UPSC Prelims Marathon 8 September – Jainism Art and Architecture – 2026

Which of the following statements with regard to the iconography of Tirthankaras is/are correct?
1.Tirthankaras are represented exclusively in either the Padmasana or Kayotsarga.
2.Each Tirthankara is identified by a specific cognizance symbol sculpted on the pedestal of the image.
3.Sculptures of Tirthankaras are heavily adorned with royal crowns, chest jewelry, and elaborate divine ornamentation.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements with regard to the Jain sculptural tradition at Mathura is/are correct?
1.Mathura school under the Kushana rulers utilized red-spotted sandstone to produce Jain images.
2.Mathura site saw the development of Ayagapatas, which were stone slabs inscribed with sacred Jain motifs.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Consider the following information:
Archaeological SiteStateDescription
1. LohanipurBiharSite of the earliest polished stone torso of a Jain Tirthankara
2. Kankali TilaUttar PradeshMajor mound yielding Kushana-era Jain stupa remains and Ayagapatas
3. GopachalMadhya PradeshComplex of colossal rock-cut Tirthankara images on a fort cliff
4. VasantgarhRajasthanHoard of early medieval bronze Jain sculptures bearing Yaksha-Yakshi figures
In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

Which of the following statements regarding the Jain painting tradition are correct?
1.Western Indian style of manuscript painting is characterized by flat human figures, sharp angular profiles, and protruding eyes.
2.Kalpa Sutra and Kalkacharya Katha serve as the most frequently illustrated manuscripts in early Jain miniature art.
3.Mural paintings at Sittanavasal are executed using the true fresco technique on wet plaster.
4.Sittanavasal murals display scenes of Samavasarana, portraying a lotus pond.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements with regard to rock-cut Jain cave architecture is/are correct?
1.Caves at the Ellora complex in Maharashtra represent the Jain group of caves executed during the Rashtrakuta period.
2.Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves in Odisha contain the Hathigumpha inscription.
3.Sittanavasal Arivar Koil cave temple in Tamil Nadu is officially recognized as an Adarsh Smarak site.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements with regard to structural Jain temple architecture is/are correct?
1.A distinctive architectural feature of many major Jain temples is the Chaumukh floor plan.
2.Interior halls of structural Jain temples are characterized by open square bays supported by pillars with bracketed capitals.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements regarding the Jain temple complexes of Gujarat is/are correct?
1.Palitana temple complex on Shatrunjaya Hills comprises hundreds of marble temples built in the Nagara/Maru-Gurjara style, associated with Tirthankara Rishabhadeva.
2.Mt. Girnar is a sacred pilgrimage site revered by both Digambara and Shvetambara sects, associated with the Moksha of Neminatha.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements with regard to ancient Jain stupa architecture is/are correct?
1.Stupas were erected in early Jainism as memorial structures, referred to as Thupas in early inscriptions.
2.Jain stupa discovered at Kankali Tila in Mathura featured a cylindrical drum base set on a raised terrace accessible.
3.Structural design of early Jain stupas displays stylistic influences from Persepolitan column motifs on their railings and pillars.
Select the answer using the code given below: