Art & Culture MCQs – Set 2: Advanced Questions for UPSC/PSC/CGL Exam Prep

  1. Which of the following is a dance form of Kerala?
    (A) Kuchipudi
    (B) Mohiniyattam
    (C) Kathak
    (D) Odissi
    Answer: (B)
  2. The Sanchi Stupa is primarily associated with which religion?
    (A) Hinduism
    (B) Buddhism
    (C) Jainism
    (D) Islam
    Answer: (B)
  3. Which famous Indian poet wrote ‘Gitanjali’?
    (A) Sarojini Naidu
    (B) Mirza Ghalib
    (C) Rabindranath Tagore
    (D) Subramania Bharati
    Answer: (C)
  4. Which art form uses natural dyes and sharp bamboo pens?
    (A) Warli
    (B) Madhubani
    (C) Kalamkari
    (D) Pattachitra
    Answer: (B)
  5. ‘Koodiyattam’ is recognized by UNESCO as –
    (A) Cultural site
    (B) Ancient manuscript
    (C) Intangible cultural heritage
    (D) World heritage performance
    Answer: (C)
  6. Which of these is the largest mosque in India?
    (A) Mecca Masjid
    (B) Fatehpuri Masjid
    (C) Jama Masjid
    (D) Bara Imambara
    Answer: (C)
  7. Who is regarded as the father of Indian cinema?
    (A) Satyajit Ray
    (B) Dadasaheb Phalke
    (C) Raj Kapoor
    (D) Bimal Roy
    Answer: (B)
  8. ‘Chhau’ is a dance-drama form from –
    (A) Jharkhand
    (B) Odisha
    (C) West Bengal
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  9. The Red Fort in Delhi is built using which material?
    (A) White marble
    (B) Red sandstone
    (C) Granite
    (D) Brick
    Answer: (B)
  10. Which classical musician is associated with the ‘Gayaki Ang’ of Sarod?
    (A) Allauddin Khan
    (B) Amjad Ali Khan
    (C) Vilayat Khan
    (D) Ravi Shankar
    Answer: (B)
  11. Which state is known for the Sankirtana dance and music?
    (A) Odisha
    (B) Manipur
    (C) Assam
    (D) Nagaland
    Answer: (B)
  12. What does ‘Bharatanatyam’ literally mean?
    (A) Dance of gods
    (B) Temple dance
    (C) Expression, music, and rhythm
    (D) Storytelling through gestures
    Answer: (C)
  13. The famous painting “Bani Thani” belongs to which school?
    (A) Pahari
    (B) Bundi
    (C) Kishangarh
    (D) Mughal
    Answer: (C)
  14. Who was the court poet of Samudragupta and wrote Allahabad Prashasti?
    (A) Harisena
    (B) Kalidasa
    (C) Banabhatta
    (D) Vishakhadatta
    Answer: (A)
  15. Which of these is a Persian-style garden in Kashmir?
    (A) Brindavan Gardens
    (B) Nishat Bagh
    (C) Hanging Gardens
    (D) Mughal Garden (Delhi)
    Answer: (B)
  16. The folk theatre form ‘Bhavai’ is from –
    (A) Gujarat
    (B) Maharashtra
    (C) Bihar
    (D) Rajasthan
    Answer: (A)
  17. Which UNESCO heritage site in India is known for erotic sculptures?
    (A) Ellora Caves
    (B) Hampi
    (C) Khajuraho Temples
    (D) Pattadakal
    Answer: (C)
  18. The tradition of miniature paintings flourished under which Mughal ruler?
    (A) Babur
    (B) Humayun
    (C) Akbar
    (D) Aurangzeb
    Answer: (C)
  19. The ‘Annamacharya Keerthanas’ belong to the tradition of –
    (A) Bhakti movement
    (B) Dhrupad
    (C) Carnatic music
    (D) Natyashastra
    Answer: (C)
  20. The famous ‘Surya Mandir’ in Modhera is located in –
    (A) Madhya Pradesh
    (B) Gujarat
    (C) Rajasthan
    (D) Uttar Pradesh
    Answer: (B)
  21. Which of the following was the first Indian film to win an Oscar (Honorary)?
    (A) Pather Panchali
    (B) Lagaan
    (C) Salaam Bombay
    (D) Gandhi
    Answer: (A)
  22. ‘Natyashastra’ was written by –
    (A) Bharata Muni
    (B) Vishnu Sharma
    (C) Kalidasa
    (D) Patanjali
    Answer: (A)
  23. Which art form involves leather puppets and shadow play?
    (A) Kathputli
    (B) Yakshagana
    (C) Tholu Bommalata
    (D) Tamasha
    Answer: (C)
  24. The sacred dance performed by Buddhist monks in Ladakh is –
    (A) Yakshagana
    (B) Chham
    (C) Sattriya
    (D) Rouf
    Answer: (B)
  25. The annual Hornbill Festival is held in –
    (A) Arunachal Pradesh
    (B) Manipur
    (C) Nagaland
    (D) Mizoram
    Answer: (C)
  26. Which form of Indian painting uses powdered stone colors and gold?
    (A) Madhubani
    (B) Tanjore
    (C) Warli
    (D) Gond
    Answer: (B)
  27. Which classical dance is performed exclusively by men in temples?
    (A) Mohiniyattam
    (B) Bharatanatyam
    (C) Chhau
    (D) Gotipua
    Answer: (D)
  28. Which city is known as the ‘Cultural Capital of India’?
    (A) Chennai
    (B) Kolkata
    (C) Varanasi
    (D) Delhi
    Answer: (B)
  29. Which Veda contains hymns sung during rituals and sacrifices?
    (A) Rigveda
    (B) Samaveda
    (C) Yajurveda
    (D) Atharvaveda
    Answer: (B)
  30. ‘Rogan art’ is a traditional painting form from –
    (A) Rajasthan
    (B) Gujarat
    (C) Punjab
    (D) Himachal Pradesh
    Answer: (B)
  31. ‘Lavani’ is a traditional dance form of –
    (A) Punjab
    (B) Maharashtra
    (C) Karnataka
    (D) Kerala
    Answer: (B)
  32. ‘Qawwali’ music is rooted in which spiritual tradition?
    (A) Sikhism
    (B) Buddhism
    (C) Sufism
    (D) Vaishnavism
    Answer: (C)
  33. The music style ‘Dhrupad’ flourished mainly in which era?
    (A) Vedic period
    (B) Mauryan period
    (C) Mughal period
    (D) British period
    Answer: (C)
  34. Which Mughal emperor banned music in his court?
    (A) Akbar
    (B) Jahangir
    (C) Shah Jahan
    (D) Aurangzeb
    Answer: (D)
  35. India’s only rock-cut Jain cave temples are found in –
    (A) Ajanta
    (B) Udayagiri
    (C) Ellora
    (D) Elephanta
    Answer: (C)
  36. ‘Alam Ara’ was India’s –
    (A) First color film
    (B) First silent film
    (C) First talkie
    (D) First international film
    Answer: (C)
  37. Which temple in India has musical pillars?
    (A) Rameshwaram Temple
    (B) Hampi’s Vittala Temple
    (C) Brihadeeswara Temple
    (D) Meenakshi Temple
    Answer: (B)
  38. The Pattachitra art form is famous in which two Indian states?
    (A) Odisha and West Bengal
    (B) Gujarat and Rajasthan
    (C) Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
    (D) Bihar and Jharkhand
    Answer: (C)
  39. Which of these is an important pilgrimage center for Jains?
    (A) Bodh Gaya
    (B) Shravanabelagola
    (C) Haridwar
    (D) Rameshwaram
    Answer: (B)
  40. Which folk dance is performed during harvest season in Punjab?
    (A) Bhangra
    (B) Ghoomar
    (C) Lavani
    (D) Garba
    Answer: (A)
  41. ‘Bihu’ dance is associated with which community?
    (A) Bengali
    (B) Manipuri
    (C) Assamese
    (D) Naga
    Answer: (C)
  42. The Nizamuddin Dargah is associated with which Sufi saint?
    (A) Moinuddin Chishti
    (B) Nizamuddin Auliya
    (C) Khwaja Qutbuddin
    (D) Baba Farid
    Answer: (B)
  43. Where is the ‘Rani ki Vav’ (stepwell), a UNESCO site, located?
    (A) Gujarat
    (B) Rajasthan
    (C) Maharashtra
    (D) Uttar Pradesh
    Answer: (A)
  44. Which state is famous for the folk theatre form ‘Tamasha’?
    (A) Gujarat
    (B) Odisha
    (C) Maharashtra
    (D) West Bengal
    Answer: (C)
  45. Which of the following is not a percussion instrument?
    (A) Mridangam
    (B) Tabla
    (C) Veena
    (D) Dholak
    Answer: (C)
  46. Which Indian classical music form involves devotional themes and bhajans?
    (A) Khayal
    (B) Dhrupad
    (C) Bhakti Sangeet
    (D) Thumri
    Answer: (C)
  47. Which festival celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya?
    (A) Holi
    (B) Navratri
    (C) Diwali
    (D) Janmashtami
    Answer: (C)
  48. Which city houses the famous ‘Jama Masjid’ built by Shah Jahan?
    (A) Delhi
    (B) Agra
    (C) Jaipur
    (D) Hyderabad
    Answer: (A)
  49. Which ancient Tamil text is a classic on ethics and morality?
    (A) Tirukkural
    (B) Silappadikaram
    (C) Manimekalai
    (D) Kamba Ramayanam
    Answer: (A)
  50. Which musical instrument is played by blowing air into it?
    (A) Sitar
    (B) Tabla
    (C) Shehnai
    (D) Sarod
    Answer: (C)

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