In The Throne of Prosperity, a painting from Bijapur, what do the stylised plants on either side of the throne visually refer to?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Margin decoration in Gujarati manuscripts
Option (1) Wood carved doorways of Gujarati homes — Incorrect. The wood carved doorways and facades of Gujarati homes are recalled by the basic structures of the throne, not by the plants.
Option (2) Frescoes of Lepakshi — Incorrect. The Lepakshi frescoes are linked to the long scarf of Ahmadnagar women, and the Bijapur Ragamala echo the Lepakshi style; neither is said of the plants beside this throne.
Option (3) Temples of the Deccan — Incorrect. The temples of the Deccan are the other reference given for the basic structures, not for the plants.
Option (4) Margin decoration in Gujarati manuscripts — Correct. The stylised plants beside the throne have visual reference to margin decoration in Gujarati manuscript of the early sixteenth century.
Note: This topic was not named in the CUET 2026 syllabus, but it was part of the NCERT chapter. In 2025 and 2026, NTA also asked questions on topics in NCERT that the CUET syllabus did not name. So our mocks have questions from every part of the NCERT chapter, to give you enough practice. Read the whole chapter, not only the sub-topics named in the syllabus.
NCERT (2026-27): “Bijapur School of Painting …The Throne of Prosperity is a symbolic diagram of an auspicious throne of seven stages, each supported by different inhabitants — from elephants and tigers to palm trees, through storeys of peacocks and primitive tribes. The basic structures recall the wood carved doorways and facades of Gujarati homes or perhaps remind us of the temples of the Deccan. …The stylised plants on either side of the throne have visual reference to margin decoration in Gujarati manuscript of say early sixteenth century.” |