Indian Culture MCQs

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The sermon Buddha gave to the five monks was his first sermon, called the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. The Seated Buddha from Gandhara is an early statue of the Buddha made in Gandhara, in modern Pakistan, in the 2nd or 3rd century The pose, which was to become one of a number of standard ones, shows Buddha as a teacher setting the wheel of Dharma in motion (Dharmachakra Mudra). Buddha did this following his enlightenment and after delivering his first sermon at the deer park at Sarnath near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

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Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus have directed an almost equal attention to the Gopura or gateways o f their towns and temples. These, both in form and purpose, resemble the pylons of the Egyptian temples.

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Rajgir, the ancient capital of the Magadhan empire in Bihar is held sacred by both Buddhists and Jains for its association with the Buddha and Mahavir. Department of Tourism, Bihar holds a colourful festival of dance and music, Rajgir Mahotsav or Dance Festival every year in Rajgir.

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Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, is an important religious ritual in Jainism. It refers to a practice of voluntary death achieved through fasting. The tradition believes it to purify the soul and release it from the cycle of death and rebirth. Contrary to being considered suicide, it is viewed as an act of spiritual liberation and is usually undertaken after giving away all belongings, entering a state of meditation, and securing permission from spiritual authorities. It remains a controversial subject in modern-day law, due to issues about the legality and morality of death by self-starvation.

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Vimana is a term for the tower above the Garbhagriha or Sanctum sanctorum in a Hindu temple in Dravidian style.

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The Royal Kathina Ceremony is observed every year by Buddhist. It is observed in only one Buddhist temple outside Thailand and this year the Namphake Buddhist temple of Assam was selected. Kathina offering is an ancient Buddhist Tradition of offering special robe and other necessities to monks who maintain strict discipline of retreat during the rainy season. The main purpose of the ceremony is not merely for religious belief but also to strengthen the relationship between Thailand and other countries.

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Buddhism stupa are called Chorten in North east India and Tibet

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Durga Vahini is the women’s wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organisation in India. The wing was founded in 1991 by Sadhvi Rithambara as a part of a larger movement to mobilize Hindu women for the protection and promotion of Hindu culture. The group trains women in self-defense and other tactical skills as part of its ideology to build a Hindu nation.

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Vishwakarma Jayanti marks birth day of Vishwakarma, the divine architect.

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The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary award conferred by the Government of Kerala. Established in 1993, it honors contributions to Malayalam literature and is named after Ezhuthachan, a revered poet often regarded as the father of the Malayalam language. The award aims to promote and recognize literary excellence in Kerala.