Prelims Focused Material#20

Topic: History, Art and Culture

1. Carnatic music

● It is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the

modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and
Tamil Nadu.
● It is a more vocal oriented.
● Instruments are not widely used and when used, it is used as a form of imitation
of singing, generally within a vocal range.
● Trinity of great composers of the early 19th century: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami
Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri are known for their expansive work in the Carnatic
music.
● Islamic influences brought about significant changes in the music of North India
and hence, Hindustani style is known for its use of the sarod, tabla, and sitar and
it's flexibility.
● The music of South India is this differentiated from the music of North India.

2. Garba

● UNESCO has approved the inclusion of Gujarat's traditional Garba dance in its
`Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’.
● “This inscription underscores Garba’s pivotal role as a unifying force that fosters
social and gender inclusivity. Garba as a dance form is entrenched deeply in
ritualistic and devotional roots, involving people from all walks of life and it
continues to thrive as a vibrant living tradition bringing communities together.
● “Garba is a "ritualistic and devotional dance" that is performed on the occasion of
the festival of Navratri which is dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or

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 'Shakti', the UNESCO said.
● Traditions or cultural phenomena from India such as Ramlila, Vedic Chants,
Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja have already been recognized by the UNESCO list.

3. Veer Bal Diwas

● Sikhs honor and celebrate the supreme martyrdom and sacrifice made by the
four sons and the mother of their 10th religious leader, Guru Gobind Singh.
● The historic battle of Chamkaur in December 1704 against the Mughals, these
young boys of the of the tenth Guru were either killed or tortured to death.
● Veer Baal Diwas' has been celebrated since January 9, 2022, when PM Modi
announced its observance on December 26 to honor the sacrifice of the Sahib
zadas.
● The government is organizing participative programs across the country to
spread awareness of the courage of the sahib zada.
● Speaking at a ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ event to commemorate the martyrdom of two
sons of Guru Gobind Singh, PM Modi said their sacrifices are not only being
remembered in India but also globally.

4. Bahmani Kingdom

● Bidar is celebrating the legacy of the kingdom.

● It is said that Nearly 600 years ago, shifting the Bahmani Sultanate’s capital from
Gulbarga to Bidar brought about a limelight in culture, art and architecture of the
region.
● The sultanate was founded in 1347 by ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Bahman Shah.

5. Sahitya Akademi Award

● The Sahitya Akademi awards, have been honoring writers of 24 Indian

languages down the years, should be seen in that light.

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● This year the Akademi has picked nine books of poems, six novels, five short
stories, three essays and one literary study in Dogri, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Manipuri,
Odia, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Telugu,
Malayalam, Kannada, Santali and others.
● The books were selected on the basis of recommendations made by a Jury of
three members in the concerned languages in accordance with the procedure
laid down for the purpose.

6. Rashtrapati Nilayam

● The official winter retreat of the President of India located in Hyderabad,

Telangana.
● It is a customary tradition that every President of India has to visit Rashtrapati
Nilayam, at Bolarum during the month of December, and used to stay along with
their family.
● Recently The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated various
tourist attractions at Rashtrapati Nilayam those include:

● - A replica of a historic Flag Post;

● - Maze Garden and Children’spark;

● - Restoration of step wells and traditional irrigation system;

● - Shiva and Nandi sculptures on the rock water cascade;

● - Addition of new enclaves in the Knowledge Gallery.

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Topic: Regulatory body

7. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority

● Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the regulatory

body for overall supervision and regulation of pensions in India.
● Their job is to “promote old age income security by creating, growing, and
regulating pension funds, to safeguard the interests of subscribers to pension
fund schemes, and for issues associated with or incidental thereto.”

8. Mission karmayogi

● This mission is dedicated for better governance from the civil servants.
● The occasion of Good Governance Day, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh
launched the Extended Version of Mission Karmayogi by introducing three new
features on the IGOT Karmayogi platform that include My iGOT, Blended
Programs and Curated Programs.
● “Emphasis is on e-governance and paperless office, which has resulted in a
seamless flow of decision making in the administration, " The official release of
the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said.

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