SSC
Jagoi and Thabal Chongba are famous dances of which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Manipur
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Manipur. Both Jagoi and Thabal Chongba belong to the dance traditions of Manipur.
Jagoi is the graceful, gentle aspect of Manipuri dance. It is associated with lasya, the feminine style of dance described in the Natyashastra, and its soft, flowing movements are best seen in the Ras Leela, where the gopis dance around Krishna. The vigorous, masculine aspect is called Cholom, and together Jagoi and Cholom are considered the two main divisions of Manipuri dance.
Thabal Chongba is a popular folk dance of the Meitei people. Its name means "dancing in the moonlight" ("thabal" means moonlight and "chongba" means to jump or dance). It is performed mainly during Yaoshang, the five-day spring festival of Manipur that coincides with Holi. In the evenings, young men and women hold hands and dance together in a large circle in the moonlight, with simple steps that anyone can join, to the music of drums and traditional songs. In the past, it was one of the few occasions on which young men and women could meet and dance together openly, and it remains one of the most joyful social events of the year. Today, Thabal Chongba is held in almost every locality of the Manipur valley during Yaoshang.
About the other options:
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw (the bamboo dance), Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya, Bagurumba and Jhumur.
- Sikkim is known for the Cham (mask dance), Maruni, Tamang Selo and the Lepcha Chu Faat.
- None of these states is associated with Jagoi or Thabal Chongba.
💡 Exam tip
Thabal Chongba is often asked as "the moonlight dance of Manipur" and linked with the Yaoshang festival. Jagoi is often asked as the gentle aspect of Manipuri dance, in contrast with the vigorous Cholom.💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
View all ›- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?
- 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:
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?
- 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.