UPSC Mains 2015 · GS I · Q2 · 12.5 marks · 200 words

Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment.

हिन्दी में

'भारत की मध्यपाषाण शिला-कला न केवल उस काल के सांस्कृतिक जीवन को, बल्कि आधुनिक चित्र-कला से तुलनीय परिष्कृत सौंदर्य-बोध को भी, प्रतिबिंबित करती है।' इस टिप्पणी का समालोचनात्मक मूल्यांकन कीजिये।

Art and CultureAncient India

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “'Cave paintings are the window into the aesthetic sensitivity and creativeness of ancient humans.' Discuss the statement with reference to ancient Indian cave paintings.”

Shakti DubeyAIR 1 · CSE 2024 · 128 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Paintings are very crucial source of history, which depicts the way of life, culture, language etc of any given period. Hence are used extensively by historians to study the past.

Body · points and prose

Significance of cave paintings

Paintings have been used since the prehistoric times in form of cave paintings:-

(1) Stone age: - Paintings at sohagighat (UP) & lakhudiyar (Uttrakhand) caves depicts stick line animal & human figures depicting scenes of hunting & social gathering

(2) Indus Valley Civilisation - The paintings were made on walls for aesthetic purpose

Ancient India - This era is home to origin of several caves & its paintings

Diagram
- Ajanta caves - It has paintings of Bodhisathvas as well as kings & their palaces - Bagh caves - In MP, has paintings of lord Vishnu & his boar incarnation - Ellora Caves - Cave 16 known as kailsha Temple has painting of Ravana shaking mount Kailash - Udaigiri Khandgiri caves - In orissa, by kharvela king - has the Jain Namokar mantra

thus the cave paintings had:- (1) Aesthetic significance i.e for decoration (2) Religious significance (3) Depicts way of life

Close · a summary

and has been prominent in every age.

1 more topper’s answer to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Q2. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.