Art & Culture Current Affairs MCQs

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Traditional construction methods will be used to restore and preserve the Simhachalam Temple. The temple, also called Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple shows a mix of Orissan and Chalukyan architectural styles. Unusually, it faces west instead of east, symbolising the victory of divine forces over evil.

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Recently, a debate on folk music aesthetics emerged after the Goa State Cabinet declared the Ghumot as the state’s heritage instrument in 2019, without using monitor lizard skin. Ghumot, also called Ghumat, is a traditional percussion instrument used in Goa’s religious and cultural practices. It is made from a clay pot with one side open and the other covered with animal skin, now mostly goat hide instead of the banned Indian monitor lizard skin. The instrument is also important during festivals like Zagor and Shigmo, organized by village committees.

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A 5,300-year-old Early Harappan settlement and burial was recently discovered in Lakhapar village, Kutch district, Gujarat, by the University of Kerala’s Department of Archaeology. The site dates to around 3300–2600 BCE and builds on previous finds at Juna Khatiya, another Early Harappan cemetery nearby. A human burial was found directly in a pit without markers, using Pre-Prabhas pottery linked to Chalcolithic cultures of Saurashtra like Prabhas Patan and Datrana. Harappan-style sandstone and shale structures show planned construction and social organisation.

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Recently, the Suna Besha festival took place during the Jagannath Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Odisha. It is a grand ritual where Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra are decorated with magnificent gold ornaments. The term Suna Besha comes from Odia words suna (gold) and besha (attire). This ritual is a highlight of the world-famous chariot festival Jagannath Rath Yatra.

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Thousands of devotees recently witnessed the grand consecration of the Subramanya Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur after 16 years. The temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan, son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is located in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan and the only one situated on the seashore. The temple faces the Bay of Bengal and is touched by waves from the Gulf of Mannar. It is over 2,000 years old and showcases beautiful Tamil architecture.

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Harela festival is celebrated in Uttarakhand, with a pledge to plant over 5 lakh saplings across the state. This traditional Hindu festival, also celebrated in parts of Himachal Pradesh, is especially popular in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region. Harela marks the beginning of the Sawan season. It symbolizes peace, prosperity, and the celebration of nature.

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Recently, more than 300 people were killed in a week of violent clashes between Syria’s Druze minority and Sunni Bedouin tribes in and around Sweida city. The Bedouins are nomadic, Arabic-speaking tribes who have lived in the Middle East and North Africa deserts for centuries. The word Bedouin comes from Arabic “badawi”, meaning “desert dweller”. They survive mainly by herding camels, sheep, and goats, moving seasonally across arid lands. Bedouin tribes are often classified based on the animal species they herd.

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On 21st July 2025, a replica of the Ashoka Pillar was unveiled at Waskaduwa Sri Subhuthi Viharaya in Kalutara district, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. The replica was fully sponsored by H.E. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, a top spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism. The foundation stone was laid on 28 January 2024 by Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Shri Santosh Jha and Venerable Shartse Khensur Jangchup Choeden Rinpoche, Secretary General of International Buddhist Confederation (IBC). The pillar honors Emperor Ashoka for introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka through his children Arhat Mahinda Thero and Arhat Sangamitta Therani. The temple was chosen as it houses authentic Kapilavastu relics of Lord Buddha.

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The 11th Malabar River Festival, an international white-water kayaking championship, held on July 27, 2025, in Kerala. The three-day event is organized by Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) and Kozhikode District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). It is supported by Indian Kayaking & Canoeing Association (IKCA) and local panchayats. Events are held on Iruvazhinjipuzha and Chalippuzha rivers.

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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.