SSC
Kajari, a folk song and dance form sung especially during the rainy season, originated in which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — Uttar Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Uttar Pradesh. Kajari (also spelt Kajri) is a folk song and dance form of Uttar Pradesh, especially of the Mirzapur and Varanasi (Banaras) regions. It is also popular in the neighbouring state of Bihar. Kajari is sung and danced during the monsoon season, especially in the month of Sawan (July and August).
The name Kajari is often linked to "kajal" or "kajra", meaning black, a reference to the dark rain clouds of the monsoon. Kajari songs describe the beauty of the rainy season, the green fields, the swings hung from trees, and the longing of a woman for her husband or lover who is far away, often working in a distant city. The songs are usually sung by women in groups, who dance in a circle as they sing. Kajari has also entered Hindustani semi-classical music, and great singers such as Girija Devi, Siddheshwari Devi and Shobha Gurtu, all associated with the Banaras gharana, sang Kajari in concerts, along with thumri, dadra, chaiti and hori. A festival called Kajari Teej (or Kajari Mahotsav) is celebrated in Mirzapur and other areas in the month of Bhadrapad.
About the other options:
- Rajasthan is known for Ghoomar, Kalbelia, Chari and Bhavai, and for the Teej festival, which is also linked with the monsoon.
- Punjab is known for Bhangra and Giddha, and for the Teeyan festival during the monsoon.
- Gujarat is known for Garba, Dandiya Raas and Tippani.
- None of these is the origin of Kajari.
- Uttar Pradesh is also known for Kathak, Charkula (a dance of the Braj region in which women balance a wheel with lamps on their heads), Raslila, Nautanki and Ramlila.
💡 Exam tip
Seasonal songs of North India are often asked. Remember Kajari (monsoon, Sawan), Chaiti (spring, the month of Chaitra) and Hori (Holi). Kajari is linked with Mirzapur and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.💬 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.