Q40. Which of the following artists is famous for playing the flute?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2004]
(A) Debu Chaudhuri
(B) Madhup Mudgal
(C) Ronu Majumdar
(D) Shafaat Ahmad
Answer: (C) Ronu Majumdar
Explanation: Ronu Majumdar is a leading exponent of the Indian bansuri or bamboo flute. Debu Chaudhuri was a sitarist, Madhup Mudgal a Hindustani vocalist, and Shafaat Ahmad Khan a tabla musician.
Q39. What is the principal storyline of Shudraka’s Sanskrit drama Mrichchhakatika?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2003]
(A) A merchant’s romance with a courtesan
(B) A Gupta emperor defeating western Kshatrapas
(C) Samudragupta’s eastern campaigns
(D) A Gupta ruler’s marriage in Kamarupa
Answer: (A) A merchant’s romance with a courtesan
Explanation: Mrichchhakatika, or The Little Clay Cart, centres on the romance involving Charudatta and Vasantasena. The play is admired for its portrayal of urban society, lively characters and the mixture of romance with social and political tensions.
Q38. Consider the claims:
1. Ibrahim Adil Shah II composed Kitab-i-Nauras;
2. Amir Khusrau is traditionally associated with formative Indian qawwali.
Which are correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2003]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) Both 1 and 2
(D) Neither
Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Explanation: Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur wrote Kitab-i-Nauras, reflecting his patronage of music and plural devotional culture. Amir Khusrau is traditionally connected with the development of South Asian Sufi musical forms including qawwali.
Q37. Which statement about the Gommateshwara monument at Shravanabelagola is correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2002]
(A) It depicts Bahubali, a revered Jain figure
(B) It depicts the final Tirthankara Mahavira
(C) It is dedicated to the Buddha
(D) It is a Gupta imperial portrait
Answer: (A) It depicts Bahubali, a revered Jain figure
Explanation: The enormous monolithic statue at Shravanabelagola represents Bahubali, also called Gommateshwara. He is revered in Jain tradition but is not the twenty-fourth Tirthankara, who is Mahavira. The sculpture embodies renunciation and self-control.
Q36. Which mapping is correct: Hiren Bhattacharya, Malini Rajurkar, Pratibha Prahlad, Vempati Chinna Satyam?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2002]
(A) Puppetry; Hindustani vocal; Bharatanatyam; Kuchipudi
(B) Kuchipudi; Bharatanatyam; Hindustani vocal; Puppetry
(C) Puppetry; Bharatanatyam; Hindustani vocal; Kuchipudi
(D) Kuchipudi; Hindustani vocal; Bharatanatyam; Puppetry
Answer: (A) Puppetry; Hindustani vocal; Bharatanatyam; Kuchipudi
Explanation: The match brings together puppetry, Hindustani singing, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. Malini Rajurkar was a distinguished khayal vocalist, Pratibha Prahlad is associated with Bharatanatyam and Vempati Chinna Satyam was a major Kuchipudi guru.
Q35. What is the subject of Vishakhadatta’s Sanskrit political drama Mudrarakshasa?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2002]
(A) A war between gods and demons
(B) A romance between a prince and a tribal woman
(C) Conflict between Vedic tribes
(D) Court intrigue around Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: (D) Court intrigue around Chandragupta Maurya
Explanation: Mudrarakshasa dramatises political manoeuvring around the establishment of Chandragupta Maurya’s rule, especially Chanakya’s efforts to win over Rakshasa. It is valued as an early Sanskrit example of statecraft and intrigue in drama.
Q34. The Lingaraja Temple is a landmark temple in which city?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2001]
(A) Bhubaneswar
(B) Ujjain
(C) Varanasi
(D) Puri
Answer: (A) Bhubaneswar
Explanation: Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar is a major monument of Kalinga-style temple architecture. Dedicated to Shiva as Harihara, it demonstrates the characteristic tower and assembly-hall arrangement of Odisha’s medieval temples.
Q33. The Hoysala dynasty’s famous temples are found at which two Karnataka towns?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2001]
(A) Badami and Aihole
(B) Belur and Halebidu
(C) Hampi and Pattadakal
(D) Mysuru and Srirangapatna
Answer: (B) Belur and Halebidu
Explanation: The Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu are noted for star-shaped platforms and exceptionally intricate soapstone carving. Dedicated to Hindu deities, they represent the characteristic sculptural and architectural language of the Hoysala period.
Q32. Which correctly matches four dancers with their forms:
–Kalamandalam Kshemavaty,
–Kottakkal Sivaraman,
–Lakshmi Viswanathan
–N. Madhabi Devi?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2001]
(A) Kathakali; Mohiniyattam; Manipuri; Bharatanatyam
(B) Mohiniyattam; Kathakali; Bharatanatyam; Manipuri
(C) Kathakali; Mohiniyattam; Bharatanatyam; Manipuri
(D) Mohiniyattam; Kathakali; Manipuri; Bharatanatyam
Answer: (B) Mohiniyattam; Kathakali; Bharatanatyam; Manipuri
Explanation: Kalamandalam Kshemavaty practised Mohiniyattam, Kottakkal Sivaraman performed Kathakali, Lakshmi Viswanathan excelled in Bharatanatyam and N. Madhabi Devi was associated with Manipuri. Their careers represent four different regional classical systems.
Q31. Which historical period and visual-art tradition are correctly paired?
[UPSC CSE Prelims – 2001]
(A) Harappan civilisation—Painted Grey Ware
(B) Kushan period—Gandhara School of Art
(C) Mughals—Ajanta cave murals
(D) Marathas—Pahari miniature painting
Answer: (B) Kushan period—Gandhara School of Art
Explanation: Gandhara sculpture developed in the northwestern subcontinent, particularly under Kushan patronage, and assimilated Hellenistic artistic elements. Painted Grey Ware is much later than the Mature Harappan age, while Ajanta and Pahari paintings belong to different contexts.
