With reference to art and archaeological history of India, which one among the following was made earliest?

The answer is B) Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli. It is the oldest of the four, dating to the Mauryan period, around the 3rd century BCE. The elephant is carved on a rock face near the Kalinga edicts, and it is usually linked to Ashoka after the Kalinga war.

• A) Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar: A medieval Odisha temple of the Somavamsi and Eastern Ganga period, around the 11th century CE. Much later than the Mauryan era.
• C) Mahabalipuram rock-cut monuments: Pallava work of the 7th century CE, associated with Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I.
• D) Varaha image at Udayagiri: Cave 5 at Udayagiri near Vidisha, a Gupta-period work of the early 5th century CE under Chandragupta II.

The core concept is chronology of Indian art, which is a frequent Prelims question. Learn the dynasty-to-monument mapping: Mauryan rock-cut and polished stone, Gupta temple and sculptural style, Pallava rock-cut architecture, and Chola or Eastern Ganga temples. This also feeds Mains GS-I answers on the evolution of Indian architecture.

Trap: Candidates often pick Mahabalipuram because it looks ancient and is famous as a UNESCO site. Its rock-cut works are Pallava, not Mauryan.