Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Map Based Questions) – September 11, 2020

The Udayagiri caves, in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, contain some of the oldest Hindu temples and iconography. They were built during the Gupta period (350-550 CE).

• These caves were not just an expression of religious piety but also a political statement. They lie on two low sandstone hills between the rivers Betwa and Bes.
• It is possible that when these caves were carved out, they fell directly on the Tropic of Cancer and thus the name translates to Mount of Sunrise.
• On the day of summer solstice, the sun would have been directly overhead, making this a place of worship.

Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage sites situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River and 21 km north of Tezu in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

The Shipra, also known as the Kshipra, is a river in Madhya Pradesh state of central India.

• The river rises in the North of Dhar district, and flows north across the Malwa Plateau to join the Chambal River at the MP-Rajasthan boundary in Mandsaur district.
• It is one of the sacred rivers in Hinduism.
• The holy city of Ujjain is situated on its east bank.

Bhadrachalam is a town, known as a Hindu pilgrimage site, in the south Indian state of Telangana.

Beside the Godavari River, the huge 17th-century Bhadrachalam (or Sita Ramachandraswamy) Temple complex is dedicated to Lord Rama and has many ornate carvings.

Bijapur, or Vijayapura (Karnataka) as it is now known, was the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty from 1490 to 1686.

• It is famous for its impressive buildings and dargahs. Undoubtedly, the most magnificent mausoleum is that of the seventh ruler of the dynasty, Mohammad Adil Shah (1627-1656), called the Gol Gumbaz (round dome).
• Covering an area of 18,225 sq ft, Gol Gumbaz has the distinction of being the largest space covered by a single dome in the world, followed by the Pantheon in Rome.
• Its dome is the second largest, after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Ganapatipule (Maharashtra): Ganpatipule is a town on the Konkan Coast of western India.

• It’s known for its beaches, such as Ganpatipule Beach and nearby Aare Ware Beach.
• On Ganpatipule Beach, the centuries-old Swayambhu Ganpati Temple is a pilgrimage site and houses a large orange statue of Ganesh.
• Prachin Konkan is an open-air museum with models depicting traditional Konkan life.
• Jaigad Fort and a British-built lighthouse lie to the north.

Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh): Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam, renowned as the Varanasi of South, is one among the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country.

Every year, tens of thousands of devotees trek up to the hill-top temple, crossing the precarious Nallamala forests on foot, to participate in the Maha Sivaratri Brahmotsavam.

Horsley Hills (Andhra Pradesh): Horsley Hills, located 1,290 metres above sea level and spread over 2 km radius, is best suited for rock climbing, gliding, trekking and cycling because of its zigzag terrain and a picturesque ghat road flanked by verdant forests.

• In fact, it was the scenic beauty, coupled with the pleasant climate that drew the attention of British officer W.D. Horsley in 1870, who later made it his home.
• Till Independence, Horsley Hills remained a hot destination for nature lovers, and enjoyed the patronage of the colonial rulers.

Nandi Hills (Karnataka): Nandi Hills, or Nandidurg, is a hill fortress in the south Indian state of Karnataka.

• Tipu Sultan Fort, a summer retreat of the namesake 18th-century ruler, features stone carvings and wall paintings.
• Prisoners are said to have been thrown to their death from Tipu’s Drop, now known for its panoramic views.
• Local Hindu temples include the hilltop Yoga Nandeeshwara Temple, guarded by a huge statue of a bull (nandi).

Parasnath hills (Jharkhand): Parasnath is a mountain peak in the Parasnath Range.

• It is located towards the eastern end of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Giridih district of the Indian state of Jharkhand, India.
• The hill is named after Lord Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara.

The North Sea – a part of the Atlantic Ocean – is bordered by Norway and Denmark, Scotland and England, (and in the southeast) by the Frisian Islands and Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

The Amazon is a vast region that spans across eight rapidly developing countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, an overseas territory of France.

The Ten Degree Channel is a channel that separates the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands from each other in the Bay of Bengal. The two sets of islands together form the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.