The sculpture of Varaha or Boar avatar of Vishnu rescuing the earth goddess is on-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Aihole Temple
Note: The given answer is as per the official NTA Answer Key. However, the question has two possible answers, i.e. both Option (1) and Option (3), as explained below.
In the Varaha avatar, Vishnu takes the form of a boar, dives into the cosmic ocean and lifts the earth goddess (Bhudevi) out of the waters on his tusk or arm. Many early temples show this scene in stone; two of the best known are among the options:
Option (1) Aihole Temple — Aihole in Karnataka, an early centre of temple building under the Chalukyas of Badami (sixth century CE onwards), has a well-known sculpture of Varaha rescuing the earth goddess. This is the answer given by NTA.
Option (3) Mahabalipuram Temple — the Varaha cave temple at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, cut in the rock under the Pallavas in the seventh century CE, has a large panel of Varaha lifting the earth goddess, so this option also fits the question.
The Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu is famous for Shiva as Nataraja, and Omkareshwar on the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh is a Shiva jyotirlinga shrine; neither is known for a Varaha sculpture.
Advice for the exam: When a question has two possible answers, mark the one you worked out yourself. If NTA’s answer key gives a different answer, challenge it when NTA opens the window for challenges.