Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Samvatsari was recently celebrated as the most important day of Paryushan Parva, a holy observance in Jainism. The festival embodies the spirit of forgiveness, compassion, atonement, and self-purification. On Samvatsari, Jains seek forgiveness from family, friends, and strangers for any harm caused knowingly or unknowingly. It is a day of reunion, humility, and reflection on personal actions. The occasion reinforces the Jain principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and spiritual cleansing.

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Tiwa tribesmen celebrated Langkhun Festival in Umsowai village, Karbi Anglong district, Assam. Langkhun, also called Lankhong Festival, is a harvest festival with sacred offerings to Ramsa Devota and other deities. The community prays for protection of paddy from pests, abundant yield, family prosperity, and village health. Tiwa people, also called Lalung, are a Tibeto-Burmese group found in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. In Assam, they are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe and practice traditional agriculture, including jhum cultivation.

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In Manipur, the Mera Hou Chongba festival is celebrated on 7th October 2025, symbolising Hill-valley unity. Village chiefs from various indigenous hill districts arrived at the Manipur Royal Palace, Imphal to participate. The festival occurs on the 15th lunar day of the Mera month of the Meitei calendar every year. Mera Hou Chongba is the only festival in Manipur with participation from all indigenous communities.

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Devaragattu Banni Utsavam in Holagunda Mandal, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh witnessed violence, leaving two devotees dead and over 100 injured. The crowd surged over 2 lakh, attracting devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Devaragattu Banni Utsavam is an ancient festival celebrated in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. This ancient festival culminates on the night of Vijaya Dasami (Dussehra) and features a ritualistic stick fight where thousands of devotees, divided into groups, carry sticks and clash with them in a symbolic battle to claim the idol of the deity.

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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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The Bathou religion of the Bodo community in Assam has been officially given a separate code in the upcoming national census. Bathouism is the indigenous faith of the Bodos, mainly in Assam and parts of North Bengal, forming a key part of their cultural identity. The term “Bathou” means “Five Principles”, representing Ha (Earth), Dwi (Water), Or (Fire), Bar (Air), and Okhrang (Sky). The religion focuses on nature worship, maintaining balance between humans and the environment through household and community rituals. Sacred Sijou plants and elemental symbols are central to Bathou practices.

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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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Every year, the Department of Fisheries, Manipur, organises the Annual Fish Fair cum Fish Crop Competition before the Ningol Chakouba festival. Ningol Chakouba is celebrated on the second day of Hiyangei month of the Meitei calendar. ‘Ningol’ means married woman and ‘Chakouba’ means invitation for feast; married women are invited to their parental homes for a feast. The festival dates back to King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba’s rule in Manipur.

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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 Chavang Kut Festival, a post-harvest celebration of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo communities, is observed every year on November 1 across Manipur. The festival marks the end of the harvesting season and expresses thanksgiving to the almighty for a good harvest. Chavang Kut was declared a State Holiday in 1982 due to its cultural significance. The festival symbolizes gratitude, unity, and harmony between humans and nature.