Culture to Pride, Progress in Every Step

Culture to Pride, Progress in Every Step

 

1. Over the last decade, India adopted a culture-led development approach combining heritage conservation, pilgrimage infrastructure, tourism growth, technology use, and broader economic activity around cultural destinations.

2. The Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor was inaugurated in December 2021, reopening river access and expanding pilgrim movement, public space, and service infrastructure around the temple precinct.

3. Mahakal Lok Phase I in Ujjain was inaugurated in October 2022, significantly expanding temple access, corridor length, lighting, sculptures, and visitor facilities around Mahakaleshwar Temple.

4. The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor was inaugurated on 9 November 2019, enabling visa-free pilgrimage access for Indian devotees to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

5. The Char Dham all-weather road project covers about 825 kilometres, of which around 616 kilometres had been completed by July 2024, improving Himalayan pilgrimage connectivity.

6. Hemkund Sahib Ropeway was approved with an estimated cost of ₹2,730.13 crore and planned length of 12.4 kilometres to improve access to the high-altitude Sikh pilgrimage site.

7. Under PRASHAD, 54 projects in 28 States and Union Territories had been sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹1,726.74 crore by December 2025.

8. Under Swadesh Darshan, 76 tourism infrastructure projects had been sanctioned for about ₹5,290.30 crore, while 75 of them had been physically completed by late 2025.

9. Swadesh Darshan 2.0 had sanctioned 52 to 53 destination-based projects worth over ₹2,100 crore by 2025, focusing on sustainable and responsible tourism development.

10. Foreign Tourist Arrivals in 2024 stood at 99.52 lakh, while foreign exchange earnings from tourism were estimated at ₹2,93,033 crore during the same year.

11. India retrieved 642 antiquities since 2014, compared with only 13 returned before 2013, marking a major increase in repatriation of cultural objects.

12. In July 2024, Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam became India’s 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site, while the country’s tentative list stood at 62 sites.

13. Mahakumbh 2025 saw participation exceeding 66 crore people, making it one of the largest spiritual gatherings recorded in the country.

14. Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0 was held from 15 to 24 February 2025 in Varanasi, and official updates noted around 2 lakh visitors with 869 artists participating.

15. The International Day of Yoga theme for 2025 was “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” continuing India’s use of yoga as a major global cultural connector.

 

Must Know Terms :

1. PRASHAD

PRASHAD stands for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive. It is a central sector tourism infrastructure scheme focused on pilgrimage and heritage destinations. By December 2025, 54 projects across 28 States and Union Territories had been sanctioned with an estimated cost of ₹1,726.74 crore. The scheme supports multi-faith destinations through access, amenities, public utilities, and visitor management infrastructure.

2. Swadesh Darshan

Swadesh Darshan is the Ministry of Tourism’s theme-based destination development scheme launched in 2014-15. By 2025, 76 projects worth about ₹5,290.30 crore had been sanctioned, and 75 were physically complete. The scheme was later upgraded into Swadesh Darshan 2.0, which shifted from circuit building to destination-centric, sustainable tourism development with stronger focus on local experience and infrastructure quality.

3. Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a cultural initiative designed to strengthen the civilisational link between Tamil Nadu and Kashi. The third edition was held from 15 to 24 February 2025 in Varanasi. Official updates reported participation by 869 artists and 190 local groups, with around 2 lakh visitors. It operates under the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and promotes language, scholarship, culture, and shared heritage.

4. Antiquity Repatriation

Antiquity repatriation refers to the return of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects to India. Official data shows that 642 antiquities were retrieved since 2014, while only 13 had been returned before 2013. Major returns came from countries including the United States, which alone returned hundreds of artefacts. This reflects stronger diplomatic, legal, and institutional effort in protecting India’s civilisational heritage and museum assets.

5. Mahakumbh

Mahakumbh is one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, held at major sacred river confluences according to a traditional cycle. Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj recorded participation of over 66 crore people, according to official updates. The event combined pilgrimage, ritual bathing, public administration, transport coordination, sanitation, healthcare, and security on an extraordinary scale, making it both a spiritual and logistical landmark.

6. Ayurveda Globalisation

Ayurveda globalisation refers to India’s effort to expand Ayurveda through international recognition, institutional cooperation, and cross-border healthcare outreach. Official updates note celebration of Ayurveda Day 2024 in over 150 countries. India also hosts the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar and has built international cooperation through country-level and institute-level agreements, information cells abroad, and treatment-oriented initiatives such as Ayush Visa.

MCQ:

 

 

Q1. With reference to India’s culture-led development approach over the last 11 years, consider the following components:

1. Heritage conservation
2. Spiritual revival
3. Infrastructure expansion
4. Global cultural outreach

Which of the above are included in the core vision?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 2 and 4 only

 

Q2. Which of the following projects are examples of redevelopment of major temple corridors?

1. Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
2. Mahakaal Lok, Ujjain
3. Ram Mandir, Ayodhya
4. Somnath–Parvati Mandir complex

Select the correct answer:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

 

Q3. The Char Dham Highway Project aims to improve connectivity to which of the following pilgrimage sites?

1. Yamunotri
2. Gangotri
3. Kedarnath
4. Badrinath

Select the correct answer:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

 

Q4. The Hemkund Sahib Ropeway project is best described by which of the following features?

(a) 8.6 km length and PPP model

(b) 12.4 km length approved by CCEA

(c) 15 km length under Swadesh Darshan

(d) 10 km length funded under PRASHAD

 

Q5. The Buddhist Circuit development programme has received focused investments in which of the following states?

1. Bihar
2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Kerala
4. Andhra Pradesh

Select the correct answer:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

 

Q6. The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is significant because it:

(a) Connects India to Nepal for Buddhist pilgrims

(b) Enables Sikh pilgrims to access Gurdwara Darbar Sahib

(c) Is part of the Char Dham Highway Project

(d) Was developed under the HRIDAY scheme

 

Q7. With reference to PRASHAD and Swadesh Darshan schemes, consider the following statements:

1. PRASHAD focuses on rejuvenation of pilgrimage destinations.
2. Swadesh Darshan supports thematic tourism circuits.
3. HRIDAY focuses exclusively on rural pilgrimage sites.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

Q8. Which of the following correctly represents tourism outcomes in 2024?

(a) 6.5 million foreign tourists and ₹1.9 lakh crore earnings

(b) 9.66 million foreign tourists and ₹2,77,842 crore earnings

(c) 12 million foreign tourists and ₹3.5 lakh crore earnings

(d) 7.8 million foreign tourists and ₹2 lakh crore earnings

 

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding repatriation of antiquities:

1. Before 2013, fewer than 20 antiquities were returned.
2. Since 2014, more than 600 antiquities have been traced.
3. The USA has returned the highest number of artefacts to India.

Which of the above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3 only

 

Q10. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was organised to commemorate:

(a) 70 years of the Republic

(b) 75 years of Independence

(c) 100 years of freedom movement

(d) 75 years of the Constitution

 

Q11. Which of the following monuments were inaugurated after 2018?

1. National War Memorial
2. Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya
3. National Police Memorial
4. Bharat Mandapam

Select the correct answer:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

 

Q12. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme primarily aims to:

(a) Promote interstate industrial corridors

(b) Enhance cultural exchange and national integration

(c) Develop heritage cities under HRIDAY

(d) Promote foreign tourism exclusively

 

Q13. Which of the following events recorded participation of over 66 crore people?

(a) International Day of Yoga 2023

(b) Global Buddhist Summit

(c) Mahakumbh 2025

(d) Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0

 

Q14. With reference to WAVES 2025, consider the following:

1. It is a global summit on media and entertainment.
2. It witnessed MoUs worth ₹8,000 crore by Maharashtra.
3. It led to the establishment of WHO Global Ayurveda Centre.

Which of the above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

Q15. Which of the following correctly matches the theme of International Day of Yoga 2025?

(a) Yoga for Humanity

(b) Yoga for Global Peace

(c) Yoga for One Earth, One Health

(d) Yoga for Sustainable Living