updated on March 23rd, 2019
Syllabus covered in this category !!!
Prelims Syllabus :
History of India and Indian National Movement
Mains Syllabus :
Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Books and Material Source :
Centre of Cultural and Resources training website : http://ccrtindia.gov.in/
Newspapers and Magazines .
For Newspapers and magazines like Discover Rs 3999. Grab this OFFER Today.
Topics you need to read about
0 . Understanding Art and Culture
0.1.Importance of culture for UPSC. 5-10 Questions in Prelims and 2/3 Questions in General studies paper 1 main Examination are asked every year. This portion looks almost static, but the recent happening and boomerang news from the past can be seen in the paper. So, read newspapers and magazines with Art and Culture in mind
0.2 What is culture ?
Culture is a way of life. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the language you speak in and the God you worship all are aspects of culture All the achievements of human beings as members of social groups can be called culture. Art, music, literature, architecture, sculpture, philosophy, religion and science can be seen as aspects of culture. However, culture also
includes the customs, traditions, festivals, ways of living and one’s outlook on various issues of life. So u need to read them all
Some basic concepts you need to have :
- Culture and Civilization
- Culture and Heritage
- Characteristics of culture
- Importance of Culture in Human life ( think yourself )
1.Art Forms ( Including Performing Arts )
Paintings in Early India
- Ajanta,
- Ellora
- Bagh caves
Regional paintings
- Bundi School
- Pahari School
- Tanjore painting
Painting during the Mughal period.
- Mughal painting and
- Mughal manuscripts
- Art In Modern India
- Art In Medieval India
- Art In Ancient India
- Orissa Patachitra
- Kalighat Painting
- Warli Painting
- Batik Print
- Gond Art
- Phad Paintings
- Kalamkari Painting
- Mithila Painting
Buddhist influence on early Indian Paintings
Distinguished painters, modern trends in Indian painting
Indian Music
- Hindustani Classical Music
- Carnatic Music
- Folk Music
- tribal
- music instruments
Dances
- Classical Dances
- Folk Dances
2 . Architecture
Temple architecture
Temple architecture
- Nagara
- Vesara
- Dravida
Mauryan Art and Architecture
- Ashoka Pillar
Sculpture during the Gupta age
- Iron pillar of Delhi
Architecture under the Delhi Sultanate
- Qutub Minar
Mughal Architecture
- Humayun Tomb
- Red Fort
- Taj Mahal
- Fatehpur Sikri
Other Important Architectural Development
- Gujarat
- Malwa
- Bahmini
- Vijayanagara
- Architecture Of Harappan Period
- Architecture Of Ancient
- Cave Architecture
- Architecture Of Medieval India
- Colonial And Modern Architecture
3 .Literature
Vedic literature
- Vedas
- Brahmanas
- Bhagavada
- Upanishads
- Aranyakas
Scripts of Ancient India
- Akananooru
- Purananooru
Literature under the Gupta rulers
Scientific literature in Ancient India-
Development of literature during the medieval period
- Bhakti movement and poets
- Yoga & Patanjali
- Education in Vedic Period
- Education in Mauryan Period
- Education in Gupta Period
- Subjects In Ancient India
- Education in Medival Period
- Education Under British Rule
4 .Civilizations in India
- The Old Stone Age – Paleolithic Age (500,000 B.C. -10,000 B.C.)
- Fire – Mesolithic Age (10,000 B.C. – 8,000 B.C.)
- Farming– Neolithic Age (8,000 B.C. – 4,000 B.C.)
- Chalcolithic Age: Use of Metals
- Harappan Civilization (2700BC-1700BC)
- The Aryan Problem
- Spread Of Indian Culture
- The Ships And Foreign Trade Of Ancient India
- India’s Contact With Rome
- Contacts Between India And The Arab Civilization
- Indonesia-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Malaysia-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Vietnam (Champa)-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Cambodia-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Thailand-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Myanmar-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Sri Lanka-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Tibet-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Japan-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Korea-Presence Of Indian Culture
- China-Presence Of Indian Culture
- Iron Age and Beyond
- Early Vedic Society
- Vedic Culture
- Pre- Mauryan Period ( 6th-4th Century BC)
- Alexanders Invasion and its Impact on Indian Culture (326 BC)
- Mahajanapadas
- Magadh
- Persian Influence on Chandragupta Maurya
- The Mauryan Empire (321-185 BC )
- Satavahanas (128 BC-I 2 I AD)
- India After Mauryas (200 BC – 300 AD)
- Craft, Trade Towns (200BC-300AD)
- Gupta Age
- Vedic Bhramanism into Puranic Hinduism
- Harshavardhana
- Pallavas and Chollas
- The Cholas
- The Rajputs
- Delhi Sultanate
- The Slave Sultans
- The Khiljis (1290-1320)
- The Tughlaq Sultans (1320-1414)
- The Sayyid Dynasty (1414-51)
- The Lodi Sultans (1451-1526)
- Causes of the Downfall of the Delhi Sultanate
- Vijayanagar Empire
- The Bahmani Kingdom
- The Post-Sultanate Period
- Other small kingdoms
- Cultural Developments During The Mughal ERA
- The Sikh Gurus
5. Religions of India
- Hinduism
- Islam
- Christianity
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Sikhism
Civilizations in other parts of world
Government Organizations
Archeological Survey of India -ASI
Technologies
- Technologies Used In Agriculture In Medival India
- Study Of Medicine In Medival India
- Study Of Astronomy In Medival India
- Development In Chemistry In Medival India
- Development In Mathematics In Medival India
- Development In Biology In Medival India
- Metallurgy In Ancient India
- Medicine In Ancient India
- Mathematics In Ancient India
- Astronomy In Ancient India
Some offbeat topics? Questions from these won’t be asked but you should know about them.
Different stages of Human Development
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