UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 14)

QUESTION 1

What do you understand by the geological time scale? Discuss how has the geological time scale evolved over time.

QUESTION 2

The Vijayanagara Empire marks a unique and influential period in India’s architectural history.  Discuss.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

— Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer.

— Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required.

Way forward/ Conclusion

— The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction.

— You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers.

Self Evaluation

— It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers.

THOUGHT PROCESS

You may enrich your answers by some of the following points

QUESTION 1: What do you understand by the geological time scale? Discuss how has the geological time scale evolved over time.

Introduction: 

A simple introduction to this answer can revolve around a general statement about geological time scale.

— The Earth’s geological time scale is a crucial tool used by geologists, paleontologists, and other scientists to investigate the planet’s history. 

— It is a system that divides the history of the Earth into discrete intervals of time, based on events, such as the evolution and extinction of different living beings and processes that have occurred.

— It is divided into five broad categories:

(i) Eons

(ii) Epochs

(iii) Eras

(iv) Periods

(v) Ages

(Source: Advent of the Anthropocene epoch: Geological time scale, and how it has evolved over time by Alind Chauhan)

Body: 

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

How has the geological time scale evolved over time?

— The geological time scale takes hundreds of years to evolve. The root of its origin goes back to the 1500s and 1600s when the first major breakthrough came in 1669 after Danish scientist Nicolas Steno published the first laws of stratigraphy — the science of interpreting the strata, or layers of rock, in the Earth’s outer surface.

— He laid out two basic geologic principles:

(i) Sedimentary rocks (formed on or near the planet’s surface, in contrast to metamorphic and igneous rocks, which are formed deep within the Earth) are laid down in a horizontal manner.

(ii) Younger rock units were deposited on top of older rock units.

— The second principle essentially means that layers closer to the Earth’s surface must be younger than layers below them. This allowed scientists of the time to conclude that each rock layer represented a specific interval of geologic time.

— Italian geologist Giovanni Arduino classified the four main layers of the Earth’s crust as:

(i) Primary (the lowest metamorphic and volcanic layers),

(ii) Secondary (hard sedimentary rocks),

(iii) Tertiary (less hardened sedimentary rocks), and

(iv) Quaternary (the most recently laid rock layer, which is quite soft in comparison to other strata).

— There were some issues with Arduino’s classification and Steno’s principles like:

(i) The rocks were locally described by colour, texture, or even smell, comparisons between rock sequences of different areas were often not possible.

(ii) Unlike tree-ring dating, in which each ring is equivalent to one year’s growth, rock layers don’t tell the specific length of geologic time, meaning no one layer can convey how long a certain period lasted on the Earth.

— These discrepancies were ultimately resolved in the 1800s by English surveyor William Smith. He noticed that fossils may be used to describe distinct periods of time because evolution and extinction are natural phenomena. A rock with a trilobite fossil on it, for example, indicates that it is Paleozoic in age (541-252 million years ago), not older or younger, because trilobites existed exclusively during the Paleozoic era.

— He came up with the principle of faunal succession, which stated that fossils are found in the same order under the Earth’s surface from place to place. Fossil A was always found below Fossil B, which in turn was always found below Fossil C, and so on.

— This enabled scientists to sketch out the first basic contours of the geological time scale. With the introduction of radiometric dating in the early 1900s, a more sophisticated and exact time scale emerged, although fossil evidence continues to play an important part in the division of the chronology.

(Source: Advent of the Anthropocene epoch: Geological time scale, and how it has evolved over time by Alind Chauhan)

Points to Ponder

Types of Rocks

Related Previous Year Question

Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. (2022)

QUESTION 2: The Vijayanagara Empire marks a unique and influential period in India’s architectural history.  Discuss.

Introduction:

A simple introduction to this answer can revolve around a general statement about the Vijayanagara Empire.

— The Vijayanagara Empire was founded by Harihara I of the Sangama dynasty. The kingdom existed from 1336 to 1646.

— The kingdom reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya (reign 1509-1529), a period in which it enjoyed military superiority to its rival kingdoms such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha.

— At its peak, the kingdom stretched from Goa on the Konkan coast to parts of southern Odisha in the east and all the way to the very tip of the subcontinent in the south.

(Source: ‘Victory City’: A brief history of the kingdom of Vijayanagara, in which Salman Rushdie’s latest novel is situated by Arjun Sengupta)

Body: 

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

— The Vijayanagar’s contributions to culture and architecture were very significant. This period witnessed poetry, writing styles and literature in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit also flourished.

— The most striking feature about the location of Vijayanagara is the natural basin formed by the river Tungabhadra which flows in a north-easterly direction.

— According to Abdur Razzaq, an ambassador sent by the ruler of Persia to Calicut in the fifteenth century, was greatly impressed by the fortifications and mentioned seven lines of forts. These encircled not only the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests while the outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city.

— The fort was entered through well-guarded gates, which linked the city to the major roads. Gateways were distinctive architectural features that often defined the structures to which they regulated access.

— Mahanavami Dibba is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11,000 sq. ft to a height of 40 ft.

— The construction of temples in the region had a long history, going back to dynasties such as the Pallavas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Cholas. Temples functioned as centres of learning. The walls of the Hazara Rama Temple include scenes from the Ramayana.

Virupaksha temple

— The Virupaksha temple was erected over decades, with inscriptions indicating that the first shrine was established in the ninth and eleventh centuries, and it was significantly expanded with the formation of the Vijayanagara Empire.

— The hall in front of the main shrine was built by Krishnadeva Raya to mark his accession.

— The halls in the temple were used for a variety of purposes. Some were spaces in which the images of gods were placed to witness special programmes of music, dance, drama, etc.

Vitthala Temple

— The principal deity is Vitthala, a form of Vishnu generally worshipped in Maharashtra.

— A characteristic feature of the temple complexes is the chariot streets that extended from the temple gopuram in a straight line.

(Source: ncert.nic.in)

Conclusion: 

Your conclusion should be short. You may include:

— In 1976, Hampi was recognised as a site of national importance. Then, in the early 1980s, a major initiative was begun to meticulously document the material remains at Vijayanagara by broad and rigorous surveys employing a range of recording techniques. 

— Vijayanagara’s capital Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today, known for its sophisticated fortifications as well as innumerable temples and other architectural marvels.

— Vijayanagara has been remembered as an era of “cultural conservatism” when classical forms of Hinduism were preserved amidst growing Islamization of the rest of the subcontinent, especially the North.

(Source: ‘Victory City’: A brief history of the kingdom of Vijayanagara, in which Salman Rushdie’s latest novel is situated by Arjun Sengupta)

Points to Ponder

Temples of Vijayanagara Empire

Rulers of Vijayanagara Empire

Related Previous Year Questions

Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss. (2016)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 11)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 12)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 13)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 14)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 13)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 14)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 4 (Week 9)

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