Q400. Which Carnatic raga corresponds most closely to Hindustani Raga Bilawal?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) Nat Bhairavi
(B) Kamavardhini
(C) Hanumatodi
(D) Dheera Shankarabharanam
Answer: (D) Dheera Shankarabharanam
Explanation: Both Bilawal and Dheera Shankarabharanam use the seven natural notes of the major scale. Shankarabharanam is the twenty-ninth melakarta raga of the Carnatic system. The other listed ragas employ altered scale degrees and therefore do not match Bilawal.
Q399. Which of these temples possess Nagara-style shikharas?
1. Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami;
2. Huchimalligudi, Aihole;
3. Dashavatara, Deogarh;
4. Virupaksha, Pattadakal.
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) 1 and 2
(B) 2 and 3
(C) 3 only
(D) 3 and 4
Answer: (B) 2 and 3
Explanation: The Huchimalligudi temple at Aihole and the Gupta-period Dashavatara temple at Deogarh feature northern Nagara-style superstructures. Malegitti Shivalaya and the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal are associated with the Dravida architectural tradition rather than the specified combination.
Q398. What is represented by the Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) A joyous folk dance
(B) Buddha in meditation
(C) Shiva and Parvati on Kailasha
(D) The churning of the ocean
Answer: (A) A joyous folk dance
Explanation: The Bagh Cave murals in present-day Madhya Pradesh preserve important early Indian painting traditions. Hallisalasya depicts a festive group dance, offering evidence of communal performance, movement and costume rather than a standard iconographic scene of the Buddha or Hindu mythology.
Q397. In the aniconic phase of Buddhist art, what does an empty seat symbolise?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) Meditation of the Buddha
(B) First sermon of the Buddha
(C) Mahaparinibbana
(D) Great Renunciation
Answer: (A) Meditation of the Buddha
Explanation: Early Buddhist sculptors frequently represented the Buddha without a human figure. Symbols such as the empty throne or seat pointed to his spiritual presence and meditation, while the wheel, footprints and other signs referred to associated events or teachings.
Q396. Regarding the Amaravati Stupa, which statements are correct?
1. It stood in the lower Krishna valley.
2. It ranked immediately after Sanchi in size.
3. Its sculptural tradition influenced Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 3 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (B) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Amaravati developed in the lower Krishna River basin and became a major centre of narrative Buddhist relief sculpture. Its artistic idiom travelled through maritime cultural contacts. The proposed ranking as second only to Sanchi in size is not accepted by the answer key.
Q395. Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur belonged to which Hindustani classical music gharana?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) Agra
(B) Gwalior
(C) Patiala
(D) Jaipur-Atrauli
Answer: (D) Jaipur-Atrauli
Explanation: Mallikarjun Mansur was an eminent vocalist associated with the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, noted for its complex and relatively uncommon ragas. His performances illustrated its elaborate melodic architecture and precise development, making him a leading twentieth-century exponent of Hindustani khayal music.
Q394. In which ancient work is the expression kshetra-patni, meaning mistress of the field, found?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) Rigveda
(B) Atharvaveda
(C) Ashtadhyayi
(D) Arthashastra
Answer: (B) Atharvaveda
Explanation: The expression occurs in the Atharvaveda, whose hymns reflect diverse aspects of early Indian religious and social life. Such references are useful for tracing agrarian practices and concepts in Vedic literature, distinct from later grammatical and statecraft treatises.
Q393. For what purpose were the Tai-Ahom Moidams, inscribed by UNESCO, constructed?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2026]
(A) Military fortresses
(B) Royal recreation centres
(C) Burial grounds for royalty and nobility
(D) Military drill centres
Answer: (C) Burial grounds for royalty and nobility
Explanation: Moidams are mound-burial structures of the Ahom dynasty in Assam, especially associated with Charaideo. Their underground chambers and earthen mounds embody the funerary practices and royal commemorative traditions of the Tai-Ahom community, rather than defensive or recreational functions.
Q392. Which description correctly identifies the Sikh festival Hola Mohalla?
[SSC CGL Tier I – 2025]
(A) Women’s craft fair in Patiala
(B) Martial displays, communal kitchens and mock combat at Anandpur Sahib
(C) A pre-Diwali harvest festival
(D) A celebration held exactly on Holi
Answer: (B) Martial displays, communal kitchens and mock combat at Anandpur Sahib
Explanation: Hola Mohalla was initiated under Guru Gobind Singh and is especially associated with Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. Nihang Sikhs demonstrate martial skills, horsemanship and mock battles, while community service and langar remain essential features of the celebration.
Q391. In the name of Arunachal Pradesh’s Nyokum festival, what does Kum signify?
[SSC CGL Tier I – 2025]
(A) Harmony
(B) Purity
(C) Collective spirit or unity
(D) Offering
Answer: (C) Collective spirit or unity
Explanation: Nyokum is a major traditional festival of the Nyishi people of Arunachal Pradesh. Its communal rituals honour the relationship between people, nature and spiritual forces. Kum refers to togetherness or collective participation rather than a single material offering.