SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 15 September 2025, Shift 3 · General Awareness · Question 2 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

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SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Which of the following best reflects the cultural significance of the Kanuma Festival in Andhra Pradesh?

(a)It marks the beginning of monsoon farming activities.
(b)It is dedicated to honoring cattle used in agriculture.
(c)It celebrates the victory of good over evil through bonfire rituals.
(d)It involves the worship of rivers to ensure good harvests.

Answer

Why

Correct — B. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sankranti runs over four days: Bhogi, Pedda Panduga, Kanuma and Mukkanuma.

Kanuma, the third day, is dedicated to cattle and other domestic animals. Cattle, especially cows, are decorated, offered a special meal and worshipped → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
It marks the beginning of monsoon farming activities. — Sankranti is a mid-January harvest festival, so Kanuma falls after the crop is in, not at the start of monsoon farming.
(c)
It celebrates the victory of good over evil through bonfire rituals. — Bonfires belong to Bhogi, the first day, when unwanted old things are burnt. Kanuma, two days later, is kept for cattle.
(d)
It involves the worship of rivers to ensure good harvests. — River worship is not what Kanuma is known for. Its rite is for the animals that work the land: cattle are decorated, fed and worshipped.

Concept

Makar Sankranti is a pan-Indian solar harvest festival kept under many names: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Magh Bihu in Assam, Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh.

The Telugu states spread it over four days. Bhogi clears out the old with bonfires. Pedda Panduga, the main day, is dedicated to Surya and marks the start of Uttarayana.

Kanuma honours the cattle, and Mukkanuma closes the festival.

Key facts

Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Bhogi, Pedda Panduga, Kanuma, Mukkanuma.
Kanuma, the third day, is dedicated to cattle and other domestic animals.
Bhogi, the first day, is marked by bonfires of old, unwanted things.
Pedda Panduga, the main day, is dedicated to Surya.

Study next

Pongal's four days in Tamil Nadu, including Maattu Pongal for cattleMagh Bihu and other regional names of Makar SankrantiUttarayana and the Sun's entry into Makara

Common traps

Choosing the bonfire option because Sankranti has bonfires. They belong to Bhogi, not Kanuma.
Reading any harvest festival as a sowing festival. Sankranti is a mid-January harvest festival.

Sankranti's regional names are asked at 24 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.20 (Magh Bihu in Assam, with 'Pedda Padunga' among the options) and its deity at 25 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.13 (Surya).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Culture — all 163 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.