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Q9 (IAS/2021) History & Culture › Art & Architecture › Buddhist art and architecture Official Key

Which one of the following statements is correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1.

The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist rock-cut monuments located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. These caves are carved into the vertical cliffs of a horseshoe-shaped ravine formed by the Waghora River. The river descends in a series of waterfalls, which can be viewed from the caves, confirming the geographical association.

The other options are incorrect due to the following reasons:

  • Sanchi Stupa: Located in Raisen district near the Betwa River, not the Chambal River.
  • Pandu-lena Caves: These are Buddhist caves located near Nashik on the Trirashmi hills; they are not situated in a gorge of the Narmada River.
  • Amaravati Stupa: Situated on the banks of the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, not the Godavari River.

Thus, only Option 1 accurately describes the topographical setting of the heritage site.

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Q. Which one of the following statements is correct? [A] Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of Waghora river. [B] Sanchi Stupa lies in the gorg…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 5/10
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This question exposes the 'Site-Geography Linkage' trend. UPSC has moved beyond asking 'Which State?' to 'Which River/Hill?'. While the skeleton flags this as web-heavy, the correct answer is actually a direct line from the NCERT Class XI Fine Arts textbook, proving that standard sources are often deeper than they appear.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Are the Ajanta Caves located in the gorge of the Waghora River?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Ajanta Caves are located in Maharashtra, India and indeed they lie in the gorge of the Waghora river."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states that the Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of the Waghora river.
  • Also locates the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, tying the site to the regional river gorge.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > 9.4Ajanta > p. 128
Strength: 5/5
“The Ajanta caves are situated at a distance of about 100 km north of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Totally 30 caves have been scooped out of volcanic rocks. Though chiefly famous for mural paintings, there are some sculptures too. The Hinayana sect of Buddhism started the excavation of caves in Ajanta. The patrons were the kings who ruled the Deccan plateau during the period c. 200 BCE to 200 CE. Inscriptions speak of the patrons who range from kings to merchants.”
Why relevant

Gives the precise regional location: Ajanta caves are about 100 km north of Aurangabad in Maharashtra.

How to extend

A student can place Ajanta on a map relative to Aurangabad and then check whether the Waghora River runs through that mapped area and forms a gorge at the site.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > II. Elora - Ajanta and Mamallapuram > p. 127
Strength: 4/5
“Aurangabad district in Maharashtra is the centre of the groups of caves in Ellora and Ajanta. The Ellora group of caves are famous for sculptures while the Ajanta group of caves are famous for paintings. The dates of these temples range from c. 500 to c. 950 CE. But the activity of creating cave temples may have started two hundred years earlier. The first cave temple was created for the Ajivikas. Some of the temples are incomplete.”
Why relevant

States that Ajanta is in Aurangabad district, the same administrative area as nearby cave groups.

How to extend

Use district-level maps showing rivers in Aurangabad district to see if the Waghora River passes by the Ajanta site and whether a gorge is present.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Rock-cut and Structural Temples > p. 98
Strength: 4/5
“The rock-cut caves continue the old forms to a great extent but possess striking novelty by bringing about extensive changes in the ornamentation of the facade and in the designs of the pillars in the interior. The most notable groups of the rock-cut caves are found at Ajanta and Ellora (Maharashtra) and Bagh (Madhya Pradesh). The Udayagiri caves (Odisha) are also of this type. The structural temples have the following attributes: (1) flat-roofed square temples; (2) flat-roofed square temple with a vimana (second storey); (3) square temple with a curvilinear tower (shikara) above; (4) rectangular temple; and (5) circular temple.”
Why relevant

Notes that Ajanta is a notable rock-cut cave group, and such caves are often hewn into cliff faces or escarpments.

How to extend

Knowing rock-cut caves are typically carved into cliffs, a student can look for topographic evidence (cliffs/gorges) at Ajanta and see if the Waghora forms such a gorge.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Tapi River > p. 20
Strength: 3/5
“Having a length of 700 km and a basin area of 66,900 sq km, the river Tapi rises from the Satpura Range and flows westward almost parallel to Satpura. At Khandwa-Burhanpur Gap, the Narmada and Tapi come close to each other. Below Jalgaon, the river, like the Narmada, flows in a rift valley but in a much constricted form between the Satpura Range to the north and the Ajanta Range to the south. Below the city of Surat, it makes an estuary and merges into the Gulf of Khambat.”
Why relevant

Mentions the 'Ajanta Range' in the context of regional river valleys and rift valleys, indicating a named local physiographic feature.

How to extend

A student can correlate the Ajanta Range on physical maps with the course of the Waghora River to judge whether the river cuts a gorge at the cave location.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Paintings from the past > p. 102
Strength: 3/5
“While stone sculpture survives the ravages of time and is therefore most easily available to the historian, other visual means of communication, including paintings, were also used in the past. Those that have survived best are on walls of caves, of which those from Ajanta (Maharashtra) are the most famous. The paintings at Ajanta depict stories from the Jatakas. These include depictions of courtly life, processions, men and women at work, and festivals. The artists used the technique of shading to give a three-dimensional quality. Some of the paintings are extremely naturalistic. Another motif is that of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants (Fig.”
Why relevant

Describes Ajanta paintings surviving on cave walls, implying caves are exposed in rock faces (cliffs) rather than being wholly subterranean.

How to extend

Combine this with satellite or topographic imagery to see if those rock faces are part of a gorge formed by a nearby river such as the Waghora.

Statement 2
Is the Sanchi Stupa located in the gorge of the Chambal River?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Fig. 4.3 > p. 83
Strength: 5/5
“The Great Stupa at Sanchi If you travel from Delhi to Bhopal by train, you will see the majestic stupa complex on top of a hill, crowning it as it were. If you request the guard he will stop the train at the little station of Sanchi for two minutes – enough time for you to get down. As you climb up the hill you can see the complex of structures: a large mound and other monuments including a temple built in the fifth century.”
Why relevant

Sanchi Stupa is described as a stupa complex 'on top of a hill' near the little station of Sanchi on the Delhi–Bhopal line.

How to extend

A student could check a regional map to see whether any Chambal river gorge reaches that hill location — if the gorge and Sanchi are far apart, this argues against the statement.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Chambal > p. 14
Strength: 4/5
“The Chambal River of length 960 km rises near Mhow Cantt.—south-west of Indore in Malwa Plateau from the Vindhyan Range—and flows towards the north in a gorge upto the city of Kota. Below Kota, it turns to the north-east, and after passing Bundi, Sawai-Madhopur, and Dholpur, it finally joins the Yamuna about 40 km to the west of Etawah. The Banas River, rising from the Aravalli Range is its main left bank tributary. Kali Sind, Parbati and Kunwari originating from the Malwa Plateau are the right bank tributaries of Chambal. The Chambal River is famous for its extensive ravines which it has carved all along in the Lower Chambal Valley.”
Why relevant

The Chambal River is said to flow in a gorge up to the city of Kota and then through locations such as Bundi, Sawai-Madhopur and Dholpur before joining the Yamuna.

How to extend

Compare the listed Chambal course and towns with the location of Sanchi (near Bhopal) on a map to see if Sanchi lies along that gorge stretch.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > Do you Know? > p. 22
Strength: 3/5
“The Chambal is famous for its badland topography called the Chambal ravines. The Gandak comprises two streams, namely Kaligandak and Trishulganga. It rises in the Nepal Himalayas between the Dhaulagiri and Mount Everest and drains the central part of Nepal. It enters the Ganga plain in Champaran district of Bihar and joins the Ganga at Sonpur near Patna. The Ghaghara originates in the glaciers of Mapchachungo. After collecting the waters of its tributaries – Tila, Seti and Beri, it comes out of the mountain, cutting a deep gorge at Shishapani. The river Sarda (Kali or Kali Ganga) joins it in the plain before it finally meets the Ganga at Chhapra.”
Why relevant

The Chambal is noted for its 'badland topography' and ravines, emphasizing where Chambal's characteristic gorge/ravines occur.

How to extend

Use this pattern (Chambal's ravine/gorge zones) and a map to determine whether Sanchi is situated within those ravine/gorge areas.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > 7.1 Why were stupas built? > p. 96
Strength: 2/5
“By the second century BCE a number of stupas, including those at Bharhut, Sanchi and Sarnath (Map 1), had been built.”
Why relevant

Sanchi is listed among stupas (Bharhut, Sanchi, Sarnath) with an implied cluster of Buddhist sites; these are known to be in different locations rather than all in river gorges.

How to extend

Locate the listed stupas on a map to see their terrains (hilltop, plain, gorge) and use that pattern to assess whether Sanchi specifically is likely to be in a river gorge.

Statement analysis

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Statement 3
Are the Pandu-lena Cave Shrines located in the gorge of the Narmada River?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Narmada Basin > p. 21
Strength: 4/5
“The Narmada rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh. It flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting. On its way to the sea, the Narmada creates many picturesque locations. The 'Marble rocks', near Jabalpur, where the Narmada flows through a deep gorge, and the 'Dhuadhar falls, where the river plunges over steep rocks, are some of the notable ones. • The Narmada river conservation mission has been undertaken by the government of Madhya Pradesh by a scheme named Namami Devi Narmade. You may visit their website. http://www.namamidevinarmade.mp.gov.in to learn more about it. All tributaries of the Narmada are very short and most of these join the main stream at right angles.”
Why relevant

Describes the Narmada creating a deep gorge and 'Marble rocks' near Jabalpur where the river flows through a gorge — establishes that the Narmada corridor contains notable gorges that host rock features and possibly human activity.

How to extend

A student could check whether Pandu-lena (a cave site) is geographically near Jabalpur or the 'Marble rocks' stretch of the Narmada to assess if it lies in that gorge.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Narmada River > p. 20
Strength: 4/5
“The Narmada River of length 1300 km and drainage basin area 92670 sq km rises from the plateau of Amarkantak of the Maikal Hills of Chhattisgarh. Moving north-westward, it passes through a complex course near Jabalpur, through some impressive marble gorges, the most spectular being Dhunwadhar Waterfalls (10 m high) near Jabalpur. Moving westward from Jabalpur, it flows through a rift valley between the Vindhyan and the Satpura ranges. It has rich alluvial deposits in its valley. Finally, it widens below Bharuch and makes a 27 km wide estuary to enter the Gulf of Khambat (Arabian Sea).”
Why relevant

Explains the Narmada flows through marble gorges and a rift valley between Vindhya and Satpura — gives a clear pattern that cave-like rock formations and cuttings occur along the Narmada's course.

How to extend

One could compare the known location of Pandu-lena with the rift-valley/gorge section of the Narmada (west of Jabalpur) on a map to see if they coincide.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 24
Strength: 4/5
“Flowing in a rift valley between the Satpura in the south and the Vindhyan range in the north, it forms a picturesque gorge in marble rocks and Dhuandhar waterfall near Jabalpur. After flowing a distance of about 1,312 km, it meets the Arabian sea south of Bharuch, forming a broad 27 km long estuary. Its catchment area is about 98,796 sq. km. The Sardar Sarovar Project has been constructed on this river. Collect information about Narmada river conservation mission named "Namami Devi Narmade" and discuss with your peers. The Tapi is the other important westward flowing river. It originates from Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.”
Why relevant

States the Narmada forms a picturesque gorge in marble rocks and the Dhuandhar waterfall near Jabalpur — reinforces that the Narmada gorge region is a plausible setting for rock-cut caves or shrines.

How to extend

Use this to narrow likely river reaches (Jabalpur–Marble Rocks) and then look up Pandu-lena's coordinates to judge proximity to that gorge.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > An Upper Palaeolithic Shrine > p. 5
Strength: 3/5
“An interesting find is of a possible shrine, indicated by a block of sandstone surrounded by a rubble circle, similar to the contemporary shrines. Found at Baghor in Uttar Pradesh, it is the earliest known evidence of a shrine in India. beads have been found at Jwalapuram in Andhra Pradesh, Patne in Maharashtra and Batadomba-Lena and Fa Hien Cave in Sri Lanka.”
Why relevant

Mentions cave/shrine examples with the element 'Lena' (e.g., Batadomba-Lena), suggesting 'lena' is used in names for caves or rock shelters in regional scholarship.

How to extend

If 'lena' denotes a cave, a student could treat 'Pandu-lena' as a cave site and then check maps/indices of caves along the Narmada gorge to see if Pandu-lena is listed there.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 2: Physiography > 2. The South Central Highlands > p. 55
Strength: 3/5
“includes the plateaus of Satna, Rewa (MP) and Mirzapur (UP). Its elevation varies between 150 to 1200 m with uneven relief. To the south of this lies the Narmada-Son trough (rift valley) characterised by the Archaeans and Bijwar series. South of this trough is the eastward extension of the Satpura which is an area of radial drainage. Among the basins, Singrauli and Dudhi (150–300 m) are Upper Gondwana basins, which are rich in coal deposits. Besides the Narmada and Son, this region is drained by the Karmanasa, Tons, Ken, and Belandare rivers. Parallel to the Vindhyas between the Narmada and the Tapi rivers is the Satpura Range.”
Why relevant

Describes the Narmada-Son trough and the rift-valley physiography between Vindhya and Satpura — provides a geological context where rivers cut gorges through bedrock, creating sites suitable for caves or rock-cut shrines.

How to extend

Combine this physiographic pattern with the known geomorphology of Pandu-lena's location (if available) to assess whether it lies in a rift-valley/gorge environment of the Narmada.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

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Statement 4
Is the Amaravati Stupa located in the gorge of the Godavari River?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"of Guntur at Nagajunakonda and Amaravati belong to the 3rd century BC and later."
Why this source?
  • This passage explicitly lists Amaravati alongside sites in Guntur district, indicating its geographic association with the Krishna/Guntur region rather than the Godavari gorge.
  • If Amaravati belongs to Guntur/Nagajunakonda group, it is not described as located in the Godavari gorge.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The Krishna - Godavari delta referred to as Vengi in ancient times formed the core region where early Buddhist art flourished."
Why this source?
  • This passage locates early Buddhist art in the Krishna–Godavari delta (Vengi), highlighting the regional context around the Krishna/Godavari delta rather than a specific Godavari river gorge location.
  • Associating Amaravati with the Krishna–Godavari delta suggests a deltaic/lowland setting, not a gorge of the Godavari River.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Godavari > p. 21
Strength: 5/5
“Below the confluence with Indravati, it flows in a picturesque gorge through the Eastern Ghats. Below Rajamundry, it has constructed a large symmetrical delta and reaches the Bay of Bengal by its three main ditributaries. The delta of Godavari is characterised by a number of palaeo-channels and mangroves associated with lagoons. The 'Kolleru Lake', lying to the southeast of Kakinada, is one such 'inland lagoon'.”
Why relevant

States that below the confluence with Indravati the Godavari flows in a picturesque gorge through the Eastern Ghats — establishes where the river forms a gorge.

How to extend

A student could locate where this gorge lies on a map of the Godavari and then check whether Amaravati lies within that gorge area.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 24
Strength: 4/5
“Pranhita, and the Manjra are its principal tributaries. The Godavari is subjected to heavy floods in its lower reaches to the south of Polavaram, where it forms a picturesque gorge. It is navigable only in the deltaic stretch. The river after Rajamundri splits into several branches forming a large delta. The Krishna is the second largest eastflowing Peninsular river which rises near Mahabaleshwar in Sahyadri. Its total length is 1,401 km. The Koyna, the Tungbhadra and the Bhima are its major tributaries. Of the total catchment area of the Krishna, 27 per cent lies in Maharashtra, 44 per cent in Karnataka and 29 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.”
Why relevant

Notes the Godavari forms a picturesque gorge to the south of Polavaram in its lower reaches — gives another specific region where a gorge occurs.

How to extend

Use the Polavaram location as a reference point on a map to see if Amaravati is nearby or within the gorge stretch.

CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Godavari Basin > p. 21
Strength: 3/5
“The Godavari is the largest Peninsular river. It rises from the slopes of the Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra. Its length is about 1500 km. It drains into the Bay of Bengal. Its drainage basin is also the largest among the peninsular rivers. The basin covers parts of Maharashtra (about 50 per cent of the basin area lies in Maharashtra), Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The Godavari is joined by a number of tributaries, such as the Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga and the Penganga. The last three tributaries are very large.”
Why relevant

Describes the Godavari basin, its geographic extent (rising in Nasik, draining to Bay of Bengal) — helps narrow the broad region where sites associated with the river may be located.

How to extend

Combine this basin outline with the known (or mapped) location of Amaravati to assess if it falls in the gorge-bearing lower reaches or elsewhere in the basin.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > The Fate of Amaravati and Sanchi > p. 98
Strength: 3/5
“Each stupa has a history of its own – as we have just seen, some of these are histories of how they were built. But there are histories of discoveries as well, and let us now turn to some of these. In 1796, a local raja who wanted to build a temple stumbled upon the ruins of the stupa at Amaravati. He decided to use the stone, and thought there might be some treasure buried in what seemed to be a hill. Some years later, a British official named Colin Mackenzie (see also Chapter 7) visited the site. Although he found several pieces of sculpture and made detailed drawings of them, these reports were never published.”
Why relevant

Reports the discovery of the ruins of the stupa at Amaravati, noting the site was perceived as a 'hill' — gives a local description of the site's topography.

How to extend

Compare the 'hill' description with typical gorge-floor topography; if Amaravati is described as a hill, it may not be in the river gorge proper.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > 7. Stupas > p. 97
Strength: 4/5
“Arising from the harmika was a mast called the yashti, often surmounted by a chhatri or umbrella. Around the mound was a railing, separating the sacred space from the secular world. The early stupas at Sanchi and Bharhut were plain except for the stone railings, which resembled a bamboo or wooden fence, and the gateways, which were richly carved and installed at the four cardinal points. Worshippers entered through the eastern gateway and walked around the mound in a clockwise direction keeping the mound on the right, imitating the sun's course through the sky. Later, the mound of the stupas came to be elaborately carved with niches and sculptures as at Amaravati, and Shahji-ki-Dheri in Peshawar (Pakistan).”
Why relevant

Discusses Amaravati as a site known for elaborately carved stupas and sculptures — confirms the site's historical significance and that it is a named archaeological location.

How to extend

Use the confirmed site name (Amaravati) on a map or archaeological gazetteer to determine its precise relation to the Godavari gorge locations mentioned above.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

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Pattern takeaway: Geography is the skeleton of History. UPSC loves testing the physical environment of historical sites because it proves you understand *why* a site was built there (e.g., water source, seclusion, visibility).
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Hidden Sitter. Source: NCERT Class XI Fine Arts, Chapter 2 ('The Ajanta caves... are situated on the Waghora river'). If you skipped Fine Arts, this was a Bouncer.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Ancient Architecture & Geography. Specifically, the geomorphic setting of Buddhist sites (Stupa vs. Vihara locations).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map these Site-River pairs: 1) Ellora - Elaganga River, 2) Bagh Caves - Baghini River, 3) Karla/Bhaja - Indrayani Valley, 4) Sanchi - Hilltop near Betwa River, 5) Amaravati - Krishna River (Deltaic plain), 6) Pandavleni - Trimbak Hills (Nashik/Godavari).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When reading about a heritage site, visualize its terrain. Is it a 'Retreat' (Cave in a Gorge/Forest) or a 'Monument' (Stupa on a Hill/Plain)? The function dictates the location.
How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

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Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Ajanta's location in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra
💡 The insight

Ajanta caves are located near Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra and form part of the Aurangabad district's cave groups.

Knowing the precise district and state location is high-yield for geography and culture questions; it links to regional archaeological clusters (e.g., Ellora) and helps in answering location-based MCQs and map tasks.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > 9.4Ajanta > p. 128
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > II. Elora - Ajanta and Mamallapuram > p. 127
🔗 Anchor: "Are the Ajanta Caves located in the gorge of the Waghora River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Ajanta as a rock-cut complex famed for mural paintings
💡 The insight

Ajanta is a rock-cut cave complex particularly renowned for its mural paintings and also contains sculptures.

This concept is frequently tested in history and art sections on rock-cut architecture and Indian painting traditions; it connects to topics on Buddhist art, patronage patterns, and conservation issues.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > 9.4Ajanta > p. 128
  • THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Paintings from the past > p. 102
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > Aianta > p. 132
🔗 Anchor: "Are the Ajanta Caves located in the gorge of the Waghora River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Number and historical phases of Ajanta caves
💡 The insight

Ajanta consists of thirty caves with construction and patronage spanning early historic centuries and different Buddhist sects.

Memorising cave counts and broad chronological phases aids in comparative questions on cave sites, dating styles, and patronage; it helps eliminate options in objective questions and frames answers in essays on cultural development.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > 9.4Ajanta > p. 128
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > II. Elora - Ajanta and Mamallapuram > p. 127
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > Aianta > p. 132
🔗 Anchor: "Are the Ajanta Caves located in the gorge of the Waghora River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Chambal River: course, gorge and ravines
💡 The insight

Chambal flows in a gorge up to Kota and is noted for extensive ravines, which defines where gorges occur along the river.

High-yield for geography and environment questions: knowing a river's course and distinctive landforms (gorges, ravines) helps locate features and assess landscape constraints. Connects river systems to regional physical geography and site selection questions about human settlements and heritage locations.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Chambal > p. 14
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > Do you Know? > p. 22
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Sanchi Stupa located in the gorge of the Chambal River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Sanchi Stupa: hilltop siting
💡 The insight

Sanchi Stupa is described as a stupa complex situated on top of a hill near Bhopal.

Important for cultural geography and history: recognizing typical topographical siting of monuments aids in mapping heritage sites and answering questions that link monuments to physical settings. Connects to conservation, accessibility and historical settlement patterns.

📚 Reading List :
  • THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Fig. 4.3 > p. 83
  • THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > 7.1 Why were stupas built? > p. 96
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Sanchi Stupa located in the gorge of the Chambal River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Comparing river landforms and monument locations
💡 The insight

Distinguishing river gorges from hilltop sites enables assessment of claims that a monument lies in a river gorge.

Useful analytical skill for UPSC: helps evaluate statements that relate archaeological sites to nearby physical features by cross-referencing river landforms with monument siting. Enables elimination-style answers in both geography and history sections.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Chambal > p. 14
  • THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Fig. 4.3 > p. 83
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Sanchi Stupa located in the gorge of the Chambal River?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Narmada's rift-valley course and marble gorges (Jabalpur)
💡 The insight

The Narmada flows in a rift valley and creates notable marble gorges and the Dhuandhar/Dhunwadhar waterfall near Jabalpur.

High-yield for physical geography questions: helps locate the river on maps, explain its unusual westward course, and connect geomorphic features with specific places (Jabalpur). Useful for linkage questions between rivers, landforms and regional development.

📚 Reading List :
  • CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Narmada Basin > p. 21
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Narmada River > p. 20
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 24
🔗 Anchor: "Are the Pandu-lena Cave Shrines located in the gorge of the Narmada River?"
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🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Horseshoe' Shape. The next logical question on Ajanta is its specific geomorphology: 'A horseshoe-shaped gorge carved by the Waghora river.' Also, watch out for the Bagh Caves (MP) on the Baghini river, often called the 'Ajanta of MP'.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Topographic Common Sense: Stupas (Sanchi, Amaravati) are public monuments meant for mass worship and circumambulation; they are built on **Hilltops** or **River Banks** to be seen from afar. They are almost never hidden in deep **Gorges**. Caves (Ajanta, Pandu-lena) are for ascetic seclusion, so they belong in Gorges. This logic eliminates options B and D immediately.

🔗 Mains Connection

Historical Trade Routes (Mains GS1): These gorge caves weren't just retreats; they were secure rest-stops along the 'Dakshinapatha' trade route. The geography (gorge) provided water and defense for merchant caravans funding the monks.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CAPF · 2010 · Q58 Relevance score: 5.13

Which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. The Ajanta caves have been painted with scenes from Jainism. 2. The crowning achievements of Ellora caves is the colossal monolithic Kailasanath temple. 3. The Ajanta caves have been built over a period of eight centuries by different rulers. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

IAS · 2013 · Q82 Relevance score: 1.56

Consider the following historical places : 1. Ajanta Caves 2. Lepakshi Temple 3. Sanchi Stupa Which of the above places is/are also known for mural paintings?

IAS · 2006 · Q96 Relevance score: 1.55

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

CDS-I · 2013 · Q42 Relevance score: 1.29

Statement I : Lomash Rishi and Sudama caves in the Barabar Hills, modelled on wooden architectural prototypes, arc examples of the earliest cave architecture in India, Statement II : Barabar Hills caves were dedicated by Chandragupta Maurya to Ajivika monks.

IAS · 2005 · Q27 Relevance score: 1.09

Which of the following statements is not correct?