1. Madai festival is a tribal festival of which among the following states?
[A] Assam
[B] Bihar
[C] Chattisgarh
[D] Manipur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chattisgarh]
Notes:
Madai festival is a popular festival of Chhattisgarh. The festival reflects the rich culture and tradition of the state. The Madai Festival is celebrated by people belonging to the Gond Tribe.
2. Which of the following prizes is given by KK Birla Foundation for commendable work in Hindi?
[A] Acharya Tulsi Samman
[B] Vyas Samman
[C] Saraswati Samman
[D] Rajahasha Samman
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Vyas Samman]
Notes:
KK Birla Foundation awards the Vyas Samman to outstanding Hindi literature published in the last 10 years. The award was established in 1991 and carries a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh. The winner of the 2022 Vyas Samman was Gyan Chaturvedi for his satirical novel Pagalkhana.
The KK Birla Foundation also awards the Saraswati Samman and the Bihari Puraskar. The Saraswati Samman is given to literary works published in the last 10 years by Indian writers in languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The Bihari Puraskar recognizes outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the last 10 years by a Rajasthani writer.
3. Lord Jagannath is related to which of the following place?
[A] Ujjain
[B] Bhubneshwar
[C] Puri
[D] Hyderabad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Puri]
Notes:
Lord Jagannath is primarily associated with Puri, a city in the Indian state of Odisha. The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites and is famous for the annual Rath Yatra, where the deities are paraded on massive chariots. The worship of Jagannath is unique, as he is depicted with a distinctive form, characterized by large eyes and a wooden body. Puri is also known for its rich cultural heritage and is a important center for Vaishnavism.
4. The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in which of the following languages?
[A] Hindi Only
[B] Any Indian language or Dialect
[C] Any Indian Language included in 8th schedule of Indian Constitution
[D] Any Indo-Aryan language
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Any Indian Language included in 8th schedule of Indian Constitution]
Notes:
The Saraswati Samman is awarded for outstanding literary works in any Indian language included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This schedule recognizes 22 languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and others, reflecting India’s linguistic diversity. Established in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation, the award aims to promote and honor literary excellence across various Indian languages.
5. The best known of the compilations of the compositions of Kabir are known as ?
[A] Shatapadi
[B] Dohavali
[C] Bijak
[D] Kavitavali
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bijak]
Notes:
Bijak is the compilations of the compositions of Kabir. Kabir Das was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism’s Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism’s scripture Guru Granth Sahib.
6. Nirmal Hridaya is located in:
[A] Bangalore
[B] Chennai
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Kolkata
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kolkata]
Notes:
Nirmal Hriday is Mother Teresa`s first home for the dying, located next to the famous Kali Temple in Kalighat, is now one of 300 affiliated organizations all over the world, set up by her. A very small building, it is characterized by neo-Mughal style mini domes on the roof.
7. Which among the following states leads in Handloom and Handicrafts clusters in India?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Maharastra
[C] Odisha
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
The correct answer is Uttar Pradesh. It is a leading state in India for handloom and handicrafts, particularly known for its rich tradition of weaving, including the famous Banarasi sarees. Uttar Pradesh has numerous clusters, such as Varanasi for silk weaving and Bhadohi for carpets, contributing importantly to the state’s economy and cultural heritage. The state also supports artisans through various government initiatives and schemes aimed at preserving traditional crafts.
8. Who citicized the Moderate politics through a series of articles titled “New Lamps for Old”?
[A] Bipin Chandra Pal
[B] Aurobindo Ghosh
[C] Bal Gangadhar Tilak
[D] Ashwani Kumar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Aurobindo Ghosh]
Notes:
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.
9. Which of the following were written by Tulsidas?
[A] Ramcharitmanas
[B] Vinaypatrika
[C] Kavitavali
[D] All of these
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All of these ]
Notes:
Tulsidas ji belonged to Saguna school of Bhakti Kal. He is best known as the author of the epic Ramcharitmanas ( a story of Lord Rama in hindi) and the other works composed by him are Vinaypatrika, Kavitavali, Janaki Mangal, Gitavali, etc.
10. Which of the following is / are examples of Indian martial arts?
- Thang-Ta
- Kalaripayattu
- Silambam
- Mudiyettu
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 2 & 3
[C] Only 1, 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 1, 2 & 3]
Notes:
Thang-ta
Thang-ta is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Meitei of Manipur. In the Manipuri language, thang means sword and ta means spear, referring to the art’s primary weapons. Thang Ta is also a popular form in Manipuri dance.
Silambam
Silambam is a weapon-based Indian martial art from Tamil Nadu, but also traditionally practised by the Tamil community of Sri Lanka and Malaysia. It is closely related to Keralan kalaripayat and Sri Lankan angampora.
Kalaripayattu
Kalaripayattu is an Indian martial art from Kerala. It is one of the most ancient fighting systems that are even practiced today. It was originally practised in Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Today it is practiced in Kerala, Tamil Nadu as well as Karnataka and some parts of Shri Lanka.
Mudiyettu
Mudiyettu is the name of a dance drama of Kerala, which is based upon the mythological tale of battle, depicting glory and triumph of Bhagavathy over the demon Darika. This along with Koodiyattam, Ram Lila and Vedic Chanting have been recognized by the UNESCO as ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.