Caves & Stupas — Set 2
Arts & Culture · गुफाएं और स्तूप · Questions 11–20 of 50
Which of the following caves is a significant site for early Hinayana Buddhist rock-cut architecture?
Correct Answer: D. Karle Caves
The Karle Caves in Maharashtra house one of the largest and best-preserved Chaitya halls in India. They were built around the 2nd century BCE and exhibit early Buddhist simplicity. The grand hall features high ceilings and a row of columns with animal carvings.
The 'Bagh Caves', known for their mural paintings similar to Ajanta, are located in which state?
Correct Answer: B. Madhya Pradesh
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. These caves are purely Buddhist in nature and date to the 5th-6th centuries CE. Though many paintings have decayed, they represent the peak of classical Indian art.
What is the purpose of a 'Chaitya' in ancient Indian cave architecture?
Correct Answer: A. Prayer hall or shrine
A Chaitya is a prayer hall that typically contains a small stupa at one end for worship. These halls are often apse-shaped with a vaulted roof supported by pillars. They are distinct from 'Viharas', which were the living quarters for the monks.
Which stupa site is famous for its marble-like limestone carvings and was the center of the Mahasanghika sect?
Correct Answer: C. Amaravati
The Amaravati Stupa in Andhra Pradesh was one of the largest and most decorative in ancient India. Its carvings are known for their dynamic movement and narrative complexity. Much of its surviving sculpture is now housed in the British Museum and Chennai Museum.
The 'Lomas Rishi Cave', which features an entrance imitating a wooden hut, is part of which group?
Correct Answer: B. Barabar Caves
The Lomas Rishi Cave is one of the Barabar group of caves in Bihar. Its facade is a masterpiece of Mauryan art, carved to replicate contemporary thatch-roofed architecture. It provides valuable insights into the non-rock-cut buildings of the 3rd century BCE.
Which cave complex is situated in the Western Ghats and consists of over 100 caves dating back to the 1st century BCE?
Correct Answer: D. Kanheri
The Kanheri Caves are located within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai. They served as a major Buddhist learning center for nearly a millennium. The site includes a complex water harvesting system involving rock-cut cisterns.
The square railing at the top of a stupa that protects the central shaft is called?
Correct Answer: C. Harmika
The 'Harmika' symbolizes the residence of the gods and crowns the hemispherical mound. It holds the 'Yashti' or central mast which supports the umbrellas. This structure is a defining feature of the symbolic cosmology of a stupa.
Which dynasty is associated with the construction of the rock-cut caves at Badami?
Correct Answer: D. Chalukya
The Badami Caves in Karnataka were built by the Early Chalukyas in the 6th and 7th centuries. They consist of four caves: three Hindu and one Jain, carved from sandstone. These caves represent an important transition point in temple architecture styles.
Which stupa is believed to be the spot where Buddha's mortal remains were buried in a casket?
Correct Answer: B. Piprahwa Stupa
Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh is historically accepted as the site of ancient Kapilavastu. Archaeological excavations here yielded an inscribed urn containing bone fragments thought to be of the Buddha. This discovery confirmed the historical identity of the Shakya clan's stupa.
The 'Bhaja Caves' in Maharashtra are most famous for which architectural feature?
Correct Answer: A. Wooden architecture imitation
The Bhaja Caves are notable for being some of the earliest examples of rock-cut architecture imitating wood. The Chaitya hall contains original wooden ribs in the ceiling that have survived for over 2,000 years. This site is located on an ancient trade route between the Arabian Sea and the Deccan.