Indian Culture MCQs

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Hornbill Festival is celebrated annually in Nagaland from December 1st to 10th. It is also known as the “Festival of Festivals” because it represents all of Nagaland’s ethnic groups. The festival is organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments, and is supported by the Union Government. The festival is celebrated to encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote the cultural heritage of Nagaland.  The festival is a powerful expression of Naga culture through traditional music, dance, and performances. All of the Nagaland tribes contribute to making the festival more colorful, vibrant, and enjoyable.  The festival includes daily cultural events such as: Music festivals, Photo fest, Fashion shows, Adventure sports, Night carnivals.  The 23rd Hornbill Festival was held in 2022 at Naga Heritage Village Kisama.

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Watson’s Hotel, also known as Esplanade Mansion, is located in Mumbai. Built in 1867, it is recognized as India’s oldest surviving cast iron building. The structure showcases Victorian Gothic architecture and was originally a luxury hotel. Its unique cast iron framework was sourced from the UK, reflecting the colonial era’s architectural trends.

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Abhanga is kind of devotional poetry / bhajan dedicated to Vittala and the first to sing Abhanga was Sant Tukaram.

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Gundecha brothers are well known exponents of Dhrupad. They are classical singers of the dhrupad genre of the Dagar vani. From 1985 to 2019 the duo consisted of brothers Umakant Gundecha and Ramakant Gundecha and were awarded the Padma Shri for art for 2012.

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Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas of Hindustani classical music. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the great Mughal emperor Akbar.The favorite singers of this patron of the arts, such as Miyan Tansen, first amongst the vocalists at the court, came from the town of Gwalior.

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The Kathasaritsagar ( or Ocean of the Streams of Stories) is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold in Sanskrit by Somadeva, a Shaiva Brahmin.

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Guru Amardas Ji was the third Guru of the Sikhs and took over the mantle of Sikh Guruship in 1552 at the age of 73. He was known for establishing the Manji system for missionary activities in various parts of India. His commitment to equality for humans has also left an indelible mark on the culture and principles of Sikhism. He initiated the tradition of free food distribution (langar) to all visitors, without concerning for their religious or social status.

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Gatka is an ancient martial art used by the Gurus to help defend the religious beliefs of Sikhi.

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There is an oval ring around the original figure of Shiva Nataraja. It represents the cosmic fire he uses to destroy the universe as part of the cycle of destruction and creation. Each flame has three points. In the eleventh and twelfth centuries, a round circle of fire with flames of five points became typical for the Shiva Nataraja image.

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Sumitranandan Pant was an Indian poet. He was one of the most celebrated “Progressive” left-wing 20th century poets of the Hindi language and was known for romanticism in his poems which were inspired by nature, people and beauty within.