Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Thrissur Pooram has officially begun with the ceremonial flag hoisting called Kodiyettam at the participating temples. Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival celebrated in Thrissur, Kerala during April-May. It was started by Shakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Kochi. Ten temples participate in the festival, including Paramekkavu, Thiruvambadi, Kanimangalam, Karamucku, Laloor, Choorakottukara, Panamukkampally, Ayyanthole, Chembukkavu, and Neythilakavu. The festival features grand Poorams or processions of decorated elephants with traditional percussion music.

Notes:
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 Lakkundi temples in the Gadag district of Karnataka are set to be finalized for UNESCO’s tentative listing as World Heritage Sites. Lakkundi, historically referred to as ‘Lokki Gundi’ in ancient inscriptions, was built during the reign of the Kalyana Chalukyas or Western Chalukyas. The village is home to over 50 ancient temples and 101 stepped wells, known as Kalyani. The Kasi Vishwanatha Temple is the most ornate and elaborately furnished among them. Lakkundi is also an important Jain center, with a significant Jain temple dedicated to Mahavira, which is one of the largest and oldest Jain shrines in the area.

Notes:
The fifth State-level Shirui Lily Festival 2025 is scheduled to take place in Ukhrul district, Manipur, from May 20 to 24. It is the first State-level festival in Manipur since violence erupted in May 2023. The festival is organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Manipur. It aims to raise awareness about the endangered Shirui Lily, scientifically known as Lilium mackliniae, the State flower of Manipur. The flower blooms only at Shirui Kashong (Shirui Peak) in Shirui village, around 95 km from the State capital Imphal. The festival promotes sustainable tourism and honours Manipur’s natural heritage.

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After 12 years, Uttarakhand is hosting the Pushkar Kumbh Mela at Keshav Prayag in Mana village. Pushkar Kumbh is a sacred Vaishnavite pilgrimage held every 12 years when Jupiter enters Gemini. It takes place at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers in Mana village, Uttarakhand. The site is spiritually important as Ved Vyas composed the Mahabharata here. Saints like Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya are believed to have received divine knowledge from Goddess Saraswati at this place. Though smaller than other Kumbh Melas, it attracts many devotees, especially from South India.

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During recent excavations at Nineveh in Iraq, archaeologists found a large relief showing King Assurbanipal, the last ruler of the Assyrian Empire, with two deities and other figures. Nineveh was a major city in northern Mesopotamia and became the capital of the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib in the 8th century BCE. It lies on the east bank of the Tigris River in modern-day Mosul, Iraq. It was once the largest and most populated city of the Assyrian Empire and an important religious center for worshipping the goddess Ishtar. Nineveh was fully developed during the Neo-Assyrian Empire (912–612 BCE) and known for its cultural beauty, gardens, and parks. The city was destroyed in 612 BCE by a coalition of Babylonians and Medes, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire.

Notes:
The Shirui Lily Festival 2025 was held after a two-year gap caused by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur. It is a five-day cultural and ecological festival celebrated in Ukhrul district, home to the Tangkhul Naga tribe. The festival honors the Shirui Lily, or Lilium mackliniae, a rare bluish-pink flower found only in the Shirui Hills. The festival promotes cultural pride and raises awareness about the flower’s ecological importance and the need for conservation.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently asked for revisions to the excavation report submitted by the archaeologist who led the Keezhadi project. The Keezhadi excavation site is near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vaigai River. It is a major Sangam-era settlement dating from the 5th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The site reveals a well-planned, literate, and craft-based urban society. Keezhadi suggests that South India had early urbanisation independent of North Indian cultures. It is considered one of Tamil Nadu’s most important archaeological discoveries after Adichanallur.

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Artists of Madhubani and Gond art recently met President Droupadi Murmu under the Artists-in-Residence Programme – Kala Utsav at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Gond art is practiced by the Pardhan Gond tribes from Madhya Pradesh and nearby Central Indian states. It is a tribal art form linked to storytelling and rituals, originally painted on home walls showing folk tales and nature. Madhubani art, also known as Mithila painting, originates from the Mithila region of Bihar. It is a traditional folk art made mostly by women on walls and floors during special occasions.

Notes:
Recently, the Kheer Bhawani festival was celebrated on Jyeshta Ashtami at the Kheer Bhawani Temple in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir. The temple is located near Srinagar and is dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga. It was originally built by Maharaja Pratap Singh around 1912 and later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. At the centre of the temple is a sacred hexagonal spring, known for its holy water. The temple and the festival are named after the sweet dish ‘kheer’, which is served as prasad to the devotees.