India General Knowledge Quiz 3

Western

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD)

These four areas, along with Goa, were for centuries controlled by which European country?

Goa

Goa is India's smallest state by area. One of its local (European-influenced) dishes has been embraced by the British. They eat a very very spicy version to show how tough they are to their friends on a night out. It's called...?

Gujarat

Most people in Gujarat are vegetarian. You might be served an assortment of dishes arranged on a platter (eg daal, various vegetables, some sprouted pulses, steamed rice, breads, and a papad..mmm). The word for this assortment is... t____?

Maharashtra

Pune is the second largest city and cultural capital of the state. It has the largest university in the country, and many other educational institutions. As a result, Pune is known as "the ______ of the East".

Southern

Andhra Pradesh

The official language here is spoken by 82m native speakers in India (the 4th largest native spoken language). It's also the fastest growing language spoken in the US. It begins with a T. (I shamefully admit prior ignorance).

Karnataka

Karnataka is home to many nationally protected monuments, including the Gol Gumbaz mausoleum. After the Byzantine Hagia Sophia, this building has the second-largest pre-modern 'what' in the world?

Kerala

Since 3000BCE this area has been a major exporter of spices, and three quarters of India's spices still come from here. Can you name a spice that Kerala's famous for?

Puducherry

This Union Territory of India was once colonised by which European country? Much of the area was then called 'Pondichery'.

Tamil Nadu

The capital of this state is Chennai. But what was its name until 1996? It was the central administrative centre for the British in South India during their colonial rule.

Telangana

Telangana's historic city of Golconda was a 19th century centre of the diamond trade. One of its huge diamonds is (controversially) in the British crown jewels and has a reputation for bad luck. What is it called? K...

Special invitees to Southern Zonal Council

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

This Union Territory comprises 572 islands, 37 of which are inhabited. Some of its people are tribes that resist contact. Pearls from the islands feature in which (long) Sherlock Holmes story?

Lakshadweep

'Lakshadweep' means 'one hundred thousand islands' in Sanskrit and Malayalam (there aren't quite that many really). What marine creatures have 'created' the islands?