Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams canceled Arjitha sevas and privileged darshans during the 9-day Tirumala Brahmotsavams at Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara Temple. This festival, initiated by Lord Brahma, includes grand events like Garuda Seva and Vahanaseva. The temple, located in the Seshachalam Hills, Andhra Pradesh, is dedicated to Lord Sri Venkateswara and features Dravidian architecture.

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The 10-day Shri Baba Buddha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, started on August 8 and will end on August 19, coinciding with Sawan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The first batch of pilgrims left Jammu amid tight security. Around 700 pilgrims from Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh are participating. The temple is 290 km from Jammu, 4600 feet above sea level, and surrounded by Loran Valley. Visiting Baba Buddha Amarnath is considered essential before the Baba Amarnath yatra in Anantnag.

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In Odisha, especially in the western and some southern regions, people are celebrating the ‘Nauakhai’ festival, which marks the start of the new rice season. On this occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi introduced the CM-Kisan Yojana to support farmers with financial aid. Under this scheme, farmers will receive Rs 4,000 annually in two parts. Today, Rs 2,000 was deposited into the accounts of around 46 lakh farmers, with the remaining amount to be given on Akshaya Tritiya. A total of Rs 925.40 crore will be distributed to nearly 46 lakh beneficiaries.

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Seiyhama village in Nagaland celebrated the Naga king chili festival, showcasing community farming. Naga King Chili, also known as Bhoot Jolokia or Ghost Pepper, is one of the world’s hottest chillies. It was certified by Guinness World Records in 2006, with heat exceeding 1 million Scoville Heat Units. It received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008. The chili is primarily cultivated in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and to a lesser extent in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya. Peak harvest months are August-September, and it is grown in large bamboo groves.

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The Gingee Fort, situated in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, has been nominated for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The fort is part of the Maratha Military Landscapes nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2024-25. The nomination includes 12 components, with 11 sites in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort as the only site from Tamil Nadu. Known as the ‘Troy of the East’, Gingee Fort located atop three hillocks- Rajagiri, Krishnagiri and Chandragiri. It was built by Ananta Kon of the Konar Dynasty in 1,200 CE. It has seen rule by the Vijayanagar Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, Nawabs, French, and British.

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At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned during the Jivitputrika festival in Bihar while taking a holy dip.
Jivitputrika, or Jitiya Vrat, is a Hindu festival mainly observed in northern and eastern part of India especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal. Mothers fast for three days for the well-being and long life of their children, with a strict ‘nirjala’ fast on the second day. The festival is linked to the mythological story of King Jimutavahana. It starts with a purifying bath (Nahai-Khai) and ends with breaking the fast (Paaran).

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UNESCO has accredited the Keremane Idagunji Mahaganapati Yakshagana Mandali, founded in 1934 by Late Keremane Shivarama Hegde. The objective is to educate future generations and safeguard Yakshagana from decline, ensuring its relevance and vitality. Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form that originated between the 11th and 16th centuries in coastal Karnataka and parts of Kerala. It combines dance, music, dialogues, colorful costumes, and heavy make-up, inspired by the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. The themes include stories of Lord Krishna, Vishnu, and Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Traditionally, men played all roles, but women are now included in troupes.

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Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati is preparing for Brahmotsavam, a nine-day festival. It is celebrated at the Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara Temple by the Swami Pushkarini lake. The festival was initiated by Lord Brahma to thank Lord Venkateshwara for protecting mankind. In lunar months with an extra month, two Brahmotsavams are held: Salakatla and Navarathri. In 2024, only one Brahmotsavam (Salakatla) held due to the absence of Adhika Maasa. The Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam ritual, a traditional cleansing, occurs on Tuesdays before Brahmotsavam and other major festivals.

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A 13th-century stone inscription, or Veeragallu, was recently discovered during the renovation of the Kalleshwar temple.
The Kalleshwar Temple is located in Bagali, Davangere district, Karnataka, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest temples in the area, built during the Rashtrakuta Dynasty in the mid-10th century and the Western Chalukya Empire around 987 AD. The temple features a single shrine with an adjoining hall and has a sanctum, an antechamber, and a gathering hall. Its Shikara showcases early Cholan architecture, and it houses a large Shivalinga believed to be over a thousand years old. The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple as a monument of national importance.

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Manipur celebrated the annual Mera-Hou-Chongba festival, a cultural event symbolizing the state’s commitment to unity between its hill and valley communities. It is observed annually on the 15th lunar day of the Mera month in the Meitei calendar. The event began with a flag-hoisting ceremony led by titular king and MP Leishemba Sanajaoba at Sana Konung. Traditional rituals, Men Tongba and Yenkhong Tamba, were performed at Kangla Uttra. Participants from remote hill areas joined in, exchanging gifts and showcasing cultural dances.