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Q42 (IAS/2023) History & Culture › Art & Architecture › Buddhist art and architecture Official Key

With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements : 1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin. 2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics. 3. Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition. How many of the statements given above are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2 (Only two). Statements 2 and 3 are correct, while Statement 1 is incorrect.

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: The concept of the Stupa is not Buddhist in origin. It originated from ancient Vedic funeral mounds (tumuli) used to bury the ashes of kings and heroes. The Rig Veda mentions the term 'Stupa' (meaning a heap or pile). Buddhism later adopted and sophisticated this pre-existing architectural form.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Stupas were primarily relic-repositories. They were built to house the physical remains (Saririka) of the Buddha or great monks, or objects they used (Paribhogika), making them sacred objects of veneration.
  • Statement 3 is correct: In Buddhist tradition, stupas served various purposes: some were votive (built by devotees to gain spiritual merit) and others were commemorative (built to mark important events or spots associated with the Buddha's life).
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements : 1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin. 2. Stupa was genera…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10
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This is a classic 'NCERT Line-by-Line' verification question. The trap lies entirely in Statement 1: NCERT Themes Part I (p. 96) explicitly states the tradition is 'pre-Buddhist'. The strategy is to pause at every sentence in NCERT that discusses 'origins', 'evolution', or 'transition' of cultural elements.

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
In ancient India, was the concept of the stupa Buddhist in origin?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Evolution of Society in South India > Numismatic > p. 63
Presence: 5/5
“Coins of pre-Satavahana chieftains and of the Satavahanas from Andhra-Karnataka region. Stupas: The stupa is a heap of clay that evolved out of earthen funerary mounds, in which the ashes of the dead were buried. Buddhist stupas evolved out of the burial of the ashes of the mortal remains of the Buddha. Buddhist sacred architecture originated with the eight stupas where the ashes were divided. Hemispherical shape, the stupa symbolizes the universe, and the Buddha represents the emperor of the spiritual universe. The stupa has a path around it for devotional circumambulation. • The coins issued by the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, and the chieftains of the Sangam Age. • Roman copper, silver and gold coins.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly links Buddhist stupas to burial of the Buddha's ashes and their evolution from funerary mounds.
  • Describes the stupa's original hemispherical form and its symbolic role in Buddhist sacred architecture.
THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > 7.3 The structure of the stupa > p. 96
Presence: 4/5
“The stupa (a Sanskrit word meaning a heap) originated as a simple semi-circular mound of earth, later called anda. Gradually, it evolved into a more complex structure, balancing round and square shapes. Above the anda was the harmika, a balconylike structure that represented the abode of the gods. Source 8”
Why this source?
  • Defines the stupa as originating as a semi-circular mound (anda), identifying its basic formative type.
  • Explains later architectural evolution (addition of harmika) while tracing the mound origin.
THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > 7. Stupas > p. 97
Presence: 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 this source?
  • Describes early stupas at Sanchi and Bharhut with features (railings, gateways) and the ritual of circumambulation tied to Buddhist practice.
  • Shows how the stupa's physical form and devotional use became integrated into Buddhist sacred sites.
Statement analysis

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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 analysis

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

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