Chapter 6: MINISTRY OF CULTURE

Introduction 

It promotes and preserves ancient culture and heritage and promotes art and culture both tangible and intangible. It also commemorates important national events and centenaries of important figures. 

Lalit Kala Akademi:

Sangeet Natak Akademi:

The institute was setup after recommendation by the Asiatic society of Bengal. It was formally created in 1952 by a resolution of Education ministry under Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

It was inaugurated by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

It offers institutions in performing arts financial assistance. Great masters of performing arts are elected as fellows of the Akademi.

It is the advisor to the government in the field of policy making for performing arts.   

Sahitya Kala Akademi:

• It was founded as an autonomous body under Department of cultuere in 1954.
  
• It has later become a society. The main objective is preserve and promote literature and languages. It has its HQ in new Delhi with regional centers in Kolkata, Mumbai, bengaluru and Chennai.
• It has recognized 24 languages. It awards honarary fellowships which is the highest award for literature. It also awards prizes to books of literary merit written in any major language recognized by it.

Languages of India

• India has no National language but hindi and English are its official languages.
  
• Tamil [oldest], Sanskrit, kannada, telegu, Malayalam and odia [newest] are classical languages.
  
• 22 languages are scheduled languages in the constitution. Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added in 2004.
  

National school of drama:

Setup by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959 as a fully funded institute under Dept of culture. It trains students in all aspects of theatre. The diploma of NSD is recognised as an M.A [Arts]. 

Archaeological Survey of India:

Setup in 1861. It is an attached office of the Department of Culture.  The functions performed by it are excavating sites, training in archaeology, preserving monuments, declaring monuments to be of national importance.   

Ladakh : Little Tibet

Kesar saga is the national epic of Ladakh which is sung by both Muslims and Buddhists.

Q. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism.
2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. 1 only

2. 2 only

3. Both 1 and 2

4. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans . B

1. Sautrantikas and Sammtiyas are Buddhism sects.

2. Sarvastivadins - This sect of Buddhism believes that all things exist, and exist continuously, in the past and the future as well as in the present.

Q. The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings at (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. Ajanta

2. Badami

3. Bagh

4. Ellora

Ans . A

Q. Consider the following pairs:
Traditions- Communities
1. Chaliha Sahib Festival- Sindhis
2. Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra- Gonds
3. Wari-Warkari- Santhals
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ? (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. 1 only

2. 2 and 3 only

3. 1 and 3 only

4. None of the above

Ans . A

1. Chaliha Sahib: Sindhi festival

2. Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra: Nanda Devi related festival in Uttarakhand

3. Wari-Warkari: Wari is a pilgrimage for the Warkari sect related to Pandharpur god Vithoba in Maharashtra, and it's part of Bhakti movement not a particular tribal group.

Q. Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples?
1. Arasavalli
2. Amarakantak
3. Omkareshwar
Select the correct answer using the code given below : (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. 1 only

2. 2 and 3 only

3. 1 and 3 only

4. 1, 2 and 3

Ans . A

Q. With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:
1. It is a song and dance performance.
2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.
3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. 1, 2 and 3.

2. 1 and 3 only

3. 2 and 3 only

4. 1 only

Ans . B

Q. Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom? (UPSC CSAT 2017)

1. Kakinada

2. Motupalli

3. Machilipatnam (Masulipatnam)

4. Nelluru

Ans . B

1. Ganapati was the most powerful of Kakatiya sovereigns. Motupalli, now in Krishna district, was an important seaport in Kakatiya kingdom, frequented by foreign merchants.

Q.Which one of the following was given classical language status recently in 2015? (UPSC CSAT 2015)

• Odia




• Konkani




• Bhojpuri




• Assamese

Ans . A

Quiz

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