Daily Current Affairs Quiz: January 23, 2026

Option [A] is incorrect: This describes a staggered square (orthogonal) plan, commonly seen in early Dravidian or Nagara temples, not a stellate (star-shaped) plan.

Option [B] is incorrect: A circular garbhagriha with concentric passages is characteristic of Buddhist chaitya halls or stupa-based architecture, not Hoysala temple planning.

Option [C] is correct: The stellate plan in Hoysala temples consists of a polygonal, star-shaped base with multiple projections and recesses, creating a stepped, complex outline ideal for dense sculptural ornamentation.

Option [D] is incorrect: A rectangular, grid-based plan is typical of linear Dravidian temple layouts, whereas Hoysala temples deliberately avoid rigid geometry in favour of star-shaped articulation.

Option [A] is incorrect: A nirguna bhakti saint who composed dohas and sakhis in a mix of vernacular languages; he did not write the Ramcharitmanas.

Option [B] is correct: A saguna Vaishnava bhakti saint who composed the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi in the late 16th century, vernacularising devotion to Lord Rama in North India.

Option [C] is incorrect: A Krishna-bhakti poetess from Rajasthan, known for devotional songs and bhajans, not the Ramcharitmanas.

Option [D] is incorrect: Founder of Sikhism, whose teachings are compiled in the Guru Granth Sahib; he was not associated with Vaishnava bhakti literature.

Statement 1 is correct: During the Rashtrakuta period, varna–jati distinctions became more rigid, with social hierarchy strengthening due to land grants and the growing dominance of upper castes.

Statement 2 is correct: This period witnessed the rise of new occupational castes, including Kayasthas, linked to expanding administration, revenue collection, and scribal functions.

Statement 3 is correct: Brahmins received tax-free land grants (brahmadeya), enhancing their economic power and social prestige, a common feature of early medieval polity.

Statement 4 is incorrect: There is no significant evidence of improvement in women’s status or a notable increase in women rulers during the Rashtrakuta period; patriarchy largely continued.

Statement 1 is correct: Under the Nayak (or Amara-Nayaka) system, revenue from a locality was assigned to military chiefs (Nayaks) in return for maintaining troops and rendering military service to the Vijayanagara state.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Nayak System did not originate under Krishnadevaraya; it evolved earlier and was further systematised and strengthened during his reign, not introduced by him.

Statement 1 is correct: The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, under the guidance of Sage Vidyaranya.

Statement 2 is correct: The empire developed an efficient administrative system with well-defined provincial divisions and maintained a strong, well-organised military, including infantry, cavalry, and elephants.

Statement 3 is correct: The capital city, Hampi, is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its monumental architecture and urban planning.