Previous Year Question
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?
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Pair 1 is incorrect: Besnagar, near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, is principally known for the Heliodorus Pillar or Garuda Pillar. It was dedicated to Vasudeva by the Greek ambassador Heliodorus. The monument is therefore associated with the Bhagavata-Vaishnava tradition, not with a famous Shaivite cave shrine.
Pair 2 is correct: Bhaja, located near Pune in Maharashtra, contains approximately 22 early Buddhist rock-cut caves. The complex includes a chaitya-griha, viharas, stupas and water cisterns. Its principal chaitya hall is an important example of early Buddhist rock-cut architecture.
Pair 3 is correct: Sittanavasal in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu is an important Jain site. It includes a rock shelter with Jain ascetic beds and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions and a 7th–9th century rock-cut Jain cave temple. It is also renowned for its rare mural paintings.