Indian Culture MCQs

Notes:
Bhanu Athaiya, an eminent costume designer in Indian cinema, became the first Indian to clinch an Oscar. Her ideation and implementation of costumes grace over 100 films and spans over several decades from the 1950s. She collaborated with proficient filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowariker, including international directors like Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough. She also won two prestigious National Film Awards, in 1991 and 2002, demonstrating her exceptional skills and contribution to the film industry.

Notes:
Bishandas was a 17th-century portrait painter at the court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. Jahangir praised him as “unrivalled in the art of portraiture”. Though little is known of Bishandas’ life, his name can indicate that he was a Hindu. In 1613 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Persia, to paint the Shah’s portrait. Here he was so successful that he remained until 1620, when he returned with the gift of an elephant.

Notes:
Ravidas was an Indian mystic poet-sant of the Bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. He was a guru in the region of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and mainly Punjab. He was a devotional saint and cobbler by profession.

Notes:
Varkari Sect is founded by saint Tukaram. It is a vasihnavite tradition. It is geographically associated with Maharashtra.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Dr M Balmuralikrishna was a famous Carnatic vocalist. He belongs to Tamil Nadu. He died in 2016.

Notes:
Kumbha (Kumbha means pot) Mela is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the following four locations of India: 

1. Prayag (near the city of Allahabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three rivers Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati 
2. Haridwar (in the state of Uttarakhand) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas 
3. Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of Ksipra river, and 
4. Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river. 

The pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) Kumbh Mela at Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.

Notes:
A.V.Meiyappan is India’s first dubbed film Harischandra in 1944. It was dubbed in Tamil.

Notes:
The Sant Kabir Award was established in 2009 to honor textile craftspeople for their contributions to the revival of Indian handloom traditions. The award is presented by the President of India.
The award includes a grant of 6 lakh rupees to each recipient to create 10 new products of high quality and aesthetic value. The recipient has one year to complete the project.
The award was established along with the Shilp Guru Awards and National Awards to Master Craftspersons and master weavers, which were introduced in 1965.

Notes:
Rajasekhara Chairtram was the first novel in Telugu. It was written by Veeresalingam.