Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Every year, the Department of Fisheries, Manipur, organises the Annual Fish Fair cum Fish Crop Competition before the Ningol Chakouba festival. Ningol Chakouba is celebrated on the second day of Hiyangei month of the Meitei calendar. ‘Ningol’ means married woman and ‘Chakouba’ means invitation for feast; married women are invited to their parental homes for a feast. The festival dates back to King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba’s rule in Manipur.

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The traditional ‘Hingot war Festival’ takes place annually in Gautampura, Madhya Pradesh. The festival is organised every year on ‘Dhok Padwa,’ the day after Diwali, to commemorate Mughal–Maratha conflicts of the 17th–18th centuries. According to local folklore, the Hingot War originated from warrior customs of Gurjar soldiers and evolved into a symbolic sport after wars ceased. The region is inhabited mainly by the Gurjar community, known for martial traditions, bravery, and horsemanship. The festival begins after sunset with villagers offering prayers at a temple. Hingot is a local fruit stuffed with gunpowder, tied to a wooden stick, lit, and thrown at opponents like a rocket.

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Recently, archaeologists discovered a 4,000-year-old temple on Failaka Island in Kuwait, linked to the ancient Dilmun Civilization. The Dilmun Civilization, also known as Telmun, flourished in the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Its main centers were the islands of Bahrain and Failaka Island in Kuwait. It also extended to regions of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and the Iranian coast along the Persian Gulf. Dilmun was a powerful Bronze Age trading hub connecting Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. Though ancient and influential, it is less known than major early civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and Yellow River.

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The President of India was recently presented with a Ramman mask at a special session of the Uttarakhand Assembly. Ramman is an annual religious festival celebrated in late April in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra, Uttarakhand, honouring the local deity Bhumiyal Devta. It features rituals, Ramayana recitations, songs, and masked dances, with each caste having specific roles. The performances combine Rama Katha stories with local legends through dance and drama. It is held in the courtyard of the Bhumiyal Devta temple.

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Recently, a portion of the Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha from India was enshrined at Tashichhodzong Monastery in Thimpu, Bhutan. The Piprahwa Relics were discovered in 1898 at Piprahwa Stupa, Uttar Pradesh, linked to ancient Kapilavastu, Buddha’s homeland. Relics include bone fragments of Lord Buddha, crystal caskets, gold ornaments, gemstones, and a sandstone coffer. An inscription in Brahmi script links the relics to the Sakya clan, enshrined around the 3rd century BC.

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Recently, the Assam Chief Minister went to London to start the process of bringing back the sacred Vrindavani Vastra from the British Museum. Vrindavani Vastra is a 400-year-old Assamese textile depicting Lord Krishna’s childhood stories and divine acts in Vrindavan. It is woven in silk using the complex ‘lampas’ technique that requires two weavers working together. It uses many coloured threads like red, white, black, yellow, and green. It was created under Srimanta Sankardeva on the request of Koch king Nara Narayan. Nara Narayan had sheltered Sankardeva when he was targeted by the Ahom kingdom.

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Hilly villages of Garhwal in Uttarakhand celebrate Mangsir Bagwal, a post-Diwali folk festival rooted in agrarian life and local history. It is held in the lunar month of Mangsir (Margashirsha), about one month after Kartik Diwali, marking a delayed festival of lights. The celebration honours Garhwali commander Madho Singh Bhandari, who returned victorious from battle against Tibetan forces after Diwali. The festival coincides with the end of the winter-harvest season, when villagers gather for feasting, music and dance.

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Italy has become the first country in the world to receive UNESCO recognition for its entire national cuisine. UNESCO inscribed “Italian cooking” on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Recognition was awarded by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage during its 20th session in New Delhi. The official title of the recognition is “Italian cooking: Between sustainability and biocultural diversity.”

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Scientists have discovered the oldest known evidence of fire-making by prehistoric humans in England, providing crucial insights into early human technological abilities. The discovery includes a patch of heated clay, heat-shattered flint handaxes, and two pieces of iron pyrite, indicating deliberate fire production rather than natural burning. Iron pyrite was likely struck against flint to produce sparks, which could ignite tinder, showing early mastery of fire-making techniques. The findings highlight the advanced survival skills and cognitive development of prehistoric humans, as controlled use of fire was essential for cooking, warmth, protection, and tool-making.

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Madhya Pradesh is developing a unique sustainability plan for the Simhastha Kumbh 2028 in Ujjain, with the goal of making the event environmentally responsible and eligible for carbon credits. The Kumbh is expected to attract nearly 30 crore pilgrims, requiring systems to manage the massive footfall while reducing environmental impact, improving hygiene, and ensuring safety. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela is a Hindu religious festival held every 12 years in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is called “Simhastha” because the festival occurs when Jupiter (Brihaspati) enters the Leo constellation (Simha Rashi).