Indian Art and Culture refers to the rich and diverse traditions of visual arts, performing arts, literature, architecture, philosophy, religion, customs, and festivals developed over thousands of years in the Indian subcontinent.
🧩 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF INDIAN ART & CULTURE
| Segment | Includes |
|---|---|
| Visual Arts | Painting, Sculpture, Architecture |
| Performing Arts | Music, Dance, Theatre |
| Religion & Philosophy | Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism |
| Language & Literature | Sanskrit, Tamil, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, etc. |
| Fairs & Festivals | Holi, Diwali, Eid, Bihu, Onam |
| Heritage | Monuments, UNESCO Sites, Cultural institutions |
| Customs & Traditions | Attire, Food, Crafts, Ceremonies |
🏛️ ARCHITECTURE
1. Ancient Indian Architecture
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Harappan: Town planning, Great Bath, Granaries
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Buddhist: Stupas (Sanchi), Chaityas, Viharas
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Mauryan: Ashokan pillars, rock-cut caves
2. Temple Architecture
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Nagara Style (North): Khajuraho, Sun Temple Konark
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Dravida Style (South): Brihadeshwara Temple, Meenakshi Temple
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Vesara Style: Hoysaleswara Temple
3. Medieval Architecture
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Indo-Islamic Style: Qutub Minar, Taj Mahal, Gol Gumbaz
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Mughal Architecture: Red Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Humayun’s Tomb
🎭 PERFORMING ARTS
1. Classical Dances (8 Recognized)
| Dance | Origin State |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh |
| Kathakali | Kerala |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh |
| Odissi | Odisha |
| Manipuri | Manipur |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala |
| Sattriya | Assam |
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Carnatic (South India): M.S. Subbulakshmi
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Hindustani (North India): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar
🖼️ PAINTING TRADITIONS
1. Mural Paintings
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Ajanta & Ellora (Maharashtra)
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Badami, Sittanavasal
2. Miniature Paintings
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Mughal, Rajput, Pahari, Deccan styles
3. Folk Paintings
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Madhubani (Bihar), Warli (Maharashtra), Pattachitra (Odisha), Kalamkari (AP), Phad (Rajasthan)
📚 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
1. Ancient
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Vedas, Upanishads, Epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata)
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Classical Sanskrit Literature: Kalidasa’s Shakuntala
2. Medieval
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Bhakti & Sufi literature: Tulsidas, Kabir, Amir Khusro
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Persian literature under Mughals
3. Modern
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Reformist writings: Raja Ram Mohan Roy
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Indian novelists: Premchand (Hindi), Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali)
🎉 FAIRS & FESTIVALS
Religious:
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Hindu: Diwali, Holi, Navratri
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Muslim: Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha
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Sikh: Baisakhi, Guru Nanak Jayanti
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Christian: Christmas, Easter
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Buddhist: Buddha Purnima
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Jain: Mahavir Jayanti
Cultural/Folk:
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Hornbill Festival (Nagaland), Bihu (Assam), Onam (Kerala), Pongal (TN), Pushkar Fair (Rajasthan), Surajkund Mela (Haryana)
🏆 UNESCO HERITAGE SITES (CULTURAL)
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Taj Mahal
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Khajuraho Temples
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Hampi Group of Monuments
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Mahabalipuram
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Ajanta & Ellora Caves
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Rani ki Vav
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Red Fort
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Sun Temple, Konark
🧶 INDIAN CRAFTS & HANDLOOMS
| Craft | State |
|---|---|
| Chikankari | Uttar Pradesh |
| Bandhani | Rajasthan, Gujarat |
| Kanjeevaram Silk | Tamil Nadu |
| Pashmina | Kashmir |
| Blue Pottery | Rajasthan |
🔍 IMPORTANT ROLES & CONTRIBUTIONS
| Figure | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Raja Ravi Varma | Modern Indian painting |
| M.S. Subbulakshmi | Carnatic music |
| Kalidasa | Sanskrit poetry & drama |
| Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel in Literature |
| Amir Khusro | Fusion of Persian & Indian music/lit |
| Tansen | Court musician of Akbar |
📝 Practice Question - World History
Q1. Which is not a classical dance form of India?
a) Kathak
b) Bharatanatyam
c) Bhangra
d) Odissi
✅ Answer: c) Bhangra
Q2. The Ajanta paintings belong to which period?
a) Harappan
b) Mauryan
c) Gupta
d) Mughal
✅ Answer: c) Gupta
Q3. Who wrote the epic Meghaduta?
a) Tulsidas
b) Kalidasa
c) Valmiki
d) Ved Vyas
✅ Answer: b) Kalidasa
Q4. 'Sattriya' is a classical dance from which state?
a) Assam
b) Odisha
c) Kerala
d) Gujarat
✅ Answer: a) Assam
Q5. ‘Madhubani’ is a folk painting style of:
a) West Bengal
b) Bihar
c) Rajasthan
d) Himachal Pradesh
✅ Answer: b) Bihar
Q6. The term “Nagara” is associated with:
a) Folk Music
b) Temple Architecture
c) Dance Form
d) Musical Instrument
✅ Answer: b) Temple Architecture
Q7. The famous Konark Sun Temple is located in:
a) Andhra Pradesh
b) Tamil Nadu
c) Odisha
d) Gujarat
✅ Answer: c) Odisha
Q8. Who is known as the “Father of Indian Renaissance”?
a) Dayanand Saraswati
b) Swami Vivekananda
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) B.G. Tilak
✅ Answer: c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Q9. Warli painting belongs to which Indian state?
a) Odisha
b) Maharashtra
c) Gujarat
d) Rajasthan
✅ Answer: b) Maharashtra
Q10. The National School of Drama is located in:
a) Kolkata
b) Mumbai
c) New Delhi
d) Chennai
✅ Answer: c) New Delhi
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