Indian Panorama (UPSC) Part-IV

Total Questions: 23

1. With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements: [2014-I]

1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama.

2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of Vaishnavites of Assam.

3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas of devotional songs composed by Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution:Sattriya dance form was introduced in the 15th century A.D by the great Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Mahapurusha Sankaradeva as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. It is a neo-Vaishnava treasure of Assamese music,dance and drama. Music of Sattriya dance comprises of classical ragas (melodies), talas (rhythms) and traditional songs. Tulsidas, Kabir and Mira were Vaishnavite.

2. With reference to India's culture and tradition, what is 'Kalaripayattu? [2014-1]

(a) It is an ancient Bhakti cult of Shaivism still prevalent in some parts of South India
(b) It is an ancient style bronze and brasswork still found in southern part of Coromandel area
(c) It is an ancient form of dance-drama and a living tradition in the northern part of Malabar
(d) It is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of South India

Correct Answer: (d) It is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of South India

Solution:Kalaripayattu is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of Kerala/ South India.

3. Consider the following pairs : [2014-I]

1. Garba : Gujarat

2. Mohiniattam : Odisha

3. Yakshagana : Karnataka

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 only

Correct Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Solution:Yakshgana is a theatre form of Karnataka. Mohiniattam is from Kerala and Garba is a dance form from Gujarat.

4. Consider the following statements: [2014-1]

1. 'Bijak' is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal.

2. The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was propounded by Madhvacharya.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution:Statement 1 is wrong because Kabir founded a community - Kabirpnathi, who consider Bijak, a collection of his verses, as their scripture. Statement 2 is wrong because Vallabhacharya's philosophy came to be known as Pushtimarga (the path of grace).

5. With reference to the cultural history of India, the term 'Panchayatan' refers to [2015-I]

(a) an assembly of village elders
(b) a religious sect
(c) a style of temple construction
(d) an administrative functionary

Correct Answer: (c) a style of temple construction

Solution:Panchayatana is a style of temple construction that has a central shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines.

6. Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as 'World Economic Outlook'? [ [2014-1]

(a) The International Monetary Fund
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank

Correct Answer: (a) The International Monetary Fund

Solution:The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database contains selected macroeconomic data series from the statistical appendix of the World Economic Outlook report prepared by IMF,

7. Kalamkari painting refers to [2015-1]

(a) a hand-painted cotton textile in South India
(b) a handmade drawing on bamboo handicrafts in North-East India
(c) a block-painted woollen cloth in Western Himalayan region of India
(d) a hand-painted decorative silk cloth in North-Western India

Correct Answer: (a) a hand-painted cotton textile in South India

Solution:Kalamkari painting is a type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile which are produced in parts of India and in Iran. The Machilipatnam Kalamkari craft made at Pedana nearby Machilipatnam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It evolved with patronage of the Mughals and the Golconda sultanate.

8. India is a member of which among the following? [2015-1]

1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

2. Association of South-East Asian Nations

3. East Asia Summit

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) India is a member of none of them

Correct Answer: (b) 3 only

Solution:At present, India is not a member of APEC and ASEAN. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on 14 December 2005. India is the member of this forum.

9. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)? [2015-1]

1. NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government.

2. NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India's premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: (a) 1 only

Solution:National Innovation Foundation India (NIF) is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. It was set up in February 2000 at Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India to provide institutional support for scouting, spawning, sustaining and scaling up the grassroots innovations across the country.

10. Consider the following pairs: [2015-I]

Place of Pilgrimage	Location
Srisailam	Nallamala Hills
Omkareshwar	Satmala Hills
Pushkar	Mahadeo Hills

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3