Bagh Cave No. 4 by what other name is it also known ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
Bagh Cave No. 4 is famously known by the popular name Rang Mahal, which translates to 'Palace of Colours' or 'Painted Hall'. This name was given due to its extraordinary wealth of frescos, making it the most exquisitely decorated cave in the Bagh group, situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Cave 4 is the largest of the Viharas (monastery halls) at Bagh, measuring approximately 92 feet by 45 feet, and originally served as the main congregation and residence hall for the Buddhist monks. Although much of the plaster and pigment has deteriorated over time, the surviving fragments and historical records attest to its function as a vibrant showcase of the Gupta-era painting tradition, justifying its title as the most colourful hall.

The incorrect option is 1:
Pathshala, meaning 'school' or 'place of learning', is a general term referring to an educational institution, not the specific name of Bagh Cave No. 4. While the Bagh Viharas (monasteries) certainly served as centres for religious education, this term is descriptive of function rather than the unique, popular name bestowed upon the cave. In the context of ancient Indian art and architecture, 'Pathshala' is not officially or popularly documented as the primary alternate name for any specific cave at Bagh.

The incorrect option is 2:
Hathikhana, meaning 'Elephant Stable' or 'Elephant House', is a popular local name associated with Bagh Cave No. 2, not Cave No. 4. Cave 2 is significantly larger than Cave 4 and is thought to have been the largest Vihara cave at Bagh. The name Hathikhana may stem from its massive scale or local folklore, making the attribution of this name to Cave No. 4 factually incorrect for exam purposes.

The incorrect option is 3:
Panch Pandu, or Panch Pandava, is another common local misnomer used to identify rock-cut cave groups in various parts of India, linking them to the five legendary Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata. However, historically and archaeologically, this name is specifically and most famously associated with the entire group of twenty-nine caves at the nearby Ajanta site, or sometimes other unrelated sites, but it is not the specific, individual name for Bagh Cave No. 4. The confusion often arises due to the proximity of similar sites and the tendency of local populations to assign familiar mythological names to monumental structures.