SSC
Bharatanatyam is traditionally performed to which system of music?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Carnatic music
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Carnatic music. Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu, is performed to the Carnatic system of music, which is the classical music tradition of South India. The music for a Bharatanatyam recital is provided by a small ensemble that usually includes a vocalist, a mridangam player (a double-headed drum), a violinist or veena player, a flute player, and the nattuvanar, who recites the rhythmic syllables (sollukattu) and plays small cymbals called the talam.
The structure of a traditional Bharatanatyam recital, called the margam, was organised in the 19th century by four brothers of Thanjavur known as the Tanjore Quartet: Chinnaiah, Ponnaiah, Sivanandam and Vadivelu. A typical margam includes Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam, Javali and Tillana. Each item is set to a Carnatic raga (melodic framework) and tala (rhythmic cycle), and the lyrics are usually in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Sanskrit. Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh is also performed to Carnatic music.
About the other options:
Hindustani music is the classical music of North India. It is linked with Kathak, the classical dance of Uttar Pradesh, which is performed to forms such as thumri and to the tabla and pakhawaj.
Rabindra Sangeet is the body of songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore. It is used in Rabindra Nritya, a style of dance that developed in Bengal, but not in traditional Bharatanatyam.
Sopana Sangeetham is the temple music of Kerala. It is linked with Kerala's art forms, such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
💡 Exam tip
The general rule is that the South Indian classical dances (Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi) use Carnatic music, while Kathak in the north uses Hindustani music. Kathakali and Mohiniyattam of Kerala are associated with Sopana style music and instruments such as the chenda and edakka.💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
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.