Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizArt Culture – GK Questions
Free practice for SSC, UPSC, Banking & Railway exams. No login required.
'Rabab', a plucked string instrument with a wooden body and skin membrane, is central to the folk music of which region?
- Kashmir
- Sikkim
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
Answer: Kashmir
Rabab is Kashmir's traditional lute-like instrument, used in Sufiana Mausiqi and folk songs. Its soulful sound accompanies poetry of Lal Ded and Habba Khatoon, reflecting Kashmir's syncretic musical heritage.
The 'Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Rashtriya Sanskriti Puraskar' provides financial assistance to artists aged _____ years and above.
- 60
- 50
- 55
- 65
Answer: 60
This scheme (Ministry of Culture) provides monthly pension of ₹2,000 to eminent artists in music, dance, theatre, and visual arts aged 60+ with limited income. It honors contribution to cultural preservation.
Mira Nair was the first Indian woman director to have a film screened in competition at Cannes Film Festival.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Aparna Sen was the first Indian woman director with a film ('36 Chowringhee Lane', 1981) screened at Cannes. Mira Nair's 'Salaam Bombay!' (1988) won Camera d'Or at Cannes, but was not the first Indian woman entry.
'Thang-Ta', a martial art combining armed and unarmed combat, is traditionally practiced in which state?
- Manipur
- Nagaland
- Assam
- Meghalaya
Answer: Manipur
Thang-Ta (Manipuri martial art) uses sword (thang) and spear (ta) alongside unarmed techniques. It is performed as ritual dance (Sarit Sarak) and competitive sport, preserving Manipur's warrior heritage.
The 'Sangeet Natak Akademi's Puppetry Revival Project' focuses on documenting and training artists in traditional _____ puppetry forms.
- string, shadow, rod, glove
- digital, virtual, animated
- Bollywood-themed, commercial
- Western marionette only
Answer: string, shadow, rod, glove
Sangeet Natak Akademi's project (since 2000s) documents India's four traditional puppetry forms: string (Kathputli), shadow (Togalu Gombeyaata), rod (Putul Nach), and glove (Pavakoothu). It supports master artists and youth training.
Jaipur was designated a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts in 2015.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Jaipur joined UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2015 under Crafts and Folk Arts category, recognizing its legacy of block printing, blue pottery, gem cutting, and traditional handicrafts. Mumbai was designated for Film in 2019.
'Kath-Kuni' architecture, using interlocked wood and stone without mortar, is traditional to which Himalayan state?
- Himachal Pradesh
- Kerala
- Goa
- Odisha
Answer: Himachal Pradesh
Kath-Kuni is a seismic-resistant architectural style of Himachal Pradesh, using alternating layers of wood and stone. It provides insulation against cold and flexibility during earthquakes, reflecting indigenous engineering wisdom.
The 'Project Muse' initiative by Sahitya Akademi promotes digital access to Indian literature through _____ platforms.
- e-books/audiobooks
- printed anthologies
- theatre adaptations
- film scripts
Answer: e-books/audiobooks
Project Muse (Sahitya Akademi) digitizes award-winning literary works into e-books and audiobooks in multiple Indian languages. It enhances accessibility for visually impaired readers and global diaspora.
'Hanuman' (2005), India's first 3D animated feature film, was produced by ISRO's animation unit.
- True
- False
Answer: False
'Hanuman' (2005) was produced by Percept Picture Company, not ISRO. It was India's first successful 3D animated feature, spawning a franchise. ISRO's animation work focuses on educational content, not commercial films.
'Losar', the Tibetan New Year festival, is celebrated with masked dances and butter lamp offerings in which regions?
- Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand, Himachal only
- Nepal, Bhutan only
- All Himalayan states
Answer: Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
Losar marks the Tibetan Buddhist New Year, celebrated in Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Rituals include Cham dances, prayer flag hoisting, and community feasts, following the Tibetan lunar calendar.
The 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme allows corporate entities to develop tourist amenities at monuments under the '_____ Partners' initiative.
- Monument Mitro
- Heritage Friend
- Culture Care
- Site Saver
Answer: Monument Mitro
Monument Mitro (2017) invites public/private sector companies to adopt UNESCO/ASI monuments for developing visitor facilities (lighting, signage, cleanliness). Implemented by Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with ASI.
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), established in 1952, is Asia's oldest film festival and is held annually in Goa.
- True
- False
Answer: True
IFFI, founded in 1952 (first held in Mumbai), is Asia's oldest international film festival. Since 2004, it has been permanently held in Goa. It showcases global cinema and promotes Indian films internationally.
'Eri silk', known as 'Ahimsa silk' because it is harvested without killing silkworms, is traditionally produced in which state?
- Assam
- Nagaland
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
Answer: Assam
Eri silk (Endi) from Assam is produced by domesticating Samia ricini silkworms that feed on castor leaves. As pupae are not killed during harvesting, it is called Ahimsa silk. Received GI tag in 2007.
The 'Theatre of Roots' movement, initiated in the 1980s, sought to integrate traditional Indian performance forms with _____ theatre techniques.
- contemporary/Western
- classical Greek
- Bollywood
- folk-only
Answer: contemporary/Western
Theatre of Roots, led by directors like Ratan Thiyam and B.V. Karanth, blended traditional forms (Yakshagana, Chhau, Noh) with modern staging, lighting, and narrative structures to create a distinctive Indian contemporary theatre.
Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gitanjali' manuscript is included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Tagore's Gitanjali manuscript (1912) was inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2011. The register preserves documentary heritage of outstanding universal value, including texts, manuscripts, and archives.
'Oppana', a song-and-dance tradition performed at Muslim weddings, is predominantly practiced in which coastal state?
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Goa
- Maharashtra
Answer: Kerala
Oppana is a celebratory folk art of Kerala's Mappila community, performed by women at weddings. Dancers clap and move in circles while singing poetic songs in Arabi-Malayalam, blending Islamic and local traditions.
The 'National Translation Mission', launched in 2008, aims to make knowledge texts accessible in all _____ languages of India.
- 22 scheduled
- 18 regional
- 14 classical
- 10 major
Answer: 22 scheduled
National Translation Mission (under Central Institute of Indian Languages) promotes translation of knowledge texts across India's 22 scheduled languages. It supports linguistic diversity and equitable access to education.
'Alam Ara' (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani, was India's first talkie (sound) film in Hindi-Urdu.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Alam Ara (1931) was India's first feature film with synchronized sound, featuring songs and dialogue. Its success launched the musical tradition that defines Indian cinema. Only one print survives today.
Pashmina shawls, woven from fine cashmere wool, are traditionally crafted in which Himalayan region?
- Kashmir
- Sikkim
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
Answer: Kashmir
Pashmina shawls are handwoven in Kashmir using wool from Changthangi goats of Ladakh. The intricate craftsmanship, passed through generations, received GI tag in 2008 for authenticity and quality assurance.
The 'e-Sampada' portal, launched by Ministry of Culture, provides online services for booking _____ and cultural facilities.
- government guest houses
- theatre tickets
- museum entries
- festival passes
Answer: government guest houses
e-Sampada (2020) is a unified digital platform for booking government accommodation (guest houses, holiday homes) and cultural venues. It streamlines access to Ministry of Culture assets for citizens and officials.