Question

Where is the world famous Anand Temple?
A. Pakistan
B. Bangladesh
C. Bhutan
D. Myanmar

Answer 1

Hint: The Anand Temple is located in a major Buddhist country and the temple was constructed by the king of the Pagan Dynasty. The country celebrated the 900th anniversary of the construction of the temple in 1990.

Complete answer:
The Anand Temple is a Buddhist temple that is situated in Bagan, Myanmar. King Kyansittha of the Pagan Dynasty constructed the temple in 1105 AD. The structure of the temple is cruciform, and several terraces lead to a small pagoda which forms the shape of an umbrella, also called the hti. This architecture is considered an extraordinary creation as it is a fusion of Mon and Indian style of architecture. For the beautiful structure, the title of “Westminster Abbey of Burma” was given. It is also known as the "Veritable museum of stones" as the temple also resembles the Pathothamya temples of the 10th- 11th century.Ananda was Buddha's first cousin, his secretary, one of his students, and a religious attendant, the name has been derived from here. At one time the temple was known as Ananta temple, as Ananta pinya means endless wisdom in Sanskrit. Later on, the name Ananda was given as it meant bliss. While talking about Pakistan, temples like Jain temple, situated in Nagarparkar is also quite famous. One of the oldest temples of Bhutan is Kyichu Lhakhang, it was built by Songsten Gempo in the 7th century. The Dhakeshwari temple, situated in Old Dhaka is a well-known temple of the country.

Thus, the correct option is D.

Note: In the earthquake of 1975, the temple was severely shattered. With due course of time, the temple has been well protected and managed by regular paintings and whitewash. The Ananda temple is a highly respected temple of Bagan and on the 900th anniversary of its formation, the temple towers were gilded.