With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements :
- 1.The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
- 2.Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
- 3.Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Answer: B. Statement 1 is wrong: burial mounds like stupas existed before Buddhism, and Jains also built stupas. Statement 2 is correct: stupas usually held relics of the Buddha or monks. Statement 3 is correct: stupas were also built as votive (offering) and commemorative structures. So only two.
Watch for: Stupas are so linked with Buddhism that students assume Buddhism invented them.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statements 2 and 3 are both correct.
- C. Wrong because the stupa idea is older than Buddhism.
- D. Wrong because statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Source to check: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part I, Ch 4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings; NCERT Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art Part I, Ch 3 Arts of the Mauryan Period
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.