Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizLiterature – GK Questions
Free practice for SSC, UPSC, Banking & Railway exams. No login required.
Who wrote the popular Bengali science fiction series featuring the eccentric scientist 'Professor Shonku'?
- Satyajit Ray
- Muhammad Zafar Iqbal
- Premendra Mitra
- Adrish Bardhan
Answer: Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray created Professor Trilokeshwar Shonku, inspired by H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, publishing the stories in magazines like 'Sandesh'.
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's classic novel 'Aranyak' is set in the dense forests of the Bihar region (present-day Jharkhand/Saharsa).
- True
- False
Answer: True
'Aranyak' (1939) follows Satyacharan, a city-bred estate manager, who undergoes a profound transformation while working in the forests of Purnia/Saharsa.
The revolutionary Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is widely revered and known as the ________ Poet (Bidrohi Kobi).
- Rebel
- Romantic
- Spiritual
- National
Answer: Rebel
Kazi Nazrul Islam earned the title 'Bidrohi Kobi' (Rebel Poet) due to his fiery poems and songs opposing British colonial rule and social oppression.
Mahasweta Devi's novel 'Aranyer Adhikar' is a biographical fiction based on the life of which tribal leader?
- Sidhu Murmu
- Birsa Munda
- Telanga Kharia
- Jatra Bhagat
Answer: Birsa Munda
Mahasweta Devi won the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'Aranyer Adhikar' (1977), which chronicles the life and rebellion of the Munda tribal leader Birsa Munda against British rule.
Tarashankar Bandopadhyay won the Jnanpith Award in 1966 for his novel 'Ganadevata', which depicts the disintegration of a village community.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Tarashankar Bandopadhyay was the second Bengali writer to win the Jnanpith Award for 'Ganadevata', a novel exploring the impact of urbanization and war on rural Bengal.
'Shesher Kobita' (The Last Poem), a novel that explores the conflict between romantic idealism and practical reality, was authored by:
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
- Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
- Sunil Gangopadhyay
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore published 'Shesher Kobita' in 1929. It is celebrated for its lyrical prose and inclusion of Tagore's own poems.
Which legendary Bengali filmmaker and author created the popular fictional detective 'Feluda' (Pradosh Chandra Mitter)?
- Satyajit Ray
- Ritwik Ghatak
- Mrinal Sen
- Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Answer: Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray introduced Feluda in 1965. The character became a cultural icon in Bengal through numerous stories and films directed by Ray and his son, Sandip Ray.
The Bengali novel 'Putul Nacher Itikatha' (The Puppet's Tale), which explores the life of a rural doctor, was written by ________.
- Manik Bandyopadhyay
- Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
- Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
- Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Answer: Manik Bandyopadhyay
Manik Bandyopadhyay published 'Putul Nacher Itikatha' in 1936. It is a masterpiece of psychological realism in Bengali literature.
Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in 1919 as a protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Tagore wrote a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, rejecting his knighthood, stating that 'badges of honour make our shame glaring in the incongruous context of humiliation'.
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel 'Anandamath', which features the song 'Vande Mataram', is set against the backdrop of which historical event?
- The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857
- The Sannyasi Rebellion and the Famine of 1770
- The Partition of Bengal (1905)
- The Indigo Revolt
Answer: The Sannyasi Rebellion and the Famine of 1770
'Anandamath' (1882) is set during the devastating Bengal famine of 1770 and the subsequent Sannyasi rebellion against the British East India Company and the Nawab.
In the context of Urdu and Persian literary criticism, the term 'Tanqeed' refers to:
- Creation
- Translation
- Criticism
- Recitation
Answer: Criticism
'Tanqeed' means criticism or evaluation, while 'Takhleeq' refers to the creative process of writing literature.
The famous short story 'Aanandi', which highlights the tragic consequences of child marriage, was written by ________.
- Saadat Hasan Manto
- Rajinder Singh Bedi
- Premchand
- Krishan Chander
Answer: Rajinder Singh Bedi
Rajinder Singh Bedi wrote 'Aanandi', a poignant critique of societal norms that destroy the lives of young girls forced into early marriage.
Which Pakistani author wrote the monumental Urdu novel 'Udaas Naslein' (The Weary Generations), which won the Adamjee Literary Award?
- Intizar Hussain
- Abdullah Hussain
- Bano Qudsia
- Ashfaq Ahmed
Answer: Abdullah Hussain
Abdullah Hussain published 'Udaas Naslein' in 1963. It traces the decline of a feudal family and the broader societal changes leading up to Partition.
The 'Marsia' is a specific form of Urdu poetry primarily associated with elegies mourning the tragedy of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Marsia writing reached its zenith in Lucknow with poets like Mir Anis and Mirza Dabeer, focusing on the events of Karbala.
The legendary Urdu and Persian poet Mirza Ghalib's original birth name was ________.
- Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan
- Mirza Muhammad Taqi
- Mirza Sauda
- Mirza Dabeer
Answer: Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan
Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan adopted the pen name (takhallus) 'Ghalib', meaning 'conqueror' or 'superior'.
'Aag Ka Darya' (River of Fire), a landmark Urdu novel spanning 2500 years of history from the Mauryan era to post-Partition India, was written by:
- Qurratulain Hyder
- Ismat Chughtai
- Khadija Mastur
- Hajra Masroor
Answer: Qurratulain Hyder
Qurratulain Hyder published 'Aag Ka Darya' in 1959. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels in the Urdu language.
The 'Rekhta' foundation and website are primarily dedicated to the preservation and promotion of which language's literature?
- Persian
- Hindi
- Urdu
- Sindhi
Answer: Urdu
Rekhta is the largest online repository of Urdu poetry and literature, featuring works in Urdu, Hindi, and English scripts.
The iconic Urdu ghazal 'Mujh se pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang' was penned by ________.
- Mirza Ghalib
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz
- Ahmad Faraz
- Parveen Shakir
Answer: Faiz Ahmed Faiz
This famous ghazal by Faiz marks a turning point where the poet realizes that while romantic love is beautiful, the suffering of the world demands his primary attention.
The revolutionary Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union in 1962.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Faiz Ahmed Faiz received the Lenin Peace Prize for his commitment to human rights, peace, and socialist ideals through his poetry.
'Mottled Dawn' (translated by Leslie Flemming) is a collection of harrowing Partition stories by which iconic Urdu writer?
- Krishan Chander
- Saadat Hasan Manto
- Ismat Chughtai
- Rajinder Singh Bedi
Answer: Saadat Hasan Manto
Saadat Hasan Manto's short stories, such as 'Toba Tek Singh' and 'Khol Do', are considered the most powerful literary responses to the trauma of Partition.