Indian Culture MCQs

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Starting off his six-decade literary career as a bohemian poet and editor of Kritibas, a monthly poetry magazine, Sunil Gangopadhyay wrote his first novel, Athmo Prakash (Self-Revelation), at the behest of the editor of the hugely popular periodical Desh for its special Durga Puja edition. Two of the most critically acclaimed films of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray — Pratidwandi and Aranyer Din Ratri — were based on novels written by him.

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Sayana was an important commentator on the Vedas. His commentary on the Rigveda was edited by Max Müller, 1849-1875.He flourished under the king Bukka I and his successor Harihara II in the Vijayanagar Empire.

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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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Shesher Kabita is a novel by Rabindranath Tagore, widely considered a landmark in Bengali literature. The novel was serialised in 1928 from Bhadro to Choitro in the magazine Probashi, and was published in book form the following year.

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Hymns composed by Jaydev have been incorporated in Guru Grantha sahib of Sikhs. The hymns are written in a mixture of Sanskrit and eastern Apabhramsha. There are records narrating how Jayadeva’s work had a profound influence on Guru Nanak during his visit to Puri.

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Sindhu Darshan Festival is a festival of India held every year on full moon day (on Guru Purnima) in June. It is held at Leh, in Ladakh District of Ladakh. It is the other name for “Leh Singhe-Khababs Festival”.

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Rishi Aurobindo was a philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist of India. He studied Indian Civil Service at King’s College, England. New Lamps for Old was written by him and published in 1893. He citicized the Moderate politics through a series of articles.

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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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Mridangam is also known as the “King of Percussion”

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Kuchipudi is a classical dance form, exclusive to the South-East Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It originated in a village of Krishna district in modern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It derives its name from this village. It is a dance-drama performance art, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of Natya Shastra. Like all major classical dances of India, it was also developed as a religious art linked to travelling bards, temples and spiritual beliefs. The Kuchipudi style was conceived by Siddhendra Yogi, a talented Vaishnava poet of 17th century. It begins with an invocation to Lord Ganesha followed by Nritta (non-narrative and abstract dancing); shabdam (narrative dancing) and natya. The dance is accompanied by song which is typically Carnatic music. The singer is accompanied by musical instruments like Mridangam, violin, flute and tambura. Like other classical dances, Kuchipudi also comprises pure dance, mime and histrionics but it is the use of speech that distinguishes Kuchipudi’s presentation as dance drama.