Ancient & Classical Architecture

* Alexander Rea (1858-1924) was a British archaeologist who worked mainly in South British India. He is known for unearthing a sarcophagus from the hillocks of Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu. * Albert Henry Longhurst (1876-1955) was a British archaeologist and art historian, working in India and Ceylon. From 1927 to 1931 he was in-charge of the systematic digging of Nagarjunakonda. * Robert Sewell (1845-1925) worked in the civil service of the Madras Presidency during the period of colonial rule in India. Sewell undertook archaeological work at the Buddhist stupa at Amaravati, which had already been largely destroyed prior to his arrival. The site had previously been surveyed by Colin Mackenzie and Walter Elliot (1803-1887) * James Burgess (1832-1916), was the founder of the Indian Antiquary in 1872 and an important archaeologist of British India in the 19th century. From 1886-89 he was Director General, Archaeological Survey of India. * Walter Elliot (1803-1887), visited the Amaravati site in 1854, collecting sculpture panels that later became crucial for understanding South Indian Buddhist art.

Statement 1 is correct. One of the 12 holy Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva is in Jyotirlinga here in Somnath. Statement 2 is correct. Al Biruni writes that the temple was built of stone and constructed about 100 years before Mahmud’s attack (which would date it to the 10th century) and that it was set in a fortress surrounded by the sea on 3 sides. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Pran Pratishtha (consecration) of the present-day Somnath Temple in 1951 was performed by India's first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, at the invitation of K.M. Munshi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He remarked that it symbolized a victory of reconstruction over destruction.

Pair 1 is correctly matched. Dhauli is located in Odisha. Pair 2 is correctly matched. Erragudi or Yerragudi is located in Andhra Pradesh Pair 3 is incorrectly matched. Jaugada is located in Odisha. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched. Kalsi is located in Uttarakhand.

* Dholavira is one of the five largest Harappan sites and is located in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. It was a prominent city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, flourishing around 4500 years ago. * Dholavira is renowned for its sophisticated water management system, which includes reservoirs, dams, channels, and other hydraulic structures. * Dholavira was a well-planned city with three distinct divisions: the citadel, middle town, and lower town. The city also had a large stadium or public gathering area, suggesting community events or administrative functions. A remarkable discovery at Dholavira was the earliest known signboard, with inscriptions on a large wooden board, indicating the use of writing for communication or identification. Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
- First site to show ploughed field patterns.
- Fire altars, indicating ritualistic practices.
- Houses made of mud bricks instead of baked bricks.
- No large water reservoirs like Dholavira. Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
- Largest IVC site in India.
- Evidence of multi-roomed houses, pottery, and jewelry making.
- Skeletons found suggest the continuity of Harappan genes.
- No evidence of large-scale fortifications like Dholavira. Ropar (Punjab)
- First Harappan site excavated after India’s independence.
- Harappan culture overlapped with later Vedic culture.
- Evidence of burials with pottery and personal belongings.
- Found near the Sutlej River, showing river-based settlement.

Pair 1 is incorrect. Burzahom, located in the Kashmir Valley, is an archaeological site known for its Neolithic and Megalithic phases. Rock-cut shrines were not a prominent feature of the Neolithic period. Pair 2 is correct. Chandra-Ketugarh is indeed well-known for its terracotta art. Excavations at Chandra-Ketugarh, located near Kolkata in West Bengal, have revealed a vast collection of terracotta objects dating back to the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Pair 3 is correct. Ganeshwar is an archaeological site located in Rajasthan, India. It is known for its Copper Hoard Culture, dating back to the Chalcolithic period (approximately 4000-2000 BCE). Ganeshwar is renowned for its large number of copper artefacts, including tools, weapons, and ornaments, providing valuable insights into ancient metallurgy and trade networks. Therefore, pairs 2 and 3 are correct.

Option A is correct: Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of the Waghora River. Option B is incorrect: Sanchi Stupa is located on a hilltop in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, and is not situated in a gorge. Option C is incorrect: Pandu-Lena Cave Shrines are situated near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, and are not associated with any specific gorge. Option D is incorrect: Amaravati Stupa is located on the banks of the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, not in a gorge.

Statement 1 is correct: (Circular temple, Kachchhapaghata Dynasty) The Chausath Yogini Temple near Morena is a circular temple complex built during the reign of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty, estimated to be around the 11th century CE. Statement 2 is incorrect: (Not the only circular temple) While the Chausath Yogini Temple is a well-known example, it's not the only circular temple in India. There are other circular temples across the country, such as the Shiva temple at Bhringari in Andhra Pradesh. Statement 3 is incorrect: (Vaishnava cult) The temple is not primarily associated with the Vaishnava cult, which worships Vishnu. The specific dedication of the temple is debated, with some theories suggesting a connection to Shaktism or Tantric practices. Statement 4 is correct: (Inspiration for Parliament building) There's a popular belief that the circular design of the Chausath Yogini Temple might have inspired the architects of the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi. However, there's no definitive historical evidence to confirm this connection. Therefore, the correct statements are 1 and 4.

Sohgaura is not a Harappan site and is situated in Uttar Pradesh. It is famous for its copper inscription written in Prakrit in the Brahmi script. It belongs to the Mahajanapad and Mauryan periods. All the other three are Harappan sites. Chanhudaro in Sindh, Pakistan, Kot Diji in Sindh, Pakistan, Desalpur in Gujarat, India.

Kanaganahalli, located near Sannati in Karnataka, is an archaeological site known for its Buddhist stupas, sculptures, and inscription slabs. One particular sculpture depicts a royal figure with attendants, identified through the Brahmi inscription as "Ranyo Ashoka" (King Ashoka). This makes it the only confirmed instance among the given options where the inscription and the portrait are found together. Sanchi, in Madhya Pradesh, is famous for its Great Stupa, built under Ashoka's patronage. Shahbazgarhi: Located in modern-day Pakistan, Shahbazgarhi contains Ashokan Edicts written in Kharosthi script. These edicts promote Dharma (moral law) but do not include a stone portrait of Ashoka. Sohgaura, in Uttar Pradesh, has a pre-Ashokan inscription, written in the Brahmi script. It is not associated with Ashoka but rather with a Mauryan period famine relief measure.

* The Vijayanagara Empire, which existed in Southern India from the 14th to 17th century, was known for its significant contributions to temple architecture. * One notable feature of temple construction during this period was the inclusion of 'Kalyana Mandapams' or marriage halls within temple complexes. These halls were used for conducting religious ceremonies, including weddings of the deities, as well as for community gatherings and festivals. * Hence, the correct option is C, the Vijayanagara Empire. * The other notable features of the Vijaynagar temple architecture are rai gopurams, chariot streets and charging horses carved on the temple pillar.