Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Heritage Protection

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Moidams (or Maidams) were not used as army fortresses. They are traditional mound-burial systems (tumuli) of the Tai-Ahom religion. Statement 2 is Incorrect: They did not serve as recreation centres for the Royals and Nobles. Statement 3 is Correct: Moidams served exclusively as the royal necropolis (burial grounds) for Ahom kings, queens, and nobles. The vaults enshrine the mortal remains of the deceased along with cherished objects, food, horses, elephants, and historically even attendants, reflecting Tai-Ahom cosmological beliefs about the afterlife. The most prominent concentration of these is located in Charaideo, Assam, which was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom. In July 2024, they were officially inscribed as India's 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site. Statement 4 is Incorrect: They were not battle drill centres. Therefore, only statement 3 is correct.

*  Statement 1 is incorrect. Chandraketugarh, located in West Bengal, not Odisha, was an ancient port city known for its extensive trade networks. *  Statement 2 is correct. Inamgaon is a well-known archaeological site in Maharashtra, providing valuable insights into the Chalcolithic period. *  Statement 3 is correct. Kerala has numerous megalithic sites, The megalithic monuments at Mangadu consisted of 28 hard compact and unhewn laterite blocks within an area of 5 cents of land. * Statement 4 is incorrect. Salihundam, is a village and panchayat in Gara Mandal of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is a historically important Buddhist monument of ancient Kalinga, not rock-cut caves. Therefore, the correctly matched rows are 2 and 3.

Statement 1 is Correct: The Amaravati Stupa, historically known as the *Maha Chaitya*, is located in the lower Krishna River valley in the Guntur district of modern-day Andhra Pradesh. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Amaravati Stupa was actually larger than the Great Stupa at Sanchi. At its peak, the Amaravati Stupa had a diameter of approximately 50 meters and a height of about 27 meters, making it the largest stupa in India. In contrast, the Sanchi Stupa has a diameter of roughly 36.5 meters. Therefore, it was not "next only to Sanchi" in size. Statement 3 is Correct: The Amaravati school of art (also known as the Vengi or Andhra school) had a profound and lasting impact on later South Indian sculpture, including Pallava and Chola art. Facilitated by robust maritime trade networks along the eastern coast of India, the Amaravati style and its sculpted products were widely exported. Its influence is prominently visible in Sri Lanka (especially the Buddha images at Anuradhapura) and across various parts of Southeast Asia (such as Thailand and Java). Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

* Alexander Rea (1858-1924) was a British archaeologist who worked mainly in South British India. He is known for unearthing a sarcophagus from the hillocks of Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu. * Albert Henry Longhurst (1876-1955) was a British archaeologist and art historian, working in India and Ceylon. From 1927 to 1931 he was in-charge of the systematic digging of Nagarjunakonda. * Robert Sewell (1845-1925) worked in the civil service of the Madras Presidency during the period of colonial rule in India. Sewell undertook archaeological work at the Buddhist stupa at Amaravati, which had already been largely destroyed prior to his arrival. The site had previously been surveyed by Colin Mackenzie and Walter Elliot (1803-1887) * James Burgess (1832-1916), was the founder of the Indian Antiquary in 1872 and an important archaeologist of British India in the 19th century. From 1886-89 he was Director General, Archaeological Survey of India. * Walter Elliot (1803-1887), visited the Amaravati site in 1854, collecting sculpture panels that later became crucial for understanding South Indian Buddhist art.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Ajanta and Mahabalipuram were not built in the same period.
- Ajanta is known for its rock-cut cave monuments, which were constructed from the 2nd century BCE to the 6th century CE, primarily during the Gupta and Vakataka dynasties. - On the other hand, Mahabalipuram's rock-cut monuments and structures were built primarily during the 7th and 8th centuries CE, under the Pallava dynasty. Statement 2 is incorrect:
- Ajanta is associated with Buddhism, as the cave monuments were used as monasteries and temples by Buddhist monks. - Mahabalipuram, on the other hand, is associated with Hinduism, as the rock-cut monuments and temples are dedicated to Hindu deities and themes. Statement 3 is correct: Both Ajanta and Mahabalipuram are known for their remarkable rock-cut monuments and structures. The Ajanta Caves are a series of rock-cut cave temples and monasteries, while Mahabalipuram is renowned for its rock-cut temples, Rathas (chariot-shaped temples), and other monumental structures carved directly out of rock. Therefore, the only common feature between Ajanta and Mahabalipuram is that both have rock-cut monuments, as stated in statement 3.