Scholars like General Tailor, Major Kaul, Sir John Marshal and Mohammed Hamid Qureshi etc. contributed in preserving the Stupa of:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the site famously associated with the comprehensive preservation and restoration efforts led by the mentioned scholars. The site was initially documented by General Henry Taylor (likely 'General Tailor' in the question) when it was rediscovered in 1818. However, the most critical and meticulous phase of preservation took place under the supervision of the renowned British archaeologist, Sir John Marshall. Marshall, who was the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, oversaw the monumental restoration work from 1912 to 1919, ensuring the stupa and its surrounding monuments were fully conserved. Mohammad Hamid Qureshi was a key Indian officer in the ASI team who contributed significantly to this work. This collective effort secured Sanchi’s position as the best-preserved Buddhist complex in India and ultimately led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The incorrect option is 1:
The Bharhut Stupa, though a very important early Buddhist monument, was discovered by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1873. Crucially, Cunningham removed most of the surviving railing and gateway parts to the Indian Museum in Kolkata for safekeeping and exhibition, meaning the site itself was largely dismantled, not preserved *in situ* through a major restoration campaign like Sanchi’s.

The incorrect option is 3:
The Amaravati Stupa in Andhra Pradesh was extensively documented by Colin Mackenzie in 1797. Unfortunately, much of the site was left vulnerable after excavation, and a large number of its intricate sculptures were removed and sent to museums in Madras (Chennai) and London. The later archaeological work focused more on excavation and documentation rather than a grand, complete preservation of the main structure as was done at Sanchi.

The incorrect option is 4:
While Sarnath is an extremely important Buddhist site with significant work carried out by archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham and Sir John Marshall, the specific grouping of these scholars, particularly General Taylor (Henry Taylor), points most accurately to Sanchi. Taylor's initial 1818 documentation marks the beginning of modern interest in Sanchi, followed by Marshall's culminating preservation efforts, which is the focus of this historical reference question.