UPSC CSE Exam 2019: Admit Card, Syllabus, Result

adi27588 · January 14, 2016, 4:22am

First INC president

Is it Womesh Chandra Banerjee or Bomesh Chandra Banerjee different books have different name ?

adi27588 · January 14, 2016, 7:08am

How do i study Ethics and Integrity ?

nilesh5210 · January 14, 2016, 9:47am

What is the best subject combination for an Arts stream candidate in IAS

rathoreharshita · January 14, 2016, 10:33am

Is it advisable to opt for management as an optional for a non MBA, B-Tech Grad?

redhu96 · January 14, 2016, 3:02pm

please provide opinion with reasons. should GS2 and POLITICAL SCIENCE OPTIONAL be prepared together or separately?

naaz1100 · January 14, 2016, 5:06pm

anyone with geography optional?

abhirup17 · January 15, 2016, 2:41pm

When will the forms be out? and at the time of filling the form for prelims do we have to fill the optional subject?

jason41571 · January 15, 2016, 4:19pm

Is there anyone with philosophy optional? I joined Mitra's IAS for philosophy on 11th Jan in Delhi Any one with a different Institute... I can share class notes and printed material.

dillama · January 16, 2016, 10:18am

Hai

adi27588 · January 17, 2016, 5:09pm

Let me know your
optionals guys? I am taking Political Science

sammyhello · January 17, 2016, 6:41pm

hello all, we r just 6 months away from prelims 2016, i feel setting up weekly targets or joining some test series togetehr will help substantial preparation to clear in 1st attempt. Dedicatd lot of aspirants will be a great deal. wht say?

btechbanker · January 17, 2016, 6:49pm

I work in bank, seriously want to prepare upsc 2016, need one or two person with same objective as me. Self study mode. So i get company and encouragement.

adi27588 · January 19, 2016, 6:52am

Have to ask government this question

is really our economy is Agricultural based you have taken approx 30 years to decide its Agricultural economy in 90's

careerms14 · January 19, 2016, 7:08am

Has anyone joined visionias prelims test series?

dhirendra4ever4 · January 19, 2016, 9:06am

Any body has an idea regarding the quality of gktoday General Studies Prelims Mock Test Series 2016 ?

http://www.gktoday.in/module/general-studies-prelims-mock-test-series-2016/

careerms14 · January 19, 2016, 10:45am

Swachh Bharat abhiyan comes under the initiative of which ministry of goi?

muksnigs · January 19, 2016, 12:58pm

Do we have to prepare solely for the prelims first and mains later or both should be studied together ?

omidichwalkar · January 19, 2016, 1:35pm

UPSC GK UPDATE : World Heritage Sites in India - Capsule 8

Dear Readers,

General Knowledge and Current Affairs are an important component of many competitive exams, such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL Exam, Bank PO & other PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the concepts/terms/events that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better in your exams, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on important phenomena, concepts and events. Spend just 15 minutes every day on pagalguy.com and score at least 10 more marks in your General Studies paper!

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In this article, we are discussing World Heritage Sites in India.

25.

a) The group of monuments at Mahabalipuram is situated on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram district.

b) Mahabalipuram means the City of Bali. It is also known as Mamallapuram after the 7th century Pallava king Narasimhavarman I also known as

c) This site has around 40 sanctuaries and the largest open air rock-relief in the world known as the Descent of the Ganges.

d) These are rock-cut monolithic monuments and are important in terms of the 'ratha architecture' in India. Few examples of this architecture from this group of monuments are: the Pancha Rathas of Dharmaraja Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Draupadi Ratha, Nakula Sahadeva Ratha, and also Ganesha Ratha.

e) Monuments of Mahabalipuram have several cave temples like Varaha Cave Temple, Krishna Cave Temple, Mahishasuramardini Mandapa, Panchapandava Cave Temple; structural temples including the Shore Temple and the Olakkannesvara Temple

f) Group of monuments at Mahabalipuram gained World Heritage Site distinction from UNESCO in 1984.

26. Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh

a) Khajuraho is the modern name of ancient city called

b) Most of the temples were built between 950-1050 AD. Presently, only 20 temples remain and these belong to three distinct groups and two religions-Hinduism and Jainism.

c) The temples in Khajuraho are famously known for their North Indian nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.

d) The primary feature of the style is the central tower whose highest point is directly over the temple's main deity. The temples are built on spire upon spire, like a mirage. The spires have horizontal bands of richly-carved figures of male and female forms, animals, trees and chariots.

e) The western group of temples at Khajuraho includes the Kandariya Mahadeo Temple, Chaunsat Yogini Temple, Chitragupta Ttemple, Lakshamana Temple, Matangeshwara Temple, and Varaha Temple. The largest (31 metres) and the most popular temple among these is Kandariya Mahadeva that was built in the reign of Ganda (1017-1029 AD). It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

f) Some famous temples the eastern group of temples at Khajuraho are the Parsvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, Ghantai Temple, Hanuman Temple, and Brahma Temple. The Parsvanath Temple is the largest of the Jain temples.

g) Famous Moroccan Traveller Ibn Battuta, who visited India during 1335-1342 AD, has mentioned Khajuraho in his memoirs.

h) The Khajuraho group of monuments was inscribed in the World Heritage Sites list by UNESCO in 1986.

27. The Great Living Chola temples, Tamil Nadu

a) The Great Living Chola temples were built by the Chola kings during 11th and 12th Century AD. The group includes renowned Shaiva temples like the Brihadeeswarar temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvarar Temple at Darasuram.

b) Brihadeeswarar Temple: It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built by the great Chola king Rajaraja I at Thanjavur in 1010 AD. It is also known as Periya Kovil, Rajarajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram.

c) The tower (vimanam) of this temple is very high (66 m) and the tallest in the world. The apex (kumbham) of the temple is carved out of single rock. It has elaborately carved gopurams and a huge courtyard, which has a huge statue of Nandi (bull). The temple has Chola frescoes portraying Lord Shiva in various forms.

d) Brihadeeswarar Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram: It is one of the largest temples in India, built in the Dravidian style of architecture by Rajendra Chola I in 1035 AD. It is located in Gangaikondacholapuram, in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district.

e) This temple was built on the same model of Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur. The temple tower is 55 m high. The temple has sculptures of exceptional quality like the dancing Ganesha, Ardhanarishwarar, Dakshinamurthi, Harihara, Adavallan (Nataraja), Gangadhara, Lingodhbhava, Vishnu, Subrahmanya, Vishnu-anugrahmurthi, Kalanthakamurthi, Durga, Brahma, Bairava, Kamantaka, etc.

f) Airavatesvara Temple: It is a Hindu temple of Dravidian architecture located in the town of Darasuram. This Shiva temple was built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century AD. The temple is known as Airavatesvara because in this temple Shiva is worshipped by Airavata, the while elephant of Indra.

g) The vimanam of this temple is 24 m high. The temple has a sanctum and axial mandapas. The pillars of the front mandapa 'Rajagambhira tirumandapam' are highly ornate. The sculpture of Bhikshatana from this temple is a great example of Chola art.

h) The Brihadeeswarar temple gained the World Heritage Site status from UNESCO in 1987. The temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple were added as extensions to the site in 2004.

28. Hill forts of Rajasthan

a) This site includes six grand forts in Rajasthan, namely Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort, and the Jaisalmer Fort.

b) These forts were built in the 5th & 17th-18th centuries and are based in the Aravalli Ranges. The architectural style of these forts is based on 'traditional Indian principles'. It also has high influence of Mughal & Maratha architectural styles.

c) Chittorgarh Fort was one of the largest forts in India and former capital of the Sisodia clan of Mewar. It was initially ruled by Guhilot and later from the 7th century by the Sisodias, the Suryavanshi clan of Chattari Rajputs.

d) The fort of Kumbhalgarh was originally known as Manchindgarh and was constructed almost around 2000 years ago. It was rebuilt again in the 15th century by Rana Kumbha.

e) There are no sure accounts as to who built the Ranthambore Fort, but it is believed that this fort was built by Rao Jat in 1046 AD. The structural remains comprise the fort wall with gateways from three sides, palace complex, including the famous Hamir Palace.

f) Gargon Fort is an example of hill and water fort. It is situated in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan.

g) The Amber Fort is located in Amer and was built by the 'Meenas', a tribe found in Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh. The fort was ruled by Raja Man Singh I (1550-1614).

h) Jaisalmer Fort is one of the largest fortifications in the world. It was built by Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal in 1156AD.

i) These forts were added to UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list in 2013.

To read the other articles in the series

Capsule 1 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-capsule-1-35244697

Capsule 2 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-capsule-2-35245590

Capsule 3 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-3-35266672

Capsule 4 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-4-35268871

Capsule 5 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-5-35341786

Capsule 6 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-capsule-6-35357595

Capsule 7 :

http://www.pagalguy.com/articles/upsc-gk-update-world-heritage-sites-in-india-capsule-7-35566343

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omidichwalkar · January 19, 2016, 1:49pm

UPSC GK UPDATE - World Heritage Sites in India - Capsule 9

Dear Readers,

General Knowledge and Current Affairs are an important component of many competitive exams, such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL Exam, Bank PO & other PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the concepts/terms/events that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better in your exams, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on important phenomena, concepts and events. Spend just 15 minutes every day on pagalguy.com and score at least 10 more marks in your General Studies paper!

To access all the content available on PaGaLGuY, login to

http://www.pagalguy.com/home

In this article, we are discussing World Heritage Sites in India.

29. Taj Mahal, Agra

a) Situated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is the epitome of Mughal architecture. It is a mausoleum in white marble built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan on the banks of Yamuna River for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

b) Taj Mahal literally means 'Crown of Palaces'. Its construction was completed in 1653 AD along with the mosque, the guest house and the main gateway on the south, the outer courtyard.

c) The marble dome is the most remarkable feature of the monument. It is almost 35 m high and was made prominent by the cylindrical "drum", which was also decorated with a lotus design. Four smaller domes have been placed on the main dome's corners replicating the onion shape of the main dome.

d) From the edges of base walls, tall decorative spires (guldastas) extend to visually underline the dome's height. The dome was topped by a gilded finial, which was topped by a moon, a typical Islamic motif.

e) Minarets, that are over 40 m high, stand in the four corners around the main structure. Each minaret was divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower.

f) The decorative elements in the exterior of Taj Mahal have been created by applying paint, stucco, stone inlays or carvings in calligraphic forms, abstract forms and vegetative motifs.

g) Its interior is an octagon, which was decorated with precious gemstones and an intricate screen (jali) cut from marble.

h) Taj Mahal was added to the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 1983.

30. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

a) Fatehpur Sikri is a city in Agra, which was previously known as Vijaypura Sikari by the Sikarwar Rajoput clan. Later, it was founded by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1569 AD and named as Fatehpur Sikri.

b) From 1571 to 1585, Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital of Mughal Empire. After Akbar's conquest of Gujarat in 1573, the prefix Fatehpur or 'city of victory' was added to its name.

c) The city is 3 km long and 1 km wide. It is surrounded by 6 km of wall on three sides. The wall can be accessed through nine gates namely, the Delhi Gate, the Lal Gate, the Agra Gate, the Birbal's Gate, the Chandanpal Gate, the Gwalior Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate and the Ajmere Gate.

d) The monuments in the city were built in locally-quarried red sandstone (known as Sikri sandstone) in a blend of Hindu, Persian & Indo-Muslim traditions.

e) Jama Masjid: It is the congregational mosque with an enormous entrance to the courtyard. It was built similar to Indian mosques, with iwans around a central courtyard.

f) Buland Darwaza: It is the big south wall of Jama Masjid and is 55 m high. To commemorate Akbar's Gujarat campaign Buland Darwaza was added as a victory arch after five years of construction of Jama Masjid.

g) Tomb of Salim Chishti: Within the courtyard (sahn) of Jama Masjid, a white marble tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chishti was placed.

h) Some other prominent monuments in Fatehpur Sikri are Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Ibadan Khana, Hujra-i-Anup Talao, Panch Mahal, Birbal's house etc.

i) Fatehpur Sikri was inscribed in the World Heritage Sites List by UNESCO in 1986.

31. Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh

a) Agra Fort is located on the banks of Yamuna River. It was a stronghold of Mughal emperors and the imperial city of several Mughal rulers.

b) Agra Fort was constructed by Mughal Emperor Akbar on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh held by Raja Badal Singh.

c) It is a semi-circular structure surrounded by a 21.4 m high wall. It has double ramparts with broad massive circular bastions at regular intervals.

d) Out of the monument's four gates, the Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate are notable. The "Khizri Gate" (water gate) opens to the river front.

e) Emperor Akbar's court historian Abul Fazal recorded a total of 5000 buildings in the Agra Fort region built in Bengali and Gujarati style.

f) The Bengali Mahal was built in a red sandstone. It is split into Akbar Mahal & Jahangiri Mahal.

g) Agra Fort was inscribed into UNESCO's World heritage site list in 1983.

32. Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

a) Jantar Mantar is a collection of 20 architectural instruments in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It was built by Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh in 1738 AD.

b) Jantar Mantar literally means 'calculating instrument' and has the world's largest stone sundial.

c) The architectural instruments in Jantar Mantar were built using astronomy and instrument design principles laid down in the ancient Hindu and Sanskrit scriptures. These instruments measure time, predict eclipses, track location of major stars, ascertain declinations of planets, and determine the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides.

d) These instruments are built from local stones and marbles. There is also a wide use of bronze tablets, brass, bricks and mortar. Each instrument carries an astronomical scale, generally marked on the marble inner lining.

e) Chakra Yantra, Dakshin Bhitti Yantra, Digamsha Yantra, Disha Yantra, Dhruva Darshak Pattika, Jai Prakash Yantra etc. are few major instruments at Jantar Mantar.

f) Ancient Sanskrit texts called Vedangas mentioned astronomical instruments like gnomon & clepsydra for the first time. Many other texts like Katyayana Sulbasutras, Arthashastra, Shardulakarnavadana & Surya-Prajapati had mentioned several other astronomical instruments.

g) Jantar Mantar was inscribed in UNESCO's world heritage sites in 2010.