Part I – Ancient Caves (Questions 1–20)
1. Which are the oldest rock-cut caves in India?
A. Ajanta Caves
B. Ellora Caves
C. Barabar Caves
D. Karla Caves
Answer: C. Barabar Caves
2. The Barabar Caves were built during the reign of:
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Ashoka
C. Samudragupta
D. Harsha
Answer: B. Ashoka
3. The Barabar Caves were dedicated to the:
A. Buddhists
B. Ajivikas
C. Jains
D. Shaivites
Answer: B. Ajivikas
4. Ajanta Caves are located in:
A. Madhya Pradesh
B. Maharashtra
C. Karnataka
D. Odisha
Answer: B. Maharashtra
5. Ajanta Caves are famous for their:
A. Bronze statues
B. Buddhist paintings
C. Hindu temples
D. Jain sculptures
Answer: B. Buddhist paintings
6. The paintings at Ajanta mainly depict:
A. Ramayana
B. Mahabharata
C. Jataka Tales
D. Arthashastra
Answer: C. Jataka Tales
7. Ellora Caves contain monuments of:
A. Buddhism only
B. Hinduism only
C. Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism
D. Jainism only
Answer: C. Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism
8. The Kailasa Temple at Ellora was built by the:
A. Guptas
B. Cholas
C. Rashtrakutas
D. Mauryas
Answer: C. Rashtrakutas
9. Karla Caves are famous for their:
A. Stupas
B. Chaitya Hall
C. Vimana
D. Gopuram
Answer: B. Chaitya Hall
10. Bhaja Caves belong mainly to:
A. Buddhism
B. Jainism
C. Shaivism
D. Vaishnavism
Answer: A. Buddhism
11. Elephanta Caves are located near:
A. Pune
B. Mumbai
C. Nashik
D. Aurangabad
Answer: B. Mumbai
12. Elephanta Caves are famous for the:
A. Buddha statue
B. Trimurti Shiva sculpture
C. Ashokan edicts
D. Lion Capital
Answer: B. Trimurti Shiva sculpture
13. Badami Caves are located in:
A. Karnataka
B. Kerala
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Andhra Pradesh
Answer: A. Karnataka
14. Udayagiri Caves are located in:
A. Odisha
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Bihar
D. Gujarat
Answer: B. Madhya Pradesh
15. Sittanavasal Caves are associated with:
A. Buddhism
B. Jainism
C. Shaivism
D. Vaishnavism
Answer: B. Jainism
16. Bagh Caves are located in:
A. Maharashtra
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Odisha
D. Karnataka
Answer: B. Madhya Pradesh
17. Amaravati is famous for its:
A. Rock-cut caves
B. Buddhist Stupa
C. Temple tower
D. Jain monastery
Answer: B. Buddhist Stupa
18. Which cave complex is older?
A. Ellora
B. Ajanta
C. Elephanta
D. Badami
Answer: B. Ajanta
19. Which caves are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
A. Ajanta and Ellora
B. Karla and Bhaja
C. Barabar and Badami
D. Elephanta and Amaravati
Answer: A. Ajanta and Ellora
20. Match correctly:
- Ajanta – Paintings
- Ellora – Kailasa Temple
- Elephanta – Trimurti Shiva
A. 1 only
B. 1 & 2 only
C. 2 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 & 3
Part II – Stupas, Pillars & Sculpture (Questions 21–35)
21. The Great Stupa at Sanchi was originally built by:
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Ashoka
C. Harsha
D. Samudragupta
Answer: B. Ashoka
22. Sanchi is located in:
A. Madhya Pradesh
B. Maharashtra
C. Bihar
D. Gujarat
Answer: A. Madhya Pradesh
23. Bharhut Stupa is located in:
A. Rajasthan
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Bihar
D. Uttar Pradesh
Answer: B. Madhya Pradesh
24. Amaravati Stupa is located in:
A. Andhra Pradesh
B. Karnataka
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Odisha
Answer: A. Andhra Pradesh
25. The Lion Capital of Ashoka is located at:
A. Bodh Gaya
B. Sarnath
C. Sanchi
D. Rajgir
Answer: B. Sarnath
26. The National Emblem of India is adopted from:
A. Sanchi Stupa
B. Lion Capital of Sarnath
C. Amaravati Stupa
D. Bharhut Stupa
Answer: B. Lion Capital of Sarnath
27. Which Buddhist monument is famous for carved Toranas (gateways)?
A. Bharhut
B. Sanchi
C. Amaravati
D. Nagarjunakonda
Answer: B. Sanchi
28. Which emperor erected the maximum number of stone pillars?
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Ashoka
C. Kanishka
D. Harsha
Answer: B. Ashoka
29. The Ashokan inscriptions were mainly written in:
A. Brahmi script
B. Devanagari
C. Persian
D. Arabic
Answer: A. Brahmi script
30. Which script was deciphered by James Prinsep?
A. Kharosthi only
B. Brahmi
C. Grantha
D. Sharada
Answer: B. Brahmi
31. Gandhara School of Art was influenced by:
A. Roman-Greek Art
B. Chinese Art
C. Persian Art only
D. Dravidian Art
Answer: A. Roman-Greek Art
32. Gandhara School mainly used:
A. Grey schist stone
B. White marble
C. Granite
D. Sandstone
Answer: A. Grey schist stone
33. Mathura School of Art mainly used:
A. Black stone
B. Red sandstone
C. Granite
D. Marble
Answer: B. Red sandstone
34. The first human images of Buddha appeared in:
A. Gandhara and Mathura Schools
B. Amaravati School only
C. Gupta School only
D. Pallava School
Answer: A. Gandhara and Mathura Schools
35. Match correctly:
- Gandhara – Greek influence
- Mathura – Red sandstone
- Sarnath – Lion Capital
A. 1 only
B. 1 & 2 only
C. 2 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 & 3
Part III – Temple Architecture (Questions 36–60)
36. Nagara style developed mainly in:
A. North India
B. South India
C. Sri Lanka
D. Nepal
Answer: A. North India
37. The main feature of the Nagara style is:
A. Curvilinear Shikhara
B. Pyramid-shaped Vimana
C. Dome
D. Flat roof
Answer: A. Curvilinear Shikhara
38. Dravida style is associated with:
A. North India
B. South India
C. Kashmir
D. Gujarat
Answer: B. South India
39. The main feature of Dravida temples is the:
A. Curved Shikhara
B. Pyramid-shaped Vimana
C. Dome
D. Circular roof
Answer: B. Pyramid-shaped Vimana
40. Vesara style is a combination of:
A. Buddhist and Jain
B. Nagara and Dravida
C. Greek and Indian
D. Persian and Indian
Answer: B. Nagara and Dravida
41. Vesara style developed mainly under the:
A. Chalukyas
B. Mauryas
C. Guptas
D. Kushanas
Answer: A. Chalukyas
42. Brihadeshwara Temple was built by:
A. Rajaraja I
B. Ashoka
C. Pulakeshin II
D. Chandragupta II
Answer: A. Rajaraja I
43. Brihadeshwara Temple is located at:
A. Madurai
B. Thanjavur
C. Kanchipuram
D. Mysuru
Answer: B. Thanjavur
44. Konark Sun Temple is located in:
A. Odisha
B. Gujarat
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Karnataka
Answer: A. Odisha
45. Konark Sun Temple was built by:
A. Narasimhadeva I
B. Rajaraja I
C. Krishnadevaraya
D. Pulakeshin II
Answer: A. Narasimhadeva I
46. Khajuraho Temples were built by the:
A. Cholas
B. Chandelas
C. Rashtrakutas
D. Pallavas
Answer: B. Chandelas
47. Shore Temple is located at:
A. Mahabalipuram
B. Madurai
C. Thanjavur
D. Hampi
Answer: A. Mahabalipuram
48. Shore Temple was built by the:
A. Pallavas
B. Cholas
C. Pandyas
D. Guptas
Answer: A. Pallavas
49. Dilwara Temples are associated with:
A. Buddhism
B. Jainism
C. Shaivism
D. Vaishnavism
Answer: B. Jainism
50. Dilwara Temples are located at:
A. Mount Abu
B. Udaipur
C. Jaipur
D. Jodhpur
Answer: A. Mount Abu
51. Lingaraja Temple is located at:
A. Bhubaneswar
B. Puri
C. Konark
D. Cuttack
Answer: A. Bhubaneswar
52. Jagannath Temple is located at:
A. Konark
B. Puri
C. Bhubaneswar
D. Cuttack
Answer: B. Puri
53. Match correctly:
- Brihadeshwara – Chola
- Shore Temple – Pallava
- Khajuraho – Chandela
A. 1 only
B. 1 & 2 only
C. 2 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 & 3
54. Which pair is NOT correctly matched?
A. Konark – Odisha
B. Khajuraho – Madhya Pradesh
C. Brihadeshwara – Karnataka
D. Shore Temple – Tamil Nadu
Answer: C. Brihadeshwara – Karnataka
55. Consider the following statements:
- Ajanta is famous for paintings.
- Ellora contains Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves.
- Elephanta is famous for the Trimurti sculpture.
A. 1 only
B. 1 & 2 only
C. 2 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 & 3
56. Which temple represents the Dravida style?
A. Lingaraja Temple
B. Brihadeshwara Temple
C. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple
D. Konark Sun Temple
Answer: B. Brihadeshwara Temple
57. Which temple represents the Nagara style?
A. Brihadeshwara Temple
B. Konark Sun Temple
C. Shore Temple
D. Meenakshi Temple
Answer: B. Konark Sun Temple
58. Which dynasty is associated with Mahabalipuram monuments?
A. Pallava
B. Chola
C. Pandya
D. Chalukya
Answer: A. Pallava
59. Which monument is called the “Black Pagoda”?
A. Brihadeshwara Temple
B. Konark Sun Temple
C. Jagannath Temple
D. Shore Temple
Answer: B. Konark Sun Temple
60. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Nagara style is found mainly in North India.
- Dravida style is found mainly in South India.
- Vesara style combines Nagara and Dravida elements.
A. 1 only
B. 1 & 2 only
C. 2 & 3 only
D. 1, 2 & 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 & 3