Prehistoric paintings can be seen at :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
The option Pachmarhi, Mandsor, and Bhimbetka is correct because all three locations are renowned centres of Indian Prehistoric rock art. **Bhimbetka** is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Madhya Pradesh, featuring thousands of prehistoric rock shelters with paintings spanning the Paleolithic to the Mesolithic periods, making it the most prominent site. **Pachmarhi** (in the Satpura range) and **Mandsor** (Mandasaur district) in Madhya Pradesh are also historically and archaeologically significant sites, containing numerous rock shelters and caves adorned with ancient pictographs. These paintings depict scenes of hunting, dancing, and animal life, which are characteristic of the Prehistoric era. Thus, this group accurately represents exclusively Prehistoric painting sites.

The incorrect option is 1:
The combination Bhimbetka, Ellora, Sittanvasal is incorrect because **Ellora** and **Sittanvasal** are centres of Historical period art, not Prehistoric art. Ellora, a UNESCO site in Maharashtra, is famous for rock-cut Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples and monasteries that date from the 6th to 10th centuries CE. Similarly, the caves at Sittanvasal (Tamil Nadu) are primarily known for magnificent Jain mural paintings from the Pallava and Pandya periods (7th-9th centuries CE). Therefore, the inclusion of these later, historical sites makes this option invalid.

The incorrect option is 3:
This option—Bhimbetka, Mahabalipuram, Ellora—is incorrect due to the inclusion of **Ellora** and **Mahabalipuram**. As previously explained, Ellora is a post-6th century CE historical site. **Mahabalipuram** (Mamallapuram) in Tamil Nadu is famed for the 7th and 8th-century CE rock-cut monuments, monolithic rathas, and structural temples built under the Pallava dynasty. These monuments represent the zenith of early South Indian architecture and sculpture from the Historical period, having no connection with Prehistoric cave paintings.

The incorrect option is 4:
The list Raigarh, Singhanpur, Ellora is incorrect because of **Ellora**, which, as established, is a major historical complex and not a site for Prehistoric rock art. Although **Raigarh** and **Singhanpur** (both in Chhattisgarh) are historically known for containing important prehistoric rock paintings, the presence of the anachronistic Ellora site within the group disqualifies this option as a set of locations where *Prehistoric* paintings can *exclusively* be seen, contrasting with the homogeneity of sites in Option 2.