Know Your India: The Kirana Quiz

India is the world’s largest producer of which spice?

• Cardamom

• Black pepper

• Cumin

• Chili

Answer explanation

India leads global chili production, especially from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Which product is considered the first item to kickstart the Swadeshi movement in 1905?

• Khadi

• Salt

• Soap

• Tea

Answer explanation

Khadi symbolized self-reliance and was central to boycotting British textiles.

What is a “baniya khata” traditionally used for in Kirana stores?

• Stock inventory

• Note customer dues on credit

• Record taxes

• Track expiry dates

Answer explanation

A “baniya khata” tracks customer purchases made on credit.

In which city did India’s first consumer co‑operative store open in 1904?

• Mumbai

• Ahmedabad

• Pune

• Chennai

Answer explanation

India’s first consumer co-op store opened in Triplicane, Chennai in 1904.

Which freedom fighter ran a grocery store in South Africa?

• Mahatma Gandhi

• Sardar Patel

• B.R. Ambedkar

• Jawaharlal Nehru

Answer explanation

Gandhi ran a small grocery shop while in South Africa to support his family.

Which Indian FMCG brand started as a dairy co-op and became a symbol of rural empowerment?

• Mother Dairy

• Amul

• Nandini

• Verka

Answer explanation

Amul transformed India’s dairy sector through its co-operative model and rural empowerment.

What’s the local term for buying on credit at Kirana stores?

• Udhari

• Bhada

• Zakaat

• Hawala

Answer explanation

“Udhari” means buying now, paying later, which is common in Kirana culture.

Who gave the slogan “Swadeshi is the soul of Swaraj”?

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• Lala Lajpat Rai

• Mahatma Gandhi

• Dadabhai Naoroji

Answer explanation

Gandhi believed Swadeshi was essential for achieving true Swaraj (self-rule).

Which state in India is known as the “Spice Garden of India”?

• Gujarat

• Kerala

• Assam

• Tamil Nadu

Answer explanation

Kerala grows a wide range of spices, earning it the title "Spice Garden of India."

The famous Dandi March in 1930 was about which everyday Kirana product?

• Rice

• Oil

• Salt

• Sugar

Answer explanation

The Dandi March protested the British monopoly and tax on salt, a daily essential.