Question

With reference to the cultural history of India consider the following pairs:

1. Sun Temple- Konark

2. Dashavtara Vishnu Temple- Deogarh

3. Vishwanatha Temple-Madurai

4. Meenakshi Temple- Mahabalipuram

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 2 and 4 only
3. 2, 3 and 4 only
4. 3 and 4 only

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : 1 and 2 only

The correct answer is 1 and 2 only.

• Konark Temple:
  • Believed to have been built in the 13^th century CE the temple was built by King Narasimhadeva I hailing from the Eastern Ganga dynasty between 1238-1250 CE.
  • The temple was called Black Pagoda attributing to its dark facade by the Europeans who used it for navigation for their ships.
  • Konark Sun Temple is situated in Konark, a town in the district of Puri in Odisha. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched.
  • It is approximately 60 km from the capital Bhubaneswar and 35 km from Puri.
• Dashavtara Vishnu:
  • ​The Dashavatara Temple is an early 6^th century Vishnu Hindu temple located at Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh which is 125 kilometers from Jhansi, in the Betwa River valley in northern-central India. Hence, pair 2 is correctly matched.
  • Built-in the Gupta Period, the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh shows the ornate Gupta style architecture.
  • The temple at Deogarh is dedicated to Vishnu but includes in its small footprint images of various gods and goddesses such as Shiva, Parvati, Kartikeya, Brahma, Indra, River goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, as well as a panel showing the five Pandavas of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

• Meenakshi Temple
  • Meenakshi Amman Temple, also known as Minakshi-Sundareshwara Temple, is one of the oldest and most important temples in India.
  • Located in the city of Madurai, the temple has a great mythological and historical significance. Hence, pair 3 is NOT correctly matched.
  • It is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sundareswarar (the handsome one) and married Parvati (Meenakshi) at the site where the temple is currently located.
  • The history of Meenakshi Temple dates back to the 1^st-century C.E with scholars claiming it to be as old as the city itself.
  • It is said that Kulashekarar Pandyan, a king who ruled over the Pandyan dynasty, built the temple as per the instructions given in his dream by Lord Shiva.
• Vishwanatha temple
  • ​The Vishvanatha Temple is a Hindu temple in Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • It is located among the western group of Khajuraho Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hence, pair 4 is NOT correctly matched.
  • The temple is dedicated to Shiva, who is also known as "Vishvanatha", meaning "Lord of the Universe".
  • The temple is believed to have been commissioned by the Chandela king Dhanga and was probably completed in 999 CE or 1002 CE.