Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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The Jalanatheswarar Temple in Thakkolam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu, is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Jalantheeswarar, represented by a sand lingam known as Theenda Thirumeni. The temple was originally built by the Pallavas and later expanded by the Cholas, with its current structure dating back to the 16th-century Nayak period. It covers 1.5 acres, featuring a three-tiered gopuram and granite walls. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, glorified in the Tevaram hymns by Tamil Saivite Nayanars like Sambandar.

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Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, dedicated to Goddess Attukal Devi. It is the world’s largest gathering of women, emphasizing peace, prosperity, and community spirit. The most auspicious day, Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam, falls on March 13. The festival began on March 5 and concludes on March 15, 2025. It is a grand religious and cultural event celebrated with devotion across South India.

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India has a vast tangible heritage, including monuments, sites, and antiquities from prehistoric to colonial times. Many organizations like Archaeological Survey of India and State Archaeology Departments have documented heritage, but much remains scattered or undocumented. The absence of a unified database makes research, conservation, and management difficult. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) was established in 2007 to document and digitize India’s built heritage and antiquities. Rs. 20 lakh was allocated for NMMA in FY 2024-25. NMMA aims to create a national database and enhance collaboration between ASI, state departments, and stakeholders.

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President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Purple Fest 2025 at Amrit Udyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on March 21, 2025. Purple Fest celebrates the talents, achievements, and aspirations of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), also called Divyangjan in India. The first Purple Fest was held in Panjim, Goa, in January 2023. Organized by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in association with Rashtrapati Bhavan. The event is becoming a flagship programme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for Divyangjan in India.

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Unprecedented wildfires in South Korea’s southern regions recently destroyed large parts of the 1,300-year-old Gounsa Temple complex, including two national treasure buildings. Gounsa Temple, meaning “Solitary Cloud Temple,” is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Deungun Mountain in Uiseong, South Korea. It was built in the 7th century during the Shilla dynasty. Though it lacks ancient buildings, it houses significant cultural heritages. It survived Japanese invasions but was reconstructed after the Imjin War in 1695. It serves as the Headquarters Temple of the 16th District of the Jogye-jong Order.

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Sarhul Festival is celebrated by Adivasi communities in Jharkhand and the Chotanagpur region to mark spring and the new year. Sarhul means “worship of the Sal tree”, symbolizing the union of the Sun and Earth for life. The Sal tree is sacred and believed to be the abode of Sarna Maa, the village deity. Three-day celebration includes cleaning, gathering Sal flowers, fasting, rituals at Sarna Sthals (Sacred Groves), sacrifices, prayers, and a community feast with Handia (rice beer). Tribes like Oraon, Munda, Santal, Khadia, and Ho celebrate it.

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A three-day India-Nepal Literature Festival was organized in Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. It was conducted by Geeta Shodh Sansthan, affiliated with Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Krantidhara Sahitya Academy, Meerut. More than 180 litterateurs, writers, journalists, and educationists from India and Nepal participated. The festival aimed to promote and enhance the literary and cultural heritage of both countries. It encouraged the exchange of literature and culture. Cooperation between Indian and Nepali litterateurs was strengthened. Traditional and contemporary literature gained new direction and recognition.

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The Kodungalloor Bharani is a vibrant annual festival held at the Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple in Kodungalloor, Thrissur, Kerala during the Malayalam month of Meenam (March–April). It celebrates the birth of Goddess Bhadrakali, who, according to legend, emerged from Lord Shiva’s third eye to destroy the demon Darika. The festival is marked by the intense presence of Oracles (called Komaram or Velichappadu) dressed in red attire who perform sacred rituals. The celebration is one of Kerala’s most mystical and culturally rich traditions, drawing large crowds every year.

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Around 300 Pakistani citizens of Indian origin from Sindh visited the Dwarkadhish Temple in Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat, and offered prayers. The Dwarkadhish Temple, also called Jagat Mandir, is dedicated to Lord Krishna, known as Dwarkadhish or ‘King of Dwarka’. It is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, along with Badrinath, Rameshwaram, and Puri. Archaeological evidence suggests the original temple dates back to 200 BCE and was built by Vajranabha, Krishna’s great-grandson, over Krishna’s residence. The current temple was expanded in the 16th century with five stories and 72 limestone and sand pillars. It reflects 16th-century Chalukya architecture with carved mythical legends. It follows Pushtimarg tradition, based on teachings of 15th-century saint Vallabhacharya.

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Varanasi’s cultural and craft heritage received national recognition with Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to the Banarasi Shehnai and Banarasi Tabla. The Banarasi Shehnai is a traditional wind instrument linked to the Banaras Gharana of Indian classical music. It gained national fame through Ustad Bismillah Khan, who played it at the Red Fort on India’s first Independence Day. The shehnai is considered divine and is commonly used at weddings, religious events, and temple rituals. It reflects the spiritual and artistic traditions of Varanasi and adds to the city’s unique cultural identity.