Art & Culture MCQs for UPSC Prelims

Correct answer: B - 3 only

Ajanta's caves were largely created between the 2nd century BCE and the 6th century CE, whereas the Mahabalipuram monuments belong mainly to the 7th-8th century CE Pallava period, so they were not built in the same period and statement 1 is wrong. Ajanta is essentially Buddhist while Mahabalipuram is predominantly Hindu, so they do not share the same religious denomination, making statement 2 incorrect. Both sites, however, are celebrated for their rock-cut architecture, so statement 3 is correct, giving the answer (b). Options (a), (c) and (d) wrongly accept the false statements or deny the valid one.

Correct answer: D - Mundaka Upanishad

The national motto 'Satyameva Jayate' is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad. It does not originate in the Katha, Chandogya or Aitareya Upanishads. Hence Mundaka Upanishad.

Correct answer: A - 1 only

Only pair 1 is correct: the Chaliha Sahib festival, dedicated to Jhulelal, is celebrated by the Sindhi community. Pair 2 is wrong because the Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra is a Himalayan pilgrimage of Uttarakhand associated with the worship of goddess Nanda Devi, not the Gonds of central India. Pair 3 is wrong because the Wari-Warkari tradition is a Maharashtrian pilgrimage of devotees of Vitthal to Pandharpur, unconnected to the Santhal tribe. Hence only 1 is matched.

Correct answer: A - Odia

Odia was conferred classical language status in 2014, becoming the sixth Indian language to be so recognised (after Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam) and the first from the Indo-Aryan family. Konkani, Bhojpuri and Assamese had not been granted this status at the time of the 2015 exam, so they are wrong (Assamese was recognised only much later, in 2024).

Correct answer: D - Kishangarh school

Bani Thani is the iconic painting of the Kishangarh school of Rajasthani miniature painting, often called the 'Indian Mona Lisa', associated with the patronage of Raja Sawant Singh and the artist Nihal Chand. The Bundi and Jaipur schools, though also Rajasthani, are distinguished by different stylistic conventions and subjects and are not linked to this work. The Kangra school belongs to the Pahari tradition of the Himalayan foothills, not Rajasthan. Hence Bani Thani belongs to the Kishangarh school.

Correct answer: C - Maitreya

In Buddhist tradition Maitreya is the future Buddha who is prophesied to appear and renew the teaching when the present dharma has declined, so (c) is correct. Avalokiteshvara (a), Lokesvara (b, another name of Avalokiteshvara) and Padmapani (d) are bodhisattvas of compassion already venerated in the current age, not the awaited future Buddha. Maitreya alone holds the specific role of the Buddha yet to come.