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Karagam (Karagattam), a folk dance in which dancers balance a decorated pot on their heads, is associated with which state?
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Answer: Option B — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Tamil Nadu. Karagam, also called Karagattam, is a folk dance of Tamil Nadu. It is performed in honour of the rain goddess Mariamman and other village goddesses, and it is believed to bring rain and prosperity and to protect the village from disease.
In Karagattam, the dancers balance a decorated pot, called the karagam, on their heads while dancing. The pot is usually made of brass or clay, filled with water or uncooked rice, and decorated with a tall cone of flowers, leaves and sometimes a parrot figure made of paper or cloth at the top. The dancers perform skilful and acrobatic movements while keeping the pot perfectly balanced. They may dance on a wooden plank, climb a ladder, bend down to pick up objects, or roll on the ground, all without letting the pot fall. The dance is accompanied by the naiyandi melam, an ensemble of folk instruments that includes the nadaswaram (a wind instrument) and the thavil (a drum). There are two main types of Karagattam. Aatta Karagam is performed for entertainment, while Sakthi Karagam is performed in temples as an act of worship.
Tamil Nadu has many other folk dances, including Kummi (women dancing in a circle while clapping), Kavadi Attam (performed by devotees of Lord Murugan), Mayilattam (the peacock dance), Oyilattam (a dance of men waving handkerchiefs), Kolattam (a stick dance), Poikkal Kuthirai Attam (the dummy horse dance) and Theru Koothu (street theatre).
About the other options:
- Odisha is known for Odissi, Gotipua and Dalkhai.
- Gujarat is known for Garba, Dandiya Raas and Tippani.
- Punjab is known for Bhangra, Giddha and Luddi.
- None of these is associated with Karagattam.
💡 Exam tip
Karagattam is one of the most frequently asked folk dances of Tamil Nadu. Remember that it involves balancing a decorated pot on the head and that it honours the goddess Mariamman. The names Karagam and Karakattam refer to the same dance.💬 Discussions on this question
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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.