CAPF AC 2025 Q52: Art & Culture – Architecture & World Heritage
With reference to the ancient architectural development in the hills of North Indian States, consider the following statements :
1. The temple 'Garbhagriha' and 'Shikhara' were made in a Rekhaprasada or Latina style.
2. The Pandrethan Temple in Kashmir is built on a plinth in the middle of a tank.
3. The Jageshwar Temple is located in Garhwal region.
4. The Lakshana Devi Mandir shows the influence of the post-Gupta tradition.
How many statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1
- (b) 2
- (c) 3
- (d) 4
Answer: (c) 3
Explanation
Temples of the northern hills
How to think: check each statement against what is known about the hill temples of Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand.
| Statement | Fact | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Garbhagriha and Shikhara in the Rekha-prasada (Latina) style | Hill temples follow the Nagara Latina pattern with a curvilinear shikhara | Correct |
| 2. Pandrethan temple stands on a plinth in the middle of a tank | The 8th-9th century Shiva temple near Srinagar stands on a high platform inside a tank | Correct |
| 3. Jageshwar temple is in the Garhwal region | The Jageshwar group lies in the Kumaon region (Almora district), not Garhwal | Wrong |
| 4. Lakshana Devi Mandir shows post-Gupta influence | The wooden temple at Bharmour (Himachal) is dated to the 7th century and shows post-Gupta style | Correct |
Three statements (1, 2 and 4) are correct.
Bank key corrected: the stored key was (b); the right answer is (c).
Answer: (c) 3.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Three statements are correct, not one.
- (b) Incorrect. Three statements are correct, not two.
- (c) CORRECT. Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct, and statement 3 is wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 3 is wrong, because Jageshwar is in Kumaon.
Key point
Hill temples: Pandrethan (Kashmir, in a tank); Jageshwar (Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Katyuri period); Lakshana Devi (Bharmour, Himachal, c. 7th century, wooden, post-Gupta); Latina or Rekha-prasada shikhara.
Remember
Jageshwar = Kumaon; Pandrethan = tank; Lakshana Devi = Bharmour.
Common mistakes
- Placing Jageshwar in Garhwal; it lies in the Kumaon hills of Almora.
- Treating the Pandrethan platform as an ordinary temple base.
- Missing the number of correct statements: the question asks how many, not which.
Exam tip
Educated guess: statements 1, 2 and 4 describe style and architecture that match the textbook, and statement 3 is a place detail that is easy to get wrong. That gives three correct.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, chapter on Temple Architecture and Sculpture (temples of the northern hills)
- Archaeological Survey of India, Jageshwar group of temples, Almora (Uttarakhand) and Lakshana Devi temple, Bharmour (Himachal Pradesh)