not among the Thanjavur murals. Option D is wrong because Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, under a snake-hood is a Jain image and belongs to Jain art. Exam tip: Thanjavur Chola murals were found in 1931 under Nayaka paintings and show Shiva as Dakshinamurti and Tripurantaka.
Practice Questions
View allWith reference to India, the terms 'Halbi, Ho and Kui' pertain to
- A.dance forms of Northwest India
- B.musical instruments
- C.pre-historic cave paintings
- D.tribal languages
Show answer
Halbi, Ho and Kui are languages spoken by tribal communities of central and eastern India. Halbi is an Indo-Aryan language used by the Halba tribe and as a link language among many tribes of the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and nearby parts of Odisha and Maharashtra.
Read the full explanation →Who designed the Bombay Secretariat in the 1870s?
- A.H. St. Clair Wilkins
- B.Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Readymoney
- C.Purushottamdas Thakurdas
- D.Nusserwanji Tata
Show answer
Henry St. Clair Wilkins, an officer of the Royal Engineers, designed the Bombay Secretariat, completed in 1874 as part of the grand row of public buildings that rose along the Oval in Bombay after the old fort walls were pulled down in the 1860s. The building is in the Venetian…
Read the full explanation →Manav is planning to visit all UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Delhi. He will be visiting
- A.Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Jama Masjid
- B.Red Fort, India Gate, Qutab Minar
- C.Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Humayun Tomb
- D.Red Fort, Humayun Tomb, India Gate
Show answer
Delhi has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and they are exactly these three. Humayun's Tomb was inscribed in 1993; built in the 1560s at the wish of his widow Bega Begum, it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent and a model for the Taj Mahal.
Read the full explanation →With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories and epic tales was the profession of who of the following?
- A.Shramana
- B.Parivraajaka
- C.Agrahaarika
- D.Maagadha
Show answer
In ancient India the Magadhas were professional bards. Along with the Sutas, they memorised and recited genealogies of kings, dynastic histories and heroic tales, and sang the praises of rulers at court and on ceremonial occasions.
Read the full explanation →Which one among the following is a temple of the Vaishnavite tradition ?
- A.Srirangam
- B.Chidambaram
- C.Gangaikonda Cholapuram
- D.Thanjavur
Show answer
The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, on an island between the Kaveri and Kollidam rivers near Tiruchirappalli, is dedicated to Vishnu as Ranganatha reclining on the serpent Adishesha.
Read the full explanation →