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South Asian Literature Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
South Asian Literature Quizzes, Trivia

South Asian Literature Trivia

South Asian Literature Trivia Quizzes

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The quizzes here are about the writings of a variety of authors from the southern part of Asia (mostly India and Bangladesh).
5 quizzes and 45 trivia questions.
1.
  Bengali Bards   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Welcome to the vast arena of Bengali literature. This is my tribute to the bards of the seventh-most spoken language of the world!
Average, 10 Qns, nirmalya_b, Oct 24 14
Average
nirmalya_b
712 plays
2.
  Indian Literature    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is about the glorious Indian Literature...
Average, 10 Qns, ankan, Feb 23 16
Average
ankan
2955 plays
3.
  Bengali Literature    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The big names in Bengali literature are Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Michael Madhushudan Dutt. See how much you know about them.
Average, 10 Qns, Biainburi, Mar 17 19
Average
Biainburi
Mar 17 19
429 plays
4.
  The Great Indian Thriller!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz about the genre of thrillers in Indian Literature. Enjoy!
Difficult, 10 Qns, shaunak_rokz, May 31 12
Difficult
shaunak_rokz
291 plays
5.
  Easy Indian Literature    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
If you know about Indian writings and authors, then try this quiz. It is mostly about Bengali authors.
Tough, 5 Qns, pablokazi, Apr 07 07
Tough
pablokazi
1709 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Among Tagore, Nazrul and Madhushudan, who was born in what is now Bangladesh and died in India?

From Quiz "Bengali Literature"




Related Topics
  Basu, Samit [Literature] (2 quizzes)

  Bhagat, Chetan [Literature] (3 quizzes)


South Asian Literature Trivia Questions
1. Who won a Nobel prize for literature?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore

Although all three were extremely talented geniuses, only Tagore won a Nobel prize for his "Geetanjali".

2. An early detective story featured a person called Inspector Ghote - Who was the writer? (Not an Indian, mind you!)

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: H.R.F Keating

HRF Keating wrote a series of books about Inspector Ghote (one was made into a film with Naseeruddin Shah) but they didn't exactly set the world on fire. Actually, Indian detective fiction is quite limited to a few - I am coming to them later.

3. Which Nobel Laureate rejected a Knighthood to protest the Massacre of Jalianwalahbagh in 1919?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore.

The innocent civilians were gathered at the garden of Jalianwalahbagh, Punjab, for a peaceful demonstration against the British, demanding their civil rights in British-ruled-India. The police, led by General Dwyer, started shooting at the innocent demonstrators, including women and children, and hundreds died. When Rabindranath Tagore, the first Indian and Asian to win a Nobel in any category, was informed of this massacre, he immediately sent a telegram to the British Government expressing his shock and disapproval, and rejecting the Knighthood.

4. Who wrote the original 'Panchatantra'?

From Quiz Indian Literature

Answer: Vishnu Sharma

It was written way back before the time of Rajputs.

5. Which author is a Bengali writer and an Oscar winning film director?

From Quiz Easy Indian Literature

Answer: Satyajit Ray

He won an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement.

6. Who wrote the first epic poem in Bangla? And what is the poem? The epic poem centers on a warrior from Hindu mythology who is comparable to Hector from Greek mythology.

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Madhushudan; "Meghnad Bodh Kavya"

Michael Madhushudan Dutt was a polyglot and knew ten languages! He composed poems in English, Italian and French. In the Ramayana, Ravana is the villain. Madhushudan's opus raises Meghnad (Ravana's son) to a hero in the proportion of Hector in the "Iliad". "Meghnad Bodh" was published in 1861.

7. Which region of India is particularly dominant when it comes to detective fiction?

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: Bengal

Bengal has given birth to three of the most amazing detective characters ever born - Feluda, Byomkesh and Kakababu. So it can be rightly said that Bengal was the home of Indian detective fiction.

8. What was the name of the book which earned the prestigious Nobel for Literary Contributions in 1913?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Geetanjali (the Song Offerings).

A compilation of devotional and metaphysical lyrics of Rabindranath Tagore, 'Geetanjali' represents the poetic introspection through which one feels nearer to God, who is omnipresent. Some of these songs reveal a sense of Pantheism, which one can find in poetry of William Wordsworth. Tagore translated the poems himself and the English version bears an introductory preface composed by William Butler Yeats.

9. 'I am also called the 'Bidrohi Kobi' in Bengali literature,Who am I?'

From Quiz Easy Indian Literature

Answer: Kazi Nazrul Islam

10. Among Tagore, Nazrul and Madhushudan, who was born in India and died in Bangladesh?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Kazi Nazrul Islam

Nazrul was born in Churulia which is in West Bengal, India in 1899. He died in 1976 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

11. "The Sacred Games" is one of India's bestselling detective stories. Who wrote it?

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: Vikram Chandra

Vikram Chandra's "Sacred Games" focuses mainly on the Bombay(now Mumbai) underworld. The detective Sartaj Singh tries to unravel the mysteries behind the death of a crime boss. It has achieved a cult following among the young generation of India.

12. Which poet and lyricist was known as 'Chaaran-Kavi' or 'the Shepherd Poet' because of the rural setting of his songs?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Mukunda Das.

Mukunda Das followed the ways of medieval troubadours who used to sing about daily sobs and sniffles of life, through a satirical representation. He did not have any formal education, yet he went on to survive as an Aesop-like poetical genius in the hearts of millions of Bengalees.

13. Satyajit Ray directed the film 'Sonar Kella'. Who wrote the book?

From Quiz Indian Literature

Answer: Satyajit Ray

It shot the invulnerable detective 'Feluda' and his 15-year old accomplice 'Topshe' to fame.

14. Who wrote the 'Geet Gobindom'?

From Quiz Easy Indian Literature

Answer: Jaidev

15. Among Tagore, Nazrul and Madhushudan, who was born in what is now Bangladesh and died in India?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Michael Madhushudan Dutt

Michael Madhushudan Dutt was born in 1824 in Jessore which is now part of Bangladesh. He died in Calcutta, India in 1873. Although much admired, he was often in debt. Tagore was born in Calcutta in 1861 and died in Calcutta in 1941. Nazrul suffered from a neurodegenerative condition and and was brought to Bangladesh in 1972. He died in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1976.

16. Which poet died very young, at the age of 21, suffering from tuberculosis?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Sukanta Bhattacharya.

Most of Sukanta Bhattacharya's poetry has a deliberate attachment to the Marxist school of thought and discusses the change of social divisions of wealth and education through severe communist activity. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, India, Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, is the nephew of this young bard.

17. Who wrote the songs of 'Kaho naa...Pyaar Hai'?

From Quiz Easy Indian Literature

Answer: Ibrahim Ashq

18. Who made ghazals in Bangla popular during the 20th century?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Kazi Nazrul Islam

Ghazals are a type of Persian poetry which are sung. Traditionally, ghazals were written in Persian and Urdu. Nazrul popularized Bangla ghazals. He introduced many different types of music to Bangla.

19. Feluda's stories mainly take place in India, but to which foreign location did Feluda first travel to, in order to solve an international crime?

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: Kathmandu, Nepal

"Joto Kando Kathmandute"(literally meaning, 'everything happens in Kathmandu') brought to light an international smuggling racket and a masquerader, accompanied by two gruesome murders. One of Feluda's toughest cases, and clearly one of the most enjoyable as well. Feluda did go to London later to solve yet another mystery, but Kathmandu was the first.

20. Who created the famous fictitious detective Pradosh C. Mitter, popularly known as 'Feluda'?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Satyajit Ray

Academy Award winner and noted film-maker Satyajit Ray had a strong legacy of literature, art, and culture in his family. His father, Sukumar Ray was the pioneer in writing nonsense rhymes and limericks in Bengali literature. Though he started his career as a writer at an age of 42, Satyajit Ray was warmly appreciated by children because of his masterful wordplay and the trivia he inserted in his short stories and novels. 'Feluda' is his most well known character.

21. Who wrote the Novel 'Pather Dabi'in Bengali?

From Quiz Easy Indian Literature

Answer: Saratchandra Chattopadhay

It was banned by the British because it was a rebellious book which stirred anger in the hearts of Indian people for the British.Read it,it's beyond words.

22. The multiple major winning doubles tennis player (in mens' doubles, mixed doubles) Leander Paes is a direct descendent of which great Bengali genius?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Michael Madhushudan Dutt

Paes is an eight-times mens' doubles grand slam winner and a six-times mixed-doubles grand slam winner. He is descended from Madhushudan through his daughter.

23. Byomkesh, though coming second to Feluda in terms of mass popularity, is no less great. Both of them are narrated by a third person. By whom are the stories of Byomkesh narrated?

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: Ajit

Ajit, Byomkesh's friend, roommate and assistant, narrates the stories of Byomkesh, and Tapesh, Feluda's young cousin and his assistant, narrates Feluda's adventures. Both are no doubt inspired by Holmes and Poirot, but that does not stop them from being immensely popular. Byomkesh was created by Saradindu Bandopadhyay.

24. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's comical play on mistaken identity, 'Bhranti-Vilaas' was inspired by which famous English comedy?

From Quiz Bengali Bards

Answer: Comedy of Errors

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a 19th Century social reformer who did much to eradicate unreasonable social and religious dogmas from his society, which enraged the fundamentalists of his time. A Hindu Brahmin by birth, he did not hesitate to teach himself English and Farsi though these two languages were considered 'language of infidels' in Hindu society. He is revered as one of the pioneers of the Golden Age of Bengali culture, as he made the re-marriage of widows legal in a society which was most inhumane and chauvinist to women. Vidyasagar was the first person to introduce colloquial prose to Bengali literature which earlier was predominated by obsolete and ornamental Sanskrit poetry.

25. Which Indian Prime Minister was also a poet and respected translator of literature into Hindi?

From Quiz Indian Literature

Answer: Atal Bihari Vajpayee

He has his birthday on the 25th of December.

26. This story was possibly the first instance in Indian literature when two characters from the same creator, meet to solve a 'paranormal' crime together. Name it.

From Quiz The Great Indian Thriller!

Answer: Byomkesh o Baroda

This famous story saw the meeting of Byomkesh, the detective, and Baroda, the supernatural investigator - both created by the genius of Saradindu Bandopadhyay. Byomkesh triumphs in the end, and proves that proper logic and incisive deduction can defeat even the most feared supernatural creatures.

27. Ruskin Bond's creation, Rusty, often visited this place:

From Quiz Indian Literature

Answer: Dehra

He was referred to as 'the boy from the hills'.

28. Which great Bengali literature figure is known as the father of the Bengali sonnet?

From Quiz Bengali Literature

Answer: Michael Madhushudan Dutt

Madhushudan was a great admirer of Byron and English Romantic poetry. He also knew Italian. In the first part of his life, he composed in English and even lived in Europe as a young man. In the later part of his life, he dedicated himself to Bangla.

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