Indian festivals and culture quiz for kids

20 questions

1. Which festival is called the festival of lights?Ages 5–7

   Choose from: Diwali, Onam, Holi, Christmas

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   Diwali. Diwali is the festival of lights. People light diyas and lamps, and share sweets with family and friends.

2. Who wrote India’s national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”?Ages 8–10

   Choose from: Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Swami Vivekananda

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   Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore wrote Jana Gana Mana. He was a great poet and the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize.

3. Which harvest festival of Tamil Nadu shares its name with a sweet rice dish?Ages 11–14

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   Pongal. Pongal is celebrated in January. The word also means the rice dish cooked until it boils over, a sign of plenty.

4. On which festival in January do many people fly kites?Ages 5–7

   Choose from: Diwali, Makar Sankranti, Christmas, Raksha Bandhan

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   Makar Sankranti. On Makar Sankranti in January, the sky fills with colourful kites, especially in Gujarat, where it is called Uttarayan.

5. What is the national song of India?Ages 8–10

   Choose from: Jana Gana Mana, Vande Mataram, Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, Saare Jahan Se Achha

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   Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, is the national song. Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem.

6. Kathakali, a classical dance-drama with bright face make-up, comes from which state?Ages 11–14

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   Kerala. Kathakali comes from Kerala. Dancers wear huge costumes and green face paint to tell old stories.

7. On which festival do people greet each other by saying “Mubarak” and share sweet sevaiyan?Ages 5–7

   Choose from: Onam, Eid, Holi, Lohri

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   Eid. “Eid Mubarak” means “Happy Eid”. Families share sweet sevaiyan (vermicelli).

8. The sitar and the tabla are musical instruments from which country?Ages 8–10

   Choose from: India, Egypt, Japan, China

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   India. The sitar (a string instrument) and the tabla (a pair of drums) come from India.

9. Which poet wrote the Ramcharitmanas, the Ramayana in Awadhi?Ages 11–14

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   Tulsidas. Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas in the 1500s.

10. Which festival celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna?Ages 5–7

    Choose from: Janmashtami, Dussehra, Navratri, Onam

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    Janmashtami. Janmashtami celebrates Lord Krishna’s birth. Children often dress up as little Krishnas.

11. Which festival celebrates the harvest in Punjab and the Sikh New Year?Ages 8–10

    Choose from: Pongal, Onam, Baisakhi, Durga Puja

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    Baisakhi. Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) is celebrated in April with bhangra dancing. It marks the harvest and the Sikh New Year.

12. Which ancient Tamil text of 1,330 couplets on ethics was written by Thiruvalluvar?Ages 11–14

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    Thirukkural. The Thirukkural is a treasured Tamil classic about virtue, wealth and love.

13. At the end of which month of fasting do Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr?Ages 5–7

    Choose from: Shravan, Navratri, Ramadan, Lent

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    Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

14. How many languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?Ages 8–10

    Choose from: 8, 50, 22, 12

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    22. The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and Kannada.

15. Which script is used to write Punjabi in India?Ages 11–14

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    Gurmukhi. Gurmukhi was standardised by Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru.

16. Which festival celebrates the birthday of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru?Ages 5–7

    Choose from: Lohri, Holi, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Pongal

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    Guru Nanak Jayanti. Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) is celebrated by Sikhs with prayers and langar.

17. Which epic was written by Valmiki?Ages 8–10

    Choose from: Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchatantra, Shakuntala

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    Ramayana. Sage Valmiki wrote the Ramayana, the story of Lord Rama.

18. Which Indian film-maker won an honorary Oscar in 1992 and made “Pather Panchali”?Ages 11–14

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    Satyajit Ray. Satyajit Ray is one of the greatest film-makers in the world.

19. Which harvest festival of Kerala has beautiful flower carpets called pookalam?Ages 5–7

    Choose from: Lohri, Pongal, Bihu, Onam

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    Onam. During Onam, families make pookalam, colourful flower designs on the floor.

20. Which old book of animal stories was written to teach princes wisdom?Ages 8–10

    Choose from: Ramayana, Arthashastra, Rigveda, Panchatantra

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    Panchatantra. Vishnu Sharma’s Panchatantra uses animal fables to teach good sense.