SSC
According to tradition, Bharatanatyam evolved from which ancient solo dance style?
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Answer: Option C — Ekaharya Lasyanga
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Ekaharya Lasyanga. In the history of Indian dance, Bharatanatyam is often described as having evolved from Ekaharya Lasyanga, a solo dance style described in ancient texts. "Ekaharya" means "one costume", because a single dancer, wearing one costume, performs all the roles. "Lasyanga" refers to the graceful, lasya style of dance.
In Ekaharya, a single dancer takes on many roles in a single performance, moving from one character to another through changes in expression, posture and gesture, without changing the costume. This is still an important feature of Bharatanatyam today. In a single piece, a dancer may portray a narrator, a heroine, her friend, her beloved and a god, switching from one to another in a moment. This makes Bharatanatyam a very demanding art, which requires deep skill in abhinaya (expression). Because of this solo storytelling tradition, Bharatanatyam is usually performed by a single dancer, accompanied by a group of musicians, including a vocalist, a mridangam player, a nattuvanar (who recites rhythmic syllables and plays cymbals) and players of the violin, veena or flute.
The theoretical foundations of Bharatanatyam are found in the Natyashastra of Bharata Muni and the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeshvara. Its sculptural evidence is found in the karanas carved on the gopurams of the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and in the Brihadeeswara temple at Thanjavur.
About the other options:
- Ankiya Nat is the one-act play of the Sattriya tradition of Assam.
- Krishnanattam is a dance-drama of Kerala on the life of Krishna, performed over eight nights.
- Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of coastal Karnataka performed by a group of actors.
- These are group dance-dramas, not solo styles like Ekaharya.
💡 Exam tip
Ekaharya is often asked in exams in two ways: as the solo style from which Bharatanatyam evolved, and as the feature of Bharatanatyam in which one dancer performs many roles.💬 Discussions on this question
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Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
View all ›- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:
Indian Dance Forms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian Dance Forms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Indian dance forms are one of the most frequently tested areas of static GK. This topic covers the eight classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya), the folk and tribal dances of every state, and related terms such as mudra, abhinaya, lasya and tandava. Most questions ask which state a dance belongs to, which community performs it, or which feature identifies a classical style. Learn the classical dances with their state and one signature feature each, such as the face make-up of Kathakali or the brass plate of Kuchipudi. For folk dances, group them state by state, since exams often list three or four dances and ask for the common state. Watch for dances shared by more than one state, such as Chhau, which has three styles. Practise the Indian dance forms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.