Art, Architecture, Society, Languages, Fairs and Tourism
2. Museums, archives and the ASI: how heritage is kept
The Archaeological Survey of India was founded in 1861 under Alexander Cunningham, who became its first Director-General. Its monuments are protected under the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958, which the ASI administers under the Ministry of Culture. For the state, the ASI runs or supports several site museums and national-importance monuments.
| Museum | Place | Founded | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarnath Museum | Sarnath | 1910 | Oldest ASI site museum; Ashokan lion capital |
| Government Museum | Mathura | 1874 | Founded by F.S. Growse; Mathura school; Kanishka I statue |
| State Museum | Lucknow | 1863 | Mathura and Gandhara galleries |
| Bharat Kala Bhavan | Varanasi (BHU) | 1920 | Founded with Malaviya and Rai Krishnadasa; miniature paintings |
| Allahabad Museum | Prayagraj | 1931 | Prayagraj; art and archaeology collections |
Archives and the record of the state are kept at the state's own institutions, and the principle is the same at each: the object or building is catalogued, protected, and linked to its date. A candidate who can place each museum in its city and founding decade can answer most questions in the heritage block without guessing.
3. Tribes and social structure: the Census 2011 picture
Census 2011 counts 11,34,273 persons in the Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh. Most groups are recognised only in named districts, which is the fact the questions test. Before 2003 the recognised tribes were five: Buksa, Bhotiya, Jaunsari, Raji and Tharu. The 2003 notifications added the Gond group, Kharwar, Sahariya, Baiga and others, with status restricted to particular districts.
| Tribe or group | Population (Census 2011) | Where the status applies |
|---|---|---|
| Gond group (Gond, Dhuria, Rajgond, Pathari, Nayaka) | 5,69,035 | Eastern districts such as Gorakhpur, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra |
| Kharwar, Khairwar | 1,60,676 | Deoria, Balia, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Sonbhadra |
| Tharu | 1,05,291 | Recognised across the state, with no district limit |
| Sahariya | 70,634 | Lalitpur only |
| Chero | 42,227 | Sonbhadra, Varanasi |
| Baiga | 30,006 | Sonbhadra |
| Bhotiya, Buksa, Jaunsari, Raji | 5,196; 4,710; 3,720; 1,295 | Recognised without a district limit in the table |
Social life of the tribes. The Tharu of the Terai, the Gond and Kharwar of the eastern districts, and the Baiga, Agariya and Chero of the Sonbhadra hills each have their own customs of festival, dance and livelihood. The commission's syllabus names tribal issues under item V.5, so the district pattern and the stated population matter more than any single custom.
4. Languages and dialects: Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Kannauji, Khari Boli and Bhojpuri
The dialects of Uttar Pradesh fall into three families. Western Hindi includes Braj Bhasha, Bundeli, Kannauji and Khari Boli, the base of standard Hindi. Eastern Hindi includes Awadhi. Bhojpuri belongs to the Bihari group, though it is spoken across the eastern districts. For each dialect, the family and the district are both worth knowing.
| Dialect | Family | Where spoken in UP | Landmark text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awadhi | Eastern Hindi | Lucknow, Ayodhya, Sitapur, Barabanki, Prayagraj | Ramcharitmanas (Tulsidas; composition began 1574); Padmavat (Jayasi, 1540) |
| Braj Bhasha | Western Hindi | Mathura, Agra, Aligarh, Hathras, Etah, Mainpuri | Sur Sagar (Surdas); Krishna poetry |
| Bundeli | Western Hindi | Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot | Alha-khand, a heroic epic preserved by bards |
| Kannauji | Western Hindi | Kannauj region of central UP | Regional folk usage |
| Khari Boli | Western Hindi | Western UP and the base of standard Hindi | Modern standard Hindi prose |
| Bhojpuri | Bihari (Eastern) | Varanasi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Azamgarh, Mau | Folk song and drama |
5. Literature, music and performance: Jnanpith writers, gharanas and Nautanki
Jnanpith writers from UP include Sumitranandan Pant (1968, Chidambara), Firaq Gorakhpuri (1969, Gul-e-Naghma), Mahadevi Varma (1982, Yama), Kunwar Narayan (2005), Shrilal Shukla (2009, shared with Amarkant) and Kedarnath Singh (2013). The award is an excellent example of a question that asks for a work, a year and a writer together.
Kathak and tabla gharanas. The Lucknow gharana of Kathak stresses grace and expression more than footwork. The Banaras gharana is traditionally linked with Janakiprasad, one of its founders, and it is known for footwork and stories of Krishna. Jaipur and Raigarh are other gharanas, outside the state. The tabla gharanas of Lucknow, Farrukhabad and Benares are among the six traditional tabla schools.
Nautanki and Braj performance. Nautanki is a popular folk theatre form, with plays such as Indal Haran, Sultana Daku and Bhakt Puran Mal, and it is especially associated with Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Bihar. Raslila of Braj, centred on Mathura and Vrindavan, is the devotional dance-drama of the Krishna tradition. Both forms carry the vernacular language of their region, which is why dialect and performance are studied together.
6. Fairs and festivals: Kumbh, Ramlila, Deva Mela and the Kartik Purnima melas
The fair calendar follows the rivers and the lunar year. Melas cluster along the Ganga and the Yamuna, and at Braj and Sufi shrines. Most follow the lunar calendar, so their dates move each year. Two fairs carry UNESCO recognition: the Kumbh Mela, added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2017, and the Ramlila, added in 2008.
| Fair | Place | Timing | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kumbh Mela | Prayagraj, at the Sangam | Periodic; Magh Mela held yearly | UNESCO Representative List, 2017 |
| Ramlila | Many towns, including Ramnagar near Varanasi | Autumn, Dussehra season | UNESCO Representative List, 2008 |
| Lathmar Holi | Barsana and Nandgaon, Mathura | Holi season | Women and men re-enact the Radha-Krishna legend |
| Deva Mela | Deva Sharif, Barabanki | October–November | Autumn fair at the Deva Sharif dargah of Haji Waris Ali Shah, who died in April 1905 |
| Bateshwar fair | Agra, on the Yamuna | Kartik Purnima | One of the largest cattle fairs, among riverside Shiva temples |
| Garhmukteshwar fair | Hapur, on the Ganga | Kartik Purnima | Ganga bathing fair |
| Nauchandi Mela | Meerut | Second Sunday after Holi, about a month | Municipal Corporation fair with a long history |
7. Tourism, circuits and One District One Product
Tourism policy. The Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Union Ministry of Tourism, launched in 2015, organises tourism around thematic circuits. Its fifteen themes include Buddhist, Krishna, Ramayana, Sufi, Tirthankar and Tribal circuits, and each suits a part of Uttar Pradesh. The Kushinagar International Airport was inaugurated on 20 October 2021, and the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor was inaugurated on 13 December 2021. The status of Kushinagar airport's commercial flights has changed since, so check the current position before relying on it.
One District One Product. The ODOP programme, launched on 24 January 2018, selects one product for each district to build a craft hub and a market. The list below is the one in the Invest India and EY report of January 2021. The state has revised the list since, so the table is a dated record, not a current one.
| District | Product |
|---|---|
| Agra | Leather products |
| Aligarh | Locks and hardware |
| Firozabad | Glassware |
| Kannauj | Perfume (attar) |
| Lucknow | Chikankari and zari zardozi |
| Moradabad | Metal craft |
| Varanasi | Banarasi silk saree |
| Gorakhpur | Terracotta |
GI tags are not the same as ODOP. Banarasi brocade and saris are GI-tagged for six districts only: Varanasi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Jaunpur and Azamgarh. Chikankari is tied to Lucknow. A GI tag protects a name linked to a place, while ODOP is a government development scheme, and the two lists overlap but do not match.
Key takeaways
- Architecture tracks power: Atala Masjid (completed 1408), Agra Fort (1565–1573), Fatehpur Sikri (capital c. 1571–1585), the Taj Mahal (1631–1653), and the Awadhi imambaras. Keep the builder with each date.
- Census 2011 counts 11,34,273 persons in UP's Scheduled Tribes. The Gond group is the largest, and most groups hold status only in named districts; Sahariya is restricted to Lalitpur.
- Dialects follow family lines: Awadhi is Eastern Hindi (Ramcharitmanas), while Braj Bhasha, Bundeli and Kannauji are Western Hindi (Sur Sagar, Alha-khand), and Bhojpuri is Bihari.
- Fairs follow the lunar calendar: the Kumbh Mela (UNESCO, 2017) and Ramlila (UNESCO, 2008) are the two intangible recognitions; Deva Mela falls in October–November, and Bateshwar and Garhmukteshwar on Kartik Purnima.
- Swadesh Darshan (2015) organises tourism into fifteen thematic circuits. The ODOP scheme (launched 24 January 2018) lists products by district, but its list is dated and has been revised.
- GI tags and ODOP are different instruments. Banarasi brocade is GI-tagged for six districts, and the ODOP entry for Varanasi is a single product in a single district.
Practice questions (18)
Attempt each one before opening the answer. Every explanation names the tempting wrong option as well as the right one, because that is where marks are lost.
Which Mughal emperor commissioned the Taj Mahal at Agra for his wife Mumtaz Mahal?
Show answer
Answer: C — Shah Jahan, who ruled after Jahangir
The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan after Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631, and construction is dated 1631–1653. Jahangir is the tempting distractor because he was Shah Jahan's father and reigned at Agra, but he did not build the Taj. Aurangzeb ruled later and is not linked with the tomb.Which pairing of monument and patron is correct?
(I) Atala Masjid, Jaunpur
(II) Bara Imambara, Lucknow
(III) Chhota Imambara, Lucknow
(IV) Taj Mahal, Agra.Show answer
Answer: A — I-Ibrahim Shah Sharqi, II-Asaf-ud-Daula, III-Muhammad Ali Shah, IV-Shah Jahan
The Atala Masjid was completed under Ibrahim Shah Sharqi in 1408, the Bara Imambara was built by Asaf-ud-Daula in 1780–1784, the Chhota Imambara was built by Muhammad Ali Shah in 1838, and the Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan. The tempting distractor is the option that swaps the two Lucknow imambaras, which keeps the city right but the builder wrong.Which Mughal empress commissioned the tomb of her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, at Agra, built between 1622 and 1628?
Show answer
Answer: C — Nur Jahan, the wife of Jahangir
Nur Jahan commissioned the tomb of her father, who became prime minister under Jahangir. Mumtaz Mahal is the tempting distractor because she is the Taj's patron, but her tomb is the Taj Mahal, and it was built later, from 1631.Which museum, established in 1910, is described as the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India?
Show answer
Answer: A — Sarnath Museum
The Sarnath Museum, established in 1910, is described as the oldest site museum of the ASI. The Mathura Government Museum (1874) is the tempting distractor because it is also old and holds famous sculpture, but the founding year rules it out. The Lucknow State Museum (1863) and Bharat Kala Bhavan (1920) fall outside 1910.Consider the following statements about heritage law and listings in Uttar Pradesh.
P. The ASI was founded in 1861 under Alexander Cunningham.
Q. The Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act was passed in 1958.
R. Fatehpur Sikri was inscribed as a UNESCO site in 1983.
S. Agra Fort was inscribed as a UNESCO site in 1983.
Which statements are correct?Show answer
Answer: D — P, Q and S only
P, Q and S are correct: the ASI dates to 1861, the monuments act to 1958, and Agra Fort to 1983. R is false because Fatehpur Sikri was inscribed in 1986, not 1983; the 1983 session is the one that listed the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The tempting distractor is R, which places the state's best-known city site in the first session.Which Scheduled Tribe group is the largest in Uttar Pradesh by population in the Census 2011 tables?
Show answer
Answer: D — The Gond group, including Dhuria and Rajgond
The Gond group had 5,69,035 persons in the 2011 tables, about half the Scheduled Tribe population. The Tharu, at 1,05,291, is the tempting distractor because it is the largest of the five tribes recognised before 2003, but the question is about population, not about the older list.Sahariya status as a Scheduled Tribe in Uttar Pradesh is restricted to which district?
Show answer
Answer: B — Lalitpur
The Sahariya are a Scheduled Tribe in Lalitpur district only. Sonbhadra is the tempting distractor, because most of the state's district-limited tribes, such as the Baiga and Agariya, are listed there, but Sahariya status does not extend to it.The table gives Census 2011 populations of four Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh. Tharu 1,05,291; Buksa 4,710; Jaunsari 3,720; Raji 1,295. Which figure equals the combined population of the Tharu and the Buksa?
Show answer
Answer: C — 1,10,001
105,291 plus 4,710 is 110,001. The tempting distractors are 1,10,101 and 1,09,901, which sit 100 above and 100 below the sum, and 1,00,001, which is 10,000 short of it. The arithmetic is the whole test here, so check the carry in the thousands before choosing.In which dialect of Hindi did Tulsidas write the Ramcharitmanas, begun in 1574 at Ayodhya?
Show answer
Answer: C — Awadhi
The Ramcharitmanas was written in Awadhi, an Eastern Hindi dialect. Braj Bhasha is the tempting distractor, because Tulsidas also wrote the Vinaya Patrika in Braj, but the epic is in Awadhi and was composed in the Awadh region.Which dialect is the language of the heroic epic Alha-khand, preserved by bards in the Banaphar region?
Show answer
Answer: D — Bundeli
Alha-khand is a Bundeli epic about 12th-century heroes, preserved by bards in the Banaphar region. Khari Boli, the base of standard Hindi, is the tempting distractor because it is the dialect most students read first, but it is not the language of this epic.Match each dialect with its region in Uttar Pradesh:
(I) Awadhi
(II) Bundeli
(III) Bhojpuri
(IV) Braj Bhasha, and the regions: Lucknow, Jhansi, Varanasi, Mathura.Show answer
Answer: C — I-Lucknow, II-Jhansi, III-Varanasi, IV-Mathura
Awadhi belongs to Lucknow's Awadh region, Bundeli to Jhansi and the Bundelkhand districts, Bhojpuri to the eastern districts around Varanasi, and Braj Bhasha to Mathura. The tempting distractor is the option that places Braj in Varanasi, a city where Bhojpuri is spoken, not Braj.Which Hindi writer from Uttar Pradesh received the Jnanpith Award in 1968 for the collection Chidambara?
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Answer: D — Sumitranandan Pant, who received it in 1968
Sumitranandan Pant received the Jnanpith in 1968 for Chidambara. Firaq Gorakhpuri (1969, Gul-e-Naghma) and Mahadevi Varma (1982, Yama) are the tempting distractors, since they are also UP writers who received the award. Kedarnath Singh's award came in 2013.Which folk theatre form, with plays such as Indal Haran, Sultana Daku and Bhakt Puran Mal, is most closely associated with Uttar Pradesh?
Show answer
Answer: A — Nautanki
Nautanki is a folk theatre of north India, especially Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Bihar, and Indal Haran and Sultana Daku are its plays. Bhavai, of Gujarat and Rajasthan, is the tempting distractor, because it is also a folk theatre of the same region, but its repertoire is different.Consider the following statements about Kathak gharanas.
P. The Lucknow gharana emphasises grace and expression more than footwork.
Q. The Banaras gharana is traditionally linked with Janakiprasad, one of its founders.
R. The Jaipur gharana is located in Uttar Pradesh.
S. Birju Maharaj founded the Lucknow gharana.
Which statements are correct?Show answer
Answer: D — P and Q only
P and Q are correct. R is false because the Jaipur gharana is in Rajasthan, not Uttar Pradesh. S is false because Birju Maharaj is named as a modern dancer of the Lucknow school, not as its founder. The tempting distractor is S, since Birju Maharaj is the best-known Lucknow dancer of the modern era.The Deva Mela, held each autumn at the dargah of Haji Waris Ali Shah, is held in which district of Uttar Pradesh?
Show answer
Answer: B — Barabanki
The Deva Mela is held at Deva Sharif in Barabanki district, in October and November, at the dargah of Haji Waris Ali Shah. Bahraich and Hardoi are neighbouring districts, which makes them the tempting distractors, but the fair is at Barabanki.Consider the following statements about UNESCO's recognition of Indian cultural heritage.
P. The Kumbh Mela was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017.
Q. The Ramlila was added to the same list in 2008.
R. The Ramlila was added in 2017.
S. The Kumbh Mela was added in 2008.
Which statements are correct?Show answer
Answer: D — P and Q only
P and Q are correct: the Kumbh Mela was added in December 2017 and the Ramlila in 2008. R and S swap the years, and they are the tempting distractors, since both events are dated to the same two years in the same list, and a candidate who has memorised only the years may swap them.Which of these is NOT one of the thematic circuits of the Swadesh Darshan scheme, launched in 2015 by the Union Ministry of Tourism?
Show answer
Answer: B — Space
Krishna, Sufi and Tirthankar are among the fifteen thematic circuits of Swadesh Darshan, and each suits a part of the state. Space is not a circuit of the scheme. Sufi is the tempting distractor, because Deva Sharif and other shrines in UP fit that circuit well, so the mistake is to think the scheme is limited to religious sites.Which product is listed as the One District One Product for Kannauj in the Invest India and EY report of January 2021?
Show answer
Answer: A — Perfume (attar)
Kannauj's ODOP product is perfume (attar), in the January 2021 report. Glassware is Firozabad's product, and brassware is not Kannauj's product, which makes them the tempting distractors. Because the list has been revised since, the answer is tied to the date stated in the question.