1. Ghumura is an ancient folk dance that originated in which of the following states?
[A] Odisha
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Rajasthan
[D] Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Odisha]
Notes:
Ghumura is an ancient folk dance that originated from Odisha. As per ancient mythological texts, Ghumura was a war dance of the Gods and Demons. Over the course of time, Ghumurawas imbibed into performing arts and entertainment in Odisha.
2. Jagdish Khebudkar was a renowned poet and lyricist of which among the following languages?
[A] Marathi
[B] Konkani
[C] Kanada
[D] Gujarathi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Marathi]
Notes:
Jagdish Khebudkar was a Marathi poet and lyricist. He is known known for his songs in films like Pinjra, Sadhi Manse, Samna, Chandra Hota Sakshila and Ashtavinayak.
3. Which among the following is not correctly matched?
[A] Aga Khan Palace – Pune
[B] Bharat Bhawan – Bhopal
[C] Akal Takht – Amritsar
[D] All are correct
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All are correct]
Notes:
All the above places are correctly matched.
4. In which of the following states of India , a festival called Chapchar Kut is celebrated in March ?
[A] Assam
[B] Mizoram
[C] Karnataka
[D] Sikkim
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mizoram]
Notes:
The Chapchar Kut is a festival of Mizoram, India. It is celebrated during March after completion of their most arduous task of jhum operation i.e., jungle-clearing (clearing of the remnants of burning). It is a spring festival celebrated with great favour and gaiety.
5. What is the official name of the women’s branch of the Vishva Hindu Parishad?
[A] Sewa Bharti
[B] Durga Vahini
[C] VHP Mahila Morcha
[D] Hindu Shakti
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Durga Vahini]
Notes:
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.
6. In the Indian mythology, who sung Shiva Tandava Stotra?
[A] Ravana
[B] Rama
[C] Kuber
[D] Vibhishana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ravana]
Notes:
Shiva Tandava Stotra is sung by Ravana in Ramayana. It is a Sanskrit sloka. Ravana is king of Lanka.
7. Today’s Gurmukhi, Dogri and Sindhi scripts have developed from which among the following scripts?
[A] Brahmi Script
[B] Śāradā script
[C] Tankari Script
[D] Kushana Script
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Śāradā script]
Notes:
Śāradā is a script of the Brahmic family of scripts, developed around the 8th century. It was used for writing Sanskrit and Kashmiri. The Gurmukhī script was developed from Śāradā by Guru Angad. Originally more widespread, its use became later restricted to Kashmir, and it is now rarely used except by the Kashmiri Pandit community for ceremonial purposes. There are several variants of Śāradā Scripts such as Takkari or Tankari which is the parent of the Dogri script, Kului script (Kullu in Himachal Pradesh), Chameali Script (in Chamba Himachal Pradesh), Sindhi, Bania of Punjab etc.
8. Who among the following was not a disciple of Guru Ravidas?
[A] Meerabai
[B] Ramananda
[C] Kabir
[D] Nanak Dev
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Nanak Dev]
Notes:
Guru Ravidas, a renowned poet saint from the Bhakti movement in India, had several disciples, including Meerabai, Ramananda, and Kabir. However, Nanak Dev, who was the founder of Sikhism, was not a disciple of Guru Ravidas. There is evidence of Guru Ravidas and Nanak Dev being contemporaries and holding dialogues, but Nanak Dev was not his disciple, making option 4 the correct answer.
9. Who among the following authors wrote “Akbarshahi Srigardarpan”?
[A] Siddhichandra Upadhayaya
[B] Bhimsen
[C] Padma Shankar
[D] Jagannatha Pandit
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Padma Shankar]
Notes:
The Jain scholar, Padma Shankar wrote Akbar-Shahi Srinagar Darpan.
10. Which of the following temples of Odisha has a khakhara type of Sikhara?
[A] Jagannath Temple
[B] Lingaraja Temple
[C] Rajarani Temple
[D] Baital Deula Temple
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Baital Deula Temple]
Notes:
The Khakhara Deula is altogether a different style of architecture closely appearing similar to the Dravidian Gopuran design. The word is derived from Khakharu (Pumpkin, gourd) as the crown looks like a barrel- vaulted elongated roof. It is a rectangular building with a truncated pyramid-shaped roof, like the gopuras. The temples of the feminine deities as Shakti are temple of that type. One example is the Baitala Deula of Bhubneshwar, dedicated to Chamunda. The Sakta temples are generally of Khakhara order. Brahmi temple of Chaurasi in Puri and Gouri temple of Bhubaneswar are two other glaring examples of Khakhara temple.