Question 19 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Culture

Question

With reference to Buddhist history, tradition, and culture in India, consider the following pairs:
1. Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex - Spiti Valley
2. Lhotsava Lhakhang - Zanskar Valley
3. Alchi Temple Complex - Ladakh
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 1 and 3 only

Strategy: Verify the geographic location of each heritage site. Confirm Tabo Monastery is in Spiti Valley and Alchi Temple Complex is in Ladakh. Identify that Lhotsava Lhakhang is in Kinnaur, not Zanskar Valley, to determine that only pairs 1 and 3 are correct.

Key Info: Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex is located in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, and is amongst the oldest functioning Buddhist enclaves, dating back to 996 CE and dubbed the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas' for its ancient frescoes and murals.

Alchi Temple Complex, in the Alchi village of Ladakh (western bank of Indus), comprises a group of monuments from the 10th-13th centuries and is celebrated for its Indo-Himalayan Buddhist art and woodwork.

Lhotsava Lhakhang, also known as the Temple of the Translator, stands in Nako village, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh—not the Zanskar Valley; it honors Rinchen Zangpo, who translated Buddhist texts and propagated Buddhism in western Himalayas.

Zanskar Valley, located in Ladakh, houses several ancient monasteries (like Phugtal and Karsha) but is not the correct match for Lhotsava Lhakhang. These sites exemplify the transmission and local development of Tibetan Buddhism in the Trans-Himalayan region.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

With reference to Buddhist history, tradition, and culture in India, consider the following pairs: Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex - Spiti Valley Lhotsava Lhakhang - Zanskar Valley Alchi Temple Complex - Ladakh Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

With reference to Buddhist history, tradition, and culture in India, consider the following pairs:

Tabo Monastery and Temple Complex - Spiti Valley

Lhotsava Lhakhang - Zanskar Valley

Alchi Temple Complex - Ladakh
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?