Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Mysuru Dasara is a grand 10-day festival in Mysuru, Karnataka, celebrated during Navratri and culminating on Vijayadashami. It features vibrant processions, illuminated palaces, and cultural activities, attracting thousands of visitors. The festival began in 1610 with Raja Wadiyar I, symbolizing the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over a demon. The Wadiyars of Mysore have enriched the festival’s traditions over centuries, with the Mysore Palace as a central attraction. As a prelude, the Dasara Gajapayan event involves a ceremonial procession of elephants from Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, leading to the Jamboo Savari procession.

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A Kalamezhuthu workshop was recently organized by the Malayalam Department in Kochi, Kerala. Kalamezhuthu, also known as Dhulee Chithram or Kalam Pattu, is a traditional floor painting art form in Kerala. It is performed during rituals to worship gods like Kaali, Ayyappan, and Vettakkorumakan. The drawings are erased at the end of rituals with musical accompaniment. Natural colors from plants are used for the drawings. Artists usually come from communities like the Kurups, Theyyampadi Nambiars, and Theeyadi Unnis.

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Hampi, in Central Karnataka, India, needs a balance between preserving its ancient ruins and supporting local communities. Located on the Tungabhadra River, it was the Vijayanagara Empire’s capital from the 14th to 16th century.
Designated a World Heritage Site in 1986. Its architecture mixes Chola, Hoysala, Pandya, Chalukya, and Indo-Islamic styles. Temples are known for their large size, detailed carvings, and depictions from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister recently inaugurated the Maa Nanda-Sunanda Mahotsav, 2024, in Nainital through a virtual event, emphasizing the festival’s role in connecting people with their cultural roots. The Maa Nanda-Sunanda Mahotsav honors the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda during the Nandashtami festival in the Kumaon region, celebrated every September in places like Almora, Nainital, Kot Along, Bhowali, and Johar. Additionally, the CM declared September 2nd as Bugyal Conservation Day to protect alpine meadows, calling them the Himalayas’ ‘precious heritage.’

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Tribal communities in several Indian states recently celebrated the harvest festival of Karma or Karam Parv. Karma Puja honors the Karam tree, symbolizing fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. The festival began with the start of agriculture by tribal communities. A week before, young women plant seven types of grains in clean sand. On the festival day, a Karam tree branch is planted in a courtyard, and the priest worships the Karam Raja. The celebration includes traditional dancing, singing, and offerings. The Karam branch is later immersed in water, and Jawa flowers are distributed. It is mainly celebrated by Munda, Ho, Oraon, and other tribes in states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha.

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Seiyhama village in Nagaland celebrated the Naga king chili festival, showcasing community farming. Naga King Chili, also known as Bhoot Jolokia or Ghost Pepper, is one of the world’s hottest chillies. It was certified by Guinness World Records in 2006, with heat exceeding 1 million Scoville Heat Units. It received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008. The chili is primarily cultivated in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and to a lesser extent in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya. Peak harvest months are August-September, and it is grown in large bamboo groves.

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The Gingee Fort, situated in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, has been nominated for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The fort is part of the Maratha Military Landscapes nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2024-25. The nomination includes 12 components, with 11 sites in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort as the only site from Tamil Nadu. Known as the ‘Troy of the East’, Gingee Fort located atop three hillocks- Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and Chandragiri. It was built by Ananta Kon of the Konar Dynasty in 1,200 CE. It has seen rule by the Vijayanagar Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, Nawabs, French, and British.

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The 10th World Free Zones Organisation Congress organized in Dubai, from September 23-25, 2024. It gathers experts and stakeholders from the free zones, logistics, and multilateral sectors. The theme is “Zones and the Shifting Global Economic Structures – Unlocking New Investment Avenues.” The congress focuses on trends, technologies, and innovations in the free zones sector. Over 35 speakers participated in sessions and workshops. Indian companies and free zones are actively involved, with Srikanth Badiga representing India. It offers Indian businesses opportunities to explore new investments and global economic impacts on free trade zones.

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Scientists found over 300 new Nazca Lines in Peru, nearly doubling the known geoglyphs. The new lines feature humanoid figures, animals, fish, birds, cats, and even a “killer whale holding a knife.” The Nazca Lines are large geoglyphs carved by an ancient pre-Incan civilization between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500. These geoglyphs were made by removing desert surface pebbles to reveal lighter soil underneath. Around 430 Nazca Lines were already found, most in the last 20 years with satellite technology. The discovery rate is slowing, as remaining shapes are too faint for easy detection. The Nazca Lines were first rediscovered by airplane passengers in the 1920s.

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At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned during the Jivitputrika festival in Bihar while taking a holy dip.
Jivitputrika, or Jitiya Vrat, is a Hindu festival mainly observed in northern and eastern part of India especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal. Mothers fast for three days for the well-being and long life of their children, with a strict ‘nirjala’ fast on the second day. The festival is linked to the mythological story of King Jimutavahana. It starts with a purifying bath (Nahai-Khai) and ends with breaking the fast (Paaran).