SSC
In which year did UNESCO inscribe 'Mudiyettu', a ritual dance-drama of Kerala, on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
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Answer: Option A — 2010
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is 2010. UNESCO inscribed Mudiyettu on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. In the same year, two other Indian traditions were added to the list: Chhau dance (performed in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal) and the Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan.
Mudiyettu is a ritual dance-drama performed in the temples of Kerala, called Bhagavati kavus, in the districts along the Chalakudy, Periyar and Moovattupuzha rivers. It is usually performed after the summer harvest. The performance retells the mythological battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. Kali defeats Darika, which symbolises the victory of good over evil. The performers paint their faces elaborately, wear heavy headgear and costumes, and dance to the beat of drums. The whole village takes part in preparing for the event, and different castes and communities have specific roles. A large image of goddess Kali, called a kalam, is drawn on the floor of the temple with coloured powders before the performance.
About the other options:
2008 is the year when several Indian traditions that had earlier been proclaimed as Masterpieces were incorporated into the Representative List, including Kutiyattam (Sanskrit theatre of Kerala), the Tradition of Vedic Chanting and Ramlila.
2012 is the year when the Buddhist chanting of Ladakh was inscribed.
2016 is the year when Yoga and Nowruz were inscribed.
💡 Exam tip
Learn the Indian intangible heritage list in order of year. Common exam pairs include Kutiyattam, Vedic Chanting and Ramlila (2008), Ramman of Garhwal (2009), Mudiyettu, Chhau and Kalbelia (2010), Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012), Sankirtana of Manipur (2013), the brass and copper craft of Thatheras of Punjab (2014), Yoga (2016), Kumbh Mela (2017) and Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021).💬 Discussions on this question
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Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
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- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:
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- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:
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.