SSC
In Mohiniyattam, the songs are customarily in which language?
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Answer: Option D — Manipravalam
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Manipravalam. Manipravalam is a literary style that mixes Malayalam and Sanskrit. The name means "rubies and coral", and it compares the mixing of the two languages to stringing rubies and coral together in a necklace. It developed in Kerala in the medieval period and was used in many literary works, such as the Lilatilakam, a 14th century grammar of Manipravalam.
In Mohiniyattam, the classical dance of Kerala, the songs are customarily written in Manipravalam. The dancer acts out the meaning of the songs through mudras (hand gestures) and facial expressions, so the language of the songs is essential to the dance. Many of the songs used in Mohiniyattam were composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal of Travancore (1813-1846), who was a great patron of the arts and a composer of both Carnatic and Hindustani music. He wrote many padams and varnams for Mohiniyattam. Later, poets such as Irayimman Thampi also wrote songs for the dance. The music of Mohiniyattam is set in the Sopana style, a slow, melodic style of singing linked with the temples of Kerala, and it is accompanied by the edakka, the mridangam, the flute, the veena and the cymbals.
Kathakali, the other classical dance of Kerala, also uses Manipravalam for its literary texts, called attakathas. Famous attakathas include the Nalacharitham of Unnayi Warrier and the works of Kottayam Thampuran.
About the other options:
- Sanskrit only is not correct, since Manipravalam mixes Sanskrit with Malayalam.
- Tamil is the main language of Bharatanatyam songs, along with Telugu and Sanskrit.
- Kannada is the language of Yakshagana and of many songs of Karnataka.
💡 Exam tip
Manipravalam means a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit. Questions may ask about the language of Mohiniyattam or Kathakali songs, or about the meaning of the term.💬 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.