Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Rongali Bihu, also called Bohag Bihu, is celebrated in Assam from April 14 to April 20, 2025, marking the Assamese New Year. It signals the start of the agricultural season and holds great cultural importance in the state. The word “Rongali” comes from “Rong,” meaning joy, showing the happy and colourful nature of the festival. Rongali Bihu welcomes spring and marks the beginning of sowing activities for farmers. It is a time of gratitude and hope when farmers pray for a good harvest and celebrate nature’s blessings with dance, music, and traditional feasts.

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Recently, Tripura’s Chief Minister Manik Saha inaugurated the ‘Garia and Borsho Boron Utsav’ 2025 in Agartala’s Swami Vivekananda Maidan, celebrating Tripura’s cultural heritage. The event was organized by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs along with other government departments. The festival is very important for the Kokborok-speaking Tripuri community, just like Durga Puja is for the Bengali community. It features the traditional Garia Puja, which is a tribal ritual seeking blessings for prosperity. Cultural dances, music by indigenous artists, and traditional food stalls are major highlights.

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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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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.

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Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently found 11 Satavahana-era inscriptions in the Gundaram Forest of Telangana’s Peddapalli district. Two inscriptions mention the Chutu dynasty and a Satavahana prince named Kumāra Hakusiri. These inscriptions are written in early Brahmi script and show religious and political symbols. The Satavahana dynasty was founded by Simuka after the Mauryan Empire, around mid-1st century BCE. The word “Satavahana” in Prakrit means “driven by seven,” symbolizing the chariot of the Sun God. Their main regions were Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. They ruled from capitals like Pratishthana (Paithan) and Amaravati.

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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.

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Malwa Utsav is one of the biggest cultural festivals of Madhya Pradesh. It is celebrated mainly in Madhya Pradesh to promote Indian dance, music, and art. The recent Malwa Utsav was held from 6 to 12 May 2025 at Lalbagh Complex, Indore. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh participated in this grand event. It is organised by Lok Sanskriti Manch and has been celebrated for the past 25 years. The aim is to preserve and promote folk culture and traditions. It provides a platform and market to local artists and craftsmen. The festival promotes national integration and cultural exchange. Folk artists from across India and Madhya Pradesh performed dances and music.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), along with the World Monuments Fund India (WMFI) and the TCS Foundation, has recently completed the conservation of Rajon ki Baoli. Rajon ki Baoli, also called Rajon ki Bain, is a 16th-century stepwell located in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, South Delhi. It was built in 1506 CE by Daulat Khan during the rule of Sikander Lodi of the Lodi dynasty, the last dynasty before the Mughals. The stepwell showcases Lodi-era architecture and traditional water conservation techniques. It served as a water source and summer retreat, mainly used by masons for drinking and cooking.

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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.

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In the lead-up to International Yoga Day 2025 on June 21, the Union Territory of Ladakh will host a week-long event called Ladakh’s Biggest International Festival of Yoga and Meditation. It will be held from June 15 to 21 at scenic spots like Pangong Lake, Shanti Stupa, Sindhu Ghat on the Indus River, and Nubra Valley. The final celebration will take place at the Astro Turf Stadium, the highest football stadium in India, with civil and defence participants. The event is being organized by the Ladakh Administration and Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre. Themes include Harit Yoga, Samavesh Yoga, and Yoga Unplugged, guided by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). A seminar on Unplugged Yoga will be conducted with the University of Ladakh.