SSC
Dangi, a folk dance of the Chamba region, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option D — Himachal Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Himachal Pradesh. Dangi is a folk dance of the Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh, a hilly district in the north-western part of the state, known for its temples, its miniature paintings, the Chamba rumal (embroidered handkerchief) and its colourful fairs, such as the Minjar Mela.
The Dangi dance is performed by women, who dance in a circle or a line, holding hands, with slow and graceful movements, while singing traditional folk songs. The songs often describe love stories, legends and local history, and some are based on the famous folk tales of the region. The dancers wear the traditional dress of Chamba, including long, flowing gowns, colourful scarves (dupattas) and silver ornaments. The dance is performed at fairs, festivals and other social occasions, and it brings the women of the community together. Note that Gujarat's Dang district also has a dance called Dangi Nritya, performed by the tribal people of that district, which is a different tradition.
Himachal Pradesh has many folk dances, which differ from region to region. Nati is the most famous dance of the state. In October 2015, during the Kullu Dussehra, nearly 10,000 women performed the Kullu Nati together, and the performance entered the Guinness World Records as the largest folk dance. Other dances of the state include Ghurehi (a women's dance of Chamba), Jhali, Chharhi, Kharaiti (a martial dance performed with swords), Shan and Shabu (dances of the Lahaul and Spiti region), Kayang and Bakayang (dances of the Kinnaur region) and the Rakshasa or demon dance, a masked dance.
About the other options:
- Uttarakhand is known for Choliya, Jhora and Hurka Baul.
- Sikkim is known for Chu Faat, Maruni and Tashi Sabdo.
- Jammu and Kashmir is known for Rouf, Kud and Dumhal.
- None of these is associated with the Dangi dance of Chamba.
💡 Exam tip
Link the Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh with the Dangi and Ghurehi dances, both performed by women, and with the Minjar Mela. Remember the Kullu Nati's Guinness record (2015).💬 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.