UPSC Prelims 2023 Question:

Consider the following pairs

Sr. No.	Site		Well known for
1.	Besnagar	:	Shaivite cave shrine
2.	Bhaja	:	Buddhist cave shrine
3.	Sittanavasal	:	Jain cave shrine

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Explanation:

• Udayagiri Caves (in Besnagar Modern day Vidisha) are a group of rock - cut cave sanctuaries, carved into a sandstone hill that stand, sentinel like, on the horizon.  Situated in Sonpura and Udaygiri villages of Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, these are the finest examples of classical gupta arts.
  
  
• The archaeological excavations at Besnagar revealed that the site was a significant religious center for the Vaiṣṇava Pāñcarātra or Bhāgavata sect. During excavations in the early 20th century, remains of various religious structures, including Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu temples, were discovered. These findings suggest that Besnagar was a vibrant religious and cultural hub with a diverse array of religious practices coexisting​. So, pair 1 is not correctly matched.
  
  
• Bhaja Caves is a group of 22 rock cut caves built during the 2nd century BC. This cave is also known as Bhaje cave and is located in the Pune district, near Lonavala, Maharashtra. The Caves belong to the Hinayana Buddhism sect in Maharashtra. So, pair 2 is correctly matched.
  
  
• Sittanavasal is a small village in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu. It was a major centre of Jain influence for 1,000 years just before the Christian era. Sittanavasal is the name used synonymously for the hamlet and the hillock that houses the Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihats - Jains who conquered their senses), 'Ezhadipattam' (a cavern with 17 polished rock beds), megalithic burial sites and the Navachunai tarn (small mountain lake) with a submerged shrine. So, pair 3 is correctly matched.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: History | Miscellaneous(hist)