AJANTA PAINTING Subject: Art and Culture Context : After Independence, the Viceroy’s House became the RashtrapatiBhavan,and efforts were made to showcase Indian art — such as the paintings in the Ajanta caves, which had emerged as a supreme example of the Indian tradition — and, thus, infuse the building with the spirit of […]
FESTIVALS OF INDIA Subject: Art and Culture Concept: KumbhMela: The KumbhMela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is the largest public gathering and collective act of faith, anywhere in the world. Crowds gather at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mystical Sarasvati. Primarily, […]
Vista dome Coach Subject: Tourism and art and culture Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off eight trains from different parts of the country to Kevadia in Narmada district, where the Statue of Unity is located. Concept: It is a state-of-the-art coach made by Indian Railways, designed to provide passengers with travel comfort as well […]
Ustad Mustafa Khan Subject: Arts and Culture Context: Winner of Padma Shri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003, Padma Bhushan in 2006 and Padma Vibhushan in 2018, Ustad Mustafa Khan died recently. Concept: He belonged to Rampur Sahaswangharana and was part of the Hindustani Classical music tradition. Rampur Sahaswangharana is a […]
Nihang Sikhs Subject: Art and culture Context: Amidst the farmers announcement of tractor parade on republic day Nihang Sikhs rehearse with 50 horsemen. Concept: Nihang or ‘Akali’ Sikhs are community of armed Sikh warriors in Indian subcontinent. Many trace Nihang Sikhs from Fateh Singh and others from “Akali Dal” formed by Sikh Guru […]
Transhumance Subject: Geography /Art and culture Context: Ladakh’s nomads have been forced to migrate due to climate change and other reasons with impact on future of pashmina wool. Concept: Pashmina is considered the finest craftsmanship in the world which transforms the exceptionally warm and delicate Cashmere threads to opulent accessories. The fleece of […]
Indian Council of cultural relations (ICCR) Subject: Art and Culture Context: The Department of Indian Studies at the university in South Korea had been considering phasing out the teaching of Hindi language at the university saying that knowledge of English would be sufficient for Korean nationals interested in working, studying and travelling in […]
Bhogali Bihu Subject: Arts and Culture Context: Assam is celebrating Bhogali Bihu a traditional harvest festival. Concept: It is a harvest festival of Assam where people express gratitude for good harvest and marks the end of harvest season. Also called as “Magh Bihu” or festival of abundance. The word Bhogali comes from word […]
Pongal and Jallikattu Subject: Arts and Culture Context: Tamil Nadu elections in 2021 has seen parties trying to make inroads by celebrating and being part of Tamil’s culture and heritage. Concept: Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. It is a 4-day festival during the solar equinox after harvesting of crops like […]