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ENHI

RAS question

The Ekling Ji Temple near Udaipur, the family deity temple of Mewar rulers, is dedicated to:

Correct answer: (A) Lord Shiva.

Eklingji Temple near Udaipur, the family-deity temple of the Mewar rulers, is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

  1. (A)

    Lord Shiva

  2. (B)

    Lord Vishnu

  3. (C)

    Lord Brahma

  4. (D)

    Lord Krishna

Explanation

Eklingji is identified in the question as the family-deity temple of the Mewar rulers, about 22 km north of Udaipur. The Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan describes the Shree Eklingji Temple complex as dedicated to Lord Shiva and says it houses 108 temples. That is why Lord Shiva is the only correct option. The wider Mewar association matters for RAS because the rulers regarded themselves as Dewan, or servants, of Eklingji, treating the deity as the true ruler of Mewar. The complex is also linked to Bappa Rawal in the 8th century, making the site both a religious and political marker in Mewar history.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (B) Lord Vishnu is wrong because the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan identifies Shree Eklingji Temple as a complex dedicated to Lord Shiva, not Vishnu.
  • (C) Lord Brahma is wrong because Eklingji is a Shiva temple, while the well-known Brahma temple association is with Pushkar.
  • (D) Lord Krishna is wrong because Krishna worship is associated with Nathdwara, and the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan also treats Nathdwara as famous for a Krishna temple rather than Eklingji.

Concept

This tests Rajasthan art-and-culture knowledge of major temples, sectarian affiliations and royal patronage in Mewar. It recurs in RAS because Eklingji connects religious identity with the political legitimacy of the Mewar rulers.

Source

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