UPSC Prelims 2015— Question 54

Correct answer: Option B. The rock-cut elephant at Dhauli is associated with the Mauryan period and Ashokan art, making it earlier than the medieval Lingaraja Temple, the Pallava monuments at Mahabalipuram, and the Gupta-period Varaha at Udayagiri. Therefore the Dhauli elephant is the earliest among the listed works. Option-wise analysis: Option A: “Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option B: “Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli” is correct. It directly matches the factual or conceptual requirement tested by the question and is supported by the principle explained above. Option C: “Rock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option D: “Varaha Image at Udayagiri” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Prelims takeaway: Focus on the precise institutional role, constitutional provision, geographical association, or technical definition being tested. UPSC questions often place a broadly familiar fact beside a narrowly incorrect qualifier; identifying that qualifier is essential for elimination.