Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The National Saras Mela will be held at Chengannur, Kerala, from January 20 to 31, at the Chengannur municipal stadium. Organized by the Kudumbashree Mission, it will promote rural products on a unified platform. The mela features 300 stalls from 28 States, including 200 from Kerala, showcasing handcrafted items, jewellery, textiles, and home decor. It provides self-help groups, neighborhood groups, and artisans a platform to reach urban markets.

Notes:
The Toda tribe in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri Hills celebrated their traditional Modhweth or Buffalo Festival to mark the New Year. The Toda tribe is among the oldest ethnic groups in the Upper Nilgiris plateau. They are divided into five clans: Paiki, Pekkan, Kuttan, Kenna, and Todi. The Toda people have their own language without a script. They live in closed communities called munds. The Modhweth Festival is an annual celebration held in late December or early January, highlighting their cultural significance.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1 million prize for deciphering the ancient Indus Valley script. The announcement was made during the centenary celebration of the Indus Valley Civilization at an international conference in Chennai. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of decoding the script to understand ancient history. Tamil Nadu is supporting archaeological research through initiatives like a dedicated research chair named after Iravatham Mahadevan. This move reflects the state’s commitment to promoting historical and archaeological studies.

Notes:
The Boda Tyohar festival, the largest annual celebration for the Hatti tribes in Himachal Pradesh, started recently with great enthusiasm. Hattis are a close-knit community known for selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at ‘haats’. They traditionally wear white headgear on ceremonial occasions. Hatti homeland spans the Himachal-Uttarakhand border, near the Giri and Tons rivers, tributaries of the Yamuna. There are two main Hatti clans, one in Trans-Giri, Himachal, and the other in Jaunsar Bawar, Uttarakhand.

Notes:
The Union Culture Ministry has created a Kalagram, a 10.24-acre cultural village near Prayagraj station, as part of Mahakumbh 2025. Kalagram, located 2 km from the station, offers free entry and showcases Indian art, heritage, food, and performances. The entrance features a 635-foot-wide façade depicting the 12 Jyotirlingas.

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu inaugurated the three-day Pangsau Pass International Festival (PPIF). The event celebrates heritage through folk songs, sports, and historic site expeditions. It offers a platform for local artisans, traders, and entrepreneurs to showcase their talent. The festival aims to foster economic growth and self-reliance. The festival is held annually in Nampong, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh.

Notes:
A rare Umamaheshwara metal sculpture was found in Taggunje, Ajri village, Udupi district, Karnataka. Likely made in the 17th century using a 12th-century style, the idol is crafted from five metals. The sculpture uniquely combines Shaiva-Shaktha and Naga cult traditions. Lord Shiva is depicted seated with Parvati on his lap, Ganesha on the right, Shanmukha on the left, and Nandi below. Shiva’s features include Jatamukuta, a third eye, a parashu, a deer, and a five-headed serpent umbrella. The platform inscription in 17th-century Kannada mentions the use of 3 gadhyanas of gold (14% gold content).

Notes:
Nepal organized its first three-day International Pashmina Festival to highlight Chyangra Pashmina, sourced from Pashmina goats. Nepal is a major producer of authentic Pashmina, known for its high quality. The wool is hand-combed, hand-spun, and woven using traditional methods with natural dyes and embroidery. The exhibition featured 150 stalls, including 40 showcasing pure Nepali Pashmina. Nepali Pashmina competes internationally, with strong markets in the US, Japan, and Europe. Challenges include raw material supply and the need for policy improvements to expand the market. Fake and blended Pashmina pose a challenge globally, especially in India.

Notes:
Araku Utsav titled “Chali” is organized in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh. The valley is part of the Eastern Ghats and sits between 600 m and 900 m above sea level. It houses the biodiverse Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forests, known for bauxite mining. Often called the “Ooty of Andhra,” it is home to various tribes, mainly the Araku Tribes. Araku Arabica Coffee, famous in the valley, earned a GI Tag in 2019. The valley is surrounded by mountains such as Galikonda, Raktakonda, Sunkarimetta, and Chitamogondi.

Notes:
Around 12 Bhil families have accused the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) of trying to demolish their homes and displace them from ancestral land. Bhils are one of the oldest and most widely distributed tribal groups in India. The name ‘Bhil’ comes from the Dravidian word villu or billu, meaning bow. They belong to the Australoid group and are considered a Dravidian racial tribe of Western India. Bhils are divided into two main groups: central and eastern (Rajput Bhils). Central Bhils mainly live in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. The Baneshwar Fair is one of the most significant festivals for the Bhil community. It takes place during Shivratri.