- Prologue
- Q1. Sangam Literature
- Q2. Chola Temples
- Q3. Tandav Dance
- Analysis/Rambling/Commentary/Observations:
Prologue
The syllabus is new, pattern is new, BackbreakingTM techniques are new: hence any analysis is hollow and shallow, without solving the questions first.
So, Let’s start with the…
Culture Questions in GSM-I-2013
Following questions were asked: | marks | words |
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10 | 200 |
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5 | 100 |
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5 | 100 |
20 out of 250 marsk= only 8% of the paper. | 20 | 400 |
The Answer Sources
To solve above questions, I’ve used following books:
Book type | Did the book have sufficient content for the given question? | SANGAM | CHOLA | TANDAV |
SchoolTextbook | NCERTs | hardly | hardly | didn’t find |
NIOS Culture | hardly | few lines | one line | |
Tamilnadu Class 11 | yes | yes | didn’t find | |
ICSE Class 9 | yes | yes | didn’t find. | |
India’s Ancient Past RS Sharma. aka the fabled old NCERT. | yes | yes | didn’t find. | |
CompetitiveExam | Spectrum’s Culture book | hardly | yes | just 1 line |
TMH General Studies Manual | yes | yes | didn’t find. | |
Krishna Reddy | yes | yes | didn’t find. | |
Readymade material from Coaching/Correspondence/postal class. | didn’t use | didn’t use | didn’t use | |
Academic | AL Basham, A Wonder that was India | yes | yes | Few lines. |
- Yes= means at least 60% of the answer content was available. “Yes” doesn’t mean 100% content for the said question is given verbatim in the said book.
- Didn’t find= either the answer was not given there OR I didn’t read carefully.
- Didn’t use=because same content given in standard reference books for free/ cheap price.
Now time for the answers:
Q1. Sangam Literature
Q. Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment. (10m | 200words)
Approach: Have to comment on three issues:
- Sangam literature doesn’t help much to dig POLITICAL history of South India.
- Sangam literature helps understanding the SOCIAL condition of South India.
- Sangam literature helps understanding ECONOMIC condition of South India.
BOOKS NOT MUCH USEFUL | USEFUL |
|
|
Part#1: doesn’t help in Political history because:
- Three Sangams held between 100-250AD
- First sangam: attended by Gods and Sages. Work didn’t survive.
- Second: only Tolkappiyam (grammar book) survives = doesn’t help much.
- Third (last) Sangam: has eight anthologies (Ettutogai). Here too, not all work has survived. + has following limitations:
- Since poets were patronized by ruling elites- exaggerations about the victories, territorial influence. Even a cattle raid on village would be narrated as war.
- More focus Hero-worship rather than how they shaped power balance and foreign relation with other states.
- some of the names, titles, dynasties, territories, wars and like mentioned these poems are imaginary.
- No archeological evidences to corroborate certain settlements mentioned in Sangam Poems. e.g. Kaveripattanam.
- Many of these poems are erotic / romantic in nature.
- Much of the work still untranslated. Thorough study yet to be done.
Part#2: Social conditions in Sangam Age
From Sangam literature, we get following information about South Indian society:
VALUES |
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VARNAS |
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Women |
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social Interaction |
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DEATH | Varied from burial in urns to cremation rituals. |
Part#3: Economic conditions in Sangam Age
From Sangam literature, we get following information about South Indian Economy:
OVERALL Economy |
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Occupation |
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FOREIGN TRADE |
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WOMEN in Economy |
|
—but this is more than 500 words. Have to compress:—
Keypoints- Sangam
Q. Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment. (10m | 200words)
Key points:
- Sagam Litt. fails to give political history because:
- While three Sangams were held, only the last gathering provides material relevant to political history.
- With Hero worship as prime focus, Poets often exaggerated victories and territories of the kings.
- Some of the names, places, dynasties, territories are imaginary and not corroborated by archeological evidences.
- Part of the literature is erotic and romantic in nature.
- Sagam Litt. Gives social picture:
- Society cherished love, wars and heroes.
- Bards, priests and poets received royal patronage.
- Poets mention four varnas: Nobility, priests, traders and farmers.
- Society divided into clans (Kuti), however dining and social interactions permitted among them.
- Unlike North India, the South Indian society did not have stringent 4-fold varna stratification and Jati system.
- Women were allowed to choose partners, but life of widows was miserable.
- Sagam Litt. Gives economy picture:
- Five economic zones (tinai) viz. hills, drylands, jungle, plains and coast, each supporting a different economic activity.
- Agriculture, hunting, gathering, fishing and pastoralism were primary occupations. Crafting, weaving served as secondary source of income.
- Women formed a significant part of labour force, particularly in paddy cultivation, craft and weaving.
- Kings received income from trade, tributes and plunder. Regular system of taxation was absent. However, export of pepper, ivory, silk, cotton and booty from raids made the kings wealthy.
This is ~200 words.
Q2. Chola Temples
Q. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss. (5 marks | 100 words)
100 words can be easily gathered from any of the following books, but the real problem= can you recall decent points worth 100 words in the actual exam hall?
- NIOS Culture, Ch. 13 (~50 words.)
- Class 9 ICSE History textbook, page 74
- Tamilnadu Class 11 History textbook, chapter 13.
- Indian History, Krishna Reddy
- Under TMH General studies manual, section History of India=>art and architecture=>Cholas. Sufficient content
- Spectrum’s culture book (page 145 in 2004’s edition)
- AL Basham, Wonder that was India, Page 359-360
Answer Keypoints:
The Cholas followed and refined Pallava architecture, with following notable features:
- Use of stones instead of bricks.
- Walls decorated with sculptures and paintings of deities, kings and queen instead of lion motifs from Pallava.
- Temples are enclosed by decorative walls and entrance (Gopuram);
- have an audience hall (Mandap); a deity room (Garbhgriha); a pyramid like storey above the deity room (Vimana)
- Ultimately the beautiful Shikara stone at the top – each with elaborate and meticulous carvings- Weighing in tonnes yet placed without help of cranes.
During their reign, Cholas studded the entire Tamil landscape with such temples including Nagaeshwvara, Brihadeshwvara, Airavateshwara and Chidambaram -their style even followed by other kingdoms in South India and Sri Lanka.
~110 words.
Q3. Tandav Dance
Q. Discuss the Tandava dance as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions. (5 marks |100 words)
- Spectrum’s culture book barely gives two lines.
- NIOS culture course ch. 12 mentions that “traditional Indian culture the function of dance was to give symbolic expression to religious ideas. The figure of Lord Shiva as Nataraja represents the creation and destruction of the cosmic cycle.”
- From a small paragraph in AL Basham page 310, it becomes obvious that ^above NIOS sentence is talking about Tandava dance.
Anyways let’s combine:
- In South India, religious dancing was part of the earliest known tradition –and Shiva himself is considered to have invented no less than 108 different dances.
- Some of his dances are calm and gentle, while others fierce, orgiastic, heroic, bold, vigorous and terrible- such as the Tandava dance of Nataraja.
- Tandava and Lasya, are two basic aspects of Classical Indian Dance, associated with Shiva and Parvati respectively.
- In Tandava dance form, the angry Shiva is surrounded by his drunken attendants (ganas), he beats out a wild rhythm which destroys the world at the end of the cosmic cycle.
- Thus Tandava dance is meant to give symbolic expression to religious idea of Shiva being the Destroyer among the trinity of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh.
~123 words.
Although original question is “Discuss Tandava as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions”= so even above answer is incomplete. Because it doesn’t talk about any inscriptions. Finally “Wikipedia” (=the most unreliable source for MCQs), gives the seemingly right points.
Ancient Hindu scriptures narrate various occasions when Shiva or other gods have performed the Tandava viz.
- When Sati jumped in sacrificial fire in Daksha’s Yajna to give up her life, Shiva performed the Rudra Tandava to express his grief and anger.
- The Bhagavata Purana talks of Krishna dancing his Tandava on the head of the serpent Kaliya.
- According to Jain text: Indra performed Tandava in honour of Rishabha’s birth (Jain tirthankar).
- Shivapradosha stotra mentions: when Shiva performs the Sandhya Tandava, the other gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Indra play musical instruments and sing Shiva’s praises.
- In some temple sculptures, Ganesha is depicted in Eight armed form, dancing the Tandava.
~115 words.
Anyways, let’s combine and compress
Keypoints: Tandav Dance
Q. Discuss the Tandava dance as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions. (5 marks |100 words)
- Tandava and Lasya, are two basic aspects of Classical Indian Dance. Shiva himself is considered to have invented atleast 108 different dances- including the fiercely aggressive Tandava- where he destroys the world at the end of the cosmic cycle.
- Thus Tandava is meant to give symbolic expression to religious idea of Shiva being the Destroyer among the trinity of Gods.
- Ancient Hindu scriptures narrate many incidents where Tandava was performed including:
- Shiva at the death of Sati, to express his grief and anger.
- Krishna on the head of serpant Kaliya
- Indra at the birth of Jain Tirthkar Rishabhdev
~100 words.
Analysis/Rambling/Commentary/Observations:
before reading further, make sure you’ve read above culture question-answers first, and also tried solving them at home from whatever books/material you’ve at home.
Marks per question
Over the last few years, UPSC was moving towards “more questions for less marks” trend e.g.
No. Of Questions | x Marks Per question | =Total Marks |
1 | 60 | 60 |
2 | 30 | 60 |
4 | 15 | 60 |
5 | 12 | 60 |
In 2012’s General Studies Mains paper, some of the Questions were even asked for “1 mark” each! E.g PV Sindhu, Mario Miranda.
- So, it was natural for the players to expect that lot of questions will be of 1m, 2m, 5m each.
- Even in IFoS-2013 Mains exam, UPSC had asked all questions in 6-8 marks range. so the expectation even more bolstered.
- Hence the study approach of most candidates= focused on gathering maximum number of “terms” with 20-50 words for each. Especially for culture, sci-tech, even for world-history to some extent.
- UPSC did follow that expected line: questions were indeed small, only in terms of marks (5 marks and 10 marks each) but not in terms of length (100 words and 200 words each).
Difficulty level & BackbreakingTM
CULTURE QUESTIONS IN 2013 | PREVIOUSLY |
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not seen in previous paper (or maybe I didn’t look carefully) |
- Two out three topics were not new, the only challenge was to bring 200 and 100 words worth content respectively- especially for students without history optional.
- For both questions- sufficient matter available in standard reference books, as we saw while solving the answers.
- But then a player wouldn’t have prepared such topics in that detail- because the previous trend of UPSC forced him to do Gadhaa majoori of mugging up 50 dozen folk dances, painters, authors etc. for 20-30 words each with hope that lot of 2 markers will be asked.
- The GS1 paper started with culture question- hence most players would have panicked and it indirectly affected their performance even in remaining questions from history-post-independence India and geography where they did have sufficient answer points inside their head.
- Besides, even if the answer is verbatim given in a standard reference book- hiding in the plain sight, doesn’t mean the aspirant can recall all the points during the actual exam. The stress, anxiety and fatigue doesn’t let the mind perform @100% efficiency.
- Even if he can recall entire content, still it is humanly impossible to finish 25 questions in 5000 words with high quality points within three hours.
Thus, once again, the innocent bystanders are massacred while UPSC deploys BackbreakingTM move against coaching classes, rot learners (and senior players*).
Some more Conspiracy theories:
THEORY #1 |
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THEORY #2 |
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*it is a widely believed conspiracy theory that UPSC chairman prefers first timers over senior players. All this so called exam reform/gimmicks/tomfoolery is meant to prevent any senior player from gaining advantage by his repeated experience.
And as usual, my sympathies and respect goes for these hard working senior players for they’re the victims of circumstances- everyone wants to crack exam in first trial, but Cinderella story doesn’t happen with everyone- so what can they do? Try again and again until age, attempt, money or willpower runs out.
Back to the culture topic:
Causal revision = #Epicfail
- Frequent and serious revision is more important than wide coverage. e.g Chola temples question: Gopuram, vimana, Mandap etc.= you’ve already come across these terms many times in the same routine books like GS Manual and Spectrum’s culture.
- But while reading, if you just superficially glance over the information “thik hai..thik hai” (in the haste to finish reading many topics) then you cannot recall points in the exam=> low quality filler answers.
Focus on Dramatic part = also #EPICFAIL
In December 2013, the state election result came. BJP won in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh; and emerged as the largest party in Delhi.
Newschannel Anchor | will BJP form government in Delhi? or will you give external support to AAP? How will delhi result affect Modi’s chances in 2014 general election? blah blah blah |
BJP spokesperson | But why are you so obsessed with Delhi? Delhi is worth only 7 parliament seats. Why are you not talking about the other large states that we’ve won- Rajasthan and MP? They’ll give us good number of Parliament seats in 2014! |
Same is the problem with some UPSC candidates. Always worry about the dramatic parts rather than paying attention to bigger picture.
- In Prelims, just because one or two tough questions from culture/classical dance come, so they panic, they start doing Ph.D study on all classical dance forms, all temples, all painting, google n wiki day and night …while ignoring the high-scoring areas such as freedom struggle, geography, polity, Economy, Environment-biodiversity and Science.
- In mains, at max, culture is just 8%, even out of that, the toughest question the Tandav Dance is just 5 marks (2% of the whole paper) and that too requires 100 words to be written.
- Compare to that, there were plenty of questions in Indian History, world history, post-independence India and geography (totaling >60% of the GS1 paper), where cost: benefit was quite good. So, that’s where your focus should be.
- In the game of chess, if you try to defend every pawn, you end up losing the entire match. In short, a culture topic must be prepared but should not be prepared beyond its aukaat.
Studyplan for Mains-2014 Culture section
Q. What / How to prepare the culture section for Mains-2014? What books to refer?
GS preparation is like Kung-fu, every master develops his own style. you don’t have to read all of these following book, just mix-match-tweak as per your requirement and comfort level.
book | comment | hope for 2014 culture MCQ/Descriptive |
(new) NCERT |
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Almost useless for history. |
NIOS | Had UPSC asked same questions in 2m/20 words, then NIOS alone would have sufficed. But unfortunately, it did not. | Cursory reading. |
Tamil Nadu Textbooks (TNT) |
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Very useful. |
ICSE textbook |
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Useful |
Old NCERT |
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Useful |
GS Manual |
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Useful but not essential. |
Spectrum’s Culture book | Survived this time, but left limping. Overall future utility reduced | Not much useful. |
AL Basham |
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Cost: benefit is bad. |
Krishna Reddy |
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Useful for people with History optional.Useless for others. |
websites | wiki/ google / internet full of resources on Indian culture. | Random surfing, Net Ph.D =useless. |
coaching/postal material |
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Even Xeroxing them is a waste money and paper. |
So ^these are some of the books / sources for Indian culture. Design your own studyplan/ kung-fu style according to your requirements for Culture section in Mains 2014.
The focus should be on memorizing points that can help you assemble a 100-150 words content in the exam.
If you have come across any other awesome resource/book, do mention it in the comments below.
Working professionals don’t waste salary
In recent years, many working professionals have entered in the fray, but because of the job workload they can’t spare much time. So they’re always looking for some way to reduce the studyload + they also have salary money to spare (because most of them unmarried).
Nowadays, working professional= main target audience for coaching-correspondence business. And the new GS syllabus’ uncertainty factor boomed the business like never before.
But in this article, you’ve seen that all questions could be solved directly from Standard reference books (except Tandav dance). So, avoid falling into the “readymade material / external dependency” mindset- it doesn’t help in UPSC exam. If you’ve big money to spend, better spent it on some “infrastructure” that helps in study- like more tubelights in the studyroom, bigger desk, more comfortable studychair, faster internet, bigger monitor, tablet, laptop, rental room near office to save travel time etc. Don’t pour salary into drain for garbage material.
No point in crying over the spilled milk
(Only meant for Players who wrote Mains-2013)
- “For the exam you should have done this, you should have done that…” I’m not going to preach any of that, because if you had known that UPSC was going to ask these type of lengthy detailed questions, then you would have definitely prepared in a different fashion accordingly.
- Based on your understanding of the previous trend, You had prepared in the best manner you could. So, If some random person on internet claims he wrote 250 out 250 marks, then you don’t have to become sleepless and restless over it.
Remember the wisdom given in the Geeta
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः। वीतराग भयक्रोधःस्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते॥(२-५६) |
The one who is not disturbed by miseries, Or elated in happiness. The one who is free from fear, anger and cutoffs, Is called a sage of steady mind. |
- So, Now it’s the time to move on- prepare for the interviews, prepare your location-graduation related questions, prepare opinion based current affairs, prepare your hobbies and so on.
- And simultaneously, do work on whatever career backup/Post graduation/other competitive exams you have.
- DO get a computer certificate. (CCC). http://www.nielit.in/student411ccc.htm
- DO enroll to any decent PG course in IGNOU’s distant education program. http://www.ignou.ac.in/ignou/studentzone/programmelist
The next prelims is in late August 2014. That’s more than a half year away. You’ve already have the experience of clearing one CSAT, you don’t need to focus on CSAT for 24/7 basis anymore.
My point being, don’t be fixated in “prelim-mains-interview-prelim-main-interview” mindset, otherwise 3-5-7 years of youth life are gone in no time and one day you realize you don’t have PG, you don’t have work-ex, your life and biodata file basically sucks.
This time, you’ve a long gap between Mains-2013 to Prelims-2014. Use those months wisely. If you don’t want to execute any backplans, no problem. But at least prepare the necessary groundwork. e.g
- If MBA is your backup, then get the idea: when do CAT/MAT/CMAT/XAT/GMAT/IRMA etc. application forms come every year, when are the exams taken? What are the good colleges and courses to apply for? What type of questions are asked? And so on.
- If State service is your backup, then prepare all the static / theory stuff related to state history/geography/schemes/economy. That’ll also help in interviews.
It is one thing to have career backup in your head, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually set it in motion when you really want to execute that backup.
Therefore, Groundwork must be prepared in advance. I say this, not to demotivate you but to caution you-Lightening doesn’t strike on everyone, but nor does the Cinderella story happen with everyone- so don’t put all eggs in one basket.
Anyways, Next time, we’ll solve the Indian History/Freedom Struggle related portion from GS Paper I.
Its very nyc.plz I need more
Can anyone tell me where to get printed copy of tamilnadu state education board 11th history book in Delhi? Plz reply
Brother, download the free PDF file of TNT and simply take a print out.
which book is good tamilnadu ncert OR older ncert for ancient and mideval india?
Sir by TNT Text Books for culture. Do you mean only class 11 (TNT) text book.
1st time in net i have come across such an awesome website
Sir,I would like to know the subjects and the optional subjects to be chosen. Pl. help me I do not go to any coaching class. And the whole syllabus to be studied for upsc exam. I don`t know anything would You guide me please
sir i will be attempting 2015 exams you will suggest same strategy for 2015
Yeah , keep studying NCERT for History , geography and Economics. For polity follow some standard book and put special emphasis because u can score 100% in this section. History too. Solve paper then and analyse ur weakness and strong area. If u did a question wrong besides having strong concept on that then again analysis and pick out the type of mistake u did. Always be friendly with Environment and Biodiversity. Chill ON !!! Keep solving questions and revise the concept encountered while attempting questions.
sssss
Sir, have u analysed geography part of GS1 and other general studies papers also? I couldn’t find them, plz help!!
In Tandava dance form, the angry Shiva is surrounded by his drunken attendants (ganas), he beats out a wild rhythm which destroys the world at the end of the cosmic cycle….what a lines sir awesome i love it,sir
nice composition
someone please suggest me some map prctise book for history optionals
your collection of information from various sources is quite appreciating but the approach of presenting answer from UPSC point of view ie. analysis , interpretation and conclusion is not upto mark.