SSC
The famous painting of 'Bharat Mata', portraying her as a calm, ascetic figure dressed in saffron and holding a book, sheaves of paddy, a white cloth and a rosary, was painted by:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — Abanindranath Tagore
Detailed Solution
The famous painting of "Bharat Mata" (Mother India), portraying her as a calm, ascetic figure, was painted by Abanindranath Tagore in 1905, during the Swadeshi Movement.
About the painting:
- It shows Bharat Mata as a young woman dressed in saffron, like a sannyasini (female ascetic).
- She has four arms, and holds a book (learning), sheaves of paddy (food), a piece of white cloth (clothing) and a rosary (spiritual strength).
- NCERT notes that in this painting, Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and spiritual.
- The painting was originally called "Banga Mata", and was later renamed "Bharat Mata".
- It was carried in processions and used as a symbol of the nation during the Swadeshi Movement.
- It is painted in watercolour, in a style influenced by Indian miniature and Japanese wash painting techniques.
NCERT on the image of Bharat Mata:
- NCERT notes that the identity of India came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata.
- The image was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who wrote "Vande Mataram" as a hymn to the motherland.
- In subsequent years, the image of Bharat Mata acquired many different forms, as it circulated in popular prints and was painted by different artists.
- Devotion to this mother figure came to be seen as evidence of one's nationalism.
About Abanindranath Tagore:
- He was born in 1871, and was a nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.
- He was the founder of the Bengal School of Art, which tried to develop a modern Indian style of painting based on Indian traditions, rejecting the Western academic style.
He was supported by E. B. Havell, the principal of the Government School of Art, Calcutta.
His famous works include "Bharat Mata", "The Passing of Shah Jahan" and the "Arabian Nights" series.
He also wrote stories for children.
His students:
Nandalal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, Kshitindranath Majumdar and others.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Raja Ravi Varma painted gods and goddesses in a European realist style.
- ✗Nandalal Bose was Abanindranath's student.
- ✗Amrita Sher-Gil was a modern painter of the 1930s.
Quick tip
Remember: "Bharat Mata" (1905) = Abanindranath Tagore (ascetic figure with book, paddy, cloth, rosary; NCERT); founder of the Bengal School of Art.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes Questions
View all ›- Q1.Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil and Nandalal Bose are famous Indian:
- Q2.The 'Mysore Peta', an important part of traditional attire in Karnataka, is worn on the:
- Q3.Pattachitra painting is a traditional art form of which state?
- Q4.Warli painting is a tribal folk art of which state?
- Q5.Phad paintings, a form of scroll painting depicting folk deities such as Pabuji and Devnarayan, are famous in:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, 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 traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes 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.