Are you Prelims ready? UPSC CSE Preliminary Exam 2024 will be conducted on June 16. For aspirants, revision of Current Affairs is one of the most important tasks in the coming days. Manas Srivastava talks to Deepanshu Singh, in our expert talk, as he suggests a checklist of 30 important topics from Art and Culture that every aspirant must revise for their Prelims exam and add to their current affairs notes, in case they haven't. About the Expert: Deepanshu Singh is an educator and a mentor for UPSC aspirants. He has guided many aspirants in the past with his expertise on subjects such as International relations, Polity, and more. He has authored books on International Relations for Civil Services Examination. Beyond academia, Singh serves as a public policy expert and shaped strategies for India’s G20 Presidency. 1. LORD JAGANNATH TEMPLE — It is an example of Kalinga style Architecture and is one of the four dhams (char dham of Adi Shankaracharya) where Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu, is worshipped along with Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. — The Ratna Bhandar of the Puri Jagannath temple houses precious ornaments donated by devotees and erstwhile kings. — It comprises two chambers, the Bhitar Bhandar (inner chamber) and Bahara Bhandar (outer chamber). 2. LORD RAM TEMPLE AYODHYA — It is an example of Nagara Architecture. — The 4 corners of the temple hosts temples for Surya, Bhagavati, Ganesh and Shiva, and the northern and southern arms will have Annapurna and Hanuman temples respectively. 3. PM’S VISIT TO SOUTH INDIAN TEMPLES — Starting from Veerabhadra Temple in Lapakshi, Andhra Pradesh, he proceeded to Thriprayar Shree Ramaswami Temple in Kerala, Srirangam’s Sri Ranganatha Temple, and Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram. 4. 350th ANNIVERSARY OF CORONATION OF CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a legendary 17th-century Indian warrior king and the founder of the Maratha Empire. — The Maharashtra government planned grand celebrations to observe the 350th coronation anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, atop the Raigad Fort. — Shivaji's governance, fort, architecture, and navy are important study areas for UPSC aspirants. (You may expect questions from Anglo-Maratha wars.) 5. SANTINIKETAN — Santiniketan, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was founded by Debendranath Tagore and later expanded by his son Rabindranath Tagore. It stands as a testament to their vision of education that aimed to foster an appreciation for nature, art, and culture. 6. VAIKOM SATYAGRAH — It completed 100 years on March 30, 1924. — Vaikom, a temple town in the princely state of Travancore, saw the start of a non-violent agitation on March 30, 1924 — the first among temple entry movements that would soon sweep across the country. — The satyagraha foregrounded social reform amidst the growing nationalist movement, bringing Gandhian methods of protest to the state of Travancore. The issue of temple entry was first raised by Ezhava leader T K Madhavan in a 1917 editorial in his paper Deshabhimani. 7. CHIPKO MOVEMENT — Completion of 50 Years of landmark environmental conservation movement. — The Chipko movement was a non-violent agitation in 1973 that was aimed at protection and conservation of trees, but, perhaps, it is best remembered for the collective mobilisation of women for the cause of preserving forests, which also brought about a change in attitude regarding their own status in society. — The uprising against the felling of trees and maintaining the ecological balance originated in Uttar Pradesh’s Chamoli district (now Uttarakhand) in 1973 and in no time spilled onto other states in north India. The name of the movement ‘chipko’ comes from the word ’embrace’, as the villagers hugged the trees and encirled them to prevent being hacked. 8. SACRED ENSEMBLES OF HOYSALAS — The Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas in Karnataka, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, include the temples at Belur, Halebid, and Somanathapura. — The three temples include the Chennakeshava temple, the main temple in the complex at Belur (Hassan district), located at the centre of the traditional settlement which is surrounded by the remnants of a mud fort and a moat; the Hoysaleswara Temple on the banks of Dwarasamudra tank in Halebidu (Hassan district), a town which has many protected and unprotected temples, archaeological ruins and mounds; and the Keshava Temple at the centre of Somanathapura village (Mysore district). — These temples are renowned for their intricate carvings and are a testament to the architectural prowess of the Hoysala Empire. 9. NATARAJA STATUE — The world’s tallest Nataraja statue, installed at Bharat Mandapam for the G20 summit, represents Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance form. Crafted from an ashtadhatu (eight-metal alloy) by artisans from Tamil Nadu, it stands as a symbol of India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. 10. SENGOL — The Sengol, a sceptre symbolising governance and righteousness, was presented to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam. It has been placed in the new Parliament building, signifying the transfer of power from the British and India’s democratic traditions. 11. STATUE OF ONENESS — The Statue of Oneness dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya in Madhya Pradesh is a 108-foot tall structure that honours his contributions to Vedanta philosophy and Indian spirituality. 12. PICHWAI PAINTING — Pichwai paintings, originating from Nathdwara in Rajasthan, depict Lord Krishna’s life and are known for their vibrant colours and intricate details. — An art exhibit in Chennai showcased Pichwai paintings, some dating back 350 years, highlighting the preservation of this traditional art form. 13. CHAM LAMA DANCE — Tibetan Buddhists perform the Cham Lama dance to celebrate the birthday of Guru Padmasambhava. — This dance, performed with traditional Tibetan musical instruments and elaborate costumes, is a spiritual tradition that embodies the teachings of Buddhism. 14. KOLKALI DANCE — Kolkali is a traditional folk dance from Kerala, performed in a circle with rhythmic steps and the use of small sticks. It is inclusive of various communities and is performed during celebrations and harvest seasons. It was recently performed in Thrissur in remembrance of St. Thomas’ arrival in India. 15. OTTANTHULLAL (or Thullal) — It is a recite-and-dance art form of Kerala that is famous for its humor and social satire. It was introduced in the 18th century by legendary poet Kunchan Nambiar. 16. DHAMAAL — Dhamaal is a mix of Sufi and East African traditions in the spiritual music and dance of Siddis of Gujarat. Dhamaals honor spiritual leaders like Bava Gor, Mai, Misra, etc. 17. KEELADI EXCAVATION — The Keeladi excavation in Tamil Nadu has unearthed a crystal quartz weighing unit from the Sangam era, providing evidence of advanced technology and trade practices during ancient times. — Ongoing archaeological excavations in Keeladi and a few other sites in Tamil Nadu have extended the timeline of the Sangam Era from 300 BCE to 600 BCE. 18. SUNDARGARH NATURAL ARCH — The Geological Survey of India has proposed to declare the ‘Natural Arch’ in Sundargarh, Odisha, as a Geo Heritage site. — Dating back to the Jurassic period, it showcases primary sedimentary structures and is believed to have formed due to fault activities and sub-aerial weathering. 19. BYCULLA RAILWAY STATION OF MUMBAI — It was awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation, is a symbol of India’s colonial past and the evolution of railway transport in Asia. — It is the oldest functioning railway station in Asia and represents the growth of Mumbai as a commercial hub. 20. RANI DURGAVATI — The 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati was celebrated to honour her valiant resistance against the Mughal invasion. — Her governance and military strategies are studied for their historical significance and are an inspiration for women’s leadership. 21. SIR SYED AHMED KHAN — The 125th death anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan reminds his contributions to modern education and social reforms. His establishment of the Aligarh Muslim University is a significant event in the history of Indian education. 22. MAHARISHI DAYANAND SARASWATI — The 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati commemorates his role in the socio-religious reform movements in India. His advocacy for the Vedic foundation of Hinduism and his work towards social justice are notable. 23. SRI ALLURI SITARAMA RAJU — The 125th Birth Anniversary of Sri Alluri Sitarama Raju and the centenary of the Rampa Rebellion are significant for understanding the tribal resistance against British colonial rule. His guerrilla warfare tactics are a part of the freedom struggle narrative. 24. AHILYABAI HOLKAR — The renaming of Ahmednagar district to Ahilyanagar honours Ahilyabai Holkar’s contributions to architecture, philanthropy, and governance. Her rule is often cited as a model of just and people-centric governance. 25. KUI LANGUAGE — The proposal to include the Kui language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution recognizes the linguistic diversity of India and the cultural significance of the language spoken by the Kui tribal community in Odisha. 26. HOMO NALEDI —The discovery of Homo naledi’s potential burial practices and symbolic behaviour adds to the understanding of human evolution and the cognitive abilities of extinct human species. — This discovery is significant for anthropology and evolutionary biology studies. 27. KATTUNAYAKAN TRIBE — The Oscar award for the documentary "Elephant Whisperers" honours the enduring heritage of environmental preservation upheld by the Kattunayakan tribe. 28. KONDA REDDI TRIBE — This tribe was in the news due to the knowledge they shared of storage of water in the bark of the tree at Papikonda National Park. — This knowledge was shared with the forest department by the Konda Reddi tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group inhabiting the Papikonda hill range in the Godavari region. 29. SOLIGAS TRIBE — They are an isolated tribal community restricted to only Karnataka & Tamil Nadu (especially in Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara Hills). — Popularly known as Soliga Also called the children of bamboo because the word is believed to mean that they originated from bamboo. 30. TOTO LANGUAGE — It is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by tribal Toto people residing in Totopara village of West Bengal adjacent to Bhutan.Toto language is set to receive its dictionary. Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. The UPSC articles of Indian Express is now on Telegram. Join our Telegram channel- Indian Express UPSC Hub and stay updated with the latest Updates.
