UPSC Static Quiz – Art and Culture : 3 June 2026

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct; the Penais a one-stringed bowed instrument that is the heart of Manipuri folk and traditional music.
• Statement 2 is correct; the Pungis a specialized drum whose rhythmic patterns are the foundation of the Manipuri Sankirtana, a form of congregational singing and dancing included in the UNESCO list.
• Statement 3 is incorrect; the Kombuis actually a horn instrument from Kerala (South India), not Mizoram.

Solution: B

• Statement-I is correct; both instruments belong to the Sushira Vadya(wind) category and share a double-reed mechanism.
• Statement-II is also correct; it accurately identifies the regional and social contextsof both—Shehnai in the North and Nadaswaram (which is much larger and louder) in the South.

However, Statement-II is not an “explanation” for Statement-I. Statement-II provides complementary information about where the instruments are played, but it doesn’t explain why they are double-reed instruments or the logic of their classification.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 iscorrect; the Pakhavaj is historically the root from which the percussion traditions of the North and South branched out.
• Statement 2 iscorrect; the Tabla is a set of two drums (Dayan and Bayan), whereas the Mridangam is a one-piece, double-headed drum.
• Statement 3 isincorrect because the Tabla is the primary accompaniment for the Khayal and Thumri styles, whereas Dhrupad is traditionally accompanied by the Pakhavaj.

Solution: D

• The popularization of Indian classical music globally is largely due to several iconic virtuosos.
• Pair 1 is correct; Zakir Hussain is a maestro of the Tabla, recognized for his intricate rhythms and global collaborations.
• Pair 2 is correct; Hariprasad Chaurasia is the most celebrated exponent of the Bansuri, having elevated the bamboo flute from a folk instrument to a premier classical solo instrument.
• Pair 3 is correct; Shiv Kumar Sharma is credited with introducing the Santoor, a 100-stringed Kashmiri folk dulcimer, into the Hindustani classical tradition.
• Pair 4 is correct; Ravi Shankar was a legendary Sitar player who played a pivotal role in introducing Indian music to the Western world in the 1960s. Each of these artists is a “household name” in Indian culture, and their association with their respective instruments is a fundamental fact for Art and Culture preparation.

Solution: B

• Both statements are factually correct, but Statement-II does not correctly explain Statement-I. The Santoor is a stringed instrument strongly associated with Jammu and Kashmir, where it has been traditionally used in Sufiana Kalam, a classical–Sufi musical form rooted in the region. This regional association explains why the instrument is culturally identified with Kashmir.
• Statement-II is also correct because historically the Santoor evolved from the Persian Santur and functioned largely as a folk and Sufi instrument for centuries. Its entry into Hindustani classical music is relatively recent, particularly in the twentieth century, when it was technically modified and stylistically systematised for raga-based performance.
• However, the fact that it was originally used in Sufi or folk traditions does not logically explain why it is associated with Jammu and Kashmir; that association arises from long-standing regional practice rather than from its later adaptation into classical music.