Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Assam Rifles and North East Association Social Welfare hosts the first-ever Unity Utsav from February 15 to 20, 2025, in New Delhi. The festival, themed “One Voice, One Nation,” celebrates the sportsmanship and cultural heritage of Northeast India. Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, Director General of Assam Rifles, highlighted its role in promoting national unity and pride. More than 1,000 students from all eight Northeastern states will participate in sports, cultural performances, and traditional music and dance. The festival concludes on February 20 with a grand cultural evening showcasing Northeast India’s rich heritage.

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President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav 2025 at Major Dhyanchand Stadium, New Delhi. The event celebrates tribal entrepreneurship, crafts, culture, cuisine, and commerce. It provides a platform for tribal artisans and entrepreneurs from different states to showcase their creations. Cultural and traditional programs will be featured, promoting unity and diversity in the nation.

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The statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar was unveiled in Cebu, Philippines on February 16, 2025. The statue was unveiled to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines. Thiruvalluvar was a poet and philosopher, revered as a cultural icon by Tamils. He is fondly called Valluvar by the Tamil people. His most famous work is Thirukkural, a collection of couplets on ethics, politics, economy, and love. Thirukkural contains 1,330 couplets (kurals) divided into 133 sections, each with 10 couplets. The text is structured into three parts focusing on dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), and kama (love).

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Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s first ‘Open-Air Art Wall Museum’ at Mausam Bhawan, New Delhi. The museum marks the 150-year journey of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It is developed in collaboration with ‘Delhi Street Art’. It transforms IMD’s Lodhi Road headquarters into a visual narrative. The artwork showcases India’s meteorological advancements and the role of weather science in society.

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Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) government has recognized Bathouism as an official religion option in application forms. The move has been praised by Bodo culture and faith experts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the initiative at the 13th Triennial Conference of All Bathou Mahasabha. The government has also declared a state holiday for Bathou Puja, emphasizing its commitment to nature-centric faiths. Bathouism is the traditional religion of the Bodos, Assam’s largest plains tribe, mainly living along the Brahmaputra’s north bank. The religion is deeply ancestral but has seen reform movements.

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The Prime Minister of India attended Jhumoir Binandini 2025, a grand cultural event featuring 8,000 performers. Jhumoir, also known as Jhumur, is a traditional folk dance of Assam’s Adivasi tea tribes, performed during the harvest season. It is accompanied by instruments like the Madal, Dhol, Taal, and Flute. Dancers perform in a circular formation with rhythmic footwork and swaying movements. Women wear colorful sarees, while men wear dhotis and kurtas. The dance symbolizes unity, inclusivity, and Assam’s rich cultural heritage, fostering social bonding and community celebration.

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Historians urged the government to push for Lepakshi Temple’s inclusion in the UNESCO heritage list. The 16th-century temple in Andhra Pradesh is known for its Dravidian-style architecture, intricate carvings, and monolithic structures. It is dedicated to Lord Veerabhadra, a form of Lord Shiva. In March 2023, UNESCO placed the temple on its provisional list of heritage sites. The State and Central governments are now studying its architecture, sculptures, murals, and the world’s largest monolithic Nandi statue to submit a detailed report for final UNESCO recognition.

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Auroville recently celebrated its 57th anniversary with bonfire meditation at the Matrimandir Amphitheatre. It is an experimental international township in Tamil Nadu, near Pondicherry, with residents from over 60 countries. It was founded by Mirra Alfassa (‘The Mother’) on February 28, 1968, as an international cultural township. It was designed by architect Roger Anger, it is the world’s largest and oldest intentional community. Auroville has transformed from barren land into a 3,000-acre green township with biodiversity, schools, and social enterprises. UNESCO endorsed Auroville through resolutions in 1966, 1968, 1970, and 1983. It is administered by the Ministry of Education under the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988.

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The Jalanatheswarar Temple in Thakkolam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu, is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Jalantheeswarar, represented by a sand lingam known as Theenda Thirumeni. The temple was originally built by the Pallavas and later expanded by the Cholas, with its current structure dating back to the 16th-century Nayak period. It covers 1.5 acres, featuring a three-tiered gopuram and granite walls. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, glorified in the Tevaram hymns by Tamil Saivite Nayanars like Sambandar.

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The Matho Nagrang Festival is a two-day Buddhist celebration held at the Matho Monastery in Ladakh. It takes place on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, typically falling in February or March. The festival is known as the “Festival of Oracles” and involves two oracles, or “Rongtsans,” who deliver prophetic guidance to the community. The festival is a significant cultural and spiritual event for the people of Ladakh.