Exams › SSC CGL (Prelims) › General › Indian Art and Culture
20 questions with worked solutions.
Q1. Which pair correctly matches a temple roof type with its structural feature?
Answer: Phamsana – flat slabs sloping upward to a ridge
In temple architecture, the phamsana roof is made of horizontal slabs that rise in a stepped manner toward a ridge. Latina is the curvilinear shikhara type, while valabhi is barrel-vaulted and not steeply inward-curving.
Answer: 1 – 2 – 4 – 3
Bharatanatyam has very old references in ancient texts and temple traditions. Kathak and Manipuri have earlier historical mentions than Mohiniyattam, making the order Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam.
Answer: Rangkhothak
The Pongtu Festival of the Tutsa tribe is celebrated before millet sowing and is associated with invoking blessings from Rangkhothak. The other options are deities or names linked to different tribal traditions.
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
The Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. It stands on the banks of the Yamuna River and served as the main residence of Mughal emperors.
Answer: Red and Buff Sandstone
Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri was primarily constructed using red and buff sandstone. This material is commonly seen in Mughal architecture of that period.
Answer: Qutub Minar
Ajanta, Ellora, and Sanchi are all famous ancient heritage sites associated with Buddhist art and architecture. Qutub Minar is a medieval minaret in Delhi, so it does not belong to the same group.
Answer: Statement 1 is correct, but Statement 2 is incorrect
In Nagara architecture, the kalasha is indeed placed at the top of the shikhara. In Dravida architecture, the gopuram is the entrance gateway tower, whereas the sanctum tower is the vimana, so Statement 2 is incorrect.
Q8. The sanctum tower in a Nagara-style temple is known as:
Answer: Shikhara
In Nagara-style temple architecture, the sanctum tower or spire above the garbhagriha is called the shikhara. Gopuram is typical of Dravidian temples, while mandapa is the pillared hall.
Q9. Which architectural features define the distinct style of the Konark Sun Temple?
Answer: Chariot-shaped structure with carved stone wheels
The Konark Sun Temple is designed like a colossal chariot of the Sun God. Its distinctive features include carved stone wheels and horses, which make it unique in Indian temple architecture.
Answer: Vimana with tiered pyramid structure
The Dravidian style of temple architecture is characterized by a vimana with a tiered, pyramid-like structure. This is typical of South Indian temples, unlike the curvilinear shikhara of the Nagara style.
Answer: Gandhara School
The Gandhara School is famous for its Greco-Roman or Hellenistic influence, especially in the depiction of Buddha figures. It developed in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent.
Answer: Bala Buddha of Sultanganj
Katra Keshav Dev fragment, Govind Nagar Yaksha, and Standing Buddha from Govindnagar are associated with the Mathura school of Kushana art. The Bala Buddha of Sultanganj is not from the Mathura region, so it is the correct answer.
Q13. What is a key architectural feature of the Sun Temple at Modhera?
Answer: Stepped tank
The Sun Temple at Modhera is well known for its Surya Kund, a large stepped tank used for ritual purposes. This is one of its most distinctive architectural features.
Q14. The Sun Temple at Konark looks like a big chariot. How many horses does it have?
Answer: 7
The Konark Sun Temple is designed as a colossal chariot of the Sun God. It is traditionally depicted with seven horses, representing the seven days of the week or the seven rays of the Sun.
Answer: Both 1 and 2 correct
Karma is a tribal festival in which the Karam tree is worshipped, and it is observed on Bhadra Ekadashi in regions including Chhattisgarh. The Madal is a drum commonly associated with the festival.
Q16. The famous Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is known for which architectural feature?
Answer: Gigantic Gopurams (gateway towers)
Meenakshi Temple is a classic example of Dravidian temple architecture. Its most notable feature is the massive and richly decorated gopurams, or gateway towers.
Q17. Which musical form is described as having a sombre atmosphere and emphasizing rhythm?
Answer: Dhrupad
Dhrupad is the oldest major form of Hindustani classical vocal music and is known for its serious, sombre mood. It places strong emphasis on rhythm and compositional discipline.
Q18. Fill in the blank: Panthi dancers wear ______ during performance.
Answer: Dhoti
Panthi is a folk dance associated with Chhattisgarh. Male dancers traditionally wear a dhoti during the performance.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Gandhara images often show halo and curly hair, reflecting the influence of Graeco-Roman artistic traditions. Since the reason explains why these features appear, both statements are true and R correctly explains A.
Answer: Both statements are true, and Statement 2 is the correct explanation of Statement 1
The Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram is a classic example of Dravidian architecture made of carved granite blocks. It also represents the transition from Pallava rock-cut cave temples to fully structural stone temples, so Statement 2 correctly explains Statement 1.