Art & Culture MCQs – Set 3: Advanced Questions for UPSC/PSC/CGL Exam Prep

  1. The ‘Veena’ is believed to be the instrument of which deity?
    (A) Saraswati
    (B) Lakshmi
    (C) Parvati
    (D) Durga
    Answer: (A)
  2. The famous ‘Descent of the Ganges’ rock relief is located in –
    (A) Hampi
    (B) Mahabalipuram
    (C) Ajanta
    (D) Konark
    Answer: (B)
  3. ‘Tansen Samaroh’ is an annual music festival held in –
    (A) Gwalior
    (B) Lucknow
    (C) Delhi
    (D) Varanasi
    Answer: (A)
  4. The ‘Gharana’ system is related to –
    (A) Painting
    (B) Temple architecture
    (C) Music
    (D) Dance
    Answer: (C)
  5. Which of the following languages is not among the classical languages of India?
    (A) Tamil
    (B) Kannada
    (C) Hindi
    (D) Sanskrit
    Answer: (C)
  6. Which city is known as the “City of Palaces” in India?
    (A) Jaipur
    (B) Mysore
    (C) Udaipur
    (D) Hyderabad
    Answer: (B)
  7. ‘Marghazi Festival’ is a cultural and music festival of –
    (A) Kerala
    (B) Tamil Nadu
    (C) Andhra Pradesh
    (D) Odisha
    Answer: (B)
  8. ‘Jalikattu’ is a traditional event celebrated in –
    (A) Andhra Pradesh
    (B) Tamil Nadu
    (C) Karnataka
    (D) Kerala
    Answer: (B)
  9. The ‘Jantar Mantar’ observatories were built by –
    (A) Maharaja Ranjit Singh
    (B) Jai Singh II
    (C) Shah Jahan
    (D) Akbar
    Answer: (B)
  10. Which river is most commonly associated with Indian temple towns?
    (A) Ganga
    (B) Narmada
    (C) Godavari
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  11. Which folk dance form is performed with sticks during Navratri?
    (A) Dandiya
    (B) Bihu
    (C) Lavani
    (D) Yakshagana
    Answer: (A)
  12. Who composed the Meghaduta and Raghuvamsa?
    (A) Bhasa
    (B) Kalidasa
    (C) Patanjali
    (D) Harsha
    Answer: (B)
  13. The golden period of Chola architecture was under –
    (A) Rajaraja Chola I
    (B) Rajendra Chola I
    (C) Kulothunga Chola
    (D) Vijayalaya Chola
    Answer: (A)
  14. Which of the following classical dances is most associated with spiritual devotion?
    (A) Bharatanatyam
    (B) Kathakali
    (C) Odissi
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  15. Which Indian monument is inspired by the architecture of the Humayun’s Tomb?
    (A) Qutub Minar
    (B) India Gate
    (C) Taj Mahal
    (D) Bibi Ka Maqbara
    Answer: (C)
  16. Which dance form from Andhra Pradesh is closely associated with temples and storytelling?
    (A) Kuchipudi
    (B) Yakshagana
    (C) Kathak
    (D) Odissi
    Answer: (A)
  17. Which emperor was a patron of the Persian artist Bihzad?
    (A) Akbar
    (B) Babur
    (C) Humayun
    (D) Jahangir
    Answer: (C)
  18. ‘Pandavani’ is a traditional form of –
    (A) Weaving
    (B) Dance
    (C) Folk storytelling
    (D) Tribal painting
    Answer: (C)
  19. Where is the National School of Drama located?
    (A) Mumbai
    (B) Pune
    (C) Delhi
    (D) Kolkata
    Answer: (C)
  20. Which Indian festival celebrates the full moon and includes traditional dance and music?
    (A) Holi
    (B) Karva Chauth
    (C) Sharad Purnima
    (D) Lohri
    Answer: (C)
  21. ‘Gotipua’ is the predecessor to which classical dance?
    (A) Kathak
    (B) Odissi
    (C) Mohiniyattam
    (D) Manipuri
    Answer: (B)
  22. ‘Phad’ painting is traditional to which Indian state?
    (A) Gujarat
    (B) Rajasthan
    (C) Bihar
    (D) Madhya Pradesh
    Answer: (B)
  23. Which Indian classical dance uses ankle bells for rhythmic expression?
    (A) Kathak
    (B) Odissi
    (C) Bharatanatyam
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  24. Which Mughal emperor commissioned the construction of the Shalimar Bagh in Srinagar?
    (A) Akbar
    (B) Jahangir
    (C) Shah Jahan
    (D) Humayun
    Answer: (B)
  25. The famous ‘Bharat Kala Bhavan’ museum is located in –
    (A) Delhi
    (B) Varanasi
    (C) Chennai
    (D) Jaipur
    Answer: (B)
  26. Which of these classical musicians is a vocalist in Hindustani music?
    (A) Zakir Hussain
    (B) Bhimsen Joshi
    (C) Bismillah Khan
    (D) Shivkumar Sharma
    Answer: (B)
  27. In which Indian state is the Hornbill Festival celebrated?
    (A) Sikkim
    (B) Meghalaya
    (C) Nagaland
    (D) Arunachal Pradesh
    Answer: (C)
  28. What is the traditional art form done on floors during Indian festivals called?
    (A) Kalamkari
    (B) Rangoli
    (C) Pattachitra
    (D) Gond
    Answer: (B)
  29. The term ‘Dhrupad’ refers to –
    (A) A dance style
    (B) A raga
    (C) A vocal style of music
    (D) A type of theatre
    Answer: (C)
  30. The Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi was built under the patronage of –
    (A) Bindusara
    (B) Ashoka
    (C) Kanishka
    (D) Harsha
    Answer: (B)
  31. Which state is famous for ‘Ghoomar’ dance?
    (A) Gujarat
    (B) Haryana
    (C) Rajasthan
    (D) Punjab
    Answer: (C)
  32. Which Vedic text contains early musical notations?
    (A) Rigveda
    (B) Samaveda
    (C) Yajurveda
    (D) Atharvaveda
    Answer: (B)
  33. The ‘Panchatantra’ was originally written in which language?
    (A) Tamil
    (B) Sanskrit
    (C) Prakrit
    (D) Pali
    Answer: (B)
  34. ‘Navaratnas’ were associated with the court of –
    (A) Harshavardhana
    (B) Akbar
    (C) Chandragupta Maurya
    (D) Kanishka
    Answer: (B)
  35. Which architectural style combines elements of Hindu and Islamic design?
    (A) Indo-Saracenic
    (B) Nagara
    (C) Dravida
    (D) Vesara
    Answer: (A)
  36. Which of these dances originated from Tamil Nadu?
    (A) Mohiniyattam
    (B) Bharatanatyam
    (C) Kathakali
    (D) Sattriya
    Answer: (B)
  37. Which classical instrument is paired with Veena in Carnatic performances?
    (A) Nadaswaram
    (B) Mridangam
    (C) Tabla
    (D) Sarod
    Answer: (B)
  38. Which style of painting was popular in Mughal courts?
    (A) Tanjore
    (B) Pahari
    (C) Miniature
    (D) Kalamkari
    Answer: (C)
  39. The famous bronze sculpture ‘Nataraja’ represents –
    (A) Vishnu
    (B) Shiva
    (C) Krishna
    (D) Brahma
    Answer: (B)
  40. Which among the following is a wind instrument?
    (A) Mridangam
    (B) Shehnai
    (C) Sarod
    (D) Tabla
    Answer: (B)
  41. Which style of Indian painting is known for bold colors and themes from epics?
    (A) Kangra
    (B) Madhubani
    (C) Tanjore
    (D) Warli
    Answer: (C)
  42. Which of the following is associated with the Bhakti movement in South India?
    (A) Alvars and Nayanars
    (B) Kabir and Tulsidas
    (C) Surdas and Meera
    (D) Basava and Akka Mahadevi
    Answer: (A)
  43. The festival ‘Pooram’ with a grand elephant procession is held in –
    (A) Karnataka
    (B) Kerala
    (C) Tamil Nadu
    (D) Andhra Pradesh
    Answer: (B)
  44. Which of these is a string instrument?
    (A) Tabla
    (B) Sitar
    (C) Shehnai
    (D) Mridangam
    Answer: (B)
  45. ‘Ajanta Caves’ are primarily associated with –
    (A) Hinduism
    (B) Jainism
    (C) Buddhism
    (D) Islam
    Answer: (C)
  46. The famous ‘Raag Malhar’ is traditionally believed to –
    (A) Induce sleep
    (B) Bring rain
    (C) Cure illness
    (D) Celebrate harvest
    Answer: (B)
  47. Which Indian dance form uses elaborate facial expressions?
    (A) Kathakali
    (B) Kuchipudi
    (C) Bharatanatyam
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  48. Which style of architecture is seen in Qutub Minar?
    (A) Indo-Aryan
    (B) Dravidian
    (C) Indo-Islamic
    (D) Colonial
    Answer: (C)
  49. Which Indian city is famous for ‘Zardozi’ embroidery?
    (A) Hyderabad
    (B) Lucknow
    (C) Amritsar
    (D) Bhopal
    Answer: (B)
  50. Which of these festivals is not associated with harvest?
    (A) Baisakhi
    (B) Pongal
    (C) Diwali
    (D) Makar Sankranti
    Answer: (C)

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