SSC
The Amaravati Stupa (in the Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh) was discovered in 1797 by:
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Answer: Option C — Colin Mackenzie
Detailed Solution
The Amaravati Stupa was discovered in 1797 by Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a British army officer and surveyor.
How it was discovered:
- In 1796, a local landlord (zamindar) of the region, Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu, began using the stones of the ancient mound to build a new temple and town; the mound was being dug for bricks and stones.
- In 1797, Colin Mackenzie visited the site and recognised its importance; he returned in 1816 and made detailed drawings of the sculptures.
- However, by then much of the stupa had already been destroyed.
- NCERT describes how the Amaravati stupa was found and dismantled, and how its sculptures were taken to different places, such as Calcutta, Madras and London.
- Some sculptures were sent to the Asiatic Society in Calcutta, and many were later taken to Madras and to the British Museum in London.
- Later excavations were carried out by Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Alexander Rea in the 19th century.
- NCERT contrasts the fate of Amaravati with Sanchi, which survived because the officials of the time were more careful, and because the Begums of Bhopal provided money for its preservation.
About Colin Mackenzie:
- He was born in 1754 in Scotland and died in 1821.
- He was an engineer and surveyor in the service of the East India Company.
- He became the first Surveyor General of India in 1815.
- He collected a huge number of manuscripts, inscriptions, coins and drawings, known as the "Mackenzie Collection".
- NCERT mentions him as a pioneer in collecting local histories and surveying sites.
About the Amaravati Stupa:
- It is located at Amaravati, on the south bank of the Krishna river.
- It was a great Buddhist centre, built in stages from about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE.
- It was decorated with finely carved limestone panels.
- The modern city of Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, is named after this ancient site.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Alexander Cunningham, James Burgess and John Marshall were later archaeologists.
Quick tip
Remember: Amaravati Stupa = discovered by Colin Mackenzie (1797; first Surveyor General of India, 1815; "Mackenzie Collection"); sculptures in Chennai and the British Museum.
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Buddhism & Jainism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Buddhism & Jainism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Buddhism and Jainism arose in the 6th century BCE as reform movements. This topic covers the lives and teachings of Gautama Buddha and Mahavira, the Jain tirthankaras, the Buddhist councils, the sects of both religions, their sacred texts and the places linked to them. Common questions cover the four great events of the Buddha's life and their places (birth at Lumbini, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, first sermon at Sarnath, death at Kushinagar), the four Buddhist councils with their kings and venues, and the Jain sects Digambara and Shvetambara. Learning the councils as a table of place, king and president is the fastest way to revise. Practise the Buddhism and Jainism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.