Arts and Culture
Previous Years Questions Compilation
UPSC CSE PRELIMS 2020
Q 1. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism
2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of the Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism
3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered Mahayana Buddhism
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q 2. With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Parivrajaka — Renunciant and Wanderer
2. Shramana — Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka — Lay follower of Buddhism
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q 3. With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct
description of the term ‘paramitas’?
(a) The earliest Dharmashastra texts written in aphoristic (sutra) style
(b) Philosophical schools that did not accept the authority of Vedas
(c) Perfections whose attainment led to the Bodhisattva path
(d) Powerful merchant guilds of early medieval South India
Q 4. Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?
”Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect,
with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely.”
(a) Ashoka
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Harshavardhana
(d) Krishnadeva Raya
Answers:
1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a)
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UPSC CSE PRELIMS 2019
Q 1. ln which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is ‘Ranyo Ashoka’ (King Ashoka) mentioned
along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?
(a) Kanganahalli
(b) Sanchi
(c) Shahbazgarhi
(d) Sohgaura
Q 2. Consider the following:
1. Deification of the Buddha
2. Treading the path of Bodhisattvas
3. Image worship and rituals
Which of the above is/are the feature/ features of Mahayana Buddhism?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q 3. Building ‘Kalyana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom
of
(a) Chalukya
(b) Chandela
(c) Rashtrakuta
(d) Vijayanagara
Answers:
1. (a) 2. (d) 3. (d)
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UPSC CSE PRELIMS 2018
Q 1. With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following
pairs:
Institution Founder
Sanskrit college at Benaras William Jones
Calcutta Madarsa Warren Hastings
Fort William college Arthur Wellesley
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
Q 2. Consider the following pairs:
Crafts Heritage of
1. Puthukkuli shawls Tamil Nadu
2. Sujni embroidery Maharashtra
3. Uppada Jamdani saris Karnataka
Which of the pairs given above is /are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 and 3
Q 3. With reference to the cultural history of India consider the following statements
Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna
1. Tyagaraja created several new rages
2. Annamacharya nad Tyagaraja are contemporaries
3. Annamacharya kirtanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 2, 3 and 4
Q 4. With reference to the religious practices in India, the “Sthanakvasi” sect belongs to
(a) Buddhism
(b) Jainism
(c) Vaishnavism
(d) Shaivism
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Q 5. With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements
1. White marble was used in making Buland Darwaza and Khankah at Fatehpur Sikri
2. Red sandstone and marble were used in making Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza at
Lucknow
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q 6. With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to
save the world?
(a) Avalokiteshvara
(b) Lokesvara
(c) Maitreya
(d) Padmapani
Q 7. Consider the following pairs:
Tradition State
Chapchar Kut festival Mizoram
Khongjom Parba ballad Manipur
Thang-Ta dance Sikkim
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 and 3
Answers:
1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (c) 7. (b)
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UPSC CSE PRELIMS 2017
Q 1. With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley
people, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus
Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.
2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper
and iron.
3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley
people having been aware of this animal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q 2. With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:
1. It is a song and dance performance
2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance
3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1 only
Q 3. The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings
at
(a) Ajanta
(b) Badami
(c) Bagh
(d) Ellora
Q 4. Consider the following pairs:
Traditions Communities
Chaliha Sahib Festival Sindhis
Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra Gonds
Wari-Warkari Santhals
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) None of the above
Q 5. Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples?
1. Arasavalli
2. Amarkantak
3. Omkareshwar
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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Answers:
1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (a) 5. (a)
UPSC CSE PRELIMS 2016
Q 1. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :
1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism
2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment
3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q 2. What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram?
1. Both were built in the same period.
2. Both belong to the same religious denomination.
3. Both have rock-cut monuments.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) None of the statements given above is correct
Q 3. With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories
and Epictales was the profession of who of the following?
(a) Shramana
(b) Parivraajaka
(c) Agrahaarika
(d) Magadha
Answers:
1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (d)
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