Railway
Dhalo is a popular ritual folk dance of which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option D — Goa
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Goa. Dhalo is a ritual folk dance of Goa, performed by women. It is performed during the Hindu month of Paush (December and January), on moonlit nights, usually over a period of five to seven nights, in an open space in the village called the "maand", which is considered sacred.
In the Dhalo dance, the women form two rows facing each other, with their arms linked, and dance with slow, rhythmic steps, moving forwards and backwards, while singing songs in Konkani. The songs are about the gods and goddesses, especially the mother goddess, and about family life, social customs, nature and the problems faced by women. Some songs make fun of men or comment on social issues, and on the last night of the dance, some women dress up as men and act out humorous scenes. The dance is performed to pray to the gods and goddesses for the well-being of the family and the village, for protection from evil and disease, and for a good harvest. It is especially popular in the villages of the Hindu communities of Goa, such as those of the Bardez, Ponda and Salcete talukas.
Goa has many other folk dances, which reflect its mix of Konkani, Hindu and Portuguese Catholic traditions. These include Fugdi (a women's dance performed in the month of Bhadrapad, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi), Ghode Modni (the horse or warrior dance), Tarangamel (performed with flags during Dussehra and Holi), Gonph (a dance with braided ropes), Dekhni (a dance with a pot, with Western-style music), Mando (a slow Catholic song and dance), Corridinho (a Portuguese-style dance), Kunbi (a dance of the Kunbi tribe) and Dhangar (a dance of the shepherd community).
About the other options:
- Maharashtra is known for Lavani, Koli and Tamasha.
- Karnataka is known for Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha and Kamsale.
- Kerala is known for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Theyyam.
- None of these is associated with Dhalo.
💡 Exam tip
Goa has two women's dances that are often confused: Fugdi (performed in the month of Bhadrapad) and Dhalo (performed in the month of Paush, in two rows). Read the question for clues such as the month or the formation.💬 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.