UPSC Prelims 2018 Q72: Art & Culture – Architecture & World Heritage
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Mughal and Awadhi Architecture - Materials
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White marble used in Buland Darwaza and Khanqah at Fatehpur Sikri | FALSE | Buland Darwaza (built 1601 by Akbar to commemorate Gujarat conquest) is built entirely of red sandstone with white and black marble inlays - NOT white marble. Fatehpur Sikri complex predominantly uses red sandstone. |
| 2 | Red sandstone and marble used in Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza at Lucknow | FALSE | Bara Imambara (1784, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula) and Rumi Darwaza (1784) are built primarily of brick and lime plaster (stucco) - NOT red sandstone or marble. The Nawabi architecture of Awadh used lakhori bricks and lime plaster as its signature materials due to local availability. |
Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Buland Darwaza is red sandstone with marble inlay, not white marble.
- (b) Incorrect. Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza are brick-and-lime plaster construction, not red sandstone/marble.
- (c) Incorrect. Both statements misidentify the primary materials used.
- (d) CORRECT. Neither statement correctly identifies materials - Fatehpur Sikri is red sandstone (not white marble); Lucknow Nawabi is brick + lime plaster (not sandstone/marble).
Key point
Material mapping: Fatehpur Sikri = red sandstone (Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal). Taj Mahal = white marble (Makrana). Lucknow Nawabi (Bara Imambara, Rumi Darwaza) = brick + lime plaster (stucco). Delhi Sultanate = red sandstone + local grey stone.
Remember
Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri is built of red sandstone (with white and black marble inlays), not white marble. The Nawabi structures at Lucknow - Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza (both 1784) - are constructed of brick and lime plaster (stucco), not red sandstone and marble. The Awadhi tradition relied on local materials rather than imported stone.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Mughal Fatehpur Sikri architecture (red sandstone) with Shah Jahan's later Taj (white marble).
- Assuming Nawabi Awadh followed Mughal materials - Lucknow built with local bricks and stucco, not imported marble/sandstone.
- Missing that Bara Imambara's central hall (spans 50m without pillars) is a marvel of brick vault construction, not stone.
Exam tip
Material signatures: Akbar Fatehpur Sikri = red sandstone. Shah Jahan Taj/Diwan-i-Khas = white marble. Awadhi Nawabi = brick + stucco lime. Rajput Mewar = sandstone. Islamic Sultanate = local red/grey stone.
Sources
- NCERT Class 11 - An Introduction to Indian Art (Chapter on Mughal Architecture)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Fatehpur Sikri (World Heritage List, 1986)