Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Vietnam hosts the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak in 2025 from May 6 to 8 in Ho Chi Minh City. The United Nations Day of Vesak marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha. In a historic first, the sacred Buddha Relic from Sarnath, India, will be sent to Vietnam for special exposition. The event is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, along with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

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The fifth State-level Shirui Lily Festival 2025 is scheduled to take place in Ukhrul district, Manipur, from May 20 to 24. It is the first State-level festival in Manipur since violence erupted in May 2023. The festival is organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Manipur. It aims to raise awareness about the endangered Shirui Lily, scientifically known as Lilium mackliniae, the State flower of Manipur. The flower blooms only at Shirui Kashong (Shirui Peak) in Shirui village, around 95 km from the State capital Imphal. The festival promotes sustainable tourism and honours Manipur’s natural heritage.

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After 12 years, Uttarakhand is hosting the Pushkar Kumbh Mela at Keshav Prayag in Mana village. Pushkar Kumbh is a sacred Vaishnavite pilgrimage held every 12 years when Jupiter enters Gemini. It takes place at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers in Mana village, Uttarakhand. The site is spiritually important as Ved Vyas composed the Mahabharata here. Saints like Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya are believed to have received divine knowledge from Goddess Saraswati at this place. Though smaller than other Kumbh Melas, it attracts many devotees, especially from South India.

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During recent excavations at Nineveh in Iraq, archaeologists found a large relief showing King Assurbanipal, the last ruler of the Assyrian Empire, with two deities and other figures. Nineveh was a major city in northern Mesopotamia and became the capital of the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib in the 8th century BCE. It lies on the east bank of the Tigris River in modern-day Mosul, Iraq. It was once the largest and most populated city of the Assyrian Empire and an important religious center for worshipping the goddess Ishtar. Nineveh was fully developed during the Neo-Assyrian Empire (912–612 BCE) and known for its cultural beauty, gardens, and parks. The city was destroyed in 612 BCE by a coalition of Babylonians and Medes, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently asked for revisions to the excavation report submitted by the archaeologist who led the Keezhadi project. The Keezhadi excavation site is near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vaigai River. It is a major Sangam-era settlement dating from the 5th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The site reveals a well-planned, literate, and craft-based urban society. Keezhadi suggests that South India had early urbanisation independent of North Indian cultures. It is considered one of Tamil Nadu’s most important archaeological discoveries after Adichanallur.

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In the lead-up to International Yoga Day 2025 on June 21, the Union Territory of Ladakh will host a week-long event called Ladakh’s Biggest International Festival of Yoga and Meditation. It will be held from June 15 to 21 at scenic spots like Pangong Lake, Shanti Stupa, Sindhu Ghat on the Indus River, and Nubra Valley. The final celebration will take place at the Astro Turf Stadium, the highest football stadium in India, with civil and defence participants. The event is being organized by the Ladakh Administration and Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre. Themes include Harit Yoga, Samavesh Yoga, and Yoga Unplugged, guided by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). A seminar on Unplugged Yoga will be conducted with the University of Ladakh.

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Recently, a joint excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Raigad Development Authority unearthed a rare ‘yantraraj’ or astrolabe at Raigad Fort, the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Raigad Fort is located in Raigad district of Maharashtra in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, also known as the Western Ghats. The Hirkani Buruj, a famous tower, is built on a high valley near the fort.

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A ‘Maha Kumbhabhishekam’, a grand ritual for temple purification and consecration, was recently performed at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala after 270 years. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is one of the most revered Hindu temples in India. The city’s name, Thiruvananthapuram, means “The City of Lord Ananta” in Malayalam, referring to the deity of this temple.

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Traditional construction methods will be used to restore and preserve the Simhachalam Temple. The temple, also called Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple shows a mix of Orissan and Chalukyan architectural styles. Unusually, it faces west instead of east, symbolising the victory of divine forces over evil.

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Recently, a rare 15th-century antique lamp with Shaiva (Lord Shiva) and Vaishnavaite (Lord Vishnu) carvings was discovered at the Anantapadmanabha temple in Perduru, Udupi district, Karnataka. Historian T. Murugeshi confirmed it was donated by Basavannaras Banga in 1456 Common Era, based on a stone inscription inside the temple. The lamp has two faces with detailed narrative sculptures. One face shows Lord Shiva as Nataraja performing Pralaya Tandava, with Parvati, Ganapati, Bringi, Khadga Ravana, and Kumara. The second face shows Brahma, Indra, Anantapadmanabha, Agni, and Varuna, describing gods praying to Lord Anantapadmanabha to calm Shiva’s destructive dance.