UPSC Prelims 2000 Q40: Art & Culture – Music
- (a) I - E, II - A, III - B, IV - C
- (b) I - D, II - C, III - A, IV - E
- (c) I - C, II - A, III - E, IV - B
- (d) I - E, II - D, III - A, IV - C
Answer: (a) I - E, II - A, III - B, IV - C
Explanation
Musicians and their instruments or styles
| Artist | Medium |
|---|---|
| M. Balamuralikrishna | Carnatic vocal |
| Meeta Pandit | Hindustani vocal — Gwalior gharana |
| A. Kanyakumari | Violin (Carnatic) — Padma Shri 2021 |
| Nikhil Banerjee | Sitar — Maihar gharana |
M. Balamuralikrishna was a celebrated Carnatic vocalist.
Meeta Pandit, granddaughter of Krishnarao Shankar Pandit, sings Hindustani khayal of the Gwalior gharana.
Nikhil Banerjee, a pupil of Allauddin Khan, was a leading sitar player.
A. Kanyakumari is a Carnatic violinist, not a ghatam player; the best-known ghatam artist is Vikku Vinayakram.
So the true match is I-E, II-A, III-D, IV-C, and no code given is fully correct.
Option (a), I-E, II-A, III-B, IV-C, gets three of four right and is the circulated key; it is the nearest choice, but it wrongly makes Kanyakumari a ghatam artist.
Answer: (a) I - E, II - A, III - B, IV - C (nearest; Kanyakumari is really a violinist, so no code is fully correct).
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Nearest code and the circulated key: Balamuralikrishna, Meeta Pandit and Nikhil Banerjee are right, but Kanyakumari plays the violin, not the ghatam.
- (b) Incorrect. Balamuralikrishna was a vocalist and Meeta Pandit does not play the sitar.
- (c) Incorrect. Balamuralikrishna was not a sitarist and Nikhil Banerjee did not play the ghatam.
- (d) Incorrect. Meeta Pandit is a vocalist, not a violinist.
Key point
Kanyakumari = violin; Vikku Vinayakram = ghatam; Nikhil Banerjee = sitar.
Remember
Balamuralikrishna Carnatic vocal, Meeta Pandit Hindustani vocal, Kanyakumari violin, Nikhil Banerjee sitar.
Common mistakes
- Taking the circulated key as proof that Kanyakumari plays the ghatam.
- Confusing Meeta Pandit with an instrumentalist.
- Mixing up Nikhil Banerjee with tabla or sarod players of the same gharana.
Exam tip
Fix the three certain pairs; the option that keeps them is the answer even if the fourth is off.
Sources
- Ministry of Home Affairs — Padma Awards 2021 list (A. Kanyakumari, Art, Tamil Nadu), padmaawards.gov.in
- Banglapedia — Banerjee, Nikhil (sitarist of the Maihar gharana), en.banglapedia.org