Indian Culture MCQs

Notes:
Yoga, one of the six systems (darshans) of Indian philosophy, was expounded by Patanjali in his ‘Yoga Sutras.’ These sutras are a collection of 196 Indian sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga. Hindu orthodox tradition holds the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to be the foundational text of classical Yoga philosophy.

Notes:
Mithila painting (or Madhubani painting) is a style of Indian painting practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal. These paintings were done traditionally by the women on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas.

Notes:
Tabal Chongli’ is a form of folk dance associated with the State of Assam. Other popular dance forms of the state are Bihu, Khel Gopal, Rash Lila, Canoe, etc. Nankana Sahib is a city and capital of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is named after the first guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev, the central figure in Sikhism who was born here, so it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world. It is located about 80 kilometers south west of Lahore.

Notes:
A unique festival, popularly known as Marabat, is celebrated in the eastern part of Vidarbha especially Nagpur. Marabat and Badgyas are female and male representations respectively, made of bamboo, paper and foil. The Badgyas are male figures personifying crime or nui-sance, for example dowry, bribery, corruption, scams, scandals, encroachment, load-shedding, smuggling, etc or as a way to disgrace or condemn someone associated with any similar social problems. Marabats are also considered to have the power to do away with ailments and the processions are accom-panied with such slogans as “O Marabat, take away cough, cold, pain and sufferings, insects like flies and mos-quitos, deceases and epidemics”.

Notes:
Shivkumar Sharma is an Indian Santoor player from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He is credited with making the Santoor a popular Classical Instrument. The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer or string musical instrument made of walnut, with 72 strings.

Notes:
Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna was an Indian Carnatic vocalist, musician, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer, and character actor. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy’s Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1978. He was a child prodigy. At the age of five, he had started to give musical concerts. When he was just eight years old, he gave a mesmerizing concert at the famous Thyagaraja Aradhana in Vijayawada. His brilliant voice gained him instant fame and recognition.

Notes:
Maharashtra is known for its Warli folk paintings. Warli is the name of the largest tribe found on the northern outskirts of Mumbai, in Western India. Warli is the vivid expression of daily and social events of the Warli tribe of Maharashtra, used by them to embellish the walls of village houses. This art form is simple in comparison to the vibrant paintings of Madhubani.

Notes:
Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in Punjab region of India and Pakistan. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance. The main Punjabi folk dance for females is giddha or giddhah and for men or for both men and women is bhangda or bhangra. Both Bhangra and Gidha originated in the 1800s in the Punjab region of India by farmers and initiated as folk dances celebrated during the time of the harvest called Baisakhi/Vaisakhi.

Notes:
Maharishi Vyas is the author of Brahmasutra. Maharishi Vyas is the composer of Vedanta. Vedanta means the final principle of the Vedas. The Brahmasutra composed by Maharishi Vyasa is the original text of this philosophy. This philosophy is also called Uttar Mimamsa. According to this philosophy, Brahma, being the doer and destroyer of the world, is the cause of the world. Not a factor or an integral cause.

Notes:
Kalighat painting is believed to have originated in the Kalighat temple in Kolkata around the 19th century. In this painting, mainly depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses and characters of traditional legends at that time are especially seen. In ancient times, the painters of this art used to sing and sing to the people through this art depicting various gods and goddesses. He used to make these paintings on clothes and palm leaves.