SSC
Agni, Mardana Jhumar and Phagua dances are associated with which state?
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Answer: Option C — Jharkhand
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Jharkhand. Agni, Mardana Jhumar and Phagua are folk dances of Jharkhand, a state with a rich tradition of tribal and folk performing arts.
Jhumar (also spelt Jhumair) is one of the most popular folk dances of Jharkhand. It is performed by both tribal and non-tribal communities, especially during the harvest season and at festivals. It has two main forms. Mardana Jhumar is performed by men, with vigorous and energetic movements, while Janani Jhumar is performed by women, with gentler, more graceful movements. The dancers form lines or circles and move to the beat of drums such as the mandar and the dhol, and to the music of the flute and the shehnai. Phagua is a dance and song form linked with the festival of Holi, which falls in the month of Phalgun. Phagua songs and dances celebrate the arrival of spring and the colours of Holi, and they are popular across Jharkhand and the neighbouring states. The Agni dance, as its name suggests, involves fire and is part of the ritual traditions of the region.
Jharkhand is also known for Chhau of Seraikela, Paika (the martial dance of the Munda tribe), Karma (performed during the Karam festival), Domkach (performed by women at weddings), Mundari, and the dances of the Sarhul and Sohrai festivals.
About the other options:
- Odisha is known for Odissi, Gotipua, Dalkhai and the Mayurbhanj Chhau.
- Chhattisgarh is known for Panthi, Raut Nacha, Saila and Suwa.
Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya and Bagurumba. It also has the Jhumur dance of its tea garden communities, many of whom originally came from the Chota Nagpur region, but Mardana Jhumar is linked with Jharkhand.
💡 Exam tip
Link Jharkhand with Jhumar in its two forms, Mardana Jhumar (by men) and Janani Jhumar (by women). Questions may also ask about Chhau of Seraikela, Paika and Karma.💬 Discussions on this question
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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.