Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped five-century-old Tripura Sundari Temple at Udaipur, Gomati district. The temple, built in 1501 by Maharaj Dhanya Manikya Bahadur, is one of the 51 Shaktipeethas and a major pilgrimage site. The redevelopment project cost Rs 52 crore, mainly funded under the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, with Rs 7 crore from the state government. The project added replicas of all 51 Shaktipeethas, stalls, halls, dormitories, Prasad ghar, a museum, food court, parking, and other amenities. The revamp aims to boost tourism and strengthen Tripura’s cultural heritage.

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Archaeologists in southeastern Turkey discovered a 12,000-year-old T-shaped pillar with a carved human face at Karahantepe, Turkey. It was announced in October 2025 as part of the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project, which studies early human settlements and spiritual practices. Previously, T-shaped limestone pillars had symbolic arm and hand carvings, but no full human face had been found. The pillar shows deeply carved eyes, broad nose, and sharp facial lines, representing personalized human depiction.

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UNESCO recently launched the Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects at the MONDIACULT 2025 conference. It is a digital platform reconnecting communities with their stolen cultural treasures. The project aims to create the first virtual immersive reality museum of stolen cultural objects globally. It raises public awareness about illicit trafficking of cultural property and aids in recovery of stolen objects. The museum is financially supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and developed in collaboration with INTERPOL. It currently displays around 240 missing objects from 46 countries. From India, it features two 9th-century sandstone sculptures from Mahadev Temple, Pali, Chhattisgarh.

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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted Operation Fire Trail to stop illegal smuggling of Chinese firecrackers into India. Officers intercepted a 40-foot container at Nhava Sheva Port, declared as carrying “leggings.”
Import of firecrackers is ‘Restricted’ under the ITC (HS) Code of the Foreign Trade Policy. Such imports need license from DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) and PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization). Smuggling these hazardous goods threatens public safety, national security, and port infrastructure. The DRI continues efforts to protect trade integrity and prevent organized smuggling.

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The traditional ‘Hingot war Festival’ takes place annually in Gautampura, Madhya Pradesh. The festival is organised every year on ‘Dhok Padwa,’ the day after Diwali, to commemorate Mughal–Maratha conflicts of the 17th–18th centuries. According to local folklore, the Hingot War originated from warrior customs of Gurjar soldiers and evolved into a symbolic sport after wars ceased. The region is inhabited mainly by the Gurjar community, known for martial traditions, bravery, and horsemanship. The festival begins after sunset with villagers offering prayers at a temple. Hingot is a local fruit stuffed with gunpowder, tied to a wooden stick, lit, and thrown at opponents like a rocket.

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Recently, archaeologists discovered a 4,000-year-old temple on Failaka Island in Kuwait, linked to the ancient Dilmun Civilization. The Dilmun Civilization, also known as Telmun, flourished in the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Its main centers were the islands of Bahrain and Failaka Island in Kuwait. It also extended to regions of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and the Iranian coast along the Persian Gulf. Dilmun was a powerful Bronze Age trading hub connecting Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. Though ancient and influential, it is less known than major early civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and Yellow River.

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The President of India was recently presented with a Ramman mask at a special session of the Uttarakhand Assembly. Ramman is an annual religious festival celebrated in late April in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra, Uttarakhand, honouring the local deity Bhumiyal Devta. It features rituals, Ramayana recitations, songs, and masked dances, with each caste having specific roles. The performances combine Rama Katha stories with local legends through dance and drama. It is held in the courtyard of the Bhumiyal Devta temple.

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The 9th Ganga Utsav was celebrated by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, focusing on partnership and people’s participation for river rejuvenation. Two key publications—“Status of Waterbirds in the Ganga River Basin” and “Status of Island Nesting Report”—were released to assess ecological health. At Amity University, Noida, the theme “Voices and Rhythms of River: Technical and Cultural Expressions” highlighted data-driven and LiDAR-based river management. Resources like “Preventing Solid Waste Flow into Water”, “The Colors of Ganga”, and LiDAR Data Release for Riverathon 1.0 were launched.

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Shad Nongkrem, also known as Nongkrem Dance, is a major indigenous religious and cultural festival of the Khasi tribe in Meghalaya. It is celebrated annually during autumn at Smit, the headquarters of Hima Khyrim, about 20 km from Shillong. The five-day festival, called Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, is dedicated to Ka Blei Synshar, seeking blessings for a good harvest and people’s prosperity. The Syiem (king) of Khyrim and high priests perform rituals and offer oblations to Lei Shyllong, the presiding deity of Shillong Peak.

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Recently, a portion of the Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha from India was enshrined at Tashichhodzong Monastery in Thimpu, Bhutan. The Piprahwa Relics were discovered in 1898 at Piprahwa Stupa, Uttar Pradesh, linked to ancient Kapilavastu, Buddha’s homeland. Relics include bone fragments of Lord Buddha, crystal caskets, gold ornaments, gemstones, and a sandstone coffer. An inscription in Brahmi script links the relics to the Sakya clan, enshrined around the 3rd century BC.