Indian Culture MCQs

Notes:
Lal Ded, better known as Lalla Yogeshwari, ranks as a great mystic poetess of the 14th century. She was an ardent practitioner of Kashmir Shaivism that is also known as Trika Shastra founded by Vasu Gupta.

Notes:
Mathura and Gandhara schools of art flourished during the Kushana era. The Mathura school of art developed in the first century AD during the reign of Kushan emperor Kanishka. The Gandhara school of art also developed in the first century AD during the reign of Kanishka. The Gandhara school of art is known for the first sculptural representations of the Buddha in human form. The school was influenced by Greek methodologies. The Gandhara school of art developed in what is now northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE. The Mathura school of art achieved its pinnacle during the Gupta period (6th or 7th century). The period of Kushana King Kanishka, Huviska and Vasudeva is considered to be the golden age for the Mathura school of art

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Christianity represents about a third of the world’s population and is the world’s largest religion. A study has found that Christians make up about 32 percent of the world’s population, followed by Muslims, the second largest group. Hindus are the third largest group, followed by Buddhists and Jews.

Notes:
The Ganga Sagar Mela is a religious festival and second biggest fair of India after Kumbha Mela of India celebrated on Sagardwip (Sagar Island) in West Bengal state of India. The fair is a six-day fair held in the month of January and on the day of Makar Sankranti, a ritual of pilgrims taking bath in holy water and visiting nearby famous Kapil Muni Temple is performed.

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Shiva Tandava Stotra is sung by Ravana in Ramayana. It is a Sanskrit sloka. Ravana is king of Lanka.

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The Radhasoami Satsang was founded in Agra in 1861 by Shiv Dayal Sahib. The sole purpose of this satsang is to experience the divinity of God who resides in all of us. To realize the truth of the concept that there is only one God and we are all expressions of his love.

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Zend-Avesta is the sacred book of Zoroastrianism. It contains the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster, as well as the cosmogony, law, and liturgy of the religion. The Parsees still use the Zend-Avesta as their bible and prayer book.
The Zend-Avesta is written in the Avestan language, which is also called the Zend language. The Avestan language is an eastern Iranian language.
The Zend-Avesta is all that remains of a much larger body of scripture. It is believed to be Zarathushtra’s transformation of a very ancient tradition.

Notes:
There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana, the Yogavasishtha, The Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. These embody all that is in the Vedas, but only in a simpler manner. These are called the Suhrit-Samhitas or the Friendly Treatises, while the Vedas are called the Prabhu-Samhitas or the Commanding Treatises with great authority. These works explain the great universal truths in the form of historical narratives, stories and dialogues. These are very interesting volumes and are liked by all, from the inquisitive child to the intellectual scholar.

Notes:
The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari, philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and scientist C. V. Raman, who was honoured on 2nd January, 1954. Since then, the award has been bestowed on 45 individuals, including 12 who were awarded posthumously.

Notes:
Rouff is a traditional folk dance that originates from Kashmir. It is usually performed by women during special occasions and festivals, particularly during harvest season. The dancers often wear colorful traditional Kashmiri clothing and move in a synchronized manner. The beauty of this dance form is amplified by the serene and scenic locales of Kashmir where it is often performed. Rouff not only serves as a form of entertainment and celebration, but also represents and reflects the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir.