UNESCO Grants Heritage Status to Majuli's Traditional Mask Making
UNESCO has officially recognized the traditional mask-making craft of Majuli, Assam, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Majuli's mask-making recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- The craft is linked to the Vaishnavite Sattras of Assam.
- Majuli is the world's largest river island, located in the Brahmaputra river.
- The masks are central to the 'Bhaona' theatrical performances.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Low | 2–5 | UPSC focuses on depth, not breadth. General items are tested only when they have policy relevance. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | Medium | 2–4 | Miscellaneous GK including appointments, books, summits, and records appears in SSC. |
| State PCS / PSC | Medium | 3–5 | Miscellaneous GK is tested across all state exam categories. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | Medium | 2–4 | Miscellaneous GK about India and the world is standard in Railway papers. |
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- Appointments: new heads of organizations, ministries, and international bodies
- Books and authors in the news — especially by current heads of state or notable personalities
- First-ever achievements: India's firsts, world firsts, records broken
- Summits and their dates, venue, and key declarations
- Obituaries: notable personalities, their field, and contribution
Practice Questions
Q1. Majuli, the world's largest river island, is located in which Indian state?
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh
Explanation: Majuli is located in the Brahmaputra River in the state of Assam.
Q2. The mask-making tradition of Majuli is associated with which religious reformer?
- Guru Nanak
- Srimanta Sankardev
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
- Ramanuja
Explanation: The tradition was initiated by the 15th-16th century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardev.
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