Indian Culture MCQs

Notes:
Stambheshwar Mahadev temple is 150 year old temple situated in Kavi Kamboi in Gujarat. It is flanked by the Arabian Sea on one side and the Bay of Cambay on the other. The Shivalinga present here can be seen only during low-tide hours.

Notes:
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the month of January. It is mainly observe in countries where there is a significant presence of Tamil community such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar.

Notes:
The Yājñavalkya Smrti is a Dharma-related texts of Hinduism composed in Sanskrit. It is dated to between the 3rd to 5th-century CE, and belongs to the Gupta period.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The state of Gujarat, specifically in the city of Palitana, holds a remarkable distinction of having 838 Jain temples located on a single mountain. Jainism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has a strong community still in India. These temples are a major pilgrimage site for Jains and are a testament to the architectural prowess of ancient artisans.

Notes:
Shuddadvaita philosophy is given by Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 CE). It is the “purely non-dual” philosophy. Vallabhacharya is founding philosopher and guru of the Vallabha sampradaya, a Hindu Vaishnava tradition focused on the worship of Krishna.

Notes:
Rgyud-bzi is a practice of medicine that is practiced in many parts of North India. It is similar to Ayurveda and involves some principles of traditional Chinese medicine.

Rgyud-bzi is the standard book of Tibetan medicine. The book describes the Tibetan medical system as a tree. The tree is based on three routes of approaching wellbeing:

• Determining whether the body is healthy or ill
• Three types of evaluation
• A variety of complementary and alternative cures

Traditional Tibetan medicine is known as Sowa Rigpa. It is based on Buddhist tradition. Buddha’s teachings spread in Tibet after the eleventh century.

Tibetan medicine has long-term clinical practices and has proven beneficial in the treatment of chronic diseases. These include hepatitis, high altitude polycythemia, gastritis, stroke, cholecystitis, and rheumatism.

Notes:
Shiva Tandava Stotra is sung by Ravana in Ramayana. It is a Sanskrit sloka. Ravana is king of Lanka.

Notes:
Matrimandir is a spiritual center located in Auroville, in the Union Territory of Puducherry, which is also known as Pondicherry. It is situated in the southern part of India, about 160 kilometers south of Chennai. Auroville was founded in 1968 as an experiment in human unity and international understanding, and it is home to people from over 50 different countries. The Matrimandir is a central feature of Auroville and is considered a symbol of the town’s spiritual and philosophical ideals.

Notes:
Saint Alphonsa became the first person of Indian origin to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 2008. She was known for her severe ascetism and spiritual suffering. A commemorative coin was issued by the Government of India in her memory in 2009, highlighting her significance and contribution to Indian Christian history. She is the second Indian to be elevated to sainthood, following Gonsalo Garcia, a 16th-century martyr who was canonized in 1862.