Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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University of Patanjali has been designated a Cluster Center under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. University of Patanjali is the first yoga and Ayurveda-based university to receive this distinction. The university has preserved 50,000+ ancient texts, digitized 42 lakh+ pages, and republished 40 manuscripts. As a Cluster Center, it will mentor 20 associated institutions and strengthen nationwide cultural preservation efforts. The university will support research, education, and dissemination of Yoga and Ayurveda manuscripts, linking traditional wisdom with contemporary scholarship.

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The Department of Posts recently transported a priceless Thanjavur painting of Shri Ram from Bengaluru to Ayodhya via Logistics Post. Thanjavur (Tanjore) paintings originate from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, around 1600 AD, flourishing under the Nayakas of Thanjavur. It is created on wooden panels (palagai padam), usually jackfruit or teak, affixed with canvas and bound with Arabic gum. It is known for vibrant colors, including bright red, blue, green, and extensive gold leafwork.

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The 150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan was inaugurated at Shree Devi Talab Temple, Jalandhar, Punjab. It is India’s oldest Hindustani classical music festival, organised with North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, under the Union Ministry of Culture, and supported by the Punjab government. The 3-day festival (26–28 December) is dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and Pt Chhannu Lal Mishra, Banaras Gharana vocalist.

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A 2,000-year-old Buddhist site was discovered in Zehanpora village, Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir. Excavations revealed stupas, monastic buildings, and other structures from the Kushan period. The discovery highlights Kashmir’s deep-rooted Buddhist history, previously less known. The find was prompted by old blurry photographs of three stupas preserved in a French museum. Archaeologists conducted fresh surveys in Zehanpora, leading to the excavation of the Buddhist complex. The site provides new insights into the ancient civilisation and religious traditions of the Kashmir Valley.

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Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple to reopen on 30 December for Makaravilakku festival, marking the second phase of the annual pilgrimage season. Makaravilakku festival is one of the most sacred events in Kerala, attracting devotees from across India. It is celebrated on the first day of Makara Masam in the Malayalam calendar, coinciding with Makara Sankranti.

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Imoinu Eratpa festival was recently celebrated in Manipur. The festival was observed on December 31, 2025, which corresponds to the 12th day of the Meitei lunar month. It is a significant religious festival for the Meitei community, honoring Goddess Imoinu (Ema Imoinu Ahongbi), the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and the hearth.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Bhagwan Buddha in New Delhi. The exhibition titled The Light and the Lotus displays relics repatriated after about 125 years. The Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 and are directly linked to Bhagwan Buddha. The Piprahwa site is associated with ancient Kapilavastu, where Buddha spent his early life. The government stopped their international auction, considering them sacred heritage, not artifacts.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026 AD, calling it a timeless symbol of India’s civilisational resilience and unbreakable spirit. The Somnath Temple is located on the coastline at Prabhas Patan in Veraval, in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. The name “Somnath” means “Lord of the Soma (Moon),” and the site is also known as Prabhasa, meaning “place of splendour.” Somnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga sites of Lord Shiva and is a major Hindu pilgrimage centre (tirtha). It is among the five most revered coastal pilgrimage sites of India, along with Dwarka, Puri, Rameswaram, and Chidambaram.

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The Centre has granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Nagauri Ashwagandha, recognising its unique regional identity. It is mainly grown in the Nagaur district of Rajasthan. The dry climate and sandy soil of Nagaur are ideal for Ashwagandha cultivation. This variety has longer and thicker roots rich in medicinal compounds, especially alkaloids. Its berries have a dark, bright red colour, which indicates superior quality. The roots are brittle and starchy in nature. Nagauri Ashwagandha is considered the best Ashwagandha variety in arid regions.

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“Boda Tyohar”, the biggest annual festival of the Hatti tribe, recently began with traditional fervour in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. The Hatti tribe is located along the Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand border in the Giri and Tons river basin, tributaries of the Yamuna River. Their name comes from selling farm produce in local markets called Haat. They live in Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur and Jaunsar Bawar region of Uttarakhand with shared traditions.