Art Culture – MCQ – GK Questions

Sangam literature is one of the earliest bodies of classical Tamil literature.

Lathmar Holi is celebrated in Barsana and Nandgaon in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh — where women beat men with sticks (lathis) in a traditional festival.

Maha Kumbh 2025 was held at Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam — confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati), the largest religious gathering in the world.

Manoj Bajpayee, along with Huma Qureshi and Kritika Kamra, is set to headline the Hindu Huddle sessions in Bengaluru. The sessions will focus on their journeys, roles, and the evolving craft of acting in Indian entertainment.

UNESCO recognition (World Heritage, Intangible Heritage, Creative Cities) enhances global visibility, attracts conservation expertise/funding, and boosts responsible tourism. Crucially, it emphasizes community participation and safeguarding living traditions, not just monuments.

Pashmina shawls are handwoven in Kashmir using Changthangi goat wool. Bidriware originates in Bidar (Karnataka), Chikankari in Lucknow (UP), Bandhani in Gujarat/Rajasthan. GI tags protect regional authenticity.

Heritage Bonds (2024) are government-backed securities funding ASI conservation projects. Returns linked to tourism revenue from restored sites. Enables citizen participation in heritage preservation with financial returns.

Shifting cultivation (jhum) in Central/Eastern India involves clearing forest patches, cultivating for 2-3 years, then allowing regeneration. Though ecologically debated, it sustains tribal livelihoods and biodiversity when practiced traditionally.

Kabir Das (15th century) composed dohas (couplets) in Awadhi/Braj Bhasha. His pithy verses on unity, devotion, and social critique remain influential in Bhakti literature and popular wisdom traditions.

Elephanta Caves (Mumbai Harbor) face erosion and salinity damage from rising sea levels. 2025 conservation plan includes seawalls, drainage systems, and digital documentation to safeguard rock-cut sculptures.

Brahmagupta (7th century CE) formalized zero as a number and established rules for arithmetic operations with zero and negatives in 'Brahmasphutasiddhanta'. His work influenced Islamic and European mathematics.

Theyyam is North Kerala's ritual art where performers become deities through vibrant costumes, face painting, and trance. Rooted in ancestor worship and folk Hinduism, it preserves pre-Brahminical traditions and community justice.

Heritage Hunters (2025) trains students to record oral histories, photograph crafts, and create short films on local traditions. Fosters cultural awareness, digital skills, and community engagement among youth.

Surya Siddhanta (c. 4th-5th century CE) is a foundational Sanskrit astronomical text detailing planetary orbits, eclipses, trigonometry, and cosmology. Translated into Arabic and Persian, it influenced global astronomy.

Champu is a mixed genre alternating verse (kavya) and prose (gadya), used for epics like Bana's Kadambari. Allows narrative flexibility and aesthetic variety, distinct from pure poetry (kavya) or drama (nataka).

MICP (2025 pilot) uses bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate, strengthening weathered stone without chemicals. Tested at Qutub Minar and Khajuraho, it offers sustainable alternative to synthetic consolidants.

Akka Mahadevi (12th century) was a Lingayat saint who composed over 400 Vachanas in Kannada. She rejected social norms, wore no clothes (symbolizing renunciation), and sought union with Shiva as Chennamallikarjuna.

Sadya is Onam's traditional feast: rice served with avial, olan, thoran, pickles, and multiple payasams on plantain leaves. Reflects Kerala's culinary heritage, hospitality, and Ayurvedic principles of balanced nutrition.

Virtual Hampi (2025) uses photogrammetry (3D modeling from photographs) and LiDAR scanning to digitally reconstruct monuments. Enables virtual tours, conservation planning, and educational access to UNESCO-listed Hampi.