MCQ – GK Questions

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.

Pokkali is Kerala's traditional organic rice-fish rotation system in coastal wetlands. Rice grown in monsoon, fish/prawns in dry season. Received GI tag in 2010 for sustainable agro-ecological practice.

Violin was adapted into Indian classical music in the 19th century. In Carnatic music, played seated with scroll on ankle; in Hindustani, held under chin. Both traditions value its ability to mimic vocal gamakas.

ArtRestore AI (ASI-National Informatics Centre, 2025) uses machine learning to analyze pigment degradation, predict original colors, and guide conservation of murals at Ajanta, Ellora, and other heritage sites.

Bhagavad Gita (Chapters 23-40 of Bhishma Parva) presents Krishna's teachings on dharma, karma, and moksha to Arjuna. A foundational text of Hindu philosophy, influencing ethics, politics, and spiritual practice globally.

Double Ikat (Pochampally, Patola) requires dyeing both warp and weft threads with resist techniques before weaving. Demands exceptional precision to align patterns. Practiced in Telangana, Gujarat, and Odisha.

Manuscript India (2025) aggregates digitized manuscripts from National Mission for Manuscripts, libraries, and temples. Features OCR search, multilingual metadata, and scholarly annotations for researchers worldwide.

Johads are earthen check dams in Rajasthan that capture monsoon runoff, recharge aquifers, and support agriculture. Revived by community movements, they exemplify traditional climate-resilient water management.