- At the time of childbirth in Himachal Pradesh, where is the mother typically housed?
A) In the main living room
B) In a separate room, usually on the lower storey
C) In a community birthing center
D) Outside the house in a temporary shelter
Answer: B - In tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh, where might a mother be lodged at the time of childbirth?
A) A local clinic
B) A cattle manor (‘Gobad’)
C) A neighbor’s house
D) A specially built birthing hut
Answer: B - Who typically assists with childbirth in Himachali villages, given that professional midwives are uncommon?
A) Only the husband
B) Experienced village women of any caste
C) Only family elders
D) Trained medical professionals from nearby towns
Answer: B - What is the midwife holding when cutting the umbilical cord in Himachal Pradesh?
A) A pair of scissors
B) A traditional knife
C) A silver rupee coin or a silver ornament
D) A piece of sacred thread
Answer: C - What happens to both the infant and the mother immediately after delivery in Himachal Pradesh?
A) They are given new clothes.
B) They undergo a purifying bath.
C) They are presented to the family.
D) They are given a special meal.
Answer: B - What is the initial period following birth called, lasting twenty days (or ten days in some cases), during which the family observes certain taboos?
A) Ghutti
B) Jatloo
C) Sootak
D) Shukud
Answer: C - What is ‘Ghutti’ in Himachal Pradesh?
A) The infant’s first bath
B) The infant’s first feeding
C) The naming ceremony
D) The first hair cutting
Answer: B - Who usually administers ‘Ghutti’ to the infant?
A) The mother
B) The midwife
C) The father, a Brahmin, or a Lama
D) The eldest female relative
Answer: C - What is the belief associated with the ‘Ghutti’ ceremony?
A) It ensures the child’s good health.
B) It protects the child from evil spirits.
C) It ensures the child imbibes positive qualities of the person administering it.
D) It marks the child’s entry into the community.
Answer: C - In the naming ceremony, who ascertains the first letter of the child’s name from their horoscope?
A) The mother
B) The father
C) The family priest
D) A village elder
Answer: C - How are boys among lower castes in Himachal Pradesh often named?
A) After their grandparents
B) After their birth day or month
C) After famous historical figures
D) After local deities
Answer: B - Which of the following are common suffixes to names in Himachal Pradesh?
A) Kumar, Devi, Kaur
B) Ram, Lal, Das, Chand, Singh
C) Sharma, Verma, Gupta
D) Nath, Giri, Prasad
Answer: B - Why do lower castes sometimes adopt high-caste surnames in Himachal Pradesh?
A) To hide their original identity.
B) To uplift their social standing.
C) To avoid government benefits.
D) To show loyalty to high castes.
Answer: B - What is the first hair cutting ceremony called in Himachal Pradesh?
A) Ghutti
B) Sootak
C) Jatloo
D) Shukud
Answer: C - In which years after birth does the ‘Jatloo’ ceremony typically take place?
A) First or second year
B) Third, fifth, or seventh year
C) Tenth or twelfth year
D) Any time before puberty
Answer: B - Where is the cut hair customarily offered during the ‘Jatloo’ ceremony?
A) Buried in the backyard
B) Thrown into a river
C) At a goddess shrine, a Shiva temple, the ‘Kulja’ shrine, or a holy river
D) Kept as a family heirloom
Answer: C - What is sometimes done with hair clippings for later offering?
A) They are burned immediately.
B) They are preserved with cow dung, milk, and two coins.
C) They are given to the midwife.
D) They are scattered in the wind.
Answer: B - What is a husband advised to refrain from doing with his own hands during his wife’s pregnancy in Himachal Pradesh?
A) Cooking food
B) Killing animals
C) Working in the fields
D) Attending festivals
Answer: B - What kind of places is a pregnant woman advised to avoid?
A) Markets and public gatherings
B) Places on fire, streams, forests, or unfrequented areas
C) Temples and religious sites
D) Her parental home
Answer: B - What is a pregnant woman prohibited from seeing?
A) The face of a deceased person
B) Her own reflection
C) Newborn babies
D) Animals giving birth
Answer: A - What ritual is omitted during religious ceremonies if the woman is pregnant?
A) Offering prayers
B) Tying knots
C) Lighting lamps
D) Singing hymns
Answer: B - Are a pregnant woman’s old ornaments melted to form new ones?
A) Yes, it is a common practice.
B) No, it is prohibited.
C) Only if they are made of silver.
D) Only if she gives permission.
Answer: B - What celestial event is a pregnant woman prohibited from observing?
A) Full moons
B) Meteor showers
C) Solar or lunar eclipses
D) Star constellations
Answer: C - How is the birth of a girl child generally celebrated in Himachal Pradesh?
A) With great joy and exuberance.
B) With the same exuberance as a boy.
C) Generally not with the same exuberance as a boy.
D) It is not celebrated at all.
Answer: C - What special ‘pooja’ is offered to young girls during Navratras?
A) Lakshmi Pooja
B) Saraswati Pooja
C) Durga Pooja
D) Ganesh Pooja
Answer: C - How is the birth of a male child announced in Himachali villages?
A) By ringing bells
B) By distributing ‘Yura’ (sugar lumps or parched grains)
C) By lighting fireworks
D) By a public announcement in the village square
Answer: B - What do women from the neighborhood sing upon the birth of a son?
A) Lullabies
B) Sohar Badhaiyan (songs of joy and congratulations)
C) Religious chants
D) Folk ballads
Answer: B - What is the custom called when the father keeps ‘turf leaves’ and returns double the amount of one rupee given by relatives and friends?
A) Shukud
B) Budhap
C) Ghutti
D) Jatloo
Answer: B - In Kinnaur, what is the custom called when wealthy families bring palanquins of gods into their homes after a male child’s birth and host feasts for villagers, possibly involving goat sacrifice?
A) Budhap
B) Sootak
C) Shukud
D) Ghutti
Answer: C