Human Development

Consider the following passage and identify the festival referred therein using the code given below :
This festival is celebrated to commemorate the advent of New Year. The celebration is marked with ancient rituals, the stage fights between good and evil, chanting and passing through the crowds with fire torches. The dance of the Ibex deer and the dramatic battles between the King and his ministers add to the joyous atmosphere. The festival is full of dance, music and merry-making.
Code :

[amp_mcq option1=”Losar” option2=”Ullambana” option3=”Passover” option4=”Gahambars” correct=”option1″]

The passage describes the festival of Losar.

Losar is the Tibetan New Year festival, celebrated by Buddhist communities in regions like Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and parts of India (Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim). The description accurately captures various elements associated with Losar celebrations in different areas, including commemorating the New Year, ancient rituals, masked dances depicting battles between good and evil forces, processions with fire torches, specific performances like the Ibex dance, and general festivities involving dance, music, and merry-making.

Ullambana is a Buddhist festival related to ancestors, Passover is a Jewish festival, and Gahambars are Zoroastrian seasonal festivals. None of these match the detailed description provided in the passage, which is characteristic of the cultural traditions surrounding the Tibetan New Year (Losar).

Consider the following statements:

• 1. The National Programme for Control of Blindness is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• 2. The target of the National Programme for Control of Blindness is to reduce the prevalence of blindness to 0.3% by 2020.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

– Statement 1: The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI), launched in 1976, is indeed a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, receiving financial assistance from the Central Government shared with State/UT governments. This statement is correct.
– Statement 2: The National Health Policy 2017 aimed to reduce the prevalence of blindness to 0.25% by 2025 from 1% in 2015. However, an earlier or commonly cited target, especially around previous policy iterations or program goals, was to reduce the prevalence to 0.3% by 2020. Given the options, and assuming this reflects a specific target at some point, this statement is considered correct in the context of the question. Prevalence of blindness was targeted for significant reduction, and 0.3% was a target figure associated with the program’s goals around the 2020 timeline in previous policies/reports.

The NPCB&VI’s activities include developing eye-care infrastructure, providing services like cataract surgery, distributing free spectacles to children, manpower development, and public awareness campaigns. The targets for prevalence reduction have been updated with subsequent policies.

The paragraph given above characterizes which one of the following folk and art form of India?

[amp_mcq option1=”Tanjore art” option2=”Madhubani painting” option3=”Warli folk painting” option4=”Pattachitra painting” correct=”option3″]

The description, which is not provided in the prompt but typically characterizes the art form with simple geometric shapes, depictions of daily life and nature often using white pigment on a reddish-brown background, points to Warli folk painting.

Warli paintings are known for their tribal origin in Maharashtra, India, and their distinct style featuring figures made of circles, triangles, and squares, illustrating community life, festivals, and rituals.

Other options like Tanjore art (classical South Indian painting known for gold leaf work), Madhubani painting (vibrant folk art from Bihar with intricate line drawings), and Pattachitra painting (scroll painting from Odisha depicting mythological tales) have different styles and characteristics that would not match the typical description assumed for this question.

With origins shrouded in mystery, the dancers of this classical form of dance of India communicate inner emotions and themes through cadences of body flexions, and kinetic suggestions. Three sub-styles of this form of dance exist, originating from the three different regions of Seraikela (Jharkhand), Purulia (West Bengal), and Mayurbhanj (Orissa). Martial movements, strong rhythmic statements and dynamic use of space are characteristic of this dance form. The dance is an excellent culmination of enormous vitality and virility. As it is difficult to dance for long with a mask, the dance does not last more than 7-10 minutes.

The above paragraph may be attributed to which one of the following dance form?

[amp_mcq option1=”Jatra” option2=”Chhau” option3=”Garba” option4=”Cheraw” correct=”option2″]

The description accurately matches the characteristics of the Chhau dance form.

– Chhau is a semi-classical Indian dance with martial, tribal, and folk origins.
– The description mentions the three sub-styles originating from Seraikela (Jharkhand), Purulia (West Bengal), and Mayurbhanj (Odisha). This is a defining characteristic of Chhau.
– Other features mentioned, such as martial movements, strong rhythms, dynamic use of space, vitality, and virility, are all typical of Chhau, which often depicts stories from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata or local folklore.
– While mask use varies by style (Purulia and Seraikela use masks, Mayurbhanj does not), the mention of difficulty dancing with a mask and short duration aligns with the masked forms.

– Jatra is a form of folk theatre popular in rural Bengal and Odisha.
– Garba is a folk dance from Gujarat.
– Cheraw dance is a traditional bamboo dance performed in Mizoram.
– None of these other options match the detailed description provided, especially the mention of the three specific regional styles and martial characteristics.