Indian Culture MCQs

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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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Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (1894-1950) is best known for his autobiographical novel, Pather Panchali (The Song of the Road), which was later adapted (along with Aparajito, the sequel) into the Apu Trilogy films, directed by Satyajit Ray. Pather Panchali is considered Bibhutibhushan masterpiece and is included in the CBSE syllabus for students choosing to study Bengali.

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Kumbha (Kumbha means pot) Mela is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the following four locations of India: 

1. Prayag (near the city of Allahabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three rivers Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati 
2. Haridwar (in the state of Uttarakhand) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas 
3. Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of Ksipra river, and 
4. Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river. 

The pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) Kumbh Mela at Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.

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The doctrine of Advaita, or non-dualism, was advocated by Adi Shankaracharya. The doctrine states that there is no difference between the individual soul and Brahman, or the Supreme God. Shankara believed that the soul merges with Brahman and that liberation is achieved through self-realization.
Shankara was born in Kerala in the eighth century. He was a prominent Hindu philosopher who started a Hindu revivalist movement in the ninth century. However, his doctrines were too abstract for the general public to understand.
Advaita is a school of Hinduism. All Vedanta schools state that Brahman is both the efficient and material cause of all existence.

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Dhodro banam is a single-string musical instrument used by the Santal tribes in Odisha.

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The festivals are called Kut in Mizo language. The three Kuts viz. Chapchar Kut, Mim Kut and Pawl Kut are the three festivals which are connected with agricultural activities. These festivals are celebrated with feasts and dances. 

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The Amman and Kalyana Mandapam are regarded as essential components of temple architecture within the Vijayanagara Empire. This empire, founded in 1336 AD by Harihara and Bukka, is characterized by distinctive architectural features:

• Kalyana Mandapam: This is a square, elevated platform enclosed by intricately adorned pillars. It served as the site for ceremonies symbolizing the marriage between the temple’s deity and their consort.
• Amman Shrine: A subsidiary shrine dedicated to the consort of a male deity.
• Raya Gopurams: These are imposing gateways.
• Garbhagriha: The central sanctum of a temple.
• Pillared Halls: Halls featuring elaborately decorated pillars.
• High Towers: Prominent spires.
• Wide Marriage Halls: Expansive halls used for marriage ceremonies.
• Meeting Halls: Spaces for gatherings.
• Spring Pavilions: Pavilion-like structures.

The Vijayanagara Empire drew inspiration from earlier empires, including the Hoysala, Chola, and Chalukya, amalgamating these influences to create a distinctive and unique architectural style.

Notes:
The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari, philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and scientist C. V. Raman, who was honoured on 2nd January, 1954. Since then, the award has been bestowed on 45 individuals, including 12 who were awarded posthumously.

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The main towns of Indus valley civilization were Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Kalibangan, Lothal. The significant features of Indus Valley civilization are personal cleanliness, town planning, construction of burnt-brick houses, ceramics, casting, forging of metals, manufacturing of cotton and woolen textiles.

Notes:
A recipient of the Nobel Prize  for literature, Rabindranath Tagore was born in an affluent Bengali family. Tagore’s journey as a painter began in his late sixties as an extension of his poetic consciousness.