Question

Identify the correct statements:
• [A.] The ruins at Hampi were brought to light in 1800.
• [B.] Colonel Colin prepared the first survey map of the Hampi.
• [C.] Much of the initial information Colin received was based on the memories of priests of the Virupaksha temple and the shrine of Pampadevi.
• [D.] From 1900, photographers began to record the monuments which enabled scholars to study them.
• [E.] As early as 1936 epigraphists began collecting several dozen inscriptions. Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, B, C only
• B. B, C, D only
• C. A, B, D only
• D. A, B, C, D, E only

Hint:

Remember the "Three Pillars" of Hampi's rediscovery: Colin Mackenzie (1800), Oral Traditions (Priests), and Photography/Epigraphy (Mid-19th Century). Most errors in this topic revolve around these specific dates!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The discovery and study of Hampi, the ruined capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, is a milestone in Indian historical archaeology.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Statement A is correct: The ruins of Hampi were formally "discovered" and brought to light in 1800 by Colin Mackenzie.
Statement B is correct: Colonel Colin Mackenzie, who was an engineer and antiquarian, created the first detailed survey map of the site.
Statement C is correct: Since the site was in ruins, Mackenzie relied on the oral traditions and memories of the local temple priests of the Virupaksha and Pampadevi shrines to identify buildings.
Statement D is incorrect: Photographers actually began recording Hampi much earlier, starting around 1856 (e.g., Alexander Greenlaw).
Statement E is incorrect: The systematic collection of inscriptions (epigraphy) at the site by the Archaeological Survey of India began in 1836, not 1936.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Statements A, B, and C are historically accurate. Thus, option (a) is the correct answer.