UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics on 3rd January 2026
Q1. In the context of the Piprahwa relics, the term 'Kapilavastu' is most precisely used to denote which one of the following?
- A. The ancient Sakya kingdom, identified with the Piprahwa site, associated with the Buddha's early life
- B. The stone coffer in which the reliquary caskets were enshrined
- C. The early Brahmi inscription engraved on the casket lid
- D. The dome-shaped stupa mound that was opened in the 1898 excavation
Q2. With reference to the excavation and present-day custody of the Piprahwa relics, consider the following statements:
1. The National Museum, New Delhi houses the majority of the relics recovered in the 1971–1977 excavations.
2. The Indian Museum, Kolkata holds relics associated with Piprahwa.
3. The excavations of 1971–1977 were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India under K.M. Srivastava.
4. The Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad is the principal custodian of the Piprahwa gem relics.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The National Museum, New Delhi houses the majority of the relics recovered in the 1971–1977 excavations.
- The Indian Museum, Kolkata holds relics associated with Piprahwa.
- The excavations of 1971–1977 were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India under K.M. Srivastava.
- The Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad is the principal custodian of the Piprahwa gem relics.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q3. The Brahmi inscription on the Piprahwa relic casket, which attributes the enshrined relics to the Sakya clan, is generally dated to which one of the following periods?
- A. 3rd century BCE (Mauryan era)
- B. 1st century CE (Kushana era)
- C. 5th century BCE (pre-Mauryan)
- D. 2nd century CE (Satavahana era)
Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the two phases of excavation at Piprahwa:
1. The 1898 excavation was carried out by the colonial landowner William Claxton Peppé, whereas the 1971–1977 excavations were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India under K.M. Srivastava.
2. The relics recovered in the 1971–1977 excavations are today housed largely in the National Museum, New Delhi.
3. The gem relics repatriated from abroad in 2025 were those retained from the 1971–1977 ASI excavations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 1898 excavation was carried out by the colonial landowner William Claxton Peppé, whereas the 1971–1977 excavations were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India under K.M. Srivastava.
- The relics recovered in the 1971–1977 excavations are today housed largely in the National Museum, New Delhi.
- The gem relics repatriated from abroad in 2025 were those retained from the 1971–1977 ASI excavations.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the 2025 return of the Piprahwa gem relics:
1. The Sotheby's Hong Kong auction of the relics was postponed following intervention by India's Ministry of Culture.
2. The relics were repatriated to India on 30 July 2025 through a public-private partnership with the Godrej Industries Group.
3. The Government of India has characterised the repatriation as a transfer of outright ownership of the relics to the Union Government.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Sotheby's Hong Kong auction of the relics was postponed following intervention by India's Ministry of Culture.
- The relics were repatriated to India on 30 July 2025 through a public-private partnership with the Godrej Industries Group.
- The Government of India has characterised the repatriation as a transfer of outright ownership of the relics to the Union Government.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. The 2025 repatriation of the Piprahwa gem relics was achieved through a public-private partnership in which the lead private partner was which one of the following?
- A. Godrej Industries Group
- B. Tata Trusts
- C. Reliance Foundation
- D. Aditya Birla Group
Q7. With reference to the January 2026 exposition 'The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One', consider the following:
1. Piprahwa Revisited
2. Vignettes of the Life of Buddha
3. Expansion of Buddhist Art and Ideals Beyond Borders
4. The Silk Route and the Spread of Jainism
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as thematic sections of the exposition?
- Piprahwa Revisited
- Vignettes of the Life of Buddha
- Expansion of Buddhist Art and Ideals Beyond Borders
- The Silk Route and the Spread of Jainism
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q8. The January 2026 exposition 'The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One' at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex, New Delhi, was hosted under the aegis of which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Culture
- B. Ministry of External Affairs
- C. Ministry of Tourism
- D. Ministry of Minority Affairs
Q9. The Great Stupa at Sanchi, whose relic-enshrinement tradition provides context for the Piprahwa reliquary, was originally commissioned in the 3rd century BCE by which one of the following rulers?
- A. Ashoka
- B. Kanishka
- C. Pushyamitra Sunga
- D. Gautamiputra Satakarni
Q10. India's international expositions of the sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha are organised, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, by which one of the following bodies?
- A. International Buddhist Confederation (IBC)
- B. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
- C. Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
- D. National Museum Institute (NMI)
Q11. The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, which regulates the export and repatriation of antiquities such as the Piprahwa relics, is administered by which one of the following agencies?
- A. Archaeological Survey of India
- B. Central Bureau of Investigation
- C. Directorate General of Foreign Trade
- D. National Archives of India
Q12. Consider the following pairs of sites associated with the life of the Buddha and the events linked to them:
1. Lumbini — birthplace of the Buddha, in present-day Nepal.
2. Sarnath — where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.
3. Kushinagar — where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Lumbini — birthplace of the Buddha, in present-day Nepal.
- Sarnath — where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.
- Kushinagar — where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3