UPSC Prelims 2023 · GS Paper I
Question 82: History and Culture
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?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
Bhaja (near Lonavala in Maharashtra) is a Buddhist cave shrine, and Sittanavasal (Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu) is a Jain cave shrine famed for its paintings. Besnagar, near Vidisha, is known for the Heliodorus pillar, a Garuda pillar set up for Vasudeva (Vaishnavite), not for a Shaivite cave shrine. So pairs 2 and 3 are correct.
- 1. Besnagar is known for the Heliodorus Garuda pillar, not a Shaivite cave.
- 2. Bhaja is a Buddhist cave shrine.
- 3. Sittanavasal is a Jain cave shrine.
How you could have got this
No shortcut here: in a “how many” question, ruling out options doesn’t help. Every statement has to be judged.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Only one undercounts; pairs 2 and 3 are both right.
- (b) Correct: pairs 2 and 3 match.
- (c) Pair 1 is wrong, so not all three.
- (d) Pairs 2 and 3 are right, so not none.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2023, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.