GURU TEG BAHADUR Subject: Culture Context: PM Modi offers prayers at Sis GanjGurudwara, pays tributes to Guru Teg Bahadur. Concept: Guru Teg Bahadur (1621-1675) Guru Teg Bahadur was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. One hundred and fifteen of his hymns are in Guru Granth Sahib. He stood up for […]

    RAJAN MISHRA Subject: Culture Context : Classical singer Rajan Mishra has died due to Covid-19 related complications. Concept: Belonging to the Benarasgharana, PanditRajan Mishra, along with brother Sajan Mishra have performed for both Indian and global audiences for decades now. Renowned vocalists in the khayal style of Indian classical singing, the brothers have […]

    SANKHA GHOSH Subject : Culture Context : Eminent Bengali poet Shankha Ghosh passed after testing positive for COVID-19. Ghosh was 89. Concept  : Considered to be an authority on Rabindranath Tagore, his famous works include AdimLata – Gulmomay and MurkhaBaroSamajik Nay, among other books. The poet was vocal about contemporary issues and was […]

    THRISSUR POORAM FESTIVAL Subject : Culture Context : Thrissur Pooram 2021 will be celebrated on Friday, April 23, 2021. Concept : Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu festival held in Kerala. It is celebrated on the day when the star sign “Pooram” occurs in the Malayalam month of “medam (April-May)”. The festival was […]

    SITAGRAHA HILLS Subject : Culture Context : By a hill in Jharkhand, Buddhist remains from a millennium ago. Concept : This site is a major Buddhist shrine from the Mauryan Period 250 before the present era; it is aligned to dolmen and other megalithic sites and the sacred hill, Marang Buru, of the […]

    NEW YEAR FESTIVALS IN INDIA Subject: Culture Concept: Chaitra Shukla Pratipada It marks the beginning of the new year of the VikramSamvat also known as the Vedic [Hindu] calendar. VikramSamvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era. Under his supervision, astronomers […]

    SHIGMO FESTIVAL Subject : Culture Context : Goa cancels the popular Shigmo spring festival this year. Concept : Shigmo is the celebration of a ‘rich, golden harvest of paddy’ by the tribal communities of Goa. Agricultural communities including the Kunbis, Gawdas and Velips celebrate the festival that also marks the onset of spring. […]

    KUMBH MELA Subject : Culture Context : COVID-19 casts a shadow over HaridwarKumbhMela. Concept : KumbhMela comes under UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. KumbhMela is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. It takes place on […]

    KAMBALA Subject : Culture Context :Srinivasa Gowda sets new record in Kambala racing. Concept : Kambala is a traditional buffalo race in paddy fields filled with slush and mud which generally takes place in coastal Karnataka (Udupi and Dakshina Kannada) from November to March. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and […]

    ODISSI DANCE Subject : Culture Context : Noted odissi dancer LaxmipriyaMohapatra dies at 86 ; Naveen patnaik condoles. Concept : Odissi dance is one of the classical dances of India. It is indigenous to Orissa, eastern India, and follows the principles of the Natya-shastra. Evolution The dance has its origin in the temples. […]