SSC
Dhimsa, a folk dance performed by the Porja tribes of the Araku valley, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option D — Andhra Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Andhra Pradesh. Dhimsa is a tribal dance performed in the Araku valley and other parts of the Visakhapatnam agency area (now partly in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district) of Andhra Pradesh. It is performed by tribal communities such as the Porja (Paraja), Kondadora and Kotia, and especially by women. The dance is also performed by tribal communities across the border in the Koraput region of southern Odisha.
Dhimsa is performed in groups. The dancers stand in a line or a circle, link their arms around each other's waists and move with rhythmic steps, swaying forwards and backwards to the music of drums, the flute and other traditional instruments. It is performed during festivals, weddings, the Chaitra festival (around March and April) and celebrations after the harvest. Over time, Dhimsa has become one of the main attractions for tourists visiting the Araku valley, a hill station known for its coffee plantations, waterfalls and the Borra caves.
About the other options:
- Telangana is known for the Gussadi dance of the Raj Gonds, the Perini Shivatandavam (a warrior dance revived from the Kakatiya period) and the Bathukamma festival.
- Karnataka is known for Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha, Kamsale and Bhoota Kola.
- Tamil Nadu is known for Bharatanatyam, Karagattam, Kummi, Mayilattam and Kavadi Attam.
- None of these states is associated with the Dhimsa of the Araku valley.
- Andhra Pradesh is also home to the classical dance Kuchipudi and to folk forms such as Veeranatyam, Kolattam, Burrakatha (a form of storytelling) and Butta Bommalu (a dance with large puppet costumes).
💡 Exam tip
Dhimsa is usually linked with Andhra Pradesh in exam answers, but it is also performed in Odisha. If both states appear in the options, read the question carefully for clues such as "Araku valley" (Andhra Pradesh) or "Koraput" (Odisha).💬 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.