Q80. Nagmori ornament is worn on which part of the body?
[CGPSC Prelims – 2014]
(A) Wrist
(B) Neck
(C) Finger
(D) Nose
(E) Arms
Answer: (E) Arms
Explanation: Nagmori is a traditional upper-arm ornament worn in Chhattisgarh, often above the elbow. It differs from neck adornments such as Sutiya and waist jewellery such as Kardhani, forming part of regional dress and ornamentation.
Q79. The term Panchayatan in Indian art and architecture refers to what?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) A form of Buddhist worship
(B) A court music style
(C) A temple-building layout
(D) A tradition of palm-leaf painting
Answer: (C) A temple-building layout
Explanation: A Panchayatan temple typically has a main shrine accompanied by four subsidiary shrines at the corners of the platform. The arrangement is a recognisable planning convention in classical north Indian sacred architecture.
Q78. Which sculptural sites are correctly identified:
–Ajanta—Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana;
–Mount Abu—giant Varaha;
–Mamallapuram—Descent of Ganga?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) All three
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: The Mahaparinirvana image at Ajanta and the celebrated rock relief at Mamallapuram are correctly matched. The giant Varaha representation is associated with places such as Udayagiri, not the Mount Abu pairing suggested.
Q77. Which Buddhist monasteries are correctly matched with their location:
–Tabo–Spiti;
–Lhotsava Lhakhang–Zanskar;
–Alchi–Ladakh?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) All three
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Tabo Monastery is in the Spiti Valley, while Alchi is in Ladakh. Lhotsava Lhakhang belongs to Nako in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, making the suggested Zanskar pairing incorrect.
Q76. What was the Ibadat Khana established at Fatehpur Sikri?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) Akbar’s private library
(B) A gallery of illustrated manuscripts
(C) A gathering place for scholars of diverse religious traditions
(D) A council of imperial soldiers
Answer: (C) A gathering place for scholars of diverse religious traditions
Explanation: Akbar established the Ibadat Khana, or House of Worship, for discussions with religious scholars and thinkers. Debates across Islamic and other traditions formed part of his court’s efforts to explore ideas of faith and tolerance.
Q75. Which statements about Sattriya are correct?
1. It unites music, dance and drama;
2. It is a living Assamese Vaishnavite tradition;
3. It chiefly uses compositions of Kabir, Tulsidas and Mirabai.
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) All three
Answer: (B) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Sattriya developed in Assam’s Vaishnavite satras, integrating expressive dance, singing and dramatic presentation. Its core repertory follows Assamese devotional traditions linked with Srimanta Sankardeva and Madhavdeva, rather than depending principally on the named north Indian poets.
Q74. Which dance forms are correctly associated with their states:
–Garba–Gujarat;
–Mohiniyattam–Odisha;
–Yakshagana–Karnataka?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) Garba only
(B) Mohiniyattam and Yakshagana
(C) Garba and Yakshagana
(D) All three
Answer: (C) Garba and Yakshagana
Explanation: Garba is a celebratory Gujarati folk dance and Yakshagana is Karnataka’s distinctive dance-drama tradition. Mohiniyattam, however, belongs to Kerala, not Odisha; Odissi is the classical dance tradition principally associated with Odisha.
Q73. The Manganiyars community is renowned for which cultural contribution?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) Martial art traditions in northeast India
(B) Hereditary music traditions in northwestern India
(C) Classical vocal compositions of Tamil Nadu
(D) Pietra dura marble inlay in central India
Answer: (B) Hereditary music traditions in northwestern India
Explanation: Manganiyars are hereditary folk musicians of western Rajasthan and adjoining regions. Their singing, often accompanied by instruments such as the kamaicha, preserves narrative, devotional and community musical traditions shared across local social groups.
Q72. Match the artistes Bhajan Sopori, Birju Maharaj, Priyadarshini Govind and T. V. Gopala Krishnan with their respective fields.
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) Santoor; Bharatanatyam; Kathak; Mridangam
(B) Mridangam; Bharatanatyam; Kathak; Santoor
(C) Santoor; Kathak; Bharatanatyam; Mridangam
(D) Mridangam; Kathak; Bharatanatyam; Santoor
Answer: (C) Santoor; Kathak; Bharatanatyam; Mridangam
Explanation: Bhajan Sopori was known for the santoor, Birju Maharaj for Kathak, Priyadarshini Govind for Bharatanatyam, and T. V. Gopala Krishnan for Carnatic percussion including mridangam. These pairings span both classical dance and instrumental traditions.
Q71. Which of Gujarati, Kannada and Telugu had official classical-language recognition by 2014?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2014]
(A) Gujarati and Kannada only
(B) Telugu only
(C) Kannada and Telugu only
(D) All three
Answer: (C) Kannada and Telugu only
Explanation: Kannada and Telugu were declared classical languages in 2008. Gujarati had no such status in 2014, so only the second and third languages were correct when this examination was conducted.
