Question 6 from UPSC CSE 2024 - Ancient India

Question

Consider the following information:
1. Chandraketugarh - Odisha - Trading Port town
2. Inamgaon - Maharashtra - Chalcolithic site
3. Mangadu - Kerala - Megalithic site
4. Salihundam - Andhra Pradesh - Rock-cut cave shrines
In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 2 and 3

Strategy: - Scrutinize each site-name pair for correct location and cultural context.
- **Chandraketugarh:** Mismatched with Odisha; it is in West Bengal.
- **Inamgaon:** Correctly identified as a Chalcolithic site in Maharashtra.
- **Mangadu:** Correctly identified as a Megalithic site in Kerala.
- **Salihundam:** Mismatched; it is a Buddhist site (stupas, monasteries), not rock-cut caves.
- Conclusion: Only Inamgaon and Mangadu are correctly matched.

Key Info: ## Chandraketugarh
An archaeological site in North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, not Odisha. It features relics dating from the pre-Mauryan period through the Gupta age, with ancient trade links via the Ganges delta. It is not recognized as a 'trading port town' of Odisha.

## Inamgaon
A major Chalcolithic (Copper Age) settlement near Pune, Maharashtra, dating from about 1600-700 BCE. It is one of India's best-excavated post-Harappan agrarian sites.

## Mangadu
Located in Kerala, this site is known for significant megalithic burials, including dolmens and cairns. These date roughly between 1000 BCE and 100 BCE, representing a key southern Indian megalithic tradition.

## Salihundam
A renowned Buddhist heritage site in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district. It contains remains of stupas, chaityas, and viharas, but no renowned rock-cut cave shrines. The Buddhist settlements, with finds from the 2nd-century BCE to 12th-century CE, are mainly noted for structural, not rock-cut, architecture.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 3 and 4

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1 and 4

Consider the following information: Chandraketugarh - Odisha - Trading Port town Inamgaon - Maharashtra - Chalcolithic site Mangadu - Kerala - Megalithic site Salihundam - Andhra Pradesh - Rock-cut cave shrines In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

Consider the following information:

Chandraketugarh - Odisha - Trading Port town

Inamgaon - Maharashtra - Chalcolithic site

Mangadu - Kerala - Megalithic site

Salihundam - Andhra Pradesh - Rock-cut cave shrines
In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?