Ancient History PYQs UPSC CSE 2023 part-1
Consider the following pairs :
Site Well known for
1. Besnagar Shaivite <-------> cave shrine
2. Bhaja Buddhist <---------> cave shrine
3. Sittanavasal Jain <---------> cave shrine
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Ans. B
BHAJA CAVE
This is the oldest Deccan Rock-Cut Cave dated on 2nd century BC
It is located in Maharashtra (Pune).
The inscriptions and the cave temple are preserved as a National Monument
It is famous for its decorative frontages
It belongs to the Hinayana Buddhism sect
The most prominent excavation is its chaitya (or chaityagrha - Cave XII), a good example of the early development of this form from wooden architecture, with a vaulted horseshoe ceiling. [The chaitya is perhaps the earliest surviving chaitya] Its vihara (Cave XVIII) has a pillared verandah in front and is adorned with unique reliefs.
These caves are notable for their indications of the awareness of wooden archi…
