21. On February 8, 2020, Thaipoosam festival was celebrated by the Tamil community around the world. This festival marks birth day of which deity?
[A] Thirumal
[B] Murugan
[C] Nataraja
[D] Pavadairayan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Murugan]
Notes:
Thaipoosam is a festival celebrated by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai, usually coinciding with Pushya star, known as Poosam in Tamil. It is believed to be Murugan’s birthday by many.
22. Which city recently organized the Nutan International Theatre Festival (NITF)?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Chandigarh
[C] Jammu
[D] Dehradun
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Jammu]
Notes:
The Nutan International Theatre Festival (NITF) began on Feb 1 in Jammu and has veen a big it. This is first time in history of Jammu & Kashmir that a theatre festival of international repute was organized here.
23. Which Indian state/UT is to create French Fusion music by collaborating with the French Province Center-Val de Loire?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Puducherry
[D] Telangana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Minister for Culture, Pandiarajan and the Minister from the French province Center-Val de Loire, Olivier Frezot had a meeting in the state capital Chennai. During the meeting, they announced that Tamil Nadu and the French Province of Center-Val de Loire are set to make Tamil and French fusion music, which is to be performed in both the states.
The two states have already signed an MoU for mutual cooperation in culture studies. The Ministers also reviewed the progress made in the agreement.
24. The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is to be set up in which Indian state?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Gujarat
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Gujarat]
Notes:
India and Portugal recently signed an MoU to develop a world-class National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in Gujarat. The MoU has been signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, during his visit to India.
The complex would showcase rich Indian artefacts and create awareness among the public about the rich heritage of the country. The two countries also signed as many as 14 agreements in several fields including maritime transport and ports.
25. ‘Kambala’, which was in news recently, is a traditional sport of which state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Kerala
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Karnataka]
Notes:
Kambala is a traditional sport of Karnataka, in which the people of coastal districts of the state conduct a buffalo-race.
It was in news recently as one of the local contestants from Dakshina Kannada district named Srinivas Gowda covered 142.5 m Kambala in just 13.62 seconds. The Sports Authority of India recently announced that it will devise a suitable course for the runner. He is called for trials by the Sports Ministry.
26. As of 2020, how many languages in India are given the status of ‘Classical language’?
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [6]
Notes:
Six languages in India namely Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have been given the status of classical language.
Recently, both houses of the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed resolutions, requesting the Centre to provide ‘Classical language’ status to Marathi. Languages declared as classical have benefits like setting up centres for their study and provide international awards for their scholars.
27. ‘Attukal Pongala’ is a famous annual women-festival of which state?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Karnataka
[D] Telangana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]
Notes:
Lakhs of women gathered in the Thiruvananthapuram city of Kerala to perform the annual Attukal Pongala festival at Attukal Devi temple. This cultural festival is participated by only women.
Amid fear of coronavirus outbreak after six positive cases in the state, many devotees participated in the festival. It is reported that more than 2.6 million people participated in the festival. The temple which is also called Sabarimala of women, had made the Guinness World Record for the largest annual gathering of women in a single function.
28. Which Union Ministry has started the project to reprint ‘Mongolian Kanjur’ manuscripts?
[A] Ministry of Culture
[B] Ministry of Law and Justice
[C] Ministry of Communication
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Culture]
Notes:
The Union Ministry of Culture has launched a project of reprinting 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM).
The National Mission for Manuscripts was launched in 2003 by the Union Government, under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Recently, the first set of five volumes of Mongolian Kanjur was presented to the President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of Guru Purnima. Mongolian Kanjur is the most important religious text in Mongolia.
29. Which Indian state celebrates the birth anniversary of poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya as ‘Bhanu Jayanti’?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Assam
[C] Meghalaya
[D] Nagaland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Sikkim]
Notes:
The birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya is celebrated as ‘Bhanu Jayanti’, in the state of Sikkim.
The poet is revered in Nepali Literature as ‘Adikavi’ and he is said to have laid the foundation of the Nepali literature. He had also translated several religious scripts from Sanskrit to Nepali. The Governor Ganga Prasad and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang participated in the commemorative event.
30. Which agricultural festival has been celebrated recently in Odisha and Chhattisgarh?
[A] Nuakhai Juhar
[B] Pongal
[C] Lohiri
[D] Bihu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Nuakhai Juhar]
Notes:
‘Nuakhai Juhar’ is the agricultural festival and one of the most ancient festivals celebrated in Odisha, Chhattisgarh. It is also celebrated in regions of neighbouring states. This festival is celebrated to welcome the new crop of the season.
‘Nua’ means new and ‘Khai’ means eat. During the festival, people worship food and farmers offer their first agriculture produce from their lands to Goddess Samaleswari.
