UPSC Quiz – 2023 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 11th September 2023

·       Kangra painting is the pictorial art of Kangra, named after Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, a former princely state, which patronized the art.

·       It became prevalent with the fading of Basohli school of painting in mid-18th century, and soon produced such a magnitude in paintings both in content as well as volume, that the Pahari painting school, came to be known as Kangra paintings.

Cheriyal Scroll Paintings

·       Cheriyal Scroll Painting is a stylized version of Nakashi art, rich in the local motifs peculiar to the Telangana.

·       They are at present made only in Hyderabad, Telangana,  The scrolls are painted in a narrative format, much like a film roll or a comic strip, depicting stories from Indian mythology, and intimately tied to the shorter stories from the Puranas and Epics.

·       Painted in vivid hues, mostly primary colors, with a predominance of red in the background, the paintings are characterised by the unbridled imagination of the local artisans who were not constrained by the academic rigour that characterised the more classical Tanjore painting and Mysore painting.

·       Cheriyal scroll painting received Intellectual Property Rights Protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2007

Rogan

·       The word Rogan means “Oil” in Persian. With origins in Persia, it came to Kutch around 300 years ago.

·       This rare craft is practised by a lone Muslim family, the Khatris of Nirona Village, Gujarat.

·       Technique:

·       Rogan is a form of textile painting which uses a rich, brightly coloured paint made from castor oil and natural colors. Castor is a crop commonly grown in the Kutch region of Gujarat and the artists source it from the local farmers.

Warli

·       Warli is a traditional art form of Maharashtra.

·       Its roots can be traced to as early as the 10th century A.D.

·       These paintings are distinctive with their vivid contrast expressions.

·       These paintings are mainly dominated by basic geometric shapes like circles, triangles and squares.

·       These geometric shapes stand as a symbol of natural elements in our environment.

·       People and animals are represented by two inverted triangles joined together, where the upper triangle is the torso and the lower triangle is the pelvis.

·       The project includes India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and the US.

·       The project will aim to enable greater trade among the involved countries, including energy products.

·       The IMEC comprises an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe.

·       It will include a railway and ship-rail transit network and road transport routes.

·       The corridor will include a rail link as well as an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable.

·       In the coming times, it will be a major medium of economic integration between India, West Asia and Europe.

·       The rail and shipping corridor is part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII)

Significance

·       It would increase prosperity among the countries involved through an increased flow of energy and digital communications.

·       The project would help deal with the lack of infrastructure needed for growth in lower- and middle-income nations.

·       A total of 19 countries and 12 international organizations have so far agreed to join the alliance, including both G20 members and non-member countries.

·       India, Brazil and the US are the founding members of the alliance.

·       This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector.

·       It retains much of its ancient architecture and even more of its traditional customs.

·       Morocco’s largest city and major Atlantic Ocean port is Casablanca, an industrial and commercial centre.

·       Capital: Rabat

·       It borders Algeria to the east and southeast, Western Sahara to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.

·       It is the only African country with coastal exposure to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

·       Two small Spanish enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, are situated on the country’s northern coast.

·       Major mountain ranges: Atlas and Rif

·       Spoken Languages: Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight).

·       Religion: Predominantly Islam with a rich Islamic heritage.

·       Political System: Morocco has a constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses.

·       Economy: The Moroccan economy remains heavily dependent on the export of raw materials.

·       This bilateral exercise between the two navies was initiated in 1993.

·       It was named ‘VARUNA’ in 2001 and has become a hallmark of India France strategic bilateral relationship.

·       The exercise witnessed participation of guided missile frigates, tanker, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and integral helicopters from the two sides.

·       The exercise was conducted over three days and witnessed joint operations, underway replenishment and various tactical manoeuvres.

·       Units of both navies endeavoured to enhance and hone their war fighting skills, improve interoperability and demonstrate their ability to promote peace, security and stability in the region.

·       The first phase of ‘Varuna-2023’ was conducted off India’s Western Seaboard from 16 to 20 Jan 23.

·       The exercise also facilitates operational level interaction between the two Navies to foster mutual cooperation for good order at sea, underscoring the shared commitment to ensuring security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.