Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Gujarat’s iconic handicraft ‘Gharchola’ has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, bringing the state’s GI count to 27, with 23 focused on handicrafts. The GI tag was awarded at the ‘GI and Beyond – Virasat Se Vikas Tak’ event in New Delhi. This recognition enhances Gharchola’s prestige and market presence globally.

Notes:
Ningol Chakouba, a festival of the Meitei community in Manipur, was celebrated near Moodbidri. The event was organized by Alva’s Education Foundation with participation from Northeast students. It highlights and preserves the Meitei community’s rich cultural heritage. The festival symbolizes the bond between mothers, daughters, brothers, and sisters, emphasizing women’s importance in Manipuri society and strengthening family ties.

Notes:
The “halwa ceremony” is a traditional event that signifies the commencement of the printing process for Union Budget. This ritual involves serving ‘halwa’ to finance ministry officials and signifies the initiation of budget document printing. Following this ceremony, officials are confined to ministry premises to prevent any leaks before the Budget is officially presented in Parliament, typically on February 1 each year.

Notes:
The 100th Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records on 15 December 2024. The festival is celebrated every year in December in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. A record was set by playing nine instruments continuously for nine minutes. 536 male and female artists from across India participated in the tribute to Tansen, the king of voices. The performance included three of Tansen’s compositions: Malhar, Miyan ki Todi, and Darbari Kanhra. The presentation featured nine instruments: tabla, flute, violin, santoor, sarod, sarangi, sitar, banjo, and harmonium.

Notes:
The Bhasma Shankar temple in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh was reopened after being locked since 1978 due to communal riots. Its historical significance dates back to the 18th century, serving as a religious center for the Rastogi community until the riots of 1978 forced many families to flee. The temple’s revival has reignited local cultural and religious sentiments, with ongoing excavations revealing ancient idols and further historical artifacts.

Notes:
Sikkim celebrated the Kagyed Dance Festival, a Buddhist festival held annually on the 28th and 29th days of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar, corresponding to December. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang extended greetings, highlighting the festival’s symbolism of victory over negativity and promoting peace and prosperity. The festival features masked Lamas performing dances at monasteries like Old Rumtek, Phodong, and Tshuklakhang Palace. The dances honor eight tantric gods and goddesses, narrating tales from Buddhist mythology, especially about Guru Padmasambhava. Effigies are burned as part of the celebration, believed to bring good health and wealth to spectators.

Notes:
The Gurung community celebrates Tamu Lhosar, marking the New Year and bidding farewell to the past year. The festival is observed in Nepal’s hilly and mountainous districts, including Lamjung, Gorkha, Tanahun, and others. A special celebration is held at Tundikhel, Kathmandu, where Gurung women wear traditional attire, including Makhamali blouses, Ghalek shawls, Patuki, and sarees. Men dress in cultural outfits like Bhoto, Bhangra, and Kachhad, performing a vibrant dance. Tamu Lhosar is celebrated on the 15th of the Nepali month Push (December-January), with a public holiday announced.

Notes:
The ‘Sanskriti Utsava’ is set to celebrate Uttar Pradesh’s foundation day with the theme ‘Uttar Pradesh Parv: Hamari Sanskriti-Hamari Pehchaan’. Scheduled from January 2 to January 26, 2025, the festival aims to promote classical, semi-classical, and folk arts through competitions at various levels. It seeks to discover emerging talents and enrich the state’s cultural heritage, showcasing diverse genres like Khayal, Dhrupad, and various folk music styles, along with classical dance forms such as Kathak and Bharatnatyam.

Notes:
A bamboo weave box with Kalamkari paintings by Nimmalakunta artisans will be showcased at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Kalamkari is a popular hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile art form from Andhra Pradesh. The art originated during the reign of Qutb Shahis in the 16-17th century in the Tilang region, now part of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “Kalam” means pen and “Kari” means craftsmanship, highlighting the skillful artistry involved.

Notes:
The Parshuram Kund Mela has started in Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site on the Brahmaputra plateau near the Lohit River. It is also known as the “Kumbh of the Northeast,” the festival attracts thousands of devotees from India and abroad.