UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION

PRELIMS 2019 SPECIAL

LECTURE 27

MCQs – STATIC – Art & Culture

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UNESCO’S LIST OF INTANGIBLE

CULTURAL HERITAGE

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UNESCO’S LIST OF INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

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Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills as well as instruments, objects, artefacts associated therewith that communities, groups and in some cases individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.

UNESCO established its lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and to create awareness of their significance.

WHY??

UNESCO has identified these elements of intangible culture as an essential component and as a repository of cultural diversity and of creative expression.

WHAT?

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INTANGIBLE CULTURE

Traditional and contemporary

Inclusive Representative Community-based

UNESCO’S LIST OF INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

KOODIYATTAM

It is a combined dance drama conducted by the Chakyars (a subcaste among Hindus) who play the male castetraditionally in the State of Kerala.

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The women of the Nambiar caste play the female roles. The performance lasts from 6 to 20 days. They are mainlyenacted inside the temples and the theme is based on Hindu mythology.

The character “Vidushaka” explains in simple Malayalam the background of the story and gives a live image of thecharacters in the minds of the audiences. All others characters perform using the Sanskrit language.

Mizhavu is the major musical instrument used here.

RAMLILA

It is a popular folk theatre in the region of Uttar Pradesh

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It is an enactment of Ramayana using songs, dances and dialogues, mainly during the period before Dussehra. Itis generally performed by male actors, who do the role of Sita as well.

The play is staged annually over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of “SharadNavaratras”.

Another unique Ramlila is being staged since 1972, at Bakshi ka Talab near Lucknow, where lead characters likeRama, Lakshman and Hanuman are played by Muslim youths, a clear departure in a region known for communalflare-ups. This play has also been adapted into a radio play, ‘Us gaon ki ramlila’ to promote communal harmonyamong the masses.

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The oral tradition of the Vedas consists of several pathas, “recitations” or ways of chanting Vedic mantras.

Such traditions of Vedic chant are often considered as the oldest unbroken oral tradition in existence, the fixationof the Vedic texts as preserved dating roughly to the early Iron Age.

A religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal region, it is celebrated by the Hindu Community in theSaloor-Dungra villages of the Painkhanda Valley in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand

This festival is unique to this village and is not performed elsewhere in the Himalayan region.

UNESCO’S LIST OF INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

TRADITION IN VEDIC CHANTING

RAMMAN

MUDIYETTU

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The traditional ritual theatre, Mudiyettu, is a folk dance and drama performed in the state of Kerala.

It depicts the mythological tale of a battle between the Goddess Kali and the demon Darika.

The dance is performed in the village temples, called Bhagavati Kavus, in between February and May after theharvesting season.

The performers do heavy make-up and wear gorgeous attire with conventional facial painting, tall headgear, etcto give the touch of the supernatural. Mutual cooperation and collective participation of each caste in the ritualstrengthens their common identity and bonding.

KALBELIA

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Performed by the Kalbelia tribe of the tate of Rajasthan, Kalbelia dance movements resembles that of a serpent.

Traditionally, Kalbelia tribe was known for its frequent movement from one place to another and the occupationof catching snakes and trading snake venom.

The songs are based on mythology and it involves composing lyrics spontaneously and improvising songs duringperformance.

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Koodiyattam – a Sanskrit theatre:

1) The entire performance of the play is in Sanskrit.

2) Traditionally it is conducted by women of chakyar for playing the female roles while the men of

Nambiar play the male roles.

Which of the above is incorrect:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both are correct

d) None is correct

Answer : c

QUESTION 1

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Q. Ramlila is an important folk theatre based in Hindu Mythology – Ramayana. Which of the

following statement/s about Ramayana is/are correct:

1) It is a popular form of theatre in the region of Uttar Pradesh .

2) It has found for itself in UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

Select the correct code:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 or 2

Answer : d

QUESTION 2

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Q. Which of the following are correctly matched?

Select the correct code:

a) 1 Only

b) 1 and 2 Only

c) 2 and 3 Only

d) All of the above

Answer : a

QUESTION 3

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1 – Koodiyattam Kerela

2 – Kalbelia Dance West Bengal

3 – Mudiyettu Tamil Nadu

Q. Which of the following statement/s regarding the Ramman – a ritual theatre of Garhwal

is/are correct?

1. It is celebrated by the Parsi Community.

2. The festival of Ramman is celebrated in several districts of lower Himalayan region.

Select the correct code:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both are correct

d) None of the above are correct

Answer : d

QUESTION 4

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Q. Which of the following are not the features of Muddiyettu – a traditional ritual theatre?

1) Facial Painting.

2) Heavy make up

3) Primarily it is performed by the members of lower caste

4) Mizhavu is major musical instrument

Select the correct code:

a) 1 and 2 Only

b) 1, 2 and 3 Only

c) 3 and 4 Only

d) None of the above

Answer : c

QUESTION 5

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Q. Mizhavu is an important instrument used in Koodiyattam performance. Which of the

following statements about Mizhavu are correct?

1) It’s a non-percussion instrument.

2) It resembles a large pot and is made of copper which has a wet calf skin tightened around its

mouth.

3) It is held sacred.

Select the correct code:

a) 1 and 3 Only

b) 2 Only

c) 2 and 3Only

d) None of the above

DO IT YOURSELF

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