SSC
In which dance do the dancers form a counter-clockwise circle, often with concentric circles moving in opposite directions?
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Answer: Option A — Garba
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Garba. Garba is the traditional dance of Gujarat performed during Navratri, the nine-night festival of the goddess Durga (Amba). It is performed in a circle around a central lamp placed in an earthen pot, called the garbo, or around an image of the goddess.
The circular form of Garba has a symbolic meaning. The lamp in the centre represents the goddess, the divine energy that is present at the centre of life, while the dancers moving around it represent the cycle of life, death and rebirth, the cycle of time that keeps turning around the unchanging divine. The dancers usually move in a counter-clockwise direction. When there are many people, they form several concentric circles that may move in opposite directions. The dancers clap their hands, snap their fingers and step in rhythm to devotional songs, often accompanied by the dhol and other instruments. The women wear the chaniya choli, a colourful three-piece dress with mirror work, while the men wear the kediyu and the chorno. In December 2023, UNESCO added the Garba of Gujarat to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
About the other options:
- Bhangra is a vigorous harvest dance of Punjab performed mainly by men to the beat of the dhol, usually around the time of Baisakhi.
- Lavani is a song and dance form of Maharashtra performed by women to the beat of the dholki.
- Bihu is the folk dance of Assam performed during the Bihu festivals, especially Rongali (Bohag) Bihu in April.
- None of these is defined by circles moving around a central lamp.
💡 Exam tip
Garba and Dandiya Raas are often asked together. Garba is danced in circles with clapping, while Dandiya Raas is danced with pairs of sticks. Both are performed during Navratri in Gujarat, and Garba was added to the UNESCO list in 2023.💬 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.