Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Tamil.

• The epics 'Silappadikaram' and 'Manimekalai' of the Sangam period were written in the Tamil language.

Key Points

• The Sangam Age:
  • It is a period between the 3rd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D. in South India.
  • The period is named after the Sangam academies which were held during that period and flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
  • The Sangam Age was ruled by three dynasties namely the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas.
  • Silappathikaram was written by Elango Adigal.
  • Manimekalai was written by Sittalai Sattanar.

The correct answer is Kerala.

• Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makar Sankranti in the Kerala states.

Key Points

• Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makara Sankranti at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
  • Makara Jyothi is a star that appears in the sky on Makara Samkramam, when the Sun moves from dhanu Rasi (Sagittarius) to Makaram Rasi (Capricorn) on the first day of the Malayalam month of Makaram, January 14 (Makara Sankranti) this year.
  • Onam is the most important and popular festival in Kerala. Celebrated with much pomp and fervor, Onam is a harvest festival.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Karnataka.

Key Points

• Kambala, a traditional buffalo race, was held at Moodabidri in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on 11 December 2021.
• More than 200 pairs of buffaloes participated.
• Kambala is a folk sport, held traditionally by local Tuluva landlords and households in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udipi of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala, a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu.

Additional Information

•  Below is the List of Animal Sports in India.

The correct answer is Maharashtra.

The Aga Khan Palace is located in the state of Maharashtra.

Key Points

• The Aga Khan Palace was built in 1892 by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in the district of Pune in Maharashtra.
• The Palace was an act of charity by the spiritual leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims, who wanted to help the poor in the neighboring areas of Pune, who were drastically hit by famine.
• Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III was the founder of the All India Muslims League.
• Aga Khan Palace served as the prison for Mahatma Gandhi in Pune from Aug 1942 to May 1944.
• Gandhi lived here along with his wife Kasturba, his secretary Mahadev Desai & Sarojini Naidu.
• In fact, both Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai died in the premises of this Palace turned prison.
• A corner of the Palace premises serves as the Samadhi dedicated to two of them.
• Some of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are placed next to the two samadhis.
• Samadhis are nothing but Tulasi plants growing on top of the places where Kasturba and Mahadev Desai were cremated.

Additional Information

Maharashtra

• Maharashtra is the second most populous state in India.
• Mumbai is the financial capital of India.
• The old name of Mumbai was Bombay.
• Maharashtra is the most industrialized and most urbanized state in India.
• Maharashtra is the leading producer of electricity.
• Pune is known as the Cultural capital of Maharashtra.
• Mumbai was the first venue of the first International Film Festival of India (1952).
• The first railway line in India - Bombay to Thane (1853)
• Bombay Stock Exchange(1875) is the oldest stock exchange in India and also the first stock exchange in Asia.
• Gateway of India is situated in Mumbai.
• The headquarter of Central Railway, Western Railway, and Konkan Railway is in Mumbai.
• The headquarters of RBI, LIC, NABARD is in Mumbai.
• The first meeting of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (1885).

Uttar Pradesh

• Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India.
• Uttar Pradesh is the 'Sugar Bowl of India'.
• Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of monuments in India.
• Uttar Pradesh has the maximum membership (80 seats) in the Lok Sabha.
• Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the most number of states in India (9 states - Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh including Delhi and Nepal).
• Asia's first DNA bank is in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
• Uttar Pradesh is the state through which most numbers of the National Highways pass.

Kerala

• Kerala is known as 'God's Own Country.'
• Kerala is the 'Spice Garden of India'.
• Kerala is the state having the highest literacy rate in India.
• Kerala is the first state in India to achieve 100% primary education.
• Kerala is the state having the highest sex ratio in India.
• Kerala is the first baby-friendly state in India.
• Kerala is the first total banking state in India.
• Kerala is the first state in India to set up Disaster Management Authority.

Madhya Pradesh

• Madhya Pradesh is known as the 'Heart of India' and 'Tiger State of India.'
• India's biggest diamond mine Panna is in Madhya Pradesh.
• Indore is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh.
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest area in India.
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest scheduled tribe population in India.
• Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India to conduct an election by Panchayath Raj Act 1992.
• Madhya Pradesh is known as the 'Soya State of India'.​

The correct answer is Andhra Pradesh.

Key Points

• Kuchipudi, one of the major dance forms of India was originated from Andhra Pradesh.
• It grew largely as a product of the Bhakti movement beginning in the 7th Century AD.
• Kuchipudi derives its name from the village Kuchelapuram, where it was nurtured by great scholars and artists who built up the repertoire and refined the dance technique.

Additional Information

• Eight dance forms have been acknowledged by Sangeet Natak Akademi as classical dance forms of India.
• The classical dance form originated from the Natya Shastra.
• Classical dance has a deep-rooted relationship with the Natya Shastra where the specific features of each of the Classical dance forms have been mentioned.
• There are 8 classical dance forms in India as per the source and scholar :
  • Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam.

Important Points

• The Cultural Ministry of India has included Chhau into the list of classical dances that make a total of 9 classical dance forms.