RAS question
The Vishnu Temple at Deogarh (UP) belongs to which period?
Correct answer: (C) Gupta period.
The Vishnu or Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh in Uttar Pradesh belongs to the Gupta period.
Explanation
NCERT identifies the Vishnu or Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh in Lalitpur district as a Gupta temple dedicated to Vishnu and dates it to the 6th century CE. It also describes the temple as the earliest known Panchayatana temple in North India. In Indian art history, the temple is an important example of early structural stone temple architecture associated with the Guptas. Its main architectural features include a high plinth, a stepped base, figures of Ganga and Yamuna at the doorway of the sanctum, and three large panels on the side walls. Panels depicting Gajendramoksha, Nara-Narayana Tapasya and Anantashayi Vishnu connect its sculptural programme with Vaishnava mythology. Thus, the Gupta-period identification links the site not only to a dynasty but also to Gupta-era temple architecture and Vishnu worship.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Mauryan period does not fit because NCERT identifies the Deogarh Vishnu or Dashavatara Temple as a Gupta temple, not a Mauryan monument. Unlike the rock-cut architecture associated with the Mauryan period, this is an early structural stone temple.
- (B) The Pratihara period is incorrect because NCERT dates the Deogarh Dashavatara Temple to the 6th century CE and identifies it as a Gupta monument, not an example of Pratihara architecture.
- (D) The Kushan period is too early for this temple because NCERT places the Deogarh Vishnu Temple in the Gupta context and dates it to the 6th century CE.
Concept
This question tests Gupta-period art and architecture, especially the emergence of early structural Hindu temples. Deogarh recurs in RAS because it is a standard example that links a dynasty and period with temple form and Vaishnava iconography.