Read the below statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Mark the correct options:
Assertion (A): Ajanta is the only surviving site that contains paintings from both the first century BCE and the fifth century CE.
Reason (R): Ajanta has chaitya caves from the early phase and only vihara-chaitya caves from the later phase
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer:
A is true, but R is false.
Explanation:
Statement (A) is correct because Ajanta Caves are unique in preserving paintings from both the 1st century BCE and the 5th century CE, representing two major phases of ancient Indian art development.
However, Reason (R) is incorrect because it wrongly describes the cave classification. Ajanta contains both chaitya and vihara caves in different phases, and it is not accurate to say that only “vihara-chaitya caves” belong to the later phase. Hence, R does not correctly explain A.
Key Points:
Ajanta caves show artistic development across two major historical phases.
They are associated with Buddhist art and culture.
Both chaitya and vihara caves exist across different phases.
The statement in R is factually incorrect.
Additional Facts:
Ajanta Caves are located in Maharashtra.
They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The paintings are mainly based on Jataka tales.
Important Questions:
Q1: Where are the Ajanta Caves located?
Ans: Maharashtra.
Q2: Which religion is associated with Ajanta paintings?
Ans: Buddhism.
Q3: Ajanta Caves are famous for what?
Ans: Ancient Indian paintings and murals.