Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Consider the following pairs: **Site** **Well known for** 1. Besnagar: Shaivite cave shrine 2. Bhaja: Buddhist cave shrine 3. Sittanavasal: Jain cave shrine How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Concept
India's rock-cut architecture often reflects the diverse religious landscape of ancient times, including Vaishnavism, Buddhism, and Jainism across different geographical regions.Explanation
According to standard historical records, the Besnagar (Vidisha) site features the Heliodorus Pillar dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Vaishnavism), not Shiva. Bhaja Caves in Maharashtra are a prominent 2nd-century BC Hinayana Buddhist complex. Sittanavasal in Tamil Nadu is an ancient Jain center featuring rock-cut dwellings used by monks for penance.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Pair 1 is incorrect because Besnagar is famous for the Heliodorus Pillar, a Vaishnavite monument. Pair 2 is correct as Bhaja consists of 22 rock-cut caves belonging to the Hinayana Buddhist sect. Pair 3 is correct as Sittanavasal serves as a notable Jain cave shrine.
Logic 2: Since pairs 2 and 3 are correct and pair 1 is incorrect, only two pairs are correctly matched.