SSC
'Ka Shad Mastieh', a victory dance of the Khasi tribe, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option D — Meghalaya
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Meghalaya. The Khasi people are one of the three main tribal communities of Meghalaya, along with the Garo and the Jaintia (Pnar). Ka Shad Mastieh is a traditional dance of Khasi men that celebrates victory and valour. In this dance, the men carry swords and shields and move in a way that recalls the courage of warriors in battle.
The Khasis have a rich tradition of dance festivals. The best known of them is Shad Suk Mynsiem, a spring festival held in Shillong in April, whose name means "dance of the peaceful heart". During this festival, unmarried women, dressed in rich silk costumes and gold and silver ornaments, dance in the centre with slow, graceful steps, while the men dance around them in a protective circle, carrying swords and fly whisks. Another major Khasi festival is Ka Pom-blang Nongkrem, a five-day religious festival held at Smit near Shillong. The Garo hills are known for the Wangala festival, a harvest festival honouring the sun god Saljong, and the Jaintia hills are known for the Behdienkhlam festival.
About the other options:
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya, Bagurumba (of the Bodo community) and Jhumur (of the tea garden communities).
- Nagaland is known for the dances of its many Naga tribes, such as the Chang Lo of the Chang tribe, the Zeliang dance, and the Hornbill Festival.
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw (the bamboo dance), Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
💡 Exam tip
Link the tribes of Meghalaya with their festivals and dances. The Khasi are linked with Shad Suk Mynsiem and Nongkrem, the Garo with Wangala, and the Jaintia (Pnar) with Behdienkhlam and Laho. A question that mentions the Khasi, Garo or Jaintia people almost always points to Meghalaya.💬 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.