UPSC Prelims 2026 · GS Paper I

Question 6: History and Culture

The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents :

aA joyous folk dance

bBuddha in a meditative pose

cThe depiction of Shiva and Parvati on Kailasha

dSamudramanthan (Churning of the Ocean)

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

The Hallisaka (Hallisalasya) painting at the Bagh Caves in Madhya Pradesh shows men and women dancing in a circle, hand in hand: a joyous folk dance. Bagh's wall paintings, from roughly the fifth to sixth century, are in the Ajanta tradition and mix secular and Buddhist themes. Hallisaka is a circular dance form, so do not confuse it with Buddha, Shiva or mythic scenes.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Right: the Hallisaka is a circular folk dance of men and women.
(b) Wrong: the Buddha in meditation is a different, devotional theme.
(c) Wrong: Bagh is not known for a Shiva-Parvati Kailasha scene.
(d) Wrong: Samudramanthan is not the subject of this painting.

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.