GK (Indian Religion & Culture)

Amir Khusro (1253-1325) was given the title 'Tuti-e-Hind' (Parrot of India) for his poetic brilliance and mastery over multiple languages. He was a court poet in the Delhi Sultanate and made significant contributions to Hindi, Persian, and Urdu literature. Kalidas, Gunadhya, and Tulsidas were great poets but not known by this title.

Manipuri is the correct answer because it did NOT originate as a dance-drama. Kathakali, Kuchipudi, and Kathak all began as dance-dramas with narrative storytelling elements. Manipuri originated as a purely dance form (associated with Vaishnavism) without the dramatic theatrical component that defines dance-drama.

Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) founded the Kinnara School of Music in Mumbai and also established the National Orchestra of India (Vadya Vrinda). He was a world-renowned sitar maestro. Zakir Hussain is a tabla player, Shivkumar Sharma played santoor, and Amjad Ali Khan is a sarod player - none founded these institutions.

The Kalpa-Sutra is the most sacred text of the Svetambara Jains, containing biographies of Tirthankaras. It is ceremoniously taken out in procession during the annual Paryushana festival. Grihyasutra, Dharmashastra, and Shrautasutra are Hindu texts, not specifically honored in Jain processions.

Soma was the sacred drink in Vedic rituals, prepared from pressed plant juices, believed to have exhilarating and divine effects. It was fundamental to yajna (sacrificial) ceremonies. Haoma is the Persian equivalent, Madira means wine/alcohol, and Amrit is the nectar of immortality in Hindu mythology.

 Kapila was the founder of the Samkhya system

Correct Answer: Shankara
 

Visvambhara Misra (1486-1534) was the birth name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Hindu mystic and saint who spearheaded the Bhakti movement in eastern India. Tulsidas, Jayadeva, and Kalidasa were famous poets but not known as Visvambhara.

Bharatanatyam was originally known as 'dasi attam' (dance of the devadasis/temple dancers) in ancient Tamil Nadu. Kathakali is from Kerala, Mohini attam is also from Kerala (associated with Mohini avatar), and Odissi is from Odisha - none were known as dasi attam.

Ramanuja, the 11th-12th century Hindu philosopher, founded the Srivaishnava sect which is based on Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) philosophy. This sect emphasizes devotion (bhakti) to Lord Vishnu, particularly in his forms as Narayana and Lakshmi. The other options are different Jain or Hindu ascetic traditions - Svetambra is a Jain sect, while Dasnami and Vairagin are Hindu ascetic orders unrelated to Ramanuja's teachings.

Correct Answer: Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha is a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion.

The Khajuraho temples, famous for their erotic sculptures and Nagara-style architecture, were built by the Chandela dynasty between 950-1050 CE. The Chandelas ruled Bundelkhand in central India and patronized these temples as religious and cultural centers. The Guptas ruled earlier (4th-6th century), while Sur and Dogra dynasties ruled different regions and time periods.

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' (1896-1961) was a prominent Hindi poet known for his revolutionary and experimental style in Chhayavad era poetry. His pen name 'Nirala' means 'unique' or 'unparalleled', reflecting his innovative approach to Hindi literature. The other options are also famous Hindi writers - Jaishankar Prasad (Chhayavad poet), Sumitranandan Pant (progressive poetry), and Hazariprasad Dwivedi (scholar and novelist).

Correct answer is (3). 

Shrimad Vallabhacharya (1479-1531) founded the Pushtimarg (Path of Grace) sect, which emphasizes loving devotion to Krishna as Shrinathji. This Vaishnava tradition focuses on Krishna's childhood leelas (divine play) and uses seva (service) as the primary spiritual practice. The other options - Tulsidas (Ramlila tradition), Chaitanya (Gaudiya Vaishnavism), and Utpala (Kashmir Shaivism) - founded or led different spiritual movements.

Correct answer is (3). 

Junoon (1978), directed by Shyam Benegal, is based on Ruskin Bond's novella 'A Flight of Pigeons' set during the 1857 Indian rebellion. The film stars Shashi Kapoor and features his wife Jennifer Kendall in her final role. The other options are significant Indian films - Salaam Bombay (street children), Shaheed (Bhagat Singh biopic), and Manthan (cooperative movement) - but none are adapted from this specific Bond work.

A Mahayuga in Hindu cosmology spans 12,000 divine years, which equals 4,320,000 human years (1 divine year = 360 human years). It consists of four yugas: Satya Yuga (4,800 divine years), Treta Yuga (3,600), Dvapara Yuga (2,400), and Kali Yuga (1,200). The other options (1,200, 2,400, 4,800) represent individual yuga durations in divine years, not the complete Mahayuga cycle.

Ghatam is a traditional percussion instrument used in Carnatic music, made from clay with a narrow mouth. It is played by striking with hands and fingers to produce resonant, metallic tones. The other options are incorrect - it is not a river, mountain range, or music style itself, but rather a specific instrument intrinsic to South Indian classical music concerts.

Bhangra is the energetic folk dance of Punjab, traditionally performed during the harvest festival of Baisakhi. It involves vigorous movements, jumps, and is accompanied by dhol (drum) and bolis (folk songs). The other options are folk dances from other regions - Kolyacha (West Bengal), Manipuri (Manipur), and Kuravanchi (Tamil Nadu) - and are not associated with Punjabi culture.

Correct answer is (3). 

Kalighat paintings from West Bengal traditionally use watercolour as the primary medium, applied on paper or cloth with bold, flat colors. This 19th-century folk art style originated as souvenirs for temple visitors and features Hindu deities, patuas (scroll paintings), and later secular themes. The other options (charcoal, oil paint, acrylic) are not traditional mediums for this indigenous Bengal art form.

Kishangarh style of painting emerged in Rajasthan during the 18th century under the patronage of Raja Sawant Singh. Known for distinctive elongated faces, eyes shaped like lotus petals, and Radha-Krishna themes, this style represents a unique regional Rajput school. The other options (Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal) are incorrect - Kishangarh is specifically located in present-day Ajmer district, Rajasthan.

Hola Mohalla was instituted by Guru Gobind Singh in 1701 as a Sikh festival following Holi, focusing on martial arts, mock battles, and military exercises. The name literally means 'attack on holi' or 'holi of warriors'. The other options are different festivals - Mahavir Jayanti (Jainism), Baisakhi (Sikh harvest festival), and Gurpurab (Sikh Gurpurabs celebrating gurus' births) - but none were specifically started by Guru Gobind Singh to showcase Sikh martial traditions.

 Option (1) is correct.