Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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A photo exhibition on the Gavri festival of the Bhil tribe of Mewar is being showcased for the first time at the India International Centre Art Gallery. Gavri is a 40-day ritual held annually after Raksha Bandhan by the Bhil community in Rajasthan to honour Gorkhiya Mata. Bhil troupes perform khels (dance-dramas), songs, and religious rituals in villages, especially where their married sisters and daughters live. The drama combines dialogue, music, and vibrant costumes, also called Gavri or Rai Nach.

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The first-ever Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Traditional Music Festival was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. It was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the theme ‘SaptaSur: Seven Nations, One Melody’. Artists from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand performed. The festival celebrated the unique traditional music of all seven BIMSTEC countries.

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Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha unveiled the teaser and brochure for the upcoming Basohli Utsav. The five-day festival is scheduled from 28th September to 2nd October 2025 in Kathua border district, Jammu and Kashmir. Basohli, a hilly town in Kathua, is famous for its Basohli painting, which received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2023. The event is being organised with support from Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) and Vishwasthali organisation. This third edition will focus on Ramayana traditions, featuring related exhibitions, booklets, folk arts, and cultural competitions.

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Narali Purnima was celebrated by the fishermen community especially the Kolis, in Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar. Narali Purnima marks the end of the monsoon season in Maharashtra. The Koli community, original inhabitants and mainly fishermen, observed the festival with great enthusiasm. As tradition, coconuts were offered to the sea to pray to Lord Varuna for calm waters and protection from natural calamities. Koliwadas (fishermen colonies) in Mumbai were decorated with colourful traditional rangolis. Groups of Koli men and women performed dances in traditional costumes across lanes of Koliwada.

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A Marathi-Hindi language row has emerged recently at the Vitthal-Rukhmini Temple in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vithoba, a form of Lord Vishnu or Krishna, and his consort Rukhmini. It is located on the banks of the river Bhima (also called Chandrabhaga). The temple is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavate tradition. The temple follows Hemadpanti style architecture, rebuilt in the 17th century in Deccan style by Peshwas, Shindes, and Holkars.

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The Kodali Karuppur silk sari, once a luxury garment patronised by the Maratha kings of Thanjavur, is now facing a crisis due to declining traditional handloom weavers. It is named after Karuppur, a village near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. These handwoven saris, dhotis, and furnishings combined hand painting, block printing, and brocade weaving, popular till the 19th century. They evolved under Serfoji Raja Bhonsle Chhatrapati II (1787-1832) and were made for the Ranis of Thanjavur. The sari does not have a GI (Geographical Indication) tag.

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Scientists recently discovered possible artefacts of the oldest known Wallacean hominids on Sulawesi island, Indonesia. Earlier, Homo erectus in Wallacea were believed to have settled only on Flores and Luzon islands about 1.02 million years ago. They were thought incapable of long-distance sea travel, making the Sulawesi discovery important for migration theories. Archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia found small, chipped tools in Soppeng, South Sulawesi, used for cutting small animals and carving rocks. Wallacea is a region in Eastern Indonesia, including Sulawesi, Lombok, Flores, Timor, and Sumbawa.

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Assam will likely get the 16th-century “Vrindavani Vastra” from the British Museum in London for exhibition in 2027. The Vrindavani Vastra is a silk textile woven in Assam. It depicts childhood stories and divine pastimes of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan. It was created under the guidance of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva. Koch king Nara Narayan commissioned it and gave refuge to Sankardeva after conflict with the Ahom kingdom. The textile travelled from Assam to Tibet and was acquired by the British Museum in 1904. It is a sacred masterpiece and central to Assamese Vaishnavism.

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Telangana government will host Bathukamma, the nine-day floral festival, from September 21-30, 2025 on air, land, and water. The festival precedes Dasara and involves women worshipping Goddess Gowri on floral arrangements. Celebrations will be inspired by Brazil’s Rio Carnival to attract international tourists and showcase Telangana’s cultural heritage. The state will attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of women. The nine-day festivities will begin at the Thousand Pillar Temple, Warangal. The initiative highlights Telangana’s efforts to promote tourism, culture, and global recognition of its traditional festivals.

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Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta inaugurated the SARAS Livelihood Fair at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, Delhi. The fair is organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development from September 5 to 22, 2025. More than 400 ‘Lakhpati Didis’ from Self-Help Groups are showcasing their products, food, and crafts.