2026 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2026 · GS Paper I

Question 4: History and Culture

Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara ?

  1. 1.Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami
  2. 2.Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole
  3. 3.Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh
  4. 4.Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal

Select the answer using the code given below :

a1 and 2
b2 and 3
c3 only
d3 and 4

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Nagara temples have a curvilinear, beehive-like shikhara. Huchimalligudi at Aihole and the Gupta-period Dashavatara temple at Deogarh have Nagara shikharas. Malegitti Shivalaya at Badami and Virupaksha at Pattadakal follow the Dravida style, with a stepped pyramidal vimana. The early Chalukya sites of Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal are worth remembering because they experimented with both Nagara and Dravida forms.

  • 1. Malegitti Shivalaya at Badami is a Dravida-style temple.
  • 2. Huchimalligudi at Aihole has a curvilinear Nagara shikhara.
  • 3. The Gupta-period Dashavatara temple at Deogarh had a Nagara shikhara.
  • 4. Virupaksha at Pattadakal is Dravida in style.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) goes: it includes 1.

    What you needed to know: Malegitti Shivalaya at Badami is a Dravida-style temple.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (c) and (d) go: each of them leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: Huchimalligudi at Aihole has a curvilinear Nagara shikhara.

Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statements 3 or 4.

This follows UPSC’s provisional key; the final key could change it.

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) Wrong: Malegitti Shivalaya has a Dravida shikhara, so 1 is out.
  • (b) Right: Huchimalligudi and Dashavatara both have Nagara shikharas.
  • (c) Incomplete: Dashavatara is Nagara, but so is Huchimalligudi.
  • (d) Wrong: Virupaksha is a Dravida temple, so 4 is out.

Only the provisional key (27 May 2026) was found; the final key replaces it when found.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.