Which one of the following is the correct description of Kandaria Mahadeo?
- A.A Shiva temple at Elephanta
- B.The title of a work by Bhatti
- C.The capital of Chandella kings
- D.A temple at Khajuraho
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, A temple at Khajuraho. Kandariya Mahadeva is the largest and finest temple of the Khajuraho group in Madhya Pradesh.
The temple was built around 1025–1050 CE under the Chandela rulers, traditionally credited to Vidyadhara. It is dedicated to Shiva and is a classic example of the Nagara style: it stands on a high platform, and its roofs rise in a series of peaks that build up to the main shikhara, like a mountain range, a symbol of Mount Kailash. Its walls carry hundreds of finely carved figures. The Khajuraho group of monuments has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
A is wrong because Elephanta's famous Shiva shrine is a rock-cut cave temple with the three-headed Maheshmurti, not Kandariya Mahadeva. B is wrong because Bhatti is known for the Bhattikavya, a poem on the story of Rama. C is wrong because Kandariya is a temple, not a city; Chandela power centred on Khajuraho, Mahoba and Kalinjar.
Exam tip: Kandariya Mahadeva (Shiva) and Lakshmana temple are the best-known Chandela temples of Khajuraho, Nagara style.
Practice Questions
View allConsider the following statements about Ajanta Cave paintings :
1. The paintings depict yakshas, gandharvas and apsaras.
2. The artists have used the technique of providing "multiple perspectives".
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
The Ajanta paintings show yakshas, gandharvas and apsaras among their figures, and their painters used multiple perspectives to show crowded scenes.
Read the full explanation →In which one of the following states are the Guntupalle Buddhist Caves located ?
- A.Andhra Pradesh
- B.Karnataka
- C.Tamil Nadu
- D.Kerala
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The Guntupalle Buddhist caves lie in the Eluru region of Andhra Pradesh, in the old West Godavari district. Guntupalle is one of the oldest Buddhist sites of the Andhra country, dating back to around the 2nd century BCE.
Read the full explanation →With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism.
2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Sautrantika and Sammitiya were schools of Buddhism, not Jainism, while the Sarvastivada view is correctly stated. After the Buddha's death the Buddhist order split into several early schools, traditionally counted as eighteen.
Read the full explanation →With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Parivrajaka - Renunciant and Wanderer
2. Shramana - Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka - Lay follower of Buddhism
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.1 and 3 only
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
A parivrajaka is a wandering renunciant and an upasaka is a lay follower, but a shramana is an ascetic, not a high-status priest.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements about Ellora:
1. This art-historical site is associated exclusively with Buddhism.
2. The Kailasa temple at Ellora has been built of dressed stone and kiln fired bricks.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Ellora has Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves, and the Kailasa temple was carved out of a single rock, not built of stone blocks and bricks.
Read the full explanation →