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Answer: built heritage
INTACH Heritage Awards honor individuals and institutions for outstanding work in conserving India's built heritage: monuments, historic cities, and traditional architecture. They promote community participation and sustainable conservation.
Answer: True
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira systematized Hindu astrology, covering planetary influences, birth charts, and predictive techniques. Written in Sanskrit verse, it remains influential in traditional astrological practice across India.
Answer: Nalukettu
Nalukettu is Kerala's traditional quadrangular house with central courtyard, sloping tiled roofs, and wooden pillars. Designed for ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and joint family living, it exemplifies climate-responsive architecture.
Answer: Aramaic
Kandahar bilingual edict (c. 260 BCE) features Ashoka's message in Greek and Aramaic scripts, facilitating communication with Hellenistic and Persian-speaking populations. It exemplifies Mauryan diplomatic inclusivity.
Answer: True
Chandraketugarh (West Bengal, c. 3rd century BCE-3rd century CE) yielded exquisite terracotta plaques showing court life, deities, animals, and floral motifs. These artifacts reflect the artistic sophistication of early Bengal.
Answer: Chhattisgarh
Pandavani from Chhattisgarh features a lead singer narrating Mahabharata episodes with musical accompaniment (dholak, manjira). Recognized for preserving oral epic traditions and community identity through performance.
Answer: Bharatanatyam
Nritya Choodamani (The Hindu newspaper) honors Bharatanatyam artists for artistic excellence and contribution to the art form. Awarded during December Music Season in Chennai, it is a prestigious recognition in classical dance circles.
Answer: True
Ashtadhyayi by Panini is a generative grammar of Sanskrit using concise sutras and meta-rules. Its algorithmic approach influenced modern linguistics and computer science, demonstrating ancient India's analytical sophistication.
Answer: Vikram Samvat
Vikram Samvat (lunar calendar) guides pastoral activities in Rajasthan: breeding, migration, and festivals. Communities like Raikas use it alongside ecological indicators (monsoon, flora) for sustainable livestock management.
Answer: Nastaliq
Nastaliq script, a flowing Persian calligraphic style, became prominent in Sultanate and Mughal inscriptions. Used for Persian-language decrees, it symbolized administrative sophistication and cultural synthesis in medieval India.
Answer: True
Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh, c. 6th century BCE-6th century CE) was capital of Vatsa kingdom and a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Excavations uncovered city walls, stupas, monasteries, and artifacts, illustrating urbanization and religious patronage.
Answer: Kerala
Chenda Melam features cylindrical chenda drums played with sticks, creating complex polyrhythms. Central to Kerala's temple festivals like Thrissur Pooram, it exemplifies the integration of music, ritual, and community celebration.
Answer: painting
Raja Ravi Varma Award (Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi) honors contemporary painters who emulate Ravi Varma's fusion of Indian themes and European techniques. It promotes academic realism and cultural storytelling in visual arts.
Answer: True
Kularnava Tantra (c. 11th-14th century) is a foundational Shakta text detailing rituals, mantras, chakras, and ethical conduct. Written in Sanskrit, it shaped Tantric practices across India and Southeast Asia.
Answer: Soliga
Soliga tribal community in Karnataka's Biligiri Rangana Hills conserves indigenous rice, millet, and pulse varieties through traditional knowledge and community seed banks. Their practices support agro-biodiversity and climate resilience.
Answer: Nagari
Gwalior inscription (875 CE) of Pratihara king Mihir Bhoja is written in early Nagari script and Sanskrit. It documents the construction of a sun temple and provides insights into Pratihara patronage of art and religion.
Answer: True
Harappan steatite seals (c. 2600-1900 BCE) feature animals (unicorn, bull, elephant), ritual scenes, and brief inscriptions. Used for trade, administration, or religious purposes, they remain key to understanding Indus civilization.
Answer: masks
Purulia Chhau features vibrant, oversized masks made of clay and paper-mache, representing gods, demons, and animals. Mask-making is a specialized craft in Charida village, integral to this UNESCO-recognized dance form.
Answer: handicraft
Shilp Guru award (Ministry of Textiles) honors master artisans in handicrafts for excellence, innovation, and mentorship. Recipients receive a cash prize, tamrapatra, and angavastram, supporting traditional craft livelihoods.
Answer: True
Subhashita Ratna Kosha (10th century) by Kashmiri king Vallabhadeva collects over 2,000 Sanskrit epigrams (subhashitas) on morality, politics, and life. It reflects the sophisticated literary culture of medieval Kashmir.