Goddess Amba is the presiding deity of which traditional folk theatre of Gujarat?

The correct answer is Bhavai. Bhavai is a traditional folk theatre form of Gujarat, and it is performed in honour of the goddess Amba (Ambaji), a form of the mother goddess Durga, who is the presiding deity of the art form. Every Bhavai performance traditionally begins with a prayer and an offering to the goddess, and the performers believe that her blessings protect them and bring success to their performance.

According to tradition, Bhavai was created in the 14th century by Asaita Thakar, a Brahmin of the town of Unjha in northern Gujarat. The story says that he was expelled from his community for eating with a girl from a lower caste, whom he had saved from a powerful chieftain. To support himself, he wrote about 360 plays, called veshas, and performed them with his three sons. His descendants and followers, especially the Targala (Nayak) community, continued the tradition. Bhavai performances are held in the open, in village squares, and they combine song, dance, dialogue and humour. The plays deal with mythology, romance, history and, especially, social satire, criticising the injustices of society, such as caste discrimination and the arrogance of the powerful. The music is provided by the bhungal (a long copper trumpet), the tabla and cymbals. The temple of Ambaji, in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat, is one of the most important Shakti peethas.

About the other options:

• Tamasha is a folk theatre of Maharashtra, known for its songs, dances (especially Lavani) and comedy.
• Yakshagana is a traditional theatre of coastal Karnataka, based on stories from the epics.
• Jatra is a popular folk theatre of Bengal and Odisha.
• None of these is linked with the goddess Amba in this way.