Fairs and Festivals of India — UPSC Prelims Practice
Answer all questions carefully. Each question has exactly one correct answer.
hard•12 questions•~15 min
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Question 01
medium
Consider the following statements about Diwali:
1. Diwali falls on Amavasya (new moon) in the month of Karthik.
2. On the day of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshipped throughout India.
3. According to Jain philosophy, Diwali marks the day when Mahavira attained Nirvana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question 02
hard
Which of the following pairs correctly matches the chariot (Rath) with the deity in the Puri Rath Yatra?
Question 03
medium
Consider the following statements about Ganesh Chaturthi:
1. The festival was initiated by Shivaji to promote Hinduism against the Mughals.
2. Bal Gangadhar Tilak revived the festival in 1893 to counter the British ban on public gatherings.
3. The immersion of the idol at the end of the festival is called 'Visarjan'.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question 04
hard
With reference to Paryushana, the major Jain festival, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The Svetambara sect celebrates Paryushana for 10 days while the Digambara sect celebrates it for 8 days.
2. The festival ends with Kshamavami (forgiveness day) where devotees say 'Micchami Dukkadam'.
3. During Paryushana, discourses on the Kalpa Sutra are an important feature.
Select the correct answer:
Question 05
hard
Which of the following is NOT correctly matched?
Question 06
hard
Consider the following statements about the Kumbh Mela:
1. The Maha Kumbh takes place once in 144 years.
2. At Nashik and Ujjain, when the mela is held with a planet in Leo (Simha), it is called Simhastha Kumbh.
3. The Kumbh Mela at Nashik-Trimbak is held on the banks of the Godavari river.
4. Ardh-Kumbh Mela is held every sixth year at Haridwar and Allahabad.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Question 07
medium
Which of the following correctly describes the festival of Milad-Un-Nabi?
Question 08
hard
Match the following festivals with their associated tribes/states:
1. Dree Festival — (a) Nagaland (Angami tribe)
2. Sekrenyi Festival — (b) Arunachal Pradesh (Apatani tribe)
3. Wangala Festival — (c) Meghalaya (Garo tribe)
4. Losar Festival — (d) Arunachal Pradesh (Mahayana Buddhist tribes)
Which of the following matchings is correct?
Question 09
hard
Consider the following about Sair-e-Gulfaroshan (Phool Walon Ki Sair):
1. It is an annual festival of flowers held in Old Delhi, symbolising communal harmony.
2. The festival was started by Queen Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
3. It was banned by the British and reinstated in 1962.
Which of the statements is/are correct?
Question 10
medium
Consider the following pairs of Bihu types with their correct names:
1. Bohag Bihu — Rongali Bihu (New Year, April)
2. Kati Bihu — Kongali Bihu
3. Maagh Bihu — Bhogali Bihu
Which of the above pairings is/are correct?
Question 11
medium
Which of the following statements about Sikh festivals is/are correct?
1. Hola Mohalla is held at Anandpur Sahib and is also known as 'Sikh Olympics'.
2. Maghi is celebrated on 14th January in memory of the 40 Sikh martyrs (Chalis Mukte) at Muktsar.
3. Vaisakhi celebrates both the Sikh New Year and the birthday of Khalsa Panth.
Select the correct answer:
Question 12
medium
The Mahamastakabhisheka, a major Jain festival held once in twelve years, involves the holy bathing ceremony of which statue and at which location?