Question
Q12. Consider the following pairs:
Site Well known for
1. Besnagar : Shaivite cave shrine
2. Bhaja : Buddhist cave shrine
3. Sittanavasal : Jain cave shrine
How nany of the albove pairs are correctly matched?
- Only one
- only two
- All three
- None
Answer: 2
Detailed Explanation
- Bhaja Caves are a group of 22 rock-cut caves located near Pune, Maharashtra. These are named after Bhaja village, which lies near these caves.
- These caves belong to the Theravada Buddhism and share similarities with Ajanta and Karle caves.
- Dating back to the 2nd Century BCE, these caves are known as some of the earliest rock-cut Buddhist monasteries of Deccan India.
Sittanavasal Cave in Tamil Nadu, India.
The cave is also known as Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihats – Jains who conquered their senses).
- The paintings depict Jain themes and ideologies, such as Jain Samavasarana, which is the attainment of nirvana
- The paintings feature a lotus pond, people collecting lotuses, dancing figures, fish, geese, buffaloes, and elephants
- The ceiling paintings depict “bhavyas,” or exalted souls, in a lotus-filled pool
- The paintings were made using the fresco-secco technique with mineral colors like lime, lamp black, and clay pigments
- The paintings have well-defined outlines that contrast against a light red background
