Q270. Which statements about Somnath Temple are correct?
1. It is a Jyotirlinga.
2. Al-Biruni described it.
3. President Radhakrishnan consecrated the present shrine.
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2022]
(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) All three
Answer: (A) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Somnath in Gujarat is traditionally counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas. The eleventh-century scholar Al-Biruni discussed its shrine. The reconstructed temple was ceremonially inaugurated in 1951 by President Rajendra Prasad, not Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Q269. Which statements on Sanchi sculpture are correct?
1. Shalabhanjika occurs.
2. It is a woman with lotuses and elephants.
3. The motif has non-Buddhist folk roots.
[UPSC CDS I – 2022]
(A) 1, 2 and 3
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 2 only
(D) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (D) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Shalabhanjika figures are associated with fertility and auspicious nature imagery, often depicted embracing or touching trees. The woman with lotuses and elephants instead evokes Gajalakshmi. Its adoption at Sanchi demonstrates the incorporation of wider folk motifs into Buddhist decorative sculpture.
Q268. Which among these Indian festivals falls mainly in August–September?
[SSC CGL Tier I – 2022]
(A) Makar Sankranti
(B) Kite Festival
(C) Bikaner Festival
(D) Onam
Answer: (D) Onam
Explanation: Onam is Kerala’s principal harvest festival, celebrated during the Malayalam month of Chingam, generally in August or September. The celebration remembers Mahabali and features floral designs, feasts, processions and boat races in various locations.
Q267. Bodo is primarily spoken in which Indian state?
[RRB NTPC – 2022]
(A) Assam
(B) Jharkhand
(C) Himachal Pradesh
(D) Karnataka
Answer: (A) Assam
Explanation: Bodo belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family and is spoken principally in Assam, especially the Bodoland region. It became an Eighth Schedule language through the Ninety-second Constitutional Amendment, reflecting India’s multilingual cultural heritage.
Q266. Which dynasty erected the Khajuraho temples between approximately 950 and 1050 CE?
[SSC CPO – 2022]
(A) Gurjara-Pratihara
(B) Rashtrakuta
(C) Pala
(D) Chandela
Answer: (D) Chandela
Explanation: The Chandelas of Bundelkhand constructed the celebrated temples at Khajuraho in present-day Madhya Pradesh. Their richly carved Nagara-style shrines include Kandariya Mahadeva and Lakshmana Temple, now forming part of a UNESCO World Heritage complex.
Q265. Ustad Sultan Khan was internationally known for playing which instrument?
[SSC CPO – 2022]
(A) Drums
(B) Sarangi
(C) Tabla
(D) Flute
Answer: (B) Sarangi
Explanation: Ustad Sultan Khan was a sarangi virtuoso from Rajasthan who brought the bowed instrument to prominent international stages. He also collaborated with musicians outside classical genres. The sarangi’s sympathetic strings create the sustained, singing tones that distinguish its sound.
Q264. Craftspeople of Bidar were especially associated with inlay work using which two metals?
[SSC CGL Tier I – 2022]
(A) Gold and bronze
(B) Bronze and silver
(C) Gold and copper
(D) Copper and silver
Answer: (D) Copper and silver
Explanation: Bidriware is named after Bidar in Karnataka. Its dark alloy surfaces carry intricate silver or copper inlay, often floral or geometric. The contrast is created by specialised casting, engraving and chemical blackening, preserving an Indo-Deccan decorative tradition.
Q263. Kathak flourished under Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of which kingdom?
[SSC CHSL – 2022]
(A) Hyderabad
(B) Rampur
(C) Awadh
(D) Jaunpur
Answer: (C) Awadh
Explanation: Wajid Ali Shah ruled Awadh from Lucknow and patronised Kathak, thumri and courtly performing arts. His nineteenth-century court helped refine Kathak’s expressive and rhythmic traditions, especially the Lucknow gharana, before Awadh’s annexation in 1856.
Q262. Approximately how tall is the Qutb Minar in Delhi?
[SSC CPO – 2022]
(A) 75 metres
(B) 77 metres
(C) 73 metres
(D) 71 metres
Answer: (C) 73 metres
Explanation: The Qutb Minar is approximately 72.5 metres tall, conventionally rounded to 73 metres in objective questions. Its construction began under Qutb-ud-din Aibak and continued under successors, making it a landmark of early Delhi Sultanate architecture.
Q261. Amritlal Vegad was a noted figure in which field?
[MPPSC Prelims – 2022]
(A) Sculpture
(B) Painting
(C) Singing
(D) Music
Answer: (B) Painting
Explanation: Amritlal Vegad was a painter, collage artist and writer associated with Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. He studied at Santiniketan under Nandalal Bose and became known for artistic depictions and travel writing inspired by the Narmada.
