1. Who is known as the Father of Tamil literature?
[A] Nakkirar
[B] Pushyamitra
[C] Aggatiyam
[D] Agastaya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ Agastaya ]
Notes:
As per Tamil sources, the father of Tamil literature is ‘Agastaya’.
2. Which of the following features of Indian temples resembles pylons of the Egyptian temples?
[A] Lat
[B] Vimana
[C] Gopura
[D] Shikhara
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Correct Answer: C [ Gopura ]
Notes:
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.
3. Shintoism is a religion or belief expanded greatly in which country?
[A] China
[B] Thailand
[C] Burma
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Japan]
Notes:
Shintoism is a Japanese religion that originated in prehistoric times. The word “Shinto” literally means “the way of the gods”. Shinto is Japan’s indigenous belief system and predates historical records. The practices, attitudes, and institutions that make up Shinto revolve around the Japanese land and seasons and their relation with the human inhabitants. Shinto is classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion. Its practitioners often regard it as Japan’s indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Shinto has occupied an important national position for long periods in the history of Japan, particularly in recent times. As Japan expanded and became an empire in the 1900s, Shinto also became an important spiritual support mechanism for justifying Japanese expansion.
4. Which among the following are called Dharamchakra ?
[A] The chakra which is a weapon of lord Vishnu in Hindu Mythology
[B] The first sermon of Mahavira Jain
[C] The chakra which has 24 spokes in the central white band in Indian Flag
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [The chakra which has 24 spokes in the central white band in Indian Flag]
Notes:
The Ashoka Chakra is a depiction of the Dharma Chakra which has 24 spokes in the central white band in Indian Flag. The circular Ashoka Chakra represents the progressiveness of the country.
5. Who among the following wrote Astanga Sangraha?
[A] Banabhatta
[B] Vagabhatta
[C] Aryabhatta
[D] Kalhana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Vagabhatta]
Notes:
Vagbhata is one of the most influential classical writers of ayurveda. Several works are associated with his name as author, principally the Ashtanga Sangraha and the Ashtāngahridayasaṃhita .
6. 1996 was UN’s fiftieth anniversary year and this year was declared by United nations as “Year for Tolerance”. The same time frame also coincided with 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In this connection, UNESCO had established a new award in the name of an Indian philanthropist for Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence. Who is this Indian philanthropist?
[A] Aga Khan III
[B] Dinshah Irani
[C] Ghanshyam Das Birla
[D] Madanjeet Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Madanjeet Singh]
Notes:
The correct answer is Madanjeet Singh. In 1995, UNESCO established the “Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence” to honor his contributions to peace and tolerance. Singh was an Indian diplomat and a prominent advocate for non-violence, aligning with the UN’s declaration of 1995 as the “Year for Tolerance” and the 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who is renowned for his philosophy of non-violence.
7. Who among the following is known for the famous quote “an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy.”?
[A] Jawahar Lal Nehru
[B] Mahatma Gandhi
[C] Leo Tolstoy
[D] Rabindranath Tagore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mahatma Gandhi]
Notes:
The name of the autobiography of Gandhiji is “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”. It was published in 1927. In this book he wrote “In the very first month of Indian Opinion, I realised that the sole aim of journalism should be service. The newspaper press is a great power, but just as an unchained torrent of water submerges whole countryside and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy”.
8. Who among the following was the last Guru of Sikhs ?
[A] Guru Teg Bahadur
[B] Guru Har Kishan
[C] Guru Govind Singh
[D] Guru Angad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Guru Govind Singh]
Notes:
Guru Gobind Singh dev ji (1666-1708 AD) was the last and 10th guru of Sikhs, was born in Patna. He was the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur (the 9th Sikh Guru) and Mata Gujri. At the end of his life, he passed the Guruship of the Sikhs to the Eleventh and Eternal Sikh Guru, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
9. With respect to Indian culture, what is ‘Ghode Modni’?
[A] festival celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh
[B] tribe of Andaman & Nicobar islands
[C] dance form in Goa
[D] style of Painting
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [dance form in Goa]
Notes:
Ghode Modni (‘Ghode’ means ‘horse’ and ‘Modni’ means ‘gyrations and dance-like movements’) is literally a dance involving horse-like movements. It is a warrior-dance, which commemorates the victory of the Ranes, the Maratha rulers over the Portuguese.The dance is a famous folk dance from of the Goa state.
10. Theatre production of Peter Brooks’ “Mahabharata” features whom among the following? (UPSC Prelims 1986)
[A] Victor Banerjee
[B] Mallika Sarabhai
[C] Shashi Kapoor
[D] Naseeruddin Shah
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mallika Sarabhai]
Notes:
Peter Brook’s 1989 film, The Mahabharata which means “The Political Story of the Human Race “was originally planned as a 9-hour version of the 18-volume Sanskrit text is based on his celebrated stage production. Mallika Sarabhai is a dancer/actor who plays Draupadi in Brook’s film.