Art and Culture Questions

The correct answer is the festival of harvesting.

• Makar Sankranthi is an important festival celebrated in most parts of India under different names. It is a festival of harvesting.

Key Points

• Makar Sankranti:
  • It is celebrated in January every year and marks the end of the Winter season and the beginning of a new harvest season.
  • The festival is dedicated to Lord Sun.
  • On this day, the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn or Makar which marks the end of winter months and the beginning of longer days.
• In different parts of the country, Makar Sankranti is celebrated by different names:
  • Lohri: Celebrated in Haryana and Punjab one day before Makar Sankranti.
  • Khichdi: Celebrated in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Pongal: Tamil Nadu
  • Kite Festival: Gujarat.
• Holi is called the festival of colours
• Diwali is called the festival of lights.

The festival of Uttarayan is celebrated in Gujarat.

• This festival is also known as Makar Sankranti.
• It is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, devoted to the God of Surya (Sun).
• It is celebrated every year in the lunar month of Magha, which corresponds to the month of January according to the Gregorian calendar, and is the day when the people of India celebrate their harvest.
• It is the first day of the transit of the sun to Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days.
• In other states this festival is also known as Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi (preceded by Lohri) in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

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

• Lohri, the bonfire harvest festival of Punjab celebrated in the month of Magh, is symbolic of new beginnings.
• The festival is celebrated every year on January 13 with much enthusiasm and zeal.
• It is primarily the harvest festival of the Punjabis.
• This festival denotes the harvesting of the Rabi crops and hence all the farmers get together in order to thank god for giving them such a wonderful harvest.
• The rituals related to Lohri symbolize the attachment of the people with Mother Nature.

The correct answer is Assam.

• Bihu is a set of three important festivals observed in the Indian state of Assam which are-
  • Rongali or Bohag Bihu observed in April
  • Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October
  • Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January
• The Rongali Bihu is the most important of the three, the Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival and the Kongali Bihu is an animistic festival.
• It is celebrated with great joy and abundance by all Assamese people regardless of caste, creed, and religion. 

The Correct Answer is 2 only.

Important Points

•  Kathputli: The traditional marionettes of Rajasthan are known as Kathputli. Carved from a single piece of wood, these puppets are like large dolls that are colourfully dressed. Their costumes and headgears are designed in the medieval Rajasthani style of dress, which is prevalent even today. The Kathputli is accompanied by a highly dramatised version of the regional music. Oval faces, large eyes, arched eyebrows and large lips are some of the distinct facial features of these string puppets. These puppets wear long trailing skirts and do not have legs. Puppeteers manipulate them with two to five strings which are normally tied to their fingers and not to a prop or support.
  • Hence pair 1 is not correctly matched.
• Kundhei: The string puppets of Orissa are known as Kundhei. Made of light wood, the Orissa puppets have no legs but wear long flowing skirts. The puppeteers often hold a wooden prop, triangular in shape, to which strings are attached for manipulation. The costumes of Kundhei resemble those worn by actors of the Jatra traditional theatre. The music is drawn from the popular tunes of the region and is sometimes influenced by the music of Odissi dance.
  • Hence pair 2 is correctly matched.
• Pavakoothu: In Kerala, the traditional glove puppet play is called Pavakoothu. It came into existence during the 18th century due to the influence of Kathakali. In Pavakoothu, the height of a puppet varies from one foot to two feet. The head and the arms are carved of wood and joined together with a thick cloth, cut and stitched into a small bag. The manipulator puts his hand into the bag and moves the hands and head of the puppet. The musical instruments used during the performance are Chenda, Chengiloa, Ilathalam and Shankhathe conch. The theme for Glove puppet plays in Kerala is based on the episodes from either the Ramayana or the Mahabharata.
  • Hence pair 3 is not correctly matched.

The correct answer is All of the above.

Key Points

• Papier Mache is a peculiar craft practiced in Madhya Pradesh since very ancient times.
  • In Madhya Pradesh, the main center for papier mache is Ujjain, but it is also practiced in Gwalior, Bhopal, and Ratlam. 
• Stone carving is one of the oldest forms of art and crafts of Madhya Pradesh.  
  • Every region of this state has got a unique and distinct style.
  • Lattice (Jaal) work is the specialty of Gwalior whereas, Tikamgarh and Jabalpur specialize in decorative pieces of work like animals and human statues. 
• Bamboo and cane artwork is a significant part of the rural life of Madhya Pradesh, is hugely used to manufacture utility articles.
  • The tribal communities of Baiga, Gond, and Korku are involved in this craft as well.
  • The skilled craftsmen of the areas like Balaghat, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Mandla, Shahdol, and Seoni were involved in this artwork.
• Carpet weaving is practiced in Gwalior since the Mughal era.
  • Mandla and Shahdol district is also known for this craft later.
  • Apart from being masters of carpet weaving, the craftspeople of these areas excel in dyeing. 

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

Key Points

• Folk dances of Uttar Pradesh:
  • Charakula is a pitcher dance which is the folk dance of Brajbhoomi.
  • Pai Danda dance is performed by Aheers of Bundelkhand.
  • Rai Nritya is a peacock dance of the women of Bundelkhand. It is performed on the occasion of Shrikrishna Janmashtami.
  • Shara Dance is popular in the districts of Hamirpur, Jhansi, and Lalitpur in the Bundelkhand region. This dance is done by the young boys and girls of the farming community in the rainy season. In this dance, worship, and blessings of Vedic deity Indra is sought for the successful harvesting of the crop
  • Deepawali dance is done by Bundelkhandi Aheers, on the occasion of Deepawali, with lightened lamps held on the head.
  • Kartik's song-dance is prevalent in the Bundelkhand region of the state. Kartik's song is a description of the relationship between Krishna and Gopis.
  • Dhobiya Raga is performed by the Dhobi castes of the state.
  • The dance performed on the occasion of auspicious events by kahar is called Natwari Nritya.
  • Chaurasia Dance is a dance performed by Kahars in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
  • Karma dance is a dance jointly organized by women and men of Coal tribes in the Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts of Uttar Pradesh.
  • Hence, Option 1 is correct.

The correct answer is A-(iii), B-(ii), C-(i), D-(iv).

Key Points

• Allahabad Pillar Inscriptions
  • ​This inscription is also known as Prayagaprasasti.​
  • Samudragupta (AD 335–80) was Chandragupta’s son and successor.
  • This inscription also suggests that the decimal system was known in India at the beginning of the fifth century
  • The inscription is engraved at Allahabad on the same pillar that carries the inscriptions of Ashoka.
• Junagarh Inscription​
  • Rudra Daman I was Saka ruller.
  • His achievements are highlighted in the Junagarh inscription.
  • This was the first inscription in Sanskrit.
• Hatigumbha Inscription
  • ​Hatigumpa inscription of Kharavela, of Kalinga ruler, gives details about Chetis of Kalinga.
  • Kharavela followed Jainism.
  • The Cheti Dynasty was founded by Maha Meghavahana.
• Ashokan Inscription
  • ​These inscriptions are written in Kharoshti and Brahmi scripts.
  • These were deciphered by James Princep.
  • Ashoka left his record engraved on stones.