Police
Dhangar, the worship dance of the shepherd community, is performed in which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — Goa
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Goa. The Dhangar dance is a traditional dance of the Dhangar community of Goa, who are traditionally shepherds and cattle herders. The Dhangars live mainly in the hilly areas of Goa, as well as in large numbers in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The Dhangar dance is a dance of worship, performed in honour of the community's deity, called Bira Deva (Birdev or Biroba), who is believed to protect the shepherds and their flocks. It is performed especially during the festival of Navratri. The dancers, usually men, wear traditional white clothes and colourful turbans, and they dance in a circle around the shrine of the deity, with rhythmic steps and movements, while singing devotional songs. The dance is accompanied by the beat of drums and other traditional instruments. The songs praise the deity, describe the life of the shepherds, and ask for blessings, good health and the protection of the herds. In Maharashtra, the Dhangar community is linked with a similar tradition called the Dhangari Gaja, performed in the Solapur region in honour of their deity Biroba.
Goa has a rich tradition of folk dance, reflecting the mix of its Konkani, Hindu and Portuguese Catholic cultures. Its main dances include Fugdi (women's dance in Bhadrapad), Dhalo (women's dance in Paush), Ghode Modni (the horse or warrior dance), Tarangamel (with flags, during Dussehra and Holi), Gonph (with braided ropes), Dekhni (with a pot), Mando (a Catholic song and dance), Corridinho, Kunbi and Dhangar.
About the other options:
- Kerala is known for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Theyyam.
- Punjab is known for Bhangra, Giddha and Luddi.
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya and Bagurumba.
- None of these is associated with the Dhangar dance.
💡 Exam tip
The Dhangar (shepherd) community has dances in two states: the Dhangar dance of Goa, performed during Navratri, and the Dhangari Gaja of Maharashtra. Read the options carefully to see which state is offered.💬 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.