Festivals & Fairs MCQs for UPSC Prelims

36 practice questions on Festivals & Fairs from the Art & Culture section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 36 come with a written explanation and 3 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

22 Easy 12 Medium 2 Hard 3 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question hard

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?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D None of the above
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - 1 only

Only pair 1 is correct: the Chaliha Sahib festival, dedicated to Jhulelal, is celebrated by the Sindhi community. Pair 2 is wrong because the Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra is a Himalayan pilgrimage of Uttarakhand associated with the worship of goddess Nanda Devi, not the Gonds of central India. Pair 3 is wrong because the Wari-Warkari tradition is a Maharashtrian pilgrimage of devotees of Vitthal to Pandharpur, unconnected to the Santhal tribe. Hence only 1 is matched.

Q2
Previous year question medium

Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days?

  1. A 22nd March (or 21st March)
  2. B 15th May (or 16th May)
  3. C 31st March (or 30th March)
  4. D 21st April (or 20th April)
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - 22nd March (or 21st March)

In the national calendar based on the Saka Era, Chaitra 1 (the first day) corresponds to 22 March in a normal 365-day year, and to 21 March in a leap year, so option (a) is correct. The Saka calendar was adopted alongside the Gregorian calendar for official purposes, and the other dates do not align with its new-year, so they are wrong.

Q3
Previous year question hard

Consider the following pairs: Tradition State 1. Chapchar Kut festival Mizoram 2. Khongjom Parba ballad Manipur 3. Thang-Ta dance Sikkim Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 1 and 2
  3. C 3 only
  4. D 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 1 and 2

Pairs 1 and 2 are correct, so 'B' is the answer. Chapchar Kut is a spring festival of Mizoram, and Khongjom Parba is a ballad tradition of Manipur. Pair 3 is wrong because Thang-Ta is a martial art and dance form of Manipur, not Sikkim. Since only pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched, 'B' (1 and 2) is correct.

Q4
easy

The 'Hornbill Festival', a major cultural festival showcasing the heritage of various tribes, is celebrated in which state?

  1. A Nagaland
  2. B Meghalaya
  3. C Mizoram
  4. D Manipur
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Nagaland

The Hornbill Festival is held annually at Kisama near Kohima in Nagaland, bringing together the state's Naga tribes; the hornbill bird features prominently in Naga folklore. Meghalaya's notable festivals include Nongkrem and Wangala; Mizoram has Chapchar Kut; Manipur has the Sangai Festival and Lai Haraoba. Only Nagaland hosts the Hornbill Festival.

Q5
medium

Consider the following pairs of festivals and the states/communities with which they are traditionally associated: 1. Wangala : Garo tribe of Meghalaya 2. Chapchar Kut : Mizoram 3. Losar : Tibetan Buddhist communities (Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal) How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

  1. A Only one pair
  2. B Only two pairs
  3. C All three pairs
  4. D None of the pairs
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three pairs

All three are correct. Wangala (the 'Hundred Drums' festival) is the post-harvest thanksgiving festival of the Garo tribe of Meghalaya. Chapchar Kut is the spring festival of Mizoram celebrated after jhum clearing. Losar is the Tibetan/Buddhist New Year observed in Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal regions. Hence all three pairs match.

Q6
easy

The 'Ramman' religious festival and ritual theatre, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is associated with which region?

  1. A Garhwal region of Uttarakhand
  2. B Kumaon foothills of Nepal
  3. C Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh
  4. D Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Garhwal region of Uttarakhand

Ramman is a religious festival and ritual theatre performed in the Saloor-Dungra villages of the Painkhanda valley in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, inscribed by UNESCO in 2009 as intangible cultural heritage. It is not associated with Nepal, Bundelkhand or the Kangra valley. Only the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand is correct.

Q7
easy

The Hornbill Festival, a major tribal cultural festival, is celebrated annually in which State?

  1. A Nagaland
  2. B Mizoram
  3. C Meghalaya
  4. D Tripura
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Nagaland

The Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland, typically in the first week of December at Kisama near Kohima. It showcases the cultural heritage of the various Naga tribes and is named after the hornbill bird, prominent in Naga folklore. It is not held in Mizoram (Chapchar Kut), Meghalaya (Wangala/Nongkrem) or Tripura.

Q8
medium

The 'Hornbill Festival', a major cultural festival showcasing the heritage of multiple tribes and held annually at Kisama, is associated with which State?

  1. A Nagaland
  2. B Mizoram
  3. C Arunachal Pradesh
  4. D Tripura
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Nagaland

The Hornbill Festival is held at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, near Kohima in Nagaland, and brings together the State's many tribes; the hornbill bird is revered in Naga folklore. Mizoram's notable festival is Chapchar Kut, Arunachal Pradesh has festivals like Solung and Losar, and Tripura has Garia Puja, none of which is the Hornbill Festival.

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