UPSC CSE Prelims
Indian Handicrafts, Fairs & Festivals Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — 1 and 2

This question tests knowledge of traditional cultural practices and their associated states in Northeast India. Pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched, while Pair 3 incorrectly attributes Thang-Ta to Sikkim instead of Manipur.

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Chapchar Kut is a vibrant spring festival celebrated by the Mizo people of Mizoram, marking the completion of jhum cultivation (slash-and-burn farming).

✅ Pair 2 – Correct: Khongjom Parba is a ritualistic ballad performance commemorating the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891, specifically the Battle of Khongjom where Manipuri soldiers fought against British forces.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Thang-Ta is a traditional martial art form of Manipur, not Sikkim. It combines armed ('Thang' - sword/spear) and unarmed ('Ta' - hand-to-hand) combat techniques and is an integral part of Manipuri culture.

📝 Short Notes: Cultural Traditions of Northeast India

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — 1 only

This question tests knowledge of traditional Indian crafts and their geographical origins. Only the first pair is correctly matched, while the other two pairs incorrectly associate crafts with the wrong states.

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Puthukkuli shawls are indeed embroidered textiles traditionally crafted by the Toda tribe in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Sujni embroidery is a traditional craft from Bihar (particularly Bhusura village), not Maharashtra.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Uppada Jamdani saris are famous silk saris from Uppada in Andhra Pradesh, not Karnataka.

📝 Short Notes: Traditional Indian Crafts and Their States

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — 1 only

This question tests the correct matching of cultural traditions with their associated communities. Only the first pair is correctly matched, as Chaliha Sahib is indeed a Sindhi Hindu festival, while the other two pairs incorrectly associate traditions with communities.

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Chaliha Sahib (also called Chalio or Chaliho) is a forty-day-long festival celebrated by the Hindu Sindhi community, observed in honor of Jhulelal (Uderolal), the patron saint of Sindhis.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra is a pilgrimage festival associated with the people of Uttarakhand (particularly the Garhwal region), not the Gond community, which is an indigenous tribe of central India.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Wari-Warkari is a pilgrimage tradition associated with devotees of Lord Vitthal (Vithoba) in Maharashtra, primarily involving the Marathi-speaking community, not the Santhals, who are an indigenous tribe of eastern India.

Detailed Explanation:

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bhadrachalam (Telangana) is a major pilgrimage site famous for Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple, not for traditional saree or fabric production.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Chanderi (Madhya Pradesh) is renowned for Chanderi sarees and fabrics, characterized by lightweight texture, sheer feel, and fine zari work on silk and cotton.

✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu) is world-famous for hand-woven Kancheepuram silk sarees, distinguished by heavy silk, contrasting borders, and temple-inspired motifs.

❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: Karnal (Haryana) is known for agricultural production (rice) and National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), not for traditional textile manufacturing.

Detailed Explanation:

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Changpa community lives mainly in the Changtang plateau of Ladakh, not Uttarakhand. They inhabit the high-altitude cold desert regions bordering Tibet.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Changpa are semi-nomadic pastoralists who rear Changthangi goats (also called Pashmina goats), which produce fine Pashmina wool used in luxury shawls.

✅ Statement 3 – Correct: The Changpa community is recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India, specifically in the Union Territory of Ladakh.