Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 26-10-2022

Q1. Ponniyin Selvan (PS), or ‘Son of the Cauvery’ is a novel about the great Chola king. This king’s genius shines resplendently in the Brihadisvara temple. The Novel is written by

1. Kalki Krishnamurthy
2. Ilango adigal
3. Seethalai Sataṉar
4. Tiruttakkatēvar

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Ancient stewardship now stamped on the present

• Written by Kalki Krishnamurthy, Ponniyin Selvan (PS), or ‘Son of the Cauvery’ is a novel about the great Chola This king’s genius shines resplendently in the Brihadisvara temple (Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu).
• The king that we are talking about is Raja-Dhi-Raj, ‘Rajakesari’ ‘Arulmoli’ Raja Raja Chola I.
• Raja Raja Chola I was not the first Chola King to focus on water. The illustrious Karikala Chola created the great anicut of Kallanai (Tamil Nadu), one of the oldest water regulatory structures and a heritage irrigation structure that is still in use today. The great/grand anicut with its multiple channels still ensures that the waters of the Cauvery reach the fields.
• But what Raja Raja Chola did that stood out against the sheer daring of his ancestors was the establishment of an astute governance model.

Q2. Uttaramerur Inscription talks about Village governance of

1. Pallava Empire
2. Rashtrakuta Empire
3. Chola Empire
4. Kakatiya Empire

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Uttaramerur inscription: Description of an astute governance model

• In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Parliament highlighted “historical evidence in the village of Uttaramerur... in Tamil Nadu” and how “stone inscriptions on the panchayat system prevalent during the Chola empire” explained how “every village was categorised as Kudumbu, which we call the ward today.
• One representative from this kudumbus was sent to the General Assembly, as it happens today”. The people had the right to recall if any candidate/representative failed to declare details of his property.
• The Chola kings granted autonomy to village councils to make decisions about their villages while the kingdom held the power of audit over them.
• One of the most remarkable strategies of the great king to unify the land under him was to convert landlords into dependent government servants which gave the kingdom stability and made the king and his central cabinet the fulcrum around which the kingdom operated.

Water management of the highest order

• As dictated by Visnu and Vasistha’s Dharma Shastras as well as Chanakya’s Arthashastra, instructions on water management followed by him closely.
• The king’s focus on water conservation and rainwater harvesting was such that his kingdom had thousands of ancient tanks serving communities; there were well-laid-down rules for planning and the management of water.
• These tanks were never large as they were built according to the topography of the Deccan
• Surprisingly, every village had a Neerkatti, in charge of irrigation, who supplied water from these tanks to the fields by following a schedule.
• All these activities were under the watchful eye of the village council which discussed, planned and managed the resources judiciously.
• The Parakesarivarman inscriptions highlight the punishment for the unauthorised withdrawal of water.
• In his lifetime, he built over 5,000 dams and set up a water ministry. Some such as the Uyyakondan channel (985-1013 AD) are still functional.

Q3. Which of the following is/are correctly matched ?

Select the correct answer from codes given below

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3 only

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Other examples:

• The Pallavas had a separate body for lake management called the “Eri Varyam”. King Rudradaman of Junagadh, Gujarat, spent all of his personal fortunes repairing the embankments of lake Sudarshana when it was destroyed in a cloud burst.
• The Rani Ki Vav (or the queen’s stepwell) in Gujarat was built by queen Udayamati which some say was in memory of King Bhimdev — also a symbol of love, wherein a heritage structure quenches the thirst of millions.

Raja Raja Chola I

In his lifetime, he built over 5,000 dams and set up a water ministry. Some such as the Uyyakondan channel (985-1013 AD) are still functional.

Q4. Dharavi Slum is situated in the city of

1. Delhi
2. Mumbai
3. Kolkata
4. Bengaluru

Answer (b)

Explanation:

Dharavi redevelopment project

• Recently, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis signed a ‘definitive agreement’ for handing over 47.5 acres of Railway land in Dadar for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project..
• The cost of the project is estimated to have gone up by almost six times from ₹4,000 crores in 2004 to ₹26,000 crores in 2019. Now it is estimated to be around ₹28,000 crores.
• Phase 1 of the project includes the redevelopment of specified areas comprising slum and non-slum sections, buildings and chawls.

Q5. Recently seen in news the practice of ‘Bhoota kola’ belongs to state of

1. Goa
2. Gujarat
3. Karnataka
4. Sikkim

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Kantara: What is the controversy over the practice of ‘bhoota kola’ in the Kannada movie?

The controversy relates to the origins of Bhoota Kola, an annual ritual performance where local spirits or deities are worshipped.

What is the movie Kantara about?

Kannada actor and director Rishab Shetty stars in the movie, which has been dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

The fictional story is inspired by the relationship shared between forests and human beings and takes place over almost two centuries. In 1847, a king journeying in search of peace of mind ends up in a forest, where he miraculously finds it in the form of Panjurli, a divine spirit that protects the forest and its inhabitants. He then proceeds to request the forest dwellers to let Panjurli return home with him, and in turn, gives them rights over the forest lands.

The film then moves to the 1990s, when a forest officer wants to declare the forest as a ‘reserve forest’, a bureaucratic term mostly unheard of by residents. Meanwhile, a descendant of the king has become the ‘landlord’ of the forest dwellers now, and Shetty plays their unofficial, young leader. Shetty is also a descendant of the family that traditionally performs ‘Bhoota Kola’, an animist form of worship widely practised in coastal Karnataka. The current issue relates to Bhoota Kola.

What is Bhoota Kola?

Bhoota Kola is an annual ritual performance where local spirits or deities are worshipped. It is believed that a person performing the ritual has temporarily become a god himself. This performer is both feared and respected in the community and is believed to give answers to people’s problems, on behalf of the god. There are several ‘Bhootas’ who are worshipped in the Tulu-speaking belt of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts. It is usually performed in small local communities and rural areas.