Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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India has a vast tangible heritage, including monuments, sites, and antiquities from prehistoric to colonial times. Many organizations like Archaeological Survey of India and State Archaeology Departments have documented heritage, but much remains scattered or undocumented. The absence of a unified database makes research, conservation, and management difficult. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) was established in 2007 to document and digitize India’s built heritage and antiquities. Rs. 20 lakh was allocated for NMMA in FY 2024-25. NMMA aims to create a national database and enhance collaboration between ASI, state departments, and stakeholders.

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Bagad Rath Yatra is a vibrant festival in Wai, Maharashtra, celebrated on Rang Panchami. It honors Lord Bhairavnath with a unique ritual where a devotee, ‘Bagadya,’ is suspended from a tall wooden chariot. The festival symbolizes community unity and deep-rooted cultural traditions. It has a 350-year-old history, showcasing seamless collaboration among participants. Powerful invocations and rituals reflect the strength and inspiration drawn from cultural heritage. The festival’s demanding tasks appear effortless due to devotion and collective spirit.

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Sarhul Festival is celebrated by Adivasi communities in Jharkhand and the Chotanagpur region to mark spring and the new year. Sarhul means “worship of the Sal tree”, symbolizing the union of the Sun and Earth for life. The Sal tree is sacred and believed to be the abode of Sarna Maa, the village deity. Three-day celebration includes cleaning, gathering Sal flowers, fasting, rituals at Sarna Sthals (Sacred Groves), sacrifices, prayers, and a community feast with Handia (rice beer). Tribes like Oraon, Munda, Santal, Khadia, and Ho celebrate it.

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A three-day India-Nepal Literature Festival was organized in Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. It was conducted by Geeta Shodh Sansthan, affiliated with Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Krantidhara Sahitya Academy, Meerut. More than 180 litterateurs, writers, journalists, and educationists from India and Nepal participated. The festival aimed to promote and enhance the literary and cultural heritage of both countries. It encouraged the exchange of literature and culture. Cooperation between Indian and Nepali litterateurs was strengthened. Traditional and contemporary literature gained new direction and recognition.

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The Kodungalloor Bharani is a vibrant annual festival held at the Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple in Kodungalloor, Thrissur, Kerala during the Malayalam month of Meenam (March–April). It celebrates the birth of Goddess Bhadrakali, who, according to legend, emerged from Lord Shiva’s third eye to destroy the demon Darika. The festival is marked by the intense presence of Oracles (called Komaram or Velichappadu) dressed in red attire who perform sacred rituals. The celebration is one of Kerala’s most mystical and culturally rich traditions, drawing large crowds every year.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered four ancient rock art sites in Mizoram, dating between the 16th and 19th centuries. In Maite village, Saitual, a cliff showed carvings of human figures, animals, gongs, mithun heads, and symbols. In Lianpui, Champhai, carvings included fish, dao (a machete), hornbills, weapons, and rectangular chambers. In Tualte, Khawzawl, mithun heads, humans, and geometric shapes were etched on rocks. At Chhawrtu, carvings included circular motifs, rows of heads, and fish. These artworks show the cultural and artistic legacy of ancient Mizo inhabitants. The ASI linked these sites to the Vangchhia region in Champhai, earlier identified as a major ancient settlement or lost civilisation. The ASI has submitted a report, and the sites are proposed for official protection.

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The classical Indian texts Natyashastra by Bharat Muni and Shrimad Bhagavad Gita have been added to the Memory of the World Register by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This announcement was made by Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 18 April 2025. With this, India now has a total of 14 inscriptions in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. UNESCO’s Executive Board met in Paris, France, on 17 April 2025 and approved 74 new entries. These 74 documentaries come from 72 countries and four international organisations. The new entries include topics like the scientific revolution, women’s historical contributions, and global cooperation.

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The Bamiyan Buddhas were two massive statues carved in the 6th century CE into sandstone cliffs of the Bamiyan Valley in central Afghanistan. They stood at 174 feet and 115 feet tall and were named Salsal, meaning “light shines through the universe,” and Shamama, meaning “Queen Mother.” These statues belonged to the Gandhara School of Buddhist Art, known for mixing Indian, Persian, and Greco-Roman art styles. They symbolized a blend of Gupta, Sassanian, and Hellenistic influences and represented the cultural exchange along the Silk Road. The statues marked the spread of Buddhism across Central and South Asia from the 1st to 13th centuries. In recent context, the Taliban—who destroyed the statues in 2001—are reportedly showing a shift in their attitude toward heritage preservation, suggesting possible support for restoring historical sites.

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Vietnam hosts the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak in 2025 from May 6 to 8 in Ho Chi Minh City. The United Nations Day of Vesak marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha. In a historic first, the sacred Buddha Relic from Sarnath, India, will be sent to Vietnam for special exposition. The event is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, along with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

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The Ramman Festival, inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is celebrated in Uttarakhand. It takes place annually in late April, after the harvest season, in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra. The festival honours Bhumiyal Devta, the village’s tutelary deity, and holds deep religious significance. The celebration includes complex rituals such as the recitation of a version of the epic of Rama, songs, and masked dances. A key feature is the singing of Jagar, a musical performance that narrates local legends.