Art and Culture Mixed Practice — MCQs with Answers (Set 7)

Devdas (1935) made him a star. Chandidas (1934) came before it. Street Singer (1938) and Tansen (1943) came after. Memory hook: Devdas = superstar.

The award was for 1981. The Padma Bhushan came in 1992. He died in 2006. Memory hook: Phalke 1981, Padma Bhushan 1992.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sang for the film. Amir Khan and Paluskar were in Baiju Bawra. Memory hook: Mughal-e-Azam = Bade Ghulam Ali.

Mother India was the first Indian film nominated for an Oscar. It was not a winner. Memory hook: nominated, not won.

It won the first Filmfare Best Music Director award, in 1954. Memory hook: Baiju Bawra = ragas = first Filmfare.

He used it in Aan (1952). It was a first for Indian cinema. Memory hook: Aan = 100 players.

Naushad was a music director, the person who composes a film’s songs. Singers such as Mohammed Rafi sang his tunes. Memory hook: Naushad = composer.

The North Indian veena, called the been, was the chief partner of dhrupad, the oldest classical vocal style. It declined as khayal grew popular. Memory hook: Rudra roars with dhrupad.

Bhatt changed a Hawaiian guitar into a slide guitar with twenty strings. It carries the sound of the sitar, sarod and veena. Memory hook: Mohan veena = modern guitar-based.

Prof. Lalmani Misra revived the instrument and created a new playing technique. Zia Mohiuddin Dagar is known for the rudra veena. Memory hook: Misra saved the Vichitra.

The vichitra veena has no frets. The player slides a glass ball over the strings. The rudra veena has frets. Memory hook: Vichitra is curious without frets.

The Saraswati veena has twenty-four fixed frets and is a leading solo instrument of Carnatic music. The frets were fixed in the 17th century. Memory hook: Saraswati holds it, 24 frets.

Bhatt won a Grammy in 1994 for the album A Meeting by the River, made with Ry Cooder. He is widely called the second Indian Grammy winner, after Ravi Shankar. Memory hook: Mohan = Bhatt = Grammy 1994.

The answer is open to the sky. These temples have no roof over the courtyard. Memory hook: round, roofless, sixty-four.

The answer is Shiva. A round Shiva shrine stands in the open courtyard. Memory hook: Yoginis around, Shiva in the centre.

The answer is Morena. The temple stands on a hill at Mitaoli. Memory hook: Mitaoli, Morena.

The answer is Kathakali. The institution’s own history says it was exclusively a Kathakali training centre at the start. Why the others fail: other arts were added later. Memory hook: first Kathakali, then more.

The answer is Kunnamkulam, near Thrissur. Its first venue was Madappattil, the home of its patron Kakkad Karanavappad. Why the others fail: it reached Cheruthuruthy only in 1936. Memory hook: Kunnamkulam first, Cheruthuruthy later.

The answer is 1930. Vallathol and Manakkulam Mukundaraja founded it. Why the others fail: 1936 is when it moved to Cheruthuruthy. 1941 is when Vallathol handed it to the State government. 1914 is the year of Aniruddhan. Memory hook: founded 1930, moved 1936.

The answer is Janani Kannan. She shared the JCB Prize with the author. Memory hook: Fire Bird, Janani Kannan.

The answer is the Liverpool International Conducting Competition. He had trained in Vienna under Hans Swarowsky. Memory hook: Vienna 1954, Liverpool 1958.

The answer is Mehli Mehta. Zubin grew up in a musical home. Memory hook: Mehli founded Bombay Symphony.

The answer is orchestra conducting. A conductor leads an orchestra and shapes its sound. Memory hook: conductor, not singer.

The answer is the Israel Philharmonic. He became its Music Advisor in 1969 and Music Director for Life in 1981. Memory hook: Advisor 1969, Director for Life 1981.

The answer is Kartavya Path, New Delhi. It ran from 2 to 7 December 2022. Why the others fail: the release names Kartavya Path at India Gate as the venue. Memory hook: first Mela, India Gate.