SSC
In Kathak, the competitive and playful exchange between the dancer and the tabla player is known as:
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Answer: Option D — Jugalbandi
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Jugalbandi. "Jugalbandi" literally means "entwined twins" or "a pair bound together". In music and dance, it refers to a performance in which two artists perform together, playing off each other in a friendly contest. In Kathak, the jugalbandi between the dancer and the tabla player is one of the most exciting parts of a performance.
During a jugalbandi, the dancer and the tabla player take turns to present rhythmic patterns. The tabla player plays a pattern, and the dancer answers it with the footwork, reproducing the same rhythm with the ghungroos (ankle bells). Or the dancer presents a pattern of footwork, and the tabla player responds on the tabla. The exchanges become faster and more complex as the performance goes on, and the two artists often finish together on the first beat of the cycle (the sam) with a flourish. The audience enjoys the skill, the spontaneity and the friendly competition between the two artists. Jugalbandi shows the very close relationship between rhythm, music and dance in Kathak. The term is also used in Indian classical music for a duet between two soloists, such as a sitar and a sarod, or a Hindustani and a Carnatic musician.
About the other options:
- Tatkar is the basic footwork of Kathak, in which the dancer strikes the floor with the feet in rhythmic patterns.
- Chakkar refers to the fast spins or pirouettes that are a signature feature of Kathak.
- Thaat is the opening section of a Kathak performance, in which the dancer presents graceful poses and subtle movements of the eyes, eyebrows, neck and wrists.
Other Kathak terms include Aamad (the entry of the dancer), Tukda (a short rhythmic composition), Tihai (a pattern repeated three times, ending on the sam), Paran (a composition based on the syllables of the pakhawaj) and Gat Bhaav (the storytelling part).
💡 Exam tip
Link Jugalbandi with the dancer and the tabla player in Kathak, Tatkar with footwork, and Chakkar with spins.💬 Discussions on this question
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Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
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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.