# Indian Civil Services Examination Handbook/Indian culture
## Art forms
### Books

* Facets of Indian Culture by Kalpana Rajaram, Spectrum India
* NCERT Class 6 Social Studies Our Past - I
* NCERT Class 7 Social Studies Our Past - II

### Previous years questions

Rajaram vidyalaya school malkhed bk. Ner yavatmal maharashtra 445102 india in

## Literature
### Books

* Facets of Indian Culture by Kalpana Rajaram, Spectrum India
* NCERT Class 6 Social Studies Our Past - I
* NCERT Class 7 Social Studies Our Past - II

### Previous years questions
###### 2013 onwards

Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South india, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment. (200 words) [2013]
Taxila University was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense. Discuss. (150 words) [2014]

###### 1987-2013

Answer the following: (About 20 words each) 1. William Jones 2. Sangam Literature
Write about the following (not 20 words each): 1. Age of Sangam Literature 2. Ashtadhyayi of Panini 3. Megasthenes 4. R. C. Dutt
Distinguish between the following four literary awards: 1. Jnanpith Award 2. Sahitya Akademi Award 3. Vyas Samman 4. Sarastvati Summan
Write about the following (About 20 words each): (i) Aryabhatta (ii) J. Krishnamurthy (iii) Banabhatta (iv) Jaydeva
Answer the following: (about 20 words) i) Arthasastra ii) Sajjad Zahir
Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each): (i) Upanishads (iii) Kumarsambhav (iv) Razmnama (v) Muhammad Barkatullah
Write about the following not exceeding 20 words each): (a) Yajnavalkya Smriti (b) Sutta Pitaka (c) Bhagawati Sutra
Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each): (a) Kalhana (b) Panini (e) Tabaqat-i-Nasir (f) Madhura Vijayam (g) Pandurang Mahatmya (h) Prithviraj Raso (j) Ali Sardar Jafri
Write about the following not exceeding 20 words each): a) Megasthenes b) Allasani Peddana

## Architecture
### Books

* Facets of Indian Culture by Kalpana Rajaram, Spectrum India
* NCERT Class 6 Social Studies Our Past - I
* NCERT Class 7 Social Studies Our Past - II

### Previous years questions
###### 2013 onwards

Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss. (100 words) [2013]
To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss. (150 words) [2014]

###### 1987-2013

What were the new elements introduced by the Muslim rulers in the development of India architecture? (About 50 words)
Evaluate the chief characteristics of any two of the following: (About 50 words for each) 1. Gandhara School of Art 2. Rock cut temple architecture 3. Chola architecture
Write about the chief characteristics of the following: Nagara style of architecture
Write about the chief characteristic of the following: Chandella school of architecture
Write about the chief feature of the following: Mughal Architecture at Fatehpur Sikri
Write about the chief features of the following: Gandhara School of Art
Write about the chief features of the following: Dravidian architecture
Write about the chief features of the following: 1. Town Planning in Indus Valley Civilization 2. Rock cut Cave Architecture
Write about the chief features of the following: Gopuram
Write about the following not exceeding 20 words each): (a) Gangaikonda-Cholapuram (b) Nizamuddin Auliya
Maharaja Swai Jai Singh II of Jaipur has built five observations for astronomical observation. Two of these are situated at Delhi and Jaipur. Where are the other three located?
Answer the following: (About 20 words each) Gandhara School of art
Differentiate between Natural and Cultural heritage.
Answer the following: (about 20 words) i) Saranath Pillar
Answer the following: (about 20 words) i) Brihadeshwara Temple, Tanjore 2) Golkonda Fort 3) Rama Sethu
Why is Laurie Baker called 'the conscience keeper of Indian architecture'?