Indian Art, Culture and Heritage

What the official syllabus says

GPSC Preliminary Examination, General Studies, under the heading History and Culture:

• Cultural heritage of India and Gujarat: Art forms, Literature, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, Dances, etc.
• The Saintly tradition of India and Gujarat and its influence on psyche of people.
• Life traditions of India and Gujarat, Fairs, Festivals, Food and Costumes, etc.

Topics in detail

The all-India side of the cultural lines. Gujarat's art, saints, fairs and theatre have their own page: Gujarat: Art, Culture and Life Traditions.

Architecture

• Harappan and Mauryan architecture: pillars, stupas, rock-cut caves (Barabar)
• Buddhist architecture: stupa, chaitya and vihara (Sanchi, Ajanta, Karle)
• Temple architecture: Nagara, Dravida and Vesara styles; Gupta temples, Pallava rathas, Chola temples, Khajuraho, Konark
• Indo-Islamic architecture: Delhi Sultanate, provincial styles (Gujarat, Bengal, Deccan), Mughal architecture
• Colonial and modern architecture; UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

Sculpture and painting

• Mauryan polish, Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati schools; Gupta sculpture
• Cave paintings (Bhimbetka, Ajanta, Bagh); Pala and Jain manuscript painting (including the Western Indian style)
• Mughal, Rajput (Mewar, Bundi, Kishangarh) and Pahari (Basohli, Kangra) painting
• Folk painting: Madhubani, Warli, Pithora, Kalamkari, Pattachitra, Phad
• Modern art: Raja Ravi Varma, the Bengal School, the Progressive Artists' Group

Music and dance

• Hindustani and Carnatic music; ragas, talas; gharanas; instruments by type
• Bhakti and Sufi music: bhajan, kirtan, qawwali
• Eight classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Sattriya
• Folk dances of the states, with Gujarat's Garba and Raas as examples

Literature

• Sanskrit literature: epics, Puranas, Kalidasa; Prakrit and Pali; Sangam literature
• Medieval literature in regional languages: Bhakti poetry, Persian and Urdu
• Modern Indian literature; Jnanpith and Sahitya Akademi awards in outline

The saintly tradition of India

• Saints of the Bhakti movement across regions and their teachings
• Sufi saints and dargahs; Sikh Gurus
• Influence on the psyche of people: equality before God, use of the mother tongue, devotional music, community kitchens (langar), pilgrimages

Life traditions, fairs, festivals, food and costumes of India

• Major festivals by religion and region: Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Pongal, Onam, Bihu, Durga Puja
• Major fairs: Kumbh Mela, Pushkar fair, Sonepur fair, Hemis
• Regional food and dress as part of cultural identity
• Intangible cultural heritage of India inscribed by UNESCO (for example Kumbh Mela, yoga, Garba of Gujarat, Durga Puja in Kolkata)

Institutions of culture

• Archaeological Survey of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Sahitya Akademi, National School of Drama
• Zonal cultural centres (Gujarat is in the West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur)

Overlaps

Mains General Studies-I (B) Cultural Heritage asks for art forms, literature, sculpture, architecture, music, dances and theatre of India and Gujarat from ancient to modern times.