A mixed set of 25 Art and Culture MCQs on smaller topics that have no set of their own. Each answer links to its topic Article.
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Q1. PYQ With reference to the ancient architectural development in the hills of North Indian States, consider the following statements: 1. The temple ‘Garbhagriha’ and ‘Shikhara’ were made in a Rekha-prasada or Latina style. 2. The Pandrethan Temple in Kashmir is built on a plinth in the middle of a tank. 3. The Jageshwar Temple is located in Garhwal region. 4. The Lakshana Devi Mandir shows the influence of the post-Gupta tradition. How many statements given above are correct? [CAPF (ACs) 2025]
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Answer: C
Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: Jageshwar Temple is actually in the Kumaon region, near Almora, not Garhwal.
Related topics: Nagara and Dravida: The Two Great Temple Architecture Traditions
Q2. PYQ The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves “represents”: [UPSC CSP 2026, GS Paper I]
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Answer: A
Answer: A joyous folk dance
The Hallisalasya painting sits in Cave 4 of the Bagh Caves, Madhya Pradesh, nicknamed the “Rang Mahal” (Palace of Colours). It dates to the Gupta period, around the 5th-6th century CE.
It shows a circular ring dance: women and men dancing hand-in-hand around a central musician, with female performers playing the hudukka (hand-drum) and kamsyatalas (cymbals). The Natyashastra describes this exact dance form. It is the earliest surviving Indian painting of a named folk dance, and it captures the secular, social side of Gupta-era art rather than a purely religious scene.
Related: ArtnCulture0174 — Bagh Caves, Madhya Pradesh · ArtnCulture0001 — Paintings in Early India: A Complete Guide
No direct pre-exam current-affairs hook was found for this topic.
From: UPSC CSP 2026 — General Studies Paper I (Full Question Paper)
Related topics: Bagh Caves, Madhya Pradesh
Q3. PYQ In the official UPSC CSP 2026 answer key on Nagara-style shikharas, how is Huchimalligudi Temple treated?
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Answer: B
The correct answer is that the official key excludes it, naming only the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh — though this reflects genuine scholarly disagreement, since several sources describe Huchimalligudi’s own shikhara as a real early Nagara example.
Related topics: Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole
Q4. How many trustees did Amit Shah say the Ram temple trust would have?
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Answer: D
Amit Shah said the trust would have 15 trustees, one of them from a Dalit background.
Related topics: Ram Mandir Trust: Resignations and Interim General Secretary Appointment
Q5. Who was elected general secretary at the trust’s first meeting on 19 February 2020?
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Answer: C
Champat Rai became general secretary. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected president at the same meeting.
Related topics: Ram Mandir Trust: Resignations and Interim General Secretary Appointment
Q6. Who was named interim general secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust in July 2026?
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Answer: A
Trustee Krishna Mohan was asked to discharge the general secretary’s duties until a new appointment is made.
Related topics: Ram Mandir Trust: Resignations and Interim General Secretary Appointment
Q7. Who released the book ‘India’s First Olympic Gold’ in May 2026?
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Answer: B
IOA President P. T. Usha released the book in New Delhi on 29 May 2026.
Related topics: India’s First Olympic Gold: Book by K. Arumugam, Released by P.T. Usha
Q8. Who proposed the International Day of Yoga idea at the UN General Assembly in September 2014?
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Answer: A
Modi proposed it, and the UN later declared 21 June the International Day of Yoga.
Related topics: Droupadi Murmu
Q9. What was the theme of International Day of Yoga 2026?
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Answer: B
The 12th IDY theme was ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’. ‘Harmony and Peace’ was the 2015 theme.
Related topics: International Day of Yoga 2026: “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”
Q10. According to the Vice President, who were the true unifiers of India?
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Answer: B
He said the true unifiers were the sages and rishis who went beyond geography, language and region.
Related topics: Vice President Releases Agatthiyar – The Unifier
Q11. Which Tamil magazine published the book ‘Agatthiyar – The Unifier’?
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Answer: C
Kalaimagal published the book. The Vice President praised it for serving Tamil culture for more than 95 years.
Related topics: Vice President Releases Agatthiyar – The Unifier
Q12. Who released the book ‘Agatthiyar – The Unifier’ on 15 June 2026?
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Answer: B
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan released the book at Uprashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. He used the event to stress the role of sages in India’s unity.
Related topics: Vice President Releases Agatthiyar – The Unifier
Q13. Which Vedanta branch, linked to Ramanuja, is called qualified non-dualism?
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Answer: B
Vishishtadvaita means qualified non-dualism. Ramanuja saw souls and the world as the body of Brahman.
Related topics: Statue of Equality (Ramanuja)
Q14. In Patanjali’s eight-limbed path of Yoga, which limb is breath control?
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Answer: B
Pranayama is breath control. Asana is posture, pratyahara is withdrawing the senses, and dharana is concentration.
Related topics: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and the Eight Limbs
Q15. Who is traditionally named as the author of the Brahma Sutras, the basic text of Vedanta?
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Answer: B
Tradition names Badarayana as the author. The Brahma Sutras are a short summary of the Upanishads.
Related topics: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and the Eight Limbs
Q16. In which city was the Bande Mataram Sampradaya founded in October 1905?
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Answer: B
The Sampradaya was founded in North Calcutta. Its members sang the song on Sunday prabhat pheris.
Related topics: Patriotic Songs and Poetry of the Freedom Struggle