Which one among the following temples is the earliest in time ?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Sun Temple at Martand” option2=”The Jandial Temple” option3=”The Gupta Temple at Deogarh” option4=”The Kailasanatha Temple at Kanchipuram” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017

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The Jandial Temple is the earliest temple among the given options.

– The Jandial Temple, located near Taxila (present-day Pakistan), is a well-preserved temple complex built in the Hellenistic style, featuring Ionic columns. It is generally dated to the Indo-Greek period, around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE.
– The Gupta Temple at Deogarh (Dashavatara Temple) is a prime example of Gupta period architecture, typically dated to the late 5th or early 6th century CE.
– The Sun Temple at Martand in Kashmir was built by King Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota dynasty in the 8th century CE (around 725-753 CE).
– The Kailasanatha Temple at Kanchipuram was built by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha) around the early 8th century CE (circa 700-728 CE).
Comparing the dates, the Jandial Temple (2nd-1st century BCE) is significantly earlier than the others, which belong to the Gupta or post-Gupta periods (5th century CE onwards).

The Jandial temple’s architecture reflects the cultural synthesis that occurred in the Gandhara region due to the interaction of Indian and Hellenistic influences. It represents a unique example of a structure resembling classical Greek temples on the Indian subcontinent.

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