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Which UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka has a group of nine Hindu temples and a Jain sanctuary?
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Answer: Option B — Pattadakal
Detailed Solution
The "Group of Monuments at Pattadakal", in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, has nine Hindu temples and one Jain sanctuary (the Jain Narayana Temple). It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
About Pattadakal:
It is located on the left bank of the Malaprabha river, near Badami and Aihole.
It was a royal ceremonial centre of the Chalukyas of Badami; Chalukya kings were crowned here. The name "Pattadakal" means "place of coronation" ("pattada" = coronation, "kal" = stone or place). It was earlier called "Kisuvolal" ("valley of red soil").
Most of its temples were built in the 7th and 8th centuries CE.
It is famous because temples of both the northern (Nagara) style and the southern (Dravida) style stand side by side, showing the blending of styles in the Chalukya period. UNESCO describes it as a "harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India".
Temples of Pattadakal:
- Southern (Dravida) style: Virupaksha Temple (the largest), Mallikarjuna Temple and Sangameshwara Temple (the oldest, built by Vijayaditya).
- Northern (Nagara) style: Kadasiddheshwara, Jambulingeshwara, Galaganatha and Kashi Vishwanatha temples.
- Papanatha Temple: combines features of both styles.
- Jain Narayana Temple: built by the Rashtrakutas in the 9th century.
- The Virupaksha Temple there celebrates the victory of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya II over the Pallavas.
- The Pattadakal Dance Festival is held every year.
Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Karnataka:
- Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986).
- Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas: Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura (2023).
- Western Ghats (natural; 2012; shared with other states).
- Aihole and Badami are on UNESCO's tentative list (as part of the "Evolution of Temple Architecture" nomination).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
- ✗Belur has the Hoysala Chennakeshava Temple.
- ✗Aihole has more than 120 temples, but it is not the UNESCO-listed site with nine temples and a Jain sanctuary.
Quick tip
Remember: Pattadakal = nine Hindu temples + one Jain sanctuary (UNESCO 1987; Chalukya coronation centre on the Malaprabha; Nagara and Dravida styles side by side; Virupaksha the largest); Hampi = 1986; Hoysala ensembles = 2023.
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Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Monuments & Religious Places, 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.
This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places 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.