RAS question
The Shilalekh (stone inscription) at Achalgarh mentions which deity?
Correct answer: (D) Lord Shiva (as Achaleshwar Mahadev).
The Achalgarh stone inscription mentions Lord Shiva as Achaleshwar Mahadev, named in the record as Achalesvara and invoked as Sambhu.
Explanation
The Achalgarh inscription points to Shiva, not to a Vaishnava, Brahma, or Lakshmi cult. The cited Epigraphia Indica volume describes the record as a black stone slab in the hall of the Achalesvara Mahadeva temple at Achalgarh and notes that it begins with an obeisance to Achalesvara-deva, followed by an invocation to Sambhu, a name of Shiva. That matches the page explanation: Achalgarh, near Mount Abu, is associated with the Achaleshwar Mahadev temple, and the fort was rebuilt by Rana Kumbha in 1452 CE. For the MCQ, the key is to connect the inscriptional name Achalesvara/Achaleshwar Mahadev with Lord Shiva.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Lord Brahma is not the deity named in the cited inscription; the record opens with Achalesvara-deva and invokes Sambhu, pointing to Shiva.
- (B) Goddess Lakshmi is not the deity mentioned by the Achalgarh stone inscription; the inscriptional reference is to Achalesvara Mahadeva.
- (C) Lord Vishnu is not the answer because the inscription identifies the deity through Achalesvara and Sambhu, both tied here to Shiva as Achaleshwar Mahadev.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's temple-inscription tradition, especially how local sacred names such as Achaleshwar Mahadev are identified in epigraphic records. It recurs in RAS because forts, temples, and inscriptions often anchor questions on Rajasthan's medieval polity and religious culture.