Q16 (IAS/2026) History & Culture › Art & Architecture Official Key

The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents:

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Your answer: — · Correct: A

Explanation

The Hallisalasya painting is the most famous mural in Cave 4 (Rang Mahal) of the Bagh Caves in Madhya Pradesh, dating to the 5th–6th century CE. It represents a joyous folk dance or a musical performance.

The scene depicts two groups of female dancers moving in a circle (a dance form known as Hallisaka) around a central figure, accompanied by musicians playing instruments like the drum and flute.
This painting is a prime example of Gupta art and reflects the secular aspect of life during that period, even within a Buddhist monastic setting.
The other options—Buddha in meditation, Shiva-Parvati, or Samudramanthan—are not the subjects of this specific composition at Bagh.

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The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents: [A] A joyous folk dance [B] Buddha in a meditative pose [C] The depiction of Shiv…

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Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10

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This is a classic bouncer from the depths of Art & Culture. While standard texts mention Bagh Caves as an extension of Ajanta with more secular themes, the specific term 'Hallisalasya' requires deep reading of CCRT or regional culture portals. It tests your knowledge of the secular nature of Bagh murals.

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

Statement 1: What does the Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represent?

Statement 1

What does the Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represent?

Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web / Current Affairs

dhar.nic.in Primary · Govt

Presence: 5/5

Why this source?

Identifies the Hallisalasya as a specific scene within the Bagh Caves murals.
Explicitly describes the painting as a group folk dance.
Details the visual elements of the scene, including dancers in a ring keeping time with sticks.

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The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents:

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

What is Hallisalasya as depicted in Bagh cave paintings?

'The King of Dance' is a description of

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There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta Caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

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