UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise static quiz: History and Culture MCQs on Project PARI, Lentina Ao, Piprahwa relics and more (Week 120)

QUESTION 1

Consider the following statements with reference to the Battle of Colachel:

1. It shattered the Dutch dream of colonising Malabar. 

2. Krishnaraja Wodeyar is remembered for defeating the Dutch in the Battle of Colachel.

Which of the above given statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

In 1729, when a 23-year-old Marthanda Varma ascended the throne of Travancore, the kingdom was embattled on every front. From feudatories to rival kingdoms and European colonial powers seeking to establish a foothold in the South Asian region, Varma had to contend with several issues in the princely state.

Varma is best remembered for defeating the Dutch in the Battle of Colachel in 1741. The Dutch never managed to recover from the defeat, and thereafter never resumed their colonial ambitions in India.

Therefore, a is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: How a Travancore Maharaja thwarted Dutch colonial ambitions in India, Research, The Indian Express.)

QUESTION 2

Lentina Ao: A Light on the Eastern Horizon is a documentary film that won the Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film award at the 71st National Film Awards. What is the theme of the film?

(a) The rise of tourism in the Eastern India due to its historical highlights

(b) Life and social work of a Gandhian

(c) The Battle of Imphal

(d) North East India becoming a new solar power house

Explanation

71st National Film Awards 2025 Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction Film: Mo Bou Mo Gaan, Lentina Ao.

Lentina Ao Thakkar: A Gandhian social worker from Nagaland was awarded Padma Shree in 2018.

Therefore, b is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

What does Project PARI, launched by the Ministry of Culture, aim to achieve?

(a) To bring forth public art that draws inspiration from lok sanskriti while incorporating modern themes and techniques

(b) To encourage children up to age 12 to combine art with their imagination through school-based activities

(c) To promote participation of the girl child exclusively in traditional Indian art forms

(d) To create a nationwide database of ancient manuscripts

Explanation

According to india.gov.in, 

“Project PARI (Public Art of India), an initiative by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, being executed by Lalit Kala Akademi and National Gallery of Modern Art seeks to bring forth public art that draws inspiration from millennia of artistic heritage (lok kala/lok sanskriti) while incorporating modern themes and techniques. These expressions underscore the intrinsic value that art holds in Indian society, serving as a testament to the nation’s enduring commitment to creativity and artistic expression.”

Therefore, a is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Which of the following freedom fighters authored the books ‘The Orion’ and ‘The Arctic Home of the Vedas’?

(a) Lala Hardayal

(b) Jawaharlal Nehru

(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

(d) Lala Lajpat Rai

Explanation

Tilak has authored several influential works. In 1881, Tilak, along with G G Agarkar, founded the newspapers ‘Kesari’ (in Marathi) and ‘Mahratta’ in English, and used them to spread nationalist resistance against British rule. He has also written Geeta Rahasya, Orion, The Arctic Home of the Vedas and many more.

Therefore, c is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Knowledge Nugget — Why Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Non-Cooperation Movement matter for UPSC prep by Khushboo Kumari, UPSC Essentials, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 5

With reference to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, consider the following statements:

1. Mahatma Gandhi has called him “the Maker of Modern India”, and Jawaharlal Nehru described him as “the Father of the Indian Revolution”.

2. He signed the Lucknow Pact with Muhammad Ali Jinnah to find a way for Hindus and Muslims to work together.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, popularly known as Lokmanya Tilak, died on August 1, 1920. This year marked the 105th death anniversary. He was born on July 23, 1856, at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Mahatma Gandhi has called him “the Maker of Modern India”, and Jawaharlal Nehru described him as “the Father of the Indian Revolution”.

In 1916, he  rejoined the Congress, signed the Lucknow Pact with Muhammad Ali Jinnah to find a way for Hindus and Muslims to work together. He founded the All India Home Rule League with GS Khaparde and Annie Besant. It was in 1916, in Belgaum in Karnataka, that Tilak is believed to have uttered his famous words of Swaraj being a birthright.

Therefore, c is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Knowledge Nugget — Why Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Non-Cooperation Movement matter for UPSC prep by Khushboo Kumari, UPSC Essentials, The Indian Express)

QUESTION 6

The Sikh articles of faith, such as the kirpan and kada, were originally institutionalized during the time of:

(a) Guru Arjan Dev

(b) Guru Hargobind

(c) Guru Tegh Bahadur

(d) Guru Gobind Singh

Explanation

A baptised Sikh girl was reportedly denied entry to the Rajasthan Civil Judge recruitment exam on July 27, 2025 in Jaipur because she was wearing Sikh religious symbols — the kirpan (ceremonial dagger) and kada (iron bangle).

Historically, these articles of faith (the Five Ks) were instituted by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 at the founding of the Khalsa.

The incident drew criticism from Sikh groups and civil rights advocates, who called it a violation of religious freedom.

In response, the Rajasthan government referred to a December 19, 2019 circular that explicitly permits Sikh candidates to carry religious items like: Kirpan, kada, Pagdi (turban) to the examination centres.

The circular remains valid and in force, and exam officials were instructed not to deny entry based solely on these symbols.

The only exception, the government clarified, is when a suspicious device is detected inside such items during screening (e.g., via metal detectors).

Therefore, d is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: ‘Sikh religious symbols permitted during exams’: Rajasthan govt after ‘anger’ in community by Hamza Khan, The Indian Express.)

QUESTION 7

With reference to the Piprahwa relics recently in the news, consider the following statements:

1. The Piprahwa site is located in present-day Bihar, near the Indo-Nepal border.

2. The relics discovered at Piprahwa are believed to be of Mahavira (Vardhamana) and were found in a stone coffer.

3. The Piprahwa gemstones were kept privately and entirely in the UK before the auction.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

The Piprahwa site is situated in Uttar Pradesh, near the Indo Nepal border—not Bihar . The relics were discovered in Piprahwa village, which lies in northern Uttar Pradesh, on the Indian side of the Nepal border .

These relics were split: many went to Indian museums, some were gifted to Thailand, and the Peppé family retained 349 gemstones, kept privately in the UK for over a century.

In May 2025, these sacred gemstones were listed for auction at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong by Peppé’s descendants, sparking backlash from historians, monks, and the Indian public.

The Government of India strongly opposed the sale, issuing a legal and diplomatic protest, calling it unethical and a violation of cultural heritage.

Ultimately, through a public–private effort, including the Godrej Group, the auction was withdrawn and the relics were repatriated to India in July 2025, 127 years after their removal.

Therefore, d is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Sacred Buddhist Piprahwa gemstones, put up for auction, repatriated to India after 127 years by Divya A,The Indian Express)

QUESTION 8

The partition of Bengal in 1905 provoked him to leave his job in Baroda and plunge into the nationalist movement. He started the patriotic journal Bande Mataram to promote radical methods and revolutionary tactics instead of mere supplication. In 1943, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and again in 1950 for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The above-mentioned paragraph refers to:

(a) Haridas Chaudhuri

(b) Sri Aurobindo

(c) Chittaranjan Das

(d) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation

In the context of the political discourses today, it is important to remember that Aurobindo adopted spiritual nationalism as his political credo, not parochial or chauvinistic but one that enabled India to “fulfil her destiny as the spiritual guide of humanity at large”— making Aurobindo one of the earliest proponents of the notion of “India as the Vishwa Guru”. Adding to the gendered discourse on India’s subjugation, Aurobindo argued, much like the Algerian revolutionary, Frantz Fanon, that Pax Britannica had led to a loss of manliness, and retributive violence was mandatory to vindicate one’s manhood.

The partition of Bengal in 1905 provoked Aurobindo to leave his job in Baroda and plunge into the nationalist movement. He started the patriotic journal Bande Mataram to propagate radical methods and revolutionary tactics instead of supplication. Aurobindo’s defiance drew reprisal; he was arrested thrice by the British — twice for sedition and once for conspiring to “wage war”. Bizarrely, one can find several such “offenders” in contemporary India. During his incarceration, Aurobindo was placed in solitary confinement for six months when he began the practice of yoga. Though acquitted, Aurobindo faced a constant threat of jail or exile to the Andamans, forcing him to seek refuge in Pondicherry, a French enclave.

In Pondicherry, Aurobindo eschewed overt political activities and embraced spiritual pursuits, soon to emerge as one of the most original thinkers, philosophers and spiritual masters. He met Mirra Alfassa in Pondicherry, and their spiritual collaboration led to “Integral Yoga”. Aurobindo retreated into virtual seclusion, anointing Alfassa as “the Mother” to lead the organisation. As a French citizen, Alfassa guided the unprecedented expansion of the Aurobindo Ashram, on occasions playing on the rivalry between the British and French to her advantage.

Several Indians saw the Second World War as an opportune moment to get rid of colonial occupation; Aurobindo, an unswerving internationalist, asked his compatriots to support the Allies and ensure Hitler’s defeat. Aurobindo was fortunate to see Indian independence and, in a rare public appearance, spoke on the radio to present his vision for India. He was a prolific writer, producing several insightful treatises on Indian religious, spiritual and cultural knowledge. In 1943, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature and then again in 1950 for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Therefore, b is the correct answer.

(For more, refer: Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary: A spiritual icon who first conceived of India as Vishwa Guru by Ravi Dutt Bajpai, Opinion, The Indian Express)

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