Art & Culture GK Notes

Indian dances, music, festivals, heritage sites and cultural facts.

47 topics724 MCQs264 previous-year questions107 quizzesUpdated 18 October 2026

Art & Culture Questions Art & Culture Quizzes

Art and Culture is the widest static GK subject and one of the most rewarding, because the same facts serve SSC, railway, state PSC and UPSC papers alike. The topics here cover Classical Dances of India, Folk Dances of India, Indian Classical Music, Indian Paintings and Schools, Temple Architecture, Indo-Islamic Architecture, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, Festivals of India, Handicrafts and GI Tags, Languages and Scripts of India and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of India, among others.

SSC CGL and CHSL ask this subject in nearly every shift, often two or three questions; RRB NTPC, state PSC prelims and UPSC prelims ask it as well. The typical question pairs a dance form or a folk painting with its state, a musical instrument with a famous artist, a temple with its architectural style or builder, or a festival with the region that celebrates it. UPSC goes deeper into the Gandhara and Mathura schools, rock-cut caves, stupas and Indian philosophy.

The topics on this page follow the syllabus order, so start at the top with dances and music and work down to architecture and institutions. Read the notes for a topic, attempt its practice MCQs, and then check the previous-year questions, each tagged with the exam and year. The mixed quiz sets on GK24 shuffle questions across topics for revision, which matches how the subject appears in the real paper.

Topic-wise notes

1
Classical Dances of India
The eight classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, their home states, gurus, costumes and repertoire, with the Natya Shastra facts SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
20 MCQs8 previous-year questions
2
Folk Dances of India
State-wise folk dances of India with their festivals, instruments and communities, the folk theatre forms that are mistaken for classical dance, and the pairs SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
21 MCQs11 previous-year questions
3
Indian Classical Music
The Hindustani and Carnatic systems, the treatises, swara, raga and tala, the vocal forms, the gharanas and the composers, with the pairs SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
20 MCQs10 previous-year questions
4
Musical Instruments and Artists
The four-fold classification of Indian musical instruments, the string, wind and percussion instruments, the folk instruments of the states and the artists exams pair them with.
18 MCQs8 previous-year questions
5
Indian Paintings and Schools
Cave murals, the Mughal, Rajasthani, Pahari and Deccan miniature schools, the Bengal School and modern painters, and the folk and tribal styles of each state, as exams ask them.
26 MCQs20 previous-year questions
6
Temple Architecture
Parts of a temple, the Nagara, Dravida and Vesara styles, rock-cut beginnings and the regional schools from Odisha and Khajuraho to the Cholas, with the facts exams ask.
28 MCQs22 previous-year questions
7
Indo-Islamic Architecture
The arch, dome and minaret in India: the Delhi Sultanate and provincial styles, Mughal monuments from Humayun tomb to the Taj Mahal, and the builders exams ask about.
24 MCQs18 previous-year questions
8
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
How a site joins the World Heritage List, India's cultural, natural and mixed sites with their states and years of inscription, and the pairs SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
16 MCQs5 previous-year questions
9
Festivals of India
Harvest, new year, temple and tribal festivals of India with the state each belongs to, the month it falls in and the fairs, dances and rituals that SSC, Railway and State exams pair in one-mark questions.
29 MCQs21 previous-year questions
10
Fairs and Tribal Culture
The great melas of India with their state and occasion, the major tribes region by region, and the tribal festivals, dances and crafts that SSC, Railway and State exams pair in one-mark questions.
14 MCQs7 previous-year questions
11
Languages and Scripts of India
The four language families, the 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule and the amendments that added them, the official language articles, the classical languages and the scripts of India.
21 MCQs17 previous-year questions
12
Handicrafts and GI Tags
The handicrafts of every Indian state, the weaves, metal crafts and folk paintings behind them, and the GI Act of 1999, the GI Registry and the tags that protect them.
16 MCQs7 previous-year questions
13
Theatre and Cinema of India
Natya Shastra and the Sanskrit dramatists, folk theatre and puppetry state by state, and the firsts, awards and institutions of Indian cinema.
10 MCQs4 previous-year questions
14
Martial Arts and Traditional Sports
Kalaripayattu, Silambam, Thang-Ta, Gatka, Thoda, Mallakhamb and the traditional sports of India, with the state each belongs to and the weapon or rule that identifies it.
10 MCQs
15
Religions and Philosophy of India
The six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy, the Vedanta sub-schools and their founders, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Bhakti and Sufism, as exams ask them.
33 MCQs28 previous-year questions
16
Rock-Cut Caves, Stupas and Early Architecture
Barabar, Bhaja, Karle, Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta, the stupas of Sanchi, Bharhut and Amaravati, and the parts of a stupa, with the pairs exams ask.
24 MCQs14 previous-year questions
17
Sculpture: Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati Schools
Region, patron dynasty, stone and style of the three schools of early Indian sculpture, the first Buddha images, the symbols that came before them and the later Sarnath school.
18 MCQs6 previous-year questions
18
Folk Paintings: Madhubani, Warli and Pattachitra
The folk painting traditions exams ask about: Madhubani of Mithila, Warli of Maharashtra and Pattachitra of Odisha, their materials, motifs and artists, with a state-wise table of the other styles.
14 MCQs2 previous-year questions
19
Modern Indian Art and Artists
Colonial art schools, Raja Ravi Varma, the Bengal School, Amrita Sher-Gil, the Progressive Artists' Group, modern sculpture and the art academies, with the facts SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
15 MCQs3 previous-year questions
20
Folk Music and Folk Songs of India
State-wise folk music and song forms of India, the songs of the seasons and of life, folk instruments and the traditions on the UNESCO heritage list.
12 MCQs1 previous-year questions
21
Puppetry and Folk Theatre
The four techniques of Indian puppetry with their forms and states, and the folk theatre of each state, with the instruments, people and features exams ask about.
13 MCQs3 previous-year questions
22
Famous Dancers of India
The leading exponents of India's eight classical dance forms, the institutions they founded and the titles and firsts examiners ask about.
12 MCQs1 previous-year questions
23
Textiles and Sarees of India
The handloom sarees of each state, the four silks, the dyeing, printing and embroidery crafts and the textile pairs that SSC, Railway and State exams set.
14 MCQs2 previous-year questions
24
Buddhist and Jain Art and Pilgrimage Sites
Stupas, chaityas, viharas and rock-cut caves of Buddhism and the temple clusters of Jainism, with the sites, dynasties, sculpture schools and vocabulary that competitive exams ask about.
11 MCQs1 previous-year questions
25
Famous Temples and Pilgrimage Centres
Jyotirlingas, Char Dham, Shakti Peethas and the great temples of India with their builders, states and architectural styles, as asked in SSC, Railway and State exams.
16 MCQs6 previous-year questions
26
Forts and Palaces of India
The Mughal forts, the hill forts of Rajasthan, the Deccan and Maratha forts, the European coastal forts and the great palaces, with builders, states and features.
13 MCQs2 previous-year questions
27
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of India
The 2003 UNESCO Convention, its five domains and three lists, and every Indian element on the Representative List with its year and region, as asked in SSC, Railway and State exams.
13 MCQs3 previous-year questions
28
Cultural Institutions: Sangeet Natak, Lalit Kala and ICCR
The three national academies, the ICCR, NSD, CCRT, IGNCA, the seven zonal cultural centres and the surveys, museums and libraries, with founding years and headquarters.
13 MCQs3 previous-year questions
29
Museums, Libraries and Archives
India’s museums, libraries and archives for exams: the Indian Museum, National Museum, Salar Jung, the National Library, the depository libraries and the National Archives, with years and cities.
13 MCQs2 previous-year questions
30
Colonial Architecture: Indo-Saracenic, Gothic and Lutyens' Delhi
Portuguese, Dutch, French and British building styles in India: Gothic Revival, Indo-Saracenic and neo-classical landmarks, their architects and the planning of New Delhi, with the facts SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
14 MCQs4 previous-year questions
31
Bronze Sculpture: Chola Bronzes to Dhokra
Lost-wax casting in India from the Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro to Pala and Chola bronzes, Nataraja iconography, Swamimalai panchaloha icons and Dhokra tribal craft, with the facts SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
15 MCQs3 previous-year questions
32
Dance, Music and Literature Festivals of India
Khajuraho, Konark, Mamallapuram, Natyanjali, Tansen Samaroh, Hornbill, Sangai, Surajkund and the Jaipur Literature Festival, with the state and venue of each.
10 MCQs
33
Yoga, Ayurveda and the AYUSH Systems of Medicine
Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy and Sowa-Rigpa: their founders, classical texts, principles, apex institutes and the AYUSH Ministry, with the facts exams ask.
15 MCQs7 previous-year questions
34
Famous Gurdwaras, Mosques, Dargahs, Churches and Fire Temples
The Golden Temple and the five Takhts, the great mosques and Sufi dargahs, the basilicas of Goa and Kochi, Parsi Atash Behrams and the synagogues of India's Jewish communities.
10 MCQs
35
UNESCO Creative Cities and Memory of the World Register: India
India's cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network with their creative fields and years, and the Indian inscriptions on the Memory of the World Register, kept apart from World Heritage and intangible heritage.
11 MCQs1 previous-year questions
36
Spread of Indian Culture Abroad: South-East and Central Asia
How Indian religion, art and letters travelled abroad: Ashoka's missions, Angkor Wat and Borobudur, the Ramayana in South-East Asia, Gandhara, Tibet, China and Japan.
11 MCQs
37
Heritage and Tourism Schemes: PRASHAD, HRIDAY and Swadesh Darshan
Swadesh Darshan and its thematic circuits, the PRASHAD pilgrimage mission, HRIDAY for heritage cities, Adopt a Heritage, Incredible India and Dekho Apna Desh, with the ministries that run them.
11 MCQs
38
Archaeological Survey of India and Major Excavations
The founding of the Archaeological Survey of India, its Directors-General from Cunningham to Marshall and Wheeler, the laws it works under, and the major excavations and their excavators, as asked in SSC, Railway, State and UPSC exams.
13 MCQs1 previous-year questions
39
Modern Architecture and Architects of India
Modern Indian architecture for exams: the Indo-Saracenic and colonial styles, Lutyens Delhi, Le Corbusier and Chandigarh, and the works of Charles Correa, B. V. Doshi, Laurie Baker and other architects.
11 MCQs1 previous-year questions
40
Stepwells, Tanks and Water Architecture of India
Stepwells and water architecture of India for exams: vavs, baolis, kunds and kalyanis, Rani ki Vav, Chand Baori, Harappan reservoirs, temple tanks and regional water harvesting.
12 MCQs
41
Iconography: Mudras, Avatars and Symbols in Indian Art
Indian iconography for exams: the mudras of the Buddha, the attributes and avatars of Vishnu, the forms of Shiva and the Devi, Jain emblems, the vahanas of the gods, and the symbols that identify an image.
14 MCQs2 previous-year questions
42
Sects of Hinduism: Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism
The sects of Hinduism for exams: Shaivism and its Pashupata, Kashmir, Siddhanta and Lingayat schools, Vaishnavism with its acharyas, Alvars and sampradayas, Shaktism with its Mahavidyas, and the Smarta, Ganapatya and Saura traditions.
12 MCQs1 previous-year questions
43
Floor Art of India: Rangoli, Kolam, Alpana and Mandana
The threshold floor art of India state by state: rangoli, kolam, muggu, alpana, aripan, jhoti, mandana, aipan, chowk purana, sathiya, pookalam and kalamezhuthu, with the materials, motifs and festivals exams ask about.
10 MCQs
44
Mughal Gardens and Famous Gardens of India
The charbagh plan, the gardens of Babur, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the Mughal gardens of Kashmir and India's famous and botanical gardens, with the facts SSC, Railway and State exams ask.
10 MCQs
45
Devotional Music: Bhajan, Kirtan, Qawwali, Abhang and Baul
Indian devotional music for exams: bhajan and haveli sangeet, kirtan and sankirtana, qawwali and its forms, abhang of the Varkaris, Baul songs of Bengal and temple hymns.
10 MCQs1 previous-year questions
46
Pottery Traditions of India: Harappan to Painted Grey Ware and NBPW
Indian pottery for exams: Harappan red ware, Ochre Coloured Pottery, Black and Red Ware, Painted Grey Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware, Rouletted Ware and the living clay crafts of the states.
10 MCQs
47
Traditional Cuisine and Famous Dishes of Indian States
State wise food for exams: the Wazwan of Kashmir, dal baati churma, undhiyu, litti chokha, the Sadya of Onam, the Mahaprasad of Puri, Hyderabadi biryani and the foods that carry a GI tag.
10 MCQs

Frequently Asked Questions

How are Art and Culture questions asked in SSC CGL and CHSL?

SSC questions are mostly one-line matching facts: which state a classical or folk dance belongs to, which instrument a well-known musician plays, which school a painting style comes from, in which state a festival or a fair is held, and which city hosts a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Handicrafts with GI tags and traditional sports have become frequent in recent years. Reading each topic once and solving previous-year questions covers most of what SSC asks.

Which classical dances of India are asked most in competitive exams?

All the classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi are asked, but the pairings that repeat are Bharatanatyam with Tamil Nadu, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam with Kerala, Kuchipudi with Andhra Pradesh, Odissi with Odisha, Manipuri with Manipur, Sattriya with Assam and Kathak with north India. Exams also ask famous exponents of each dance and about the Natyashastra, the ancient text that describes Indian performing arts.

Is Art and Culture important for UPSC prelims, or only for SSC and state exams?

It matters for both, but the depth differs. UPSC prelims asks about Buddhist and Jain art, the Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati sculpture schools, rock-cut caves and stupas, temple architecture styles and UNESCO listings, often through statement-based questions. SSC and state exams stay with direct facts such as a dance and its state or a festival and its region. The notes here begin with the direct facts and add the detail UPSC aspirants need.

How do I remember folk dances and paintings state-wise?

Learn them state by state rather than as a long alphabetical list. For each state, note two or three folk dances, one folk painting where it exists, such as Madhubani for Bihar, Warli for Maharashtra and Pattachitra for Odisha, and one major festival. The state-wise grouping is how exam setters think, so the pairing stays in memory. The practice MCQs and mixed quizzes on this page test the same pairings repeatedly until they stick.

Are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Intangible Cultural Heritage asked in exams?

Yes, and both lists grow, so this is partly current affairs. Exams ask the most recently added site, the state where a site is located, and whether a site is cultural, natural or mixed. The intangible heritage list, which includes Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Yoga and Garba, is a favourite in bank and SSC papers. Learn the full list once and update it whenever a new inscription is announced.