Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Onam.

Key Points

• Onam:
  • It is a harvest festival of Kerala.
  • It was celebrated to commemorate the arrival of King Mahabali.
  • The festival lasts for ten days.
  • It is celebrated every year in August-September.
  • Boat Race is conducted during this festival in Kerala.
• Pongal:
  • Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival celebrated mostly in the states of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu.
  • The harvest festival is named after the Tamil word, Ponga, which means to boil.
  • The first day of Pongal is called Bogi and is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra.
  • The second day of Pongal is known as Surya Pongal and is dedicated to the Sun God.
  • The third day of Pongal is called Mattu Pongal and is celebrated in the name of cows.
  • The fourth and final day of Pongal is called Kaanum Pongal, which marks the end of the harvest festival for the year.
  • It is celebrated in the month of January every year.
• Bihu:
  • It is a harvest festival that is celebrated to mark the shift in the Sun's solstice.
  • It is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the state of Assam.
  • It is celebrated three times a year. 
  • Rongali or Bohag Bihu is observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.
• Navratri:
  • It is celebrated as Durga Puja in various parts of Northeast India.
  • It is celebrated among the Hindus as a symbol of victory of goddess Durga for defeating Mahishasura.
  • The nine-day Durga festival, or Navratri is celebrated in September or October. 

The correct answer is Gujarat.

Key Points

• 'Rani ki Vav' is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is located in the state of Gujarat.
  • "Rani ki Vav" is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in the Gujarat state of India. It is located on the banks of the Saraswati river.
  • "Rani ki vav" is considered the finest and one of the largest examples of stepwell architecture in Gujarat.
  • "Rani ki vav" has been declared a Monument of National Importance and protected by the Archaeological Sites Act (ASI). It was added to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites on 22 June 2014.
  • "Rani ki vav" was named India's "Cleanest Iconic Place" at the 2016 Indian Sanitation Conference.

Additional Information

• "Rani-ki-Vav" was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD. Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen, and spouse of the 11th-century Chaulukya king Bhima I.
  • It has spiritual significance and represents the sanctity of water. The sculptures in stepwell depict numerous Hindu deities including Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, goddesses (Devi), Ganesha, Kubera, Lakulisha, Bhairava, Surya, Indra, and Hayagriva.

• Giddha is not an Indian classical dance form.
• It is a folk dance that is performed exclusively by women in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.
• Indian classical dance forms include those styles which have mythological roots and whose theory and practice can be found in the Natya Shastra (Sanskrit text).
• Classical Dances of India- Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Sattriya, Manipuri are the recognized Indian classical dance forms.

The tomb of Itimad- ud -Daulah is located along the banks of the Yamuna at Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

• It was built by the Mughal queen Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jehangir.
• The tomb of Itimad- ud -Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal.
• It is known for the first use of the pietra dura.

The correct answer is Raja Ravi Varma.

Key Points

• Raja Ravi Varma -
  • Raja Ravi Varma was born on April 29, 1848, at Travancore Princely state of British India (Now Kerala).
  • He was best known for uniting Hindu mythological subject matter with European realist painting style. 
  • In addition to incidents in Hindu mythology, Varma painted many portraits of both Indians and British in India.
  • Some of his famous paintings are - Lady in the moonlight, Mother India, Harischandra in Distress, Jatayu Vadha, and Shri Rama Vanquishing the Sea. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

​Important Points

• Nandalal Bose -
  • He was associated with Shantiniketana.
  • He along with his students illustrated the constitution of India.Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• M. F. Husain - 
  • He was known for executing bold, vibrantly coloured narrative paintings in a modified Cubist style.
  • He was one of the most celebrated and internationally recognized Indian artists of the 20th century. 
  • His significant works include Man (1951), Vishwamitra (1973), and Passage Through Human Space. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Abanindranath Tagore -
  • ​He was the leading artist from the Bengal school of modern art in the early 20th century AD.
  • He is known for his painting Bharta Mata. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.