Current Affairs · Chapter 18 of 22
Art, Culture and Heritage: BPSC Prelims MCQs
64 practice questions on Art, Culture and Heritage. Each one opens to its answer and explanation.
Which became India's 16th element on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage?
- ADurga Puja in Kolkata
- BGarba of Gujarat
- CChhath Puja
- DDeepavali
Where was the 20th session of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage, which added Deepavali, held?
- AXiamen, China
- BThe Red Fort, New Delhi
- CAsunción, Paraguay
- DParis, France
How many World Heritage Sites does India have after the addition of the Maratha Military Landscapes?
- A45
- B42
- C44
- D43
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, a World Heritage Site, include 12 forts. How many of them are in Maharashtra?
- A11, with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu as the twelfth
- B12, all in Maharashtra
- C10, with one each in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
- D9, with three in Goa
Which of the following forts is NOT part of the Maratha Military Landscapes World Heritage Site?
- AGingee
- BRaigad
- CSindhudurg
- DDaulatabad
Which of the following is an island fort among the Maratha Military Landscapes?
- AShivneri
- BKhanderi
- CPanhala
- DSalher
Shivaji Maharaj's council of eight ministers was called:
- Athe Ashtadiggaja
- Bthe Navaratna
- Cthe Ashtapradhan
- Dthe Panchayatan
Under the Marathas, "chauth" was:
- Aa tax on Hindu and Muslim pilgrims
- Ba tax on salt made on the coast
- Cone-fourth of the revenue of neighbouring areas
- Done-tenth of the revenue of the kingdom itself
In April 2025, which two Indian works were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register?
- AThe Rigveda and the Arthashastra
- BThe Ramcharitmanas and the Panchatantra
- CThe Tirukkural and the Gita Govinda
- DThe Bhagavad Gita and Bharata's Natyashastra
The Natyashastra, added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, is credited to:
- ABharata Muni
- BPanini
- CKalidasa
- DVed Vyasa
UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, which preserves documentary heritage, was launched in:
- A1945
- B1992
- C2003
- D1972
Which Indian city joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Gastronomy at the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand?
- AAmritsar
- BKolkata
- CHyderabad
- DLucknow
In 2023, which two Indian cities joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network?
- ALucknow (gastronomy) and Varanasi (music)
- BJaipur (crafts) and Chennai (music)
- CGwalior (music) and Kozhikode (literature)
- DSrinagar (crafts) and Mumbai (film)
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was launched in:
- A2004
- B2015
- C1992
- D2010
How many UNESCO Global Geoparks does India have?
- AOne, at Lonar crater
- BNone
- CThree
- DTwo, at Lonar and St. Mary's Island
Mt. Paektu, designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, is famous for its "Millennium Eruption" and is in:
- AJapan
- BChina's Inner Mongolia
- CNorth Korea
- DSouth Korea
Salma Geopark, with ancient coral reefs, designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, is in:
- AJordan
- BOman
- CEgypt
- DSaudi Arabia
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv of January 2026 marked 1,000 years since:
- Athe first attack on the Somnath temple by Mahmud of Ghazni, in 1026 CE
- Bthe rebuilding of the temple by the Chaulukya king Bhima I
- Cthe visit of Al-Biruni to Somnath
- Dthe founding of the temple by the Moon god, as legend says
Somnath, in Gujarat, is the first of how many Jyotirlingas?
- A4
- B12
- C108
- D51
Which queen rebuilt a temple at Somnath in the 18th century?
- ARani Lakshmibai
- BAhilyabai Holkar
- CRani Durgavati
- DRani Chennamma
The present Somnath temple was rebuilt after Independence at the initiative of:
- AMahatma Gandhi, with the consecration performed by Sardar Patel
- BJawaharlal Nehru, with the consecration performed by C. Rajagopalachari
- CSardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with the consecration performed by President Rajendra Prasad
- DK. M. Munshi alone, with the consecration performed by the Shankaracharya
Al-Biruni, who wrote about the Somnath temple, wrote which book on India?
- ATarikh-i-Firoz Shahi
- BTabaqat-i-Nasiri
- CRihla
- DKitab-ul-Hind (Tahqiq-i-Hind)
PM Modi released a ₹1,000 commemorative coin marking 1,000 years of the naval expedition of which ruler?
- ARajendra Chola I
- BKulottunga I
- CVijayalaya Chola
- DRajaraja Chola I
Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the capital founded by Rajendra Chola I, is in which district of Tamil Nadu?
- AKanchipuram
- BTiruchirappalli
- CThanjavur
- DAriyalur
Who founded the imperial Chola dynasty?
- AAditya I
- BVijayalaya
- CKarikala
- DRajaraja I
Raja Ravi Varma's painting "Yashoda and Krishna" set a record for Indian art at auction, at about:
- A₹61.8 crore
- B₹118 crore
- C₹167.2 crore
- D₹250 crore
Raja Ravi Varma, called the father of modern Indian art, came from:
- AKilimanoor, in present-day Kerala
- BMysuru, in Karnataka
- CBaroda, in Gujarat
- DThanjavur, in Tamil Nadu
Kabuki, in the news, is a traditional theatre form of:
- AThailand
- BChina
- CSouth Korea
- DJapan
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born in 1666 at:
- APatna
- BAnandpur Sahib
- CAmritsar
- DNanded
The "Jore Sahib", enshrined at Takht Sri Patna Sahib in November 2025, are:
- Athe turban of Guru Tegh Bahadur
- Bthe sacred footwear of Guru Gobind Singh
- Cthe sword of Guru Gobind Singh
- Dthe handwritten Guru Granth Sahib of Guru Arjan Dev
Which of the following is NOT one of the five Ks of the Khalsa?
- AKangha
- BKesh
- CKamarbandh
- DKachera
Guru Gobind Singh's father, the ninth Sikh Guru, was:
- AGuru Tegh Bahadur
- BGuru Arjan Dev
- CGuru Har Krishan
- DGuru Har Rai
Who built the Takht Sri Harmandir Ji at Patna Sahib, at Guru Gobind Singh's birthplace?
- AJassa Singh Ahluwalia
- BMaharaja Ranjit Singh
- CBanda Singh Bahadur
- DMaharaja Duleep Singh
Which festival is NOT correctly matched with its state?
- ABonalu – Telangana
- BChapchar Kut – Mizoram
- CSekrenyi – Manipur
- DMyoko – Arunachal Pradesh
Chapchar Kut, the oldest spring festival of the Mizo people, is held after:
- Athe harvest of the rice crop
- Bthe winter solstice in December
- Cthe first rain of the monsoon
- Dclearing forest for jhum farming
Myoko is a festival of which tribe of Arunachal Pradesh?
- AMonpa
- BApatani
- CNyishi
- DAdi
Nyokum Yullo is a festival of which tribe?
- AApatani
- BGalo
- CMishmi
- DNyishi
Cheiraoba is the New Year festival of:
- AManipur
- BMeghalaya
- CAssam
- DTripura
The Shirui Lily Festival celebrates Manipur's state flower, which blooms only in:
- Athe Valley of Flowers
- Bthe Loktak lake area
- Cthe Shirui hills of Ukhrul district
- Dthe Dzükou valley
The Hornbill Festival, called the "festival of festivals", is held in:
- AManipur
- BNagaland
- CArunachal Pradesh
- DMizoram
Ramman, a religious festival and ritual theatre on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, is from:
- AHimachal Pradesh
- BJammu and Kashmir
- CUttarakhand
- DSikkim
Sarhul, a festival of spring and worship of the sal tree, is celebrated in:
- AJharkhand
- BOdisha
- CMadhya Pradesh
- DChhattisgarh
Shigmo, a spring festival, is celebrated in:
- AKarnataka
- BMaharashtra
- CKerala
- DGoa
Attukal Pongala, where lakhs of women cook pongala for the goddess, is held in:
- ATamil Nadu
- BKerala
- CAndhra Pradesh
- DKarnataka
Thaipusam, a festival of Lord Murugan, is celebrated mainly in:
- ATamil Nadu
- BKarnataka
- CKerala
- DOdisha
The Madhavpur Ghed fair, marking the wedding of Krishna and Rukmini, is held in:
- ARajasthan
- BOdisha
- CUttar Pradesh
- DGujarat
The Sambhar festival, held in the news, is in which state?
- AHaryana
- BMadhya Pradesh
- CRajasthan
- DGujarat
Kheer Bhawani festival is celebrated at Tulmulla in:
- AUttarakhand
- BLadakh
- CJammu and Kashmir
- DHimachal Pradesh
The Ambubachi Mela is held at which temple?
- AVaishno Devi, Jammu
- BJagannath, Puri
- CTarapith, West Bengal
- DKamakhya, Guwahati
Bonalu, a festival of the goddess Mahakali, is celebrated in:
- AOdisha
- BTelangana
- CKarnataka
- DAndhra Pradesh
Bali Jatra and Boita Bandana, which recall ancient sea trade with South-East Asia, are festivals of:
- AOdisha
- BKerala
- CAndhra Pradesh
- DWest Bengal
The Sangai Festival, named after the state animal, is held in:
- AMizoram
- BManipur
- CMeghalaya
- DNagaland
Gaan-Ngai, a post-harvest festival of the Kabui (Rongmei) Nagas, is celebrated in:
- AAssam
- BTripura
- CNagaland
- DManipur
The Flamingo Festival is held at which bird sanctuary?
- ABharatpur, Rajasthan
- BNalsarovar, Gujarat
- CPulicat, Andhra Pradesh
- DChilika, Odisha
Spituk Gustor, a monastic festival, is held in:
- ALadakh
- BSikkim
- CHimachal Pradesh
- DArunachal Pradesh
Makaravilakku is a festival of which temple?
- ASabarimala, Kerala
- BMeenakshi, Tamil Nadu
- CGuruvayur, Kerala
- DPadmanabhaswamy, Kerala
The Gangasagar Mela is held every year at the meeting of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal on:
- AHaldia, West Bengal
- BMajuli Island, Assam
- CSagar Island, West Bengal
- DNayagarh, Odisha
The Pushkar Kumbh of 2025, held after 12 years, took place at Keshav Prayag near:
- ANashik, Maharashtra
- BHaridwar, Uttarakhand
- CPushkar, Ajmer district, Rajasthan
- DMana village, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
The Lavender Festival, linked to the "Purple Revolution", is held in:
- AHimachal Pradesh
- BJammu and Kashmir
- CSikkim
- DUttarakhand
Khongjom Day commemorates the last battle of the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891. In which state is it observed?
- AManipur
- BTripura
- CNagaland
- DAssam
The National Ayurveda Day is now observed every year on:
- A12 November
- B23 September
- CDhanteras
- D21 June
The Bhagavad Gita, now in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, has how many verses and chapters?
- A500 verses in 18 chapters
- B18 verses in 700 chapters
- C700 verses in 18 chapters
- D1,000 verses in 12 chapters
Which of the following is NOT one of the 16 Indian elements on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list?
- ANavroz
- BYoga
- CKumbh Mela
- DChhath Puja
Which state is the home of the Lepcha people, who call themselves "Rong"?
- ASikkim
- BNagaland
- CArunachal Pradesh
- DMeghalaya
All 22 chapters of Current Affairs
- Brand Ambassadors70 questions
- Appointments and Leaders54 questions
- International Organisations and Summits74 questions
- World Affairs55 questions
- Awards and Honours81 questions
- Persons in News and Obituaries58 questions
- Books and Authors125 questions
- Polity, Law and Governance66 questions
- Economy, Banking and Finance80 questions
- Schemes, Missions and Initiatives44 questions
- Infrastructure and Transport50 questions
- Science, Technology and Space85 questions
- Environment, Energy and Wildlife83 questions
- First in India83 questions
- First in the World34 questions
- Portals and Apps65 questions
- Places in News and Changed Names70 questions
- Art, Culture and Heritage64 questions
- GI Tags69 questions
- Years, Decades and Words of the Year23 questions
- India's Targets32 questions
- Bihar in the News36 questions