Q15 · UPPSC Prelims 2018 · Set B · General Studies

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Arrange the following temples in chronological order andselect the correct answer from the codes given below:I.Brihadiswara templeII.Gangaikonda cholapuram templeIII.Shore temple of MahabalipuramIV.Seven Pagodas

A I, II, IV, III
B II, I, III, IV
C III, II, I, IV
D IV, III, I, II

Correct answer: (d) IV, III, I, II

Explanation

  1. A

    I, II, IV, III

    (a) I, II, IV, III. Putting Brihadiswara and Gangaikonda before the Pallava shore group reverses centuries. Chola imperial temples are eleventh-century, not first.

  2. B

    II, I, III, IV

    (b) II, I, III, IV. Opening with Gangaikonda Cholapuram (Rajendra I) before Thanjavur and Mahabalipuram is backwards.

  3. C

    III, II, I, IV

    (c) III, II, I, IV. Shore temple before Gangaikonda is partly early, but then Brihadiswara and Seven Pagodas are scrambled; Seven Pagodas cannot come last.

  4. D

    IV, III, I, II

    (d) IV, III, I, II. Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram (Pallava ratha group) come first; the Shore Temple follows in the same Pallava seaside set; Brihadiswara at Thanjavur is Rajaraja I (about 1010 CE); Gangaikonda Cholapuram is Rajendra I soon after. That stored order is the official key.

Summary. Official key is (d) IV, III, I, II. Pallava Mahabalipuram (Seven Pagodas, then Shore Temple) precedes the two great Chola temples. Brihadiswara is earlier than Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Codes that start with Chola names fail the century test. Neighbouring rulers are Narasimhavarman, Rajasimha, Rajaraja I and Rajendra I.