Indian Heritage and Monuments

Khajuraho temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for their intricate medieval sculptures, are located in Madhya Pradesh. They were built by the Chandela dynasty between 950-1050 AD in the Chhatarpur district.

Sabarimala temple in Kerala was in news over controversies related to women's entry and touching the idol. The temple traditionally barred women of menstruating age (10-50 years) from entering, leading to legal and social disputes.

Hampi, the City of Ruins, was the magnificent capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 and was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2019 after successful conservation efforts. The Chola, Bahmani, and Chalukya empires had different capitals.

Varanasi is widely known by several names including Banaras (anglicized form), Kashi (ancient name), and Kashi Vishwanathpuri (referring to the famous temple). However, 'Suryanagar' is not among its historical names. While Surya worship is significant in Varanasi, the city is not known as Suryanagar in any historical or contemporary context.

Adi Shankaracharya established four mathas (monasteries) in four directions of India. Badrinath in the north was one of these centers where he worked to revive and reinstall Hinduism. The other three were Dwarka (west), Puri (east), and Sringeri (south).

The oldest museum in Uttar Pradesh is situated in Lucknow - the State Museum established in 1863. It has the longest continuous history among museums in UP. Allahabad, Mathura, and Varanasi also have museums, but Lucknow's is the oldest.

Queen Victoria's declaration letter of 1858 was read at Banaras-Sarnath. This declaration transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown following the 1857 revolt. Allahabad and Lucknow were important but not the venue for this specific reading.

Tulsi Manas Temple, dedicated to the poet-saint Tulsidas who wrote the Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi version of Ramayana), is located in Varanasi. The temple marks the site where Tulsidas is believed to have composed this epic work. Ayodhya, while important in the Ramayana tradition, is not where this specific temple is located.

Option (2) is correct.

Varanasi is the city in Uttar Pradesh that has two archaeological museums. The main archaeological museum is at Sarnath, and there's another within the city. Varanasi's rich archaeological heritage due to its ancient Buddhist and Hindu history justifies multiple museums. Lucknow, Allahabad, and Kanpur have only one each.

Shahjahanabad was the Mughal capital city established by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century, which is now known as Old Delhi. It was the seventh city of Delhi and contains historic areas like Chandni Chowk and the Red Fort.

The Buland Darwaza (Gateway of Victory) is located in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1576 to commemorate his victory over Gujarat and is the world's highest gateway.

The Bhawant Bridge in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, gained notoriety due to a tragic accident where a passenger bus fell from the bridge into the river below, resulting in significant casualties and drawing attention to safety issues.