Indian Architecture Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ellora

The cave temples of Ellora are the creations of three faiths - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Some archaeologists say that it is probably the biggest monolithic structure in the world. Nearby, in the caves of Ajanta, there are exquisite wall paintings, called frescoes, depicting scenes from the life of Buddha.

Answer: Rajasthan

The Dilwara Temple is the best example of Jain architecture in India. It is located in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. It is made almost entirely of marble. At some places, the marble sculptures are almost transparent. The workmen who carved the sculptures in the temple were paid by the amount of marble dust they produced which was judged by a construction inspector.

Answer: Salim Chisti Sheikh

The childless Mughal emperor, Akbar travelled to meet this saint and seek his blessings. Soon after that, he had a son. So, in honour of the great saint, he built an imperial city there - Fatehpur Sikri. Even today, childless Muslim women travel to the tomb of the saint in Fatehpur Sikri, to seek his blessings.

Answer: Amrit Sarovar

'Amrit Sarovar' literally means 'Pool of immortal nectar'. Its water is said to have extraordinary healing powers. The Golden temple(in Amritsar, Punjab) has the original 'Guru Granth Sahib' and is the most sacred temple of the Sikhs.

Answer: Rajasthan

'Hawa Mahal' literally means 'Palace of the winds'. The name suits it well because it catches every breeze that passes by. It is located in Jaipur - 'The Pink City'.

Answer: Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan also built the Red Fort in Delhi and the world famous Taj Mahal near Agra.

Answer: Odisha

The sun temple is an excellent example of Hindu architecture. It is a very large temple shaped in the form of the chariot of 'Surya' - The Sun God. It is said that there are three statues of Surya - each one to catch the light of the morning, noon and evening sun.

Answer: Mahabalipuram

The shore temples of Mahabalipuram ( or Mamallapuram) are legendary. It is said that there were originally seven temples. Six of them were lost to the sea. The only one remaining along with the nearby sculptures has been declared by the UN as a World Heritage Site.

Answer: Toranas

The 'Toranas' depict stories from the 'Jatakas'(Jatakas are the strories of Buddha's reincarnations). Sanchi is a place in central India which is famous for its stupas. These were built by the Emperor Ashoka the Great, after he converted to Buddhism. Another place famous for its stupas is Amravati.

Answer: Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz was Shah Jahan's favourite wife. After her death, Shah Jahan wanted to immortalize her. So he ordered the construction of the grandest tomb. Marble was brought from all over India, especially from Rajasthan. It took about twenty one years and around twenty thousand workers to construct this world wonder.

A special kind of marble was used, which reflects different colours at different times of the day. The inside was studded with precious stones. After this the emperor was planning a tomb in marble for himself.

However he was dethroned by his son, Aurangzeb. Hope you liked my quiz...