Art and Culture Questions

The correct answer is the author of a commentary on Panini's San grammar.

Key Points

• Patanjali
  • He was an ancient sage of India.
  • He has authored several Sanskrit works.
  • The greatest of these are the Yoga Sutras, a classical yoga text.
  • He has also authored a commentary on Panini’s Sanskrit grammar. Hence, Option 4 is correct.
  • Patanjali was a great compiler who used all the concepts and practices related to spirituality/spiritual practice available to him and presented the Yogasutra.

Additional Information

• • Thus he was the founder of ‘Systematic Yoga’.
  • He was also called the founder and father of modern Yoga.
  • The author of the Mahabhasaya, an ancient treatise on Sanskrit grammar and linguistics, is based on the Ashtdhayi of Panini.
  • This Patañjali's life is dated to mid 2nd century BCE by both Western and Indian scholars.
  • This text was titled as a bhasya or commentary on Kātyāyana-Pāṇini's work by Patanjali but is so revered in the Indian traditions that it is widely known simply as Maha-Bhasaya or Great commentary.

(a) - 3, (b) - 4, (c) - 2, (d) - 1correctly matched.

Key Points

• There are six orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy called shatdarshanas and it includes Nyaya, Sankhya, Yoga, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa, and Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta Philosophy).
• Vaisheshika school deals with metaphysics. It was founded by the sage Kanada. According to the Vaisheshika school of philosophy, the universe is reducible to a finite number of atoms, Brahman being the fundamental force causing consciousness in these atoms.

Important Points

The other five schools of Indian Philosophy are as follows:

• Sankhya is the oldest philosophy. It was put forward by Kapila. Samkhya emphasizes the attainment of knowledge of the self by means of concentration and meditation.
• Yoga presents a method of physical and mental discipline. The founder of Yoga is Pathanjali.  It is believed that practicing Ashtanga Yoga is the way to relieve oneself from past sins in order to make way for liberation.
• Nyaya school follows a scientific and rational approach. Sage Gautama is the founder of this school. Nyaya Philosophy states that nothing is acceptable unless it is in accordance with reason and experience (scientific approach).
• Purva Mimamsa school believes in the complete authority of Vedas. It is based on sage Jaimini’s Mimamsa Sutras.
• Vedanta school is a monotheistic school of philosophy that believes that the world is unreal and the only reality is Brahman. It is based on Upanishads (the end portions of Vedas).

Key Points

Ajanta Caves-

• The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist cave temples in Ajanta, India, some of which date from the 2nd century BC. Encompassing both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the Ajanta caves preserve some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India.
• Out of 29, 25 caves were used as Viharas or residential caves while 4 were used as Chaitya or prayer hills.
• It is said that Buddhist monks lived, studied and prayed in Ajanta caves for a long time.
• The Ajanta Caves were carved in the 2nd century BC out of a horseshoe-shaped cliff along the Waghora River.
• The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

Ellora caves- 

• The Ellora caves, locally known as 'Verul Leni' is located on the Aurangabad - Chalisgaon road at a distance of 30 km north - northwest of Aurangabad, in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
• Ellora is one of the largest rock-cut monastery - temple caves complexes in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 km north of Aurangabad.
• Sculptors, inspired by Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, created elaborate rock carvings. Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas or halls of worship, Viharas or monasteries and Hindu and Jain temples.
• Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and 11th century A.D., the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (Cave 29).
• The Kailasha temple features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world.
• During the regime of the Rashtrakuta were the famous Ellora caves of Maharashtra built.

Extra facts:

• Madhya Pradesh- Bagh Caves
• Maharashtra - Ajanta Caves, Bhaja Caves, Elephanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Kanheri Caves
• Karnataka- Badami Caves
• Bihar - Barabar Caves
• Madhya Pradesh- Udaygiri Caves
• Andhra Pradesh - Borra Caves
• Tamilnadu - Varah Caves

The correct answer is Trumpet. Key Points

• A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings.
• The most common string instruments in the string family are guitar, electric bass, violin, viola, cello, double bass, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harp.
• The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family.
• Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC.
• They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a “buzzing” sound.
• As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by blowing air through closed lips, producing a “buzzing” sound into the mouthpiece and starting a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the trumpet.
• Therefore trumpet is not a type of stringed instrument.
• Image of Trumpet-

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The correct answer is (A)-(4), (B)-(3), (C)-(1), (D)-(2).

Key Points

• Onam:
  • It is a harvest festival of Kerala.
  • It is celebrated to commemorate the arrival of King Mahabali.
  • The festival lasts for ten days.
  • It is also a harvest festival and falls on the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in the Gregorian calendar overlaps with August–September.
• Hornbill:
  • ​Hornbill festival is the premier festival of Nagaland held every year in the first week of December.
  • The festival is named after the hornbill, the globally respected bird and which is displayed in folklore in most of the state’s tribes.
  • This festival usually takes place in Kohima.
  • The Festival's highlights include the Traditional Naga Morungs Exhibition and sale of Arts and crafts, flower shows, cultural medley etc.
• Losar:
  • ​Losar is a festival in Tibetan Buddhism.
  • The holiday is celebrated on various dates depending on location (Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, India) tradition.
  • It marks the Tibetan New year that resonated with the large Tibetan and Buddhist communities that inhabit the region.
  • In India, it is celebrated in places like Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
• Ugadi:
  • ​Ugadi also referred to as Yugadi is a major festival that is celebrated in the southern states of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
  • As per the Hindu calendar, it is celebrated as the beginning of a new year.
  • Famous festivals of Karnataka are Kanakadasa Jayanti and Karaga.

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.

The correct answer is Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.

Key Points

• The Originator of the Chishti Order in South Asia was Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
• Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti came to India with the army of Shihabuddin Ghori in 1192 AD.
• Muinuddin Chishti made his residence in Ajmer.
• He was born in 1141 in Iran.
• The Chishti Order is a Sufi order which arose from Chisht, a small town near Herat, in western Afghanistan.
• It was founded by Abu Ishaq Shami in about 930 CE (Christian Era).

Additional Information

• Sufism is one of the mystical orders that grew out of Islam.
• Classical Sufi scholars define it as a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but god.
• Sufism became prominent during the period of early Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE).
• The Sufi movement has spread to several continents over a miillennium. 
• It has considerable following in India and Kashmir is a prominent base.

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.

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.

The correct answer is Dholavira.

Key Points

• In July 2021, the Indus valley site Dholavira was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.
  • Now Gujarat has three world heritage sites, Champaner near Pavagadh, Rani ki Vav in Patan and the historic city of Ahmedabad.
  • Dholavira is now the 40^th treasure in India to be recognized as a World Heritage site.
  • According to a press release by the Ministry of Culture, India submitted the nomination for Dholavira to the World Heritage Centre in January 2020. The site was on the UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014.
  • UNESCO has already given India a new world heritage site in the form of the Rudreswara/ Ramappa Temple in Telangana in the ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee.
  • Ramappa Temple dates back to the 13^th century.
  • This session of the World Heritage Committee is being chaired from Fuzhou in China.

Additional Information

• Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani.
• Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.