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SSC CGL 2025 PYQ — Question 34

SSC CGL - 20 Sep 2025 - Shift 1 • General Awareness • Q34

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What is the main tower of a Dravida-style temple known as?

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Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. Vimana.

In Dravida-style architecture, the main tower built over the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) is called the Vimana. Unlike the curved Shikhara of North Indian (Nagara) temples, the Vimana is typically a stepped, pyramid-like structure that rises in various tiers.

Comparison of Terms:

  • Vimana: The sanctum tower in South India.

  • Shikhara: The main tower in North Indian temples; in Dravida style, this term refers only to the crowning dome on top of the Vimana.

  • Gopuram: The massive, ornate entrance gateways of the temple complex.

  • Vihara: A Buddhist monastery or dwelling place for monks.