Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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The Koothandavar festival in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, unfolds a narrative of marriage and widowhood within a day during the Tamil month of Chithirai. Lasting 18 days, it honors Lord Aravan’s sacrifice from the Tamil Mahabharata. Transgender individuals marry Aravan on the 17th day, symbolizing devotion. On the final day, Aravan is ritually sacrificed, and his widowed spouses mourn, echoing Lord Krishna’s lament for Aravan’s plight. This unique celebration draws global attention to transgender identity.

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A snake stone carving from the megalithic period was unearthed in Puthukkai village, Kerala’s Kasaragod district. Megaliths are massive stone structures used for burials or memorials, prevalent from the Neolithic to Iron Age. They mark significant cultural transitions, spanning the Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages. This discovery sheds light on ancient rituals and the historical landscape of Kerala, enriching our understanding of prehistoric civilizations.

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The week-long annual Gangamma Jatara folk festival, celebrated in the first half of May, is a significant event in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Honoring Goddess Gangamma, believed to be Lord Venkateswara’s younger sister, the festival attracts devotees to the Tataiahgunta Gangamma temple. Unique traditions include the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam sending a symbolic birthday gift, “Parisu,” from Lord Venkateswara to Goddess Gangamma.

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Sikkim celebrated Saga Dawa, the ‘Triple Blessed Festival’, on May 23, 2023, coinciding with Buddha Purnima. This sacred Buddhist festival marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Buddha Shakyamuni. Celebrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar, Buddhists in Sikkim offer prayers in monasteries to honor these significant events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama as Lord Buddha.

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A recently discovered sarcophagus fragment beneath a religious center’s floor is identified as belonging to Ramesses II, a prominent ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Sarcophagi, highly decorated coffins, date back to ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece. Typically made of stone, they vary in design and are adorned with carvings and inscriptions. Sarcophagi offer valuable insights into ancient societies’ art, culture, and beliefs, making them significant artifacts for archaeologists and historians.

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The Satnami community in Chhattisgarh violently protested the desecration of a Jaitkhamb, a sacred symbol. The tallest Jaitkhamb is near Giraud village in Baloda Bazar of Chhattisgarh, at Guru Ghasidas’ birthplace. The Satnamis, founded in 1657 by Birbhan in Haryana, trace their roots to Bhakti poet Kabir and Saint Ravidas. The community’s spiritual lineage follows Guru Ghasidas, an 18th-century saint.

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Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits gathered at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal, for the annual Zeisht Ashtami festival. Built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 and renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, an incarnation of Durga. It sits above a sacred spring that changes colors. The Kheer Bhawani Mela is also celebrated at shrines in Kupwara, Anantnag, and Kulgam.

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A hidden chamber was recently discovered beneath the inner layers of Ghodbunder Fort during restoration work. Ghodbunder Fort, located in Thane, Maharashtra, on the Ulhas River, was built by the Portuguese and completed in 1730. Initially used for horse trading, it was later occupied by the Marathas and the British. The fort features a Portuguese church from the early 16th century and various historical structures.

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Mudgal Fort in Karnataka showcases India’s rich historical and cultural heritage, reflecting its architectural, cultural, and historical significance. The fort has a 1,000-year history, linked to the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Bahmani Sultans, and Vijayanagara Empire. It became a strategic battleground between the Vijayanagara Empire and Adil Shahi Sultanate, witnessing 11 battles due to its pivotal location in the fertile, mineral-rich Raichur Doab between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers.

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Devotees nationwide are gathering at Assam’s Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati for the annual Ambubachi Mela. The Kamakhya Temple, one of India’s 51 Shaktipeeths, is located atop Nilachal Hills and is dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, a form of Goddess Parvati. The Ambubachi Mela celebrates the goddess’s annual menstruation. The temple’s architecture uniquely combines the traditional Nagara and Mughal styles, known as the Nilachala Style.