Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Lungphun Ropui in Lianpui village, Champhai district, Mizoram, was officially declared a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on July 14, 2025. This is the second site in Mizoram to receive this recognition. The declaration came after a site visit on July 7, 2025 by ASI Director (Monuments) A.M.V. Subramanyam. The site is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Known for its ancient menhirs (carved stone structures), it reflects early Mizo life, rituals, and beliefs.

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Recently, Nashik rural police exposed a major black-marketing racket involving darshan passes at the famous Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple. The Trimbakeshwar Temple is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Trimbak town, 28 km from Nashik city, Maharashtra. It is situated near Brahamagiri mountain, the origin point of the river Godavari. The temple was built by the third Peshwa Balaji Bajirao on the site of an older shrine. It is one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas in India, making it a significant pilgrimage site.

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Recently, the Prime Minister offered prayers at Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister was welcomed by temple priests with “poorana kumbham”, a traditional temple honour. Brihadeeswara Temple is also called Peruvudaiyar Kovil and is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. It is a fine example of Dravidian architecture from the Chola Period. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, represented by a massive Lingam. It was built around 1010 AD by Chola king Rajaraja Chola I.

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Recently, a Harappan site was discovered at Ratadiya Ri Dheri in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, marking the first Indus Valley settlement in the Thar Desert region. The site belongs to the mature urban phase of Indus Valley Civilization, dated between 2600 to 1900 BCE. It is a 4,500-year-old rural Harappan settlement located near the India-Pakistan border. The discovery connects earlier Harappan sites in northern Rajasthan and Gujarat, filling a major gap in the archaeological map. It provides evidence of cultural and trade continuity across desert regions of northwest India.

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Recently, sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha were returned to India on July 30, 2025, after 127 years. These relics were about to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on May 7, 2025. Government of India intervened and halted the auction by issuing a legal notice on May 5, 2025. The relics were originally discovered in 1898 by British engineer William Claxton Peppé in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh. They include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, sandstone coffer, gold ornaments, and gemstones. An inscription in Brahmi script confirmed these as relics of Bhagwan Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan.

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Recently, a tragic stampede near Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand claimed 8 lives and injured 28 others. Mansa Devi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti or Goddess Durga. It is situated atop Bilwa Parvat on the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost range of the Himalayas. The temple is also called Bilwa Tirth and is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) in Haridwar. It symbolizes the deep-rooted tradition of Shakti worship in Northern India.

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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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The Nagpur city of Maharashtra recently celebrated the iconic Marbat festival, attracting lakhs of devotees. The festival featured colourful processions and satirical effigies targeting issues like US import tariffs, Pakistan-backed terrorism, and local civic concerns. ‘Marbat’ and ‘Badgya’ are symbolic of evil and are taken out in a procession during Tanha Pola. The effigies are called Pili (Yellow) Marbat and Kaali (Black) Marbat. They are carried on a 10 km procession through the lanes of Itwari and East Nagpur before being burnt. The burning of these effigies is believed to remove all negativity.

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The newly constructed Royal Bhutan Buddhist Temple in Rajgir, Bihar, was inaugurated on 5 September 2025. The inauguration followed traditional rituals and Bhutanese Buddhist customs. Rajgir is historically significant as a place of penance of Lord Buddha and holds great importance in Buddhism. The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, and representatives from both countries. The temple aims to strengthen cultural and spiritual ties between India and Bhutan. It will serve as a center for Buddhist learning, meditation, and promoting bilateral friendship and cooperation