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'Khamba Thoibi', a well-known duet dance form, belongs to:
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Answer: Option B — Manipur
Detailed Solution
"Khamba Thoibi" is a traditional duet folk dance of Manipur, performed by a man and a woman.
About Khamba Thoibi:
- It is based on the legendary love story of Khamba, a brave but poor orphan youth, and Thoibi, a princess of the Moirang kingdom in ancient Manipur.
- According to legend, Khamba and Thoibi first danced together at the "Lai Haraoba" festival in front of the deity Ebudhou Thangjing, the guardian god of Moirang, and their love story began.
- The story describes the many trials Khamba faced, including wrestling a bull and fighting rivals, before the lovers were united.
- The dance is performed during the Lai Haraoba festival, especially at Moirang, to please the deity.
- The dancers wear traditional Manipuri costumes; the woman wears the "phanek" (a wrap-around skirt).
- The movements are graceful and gentle, typical of Manipuri dance.
- The Khamba-Thoibi story is part of the "Moirang Kangleirol" (legends of Moirang) and is often called the "epic of Manipur".
Other dances and arts of Manipur:
Manipuri: one of India's eight classical dance forms, known for its graceful movements and themes from the life of Krishna (Raas Leela). Rabindranath Tagore helped popularise it.
Lai Haraoba: a ritual dance festival ("merrymaking of the gods") honouring local deities.
Pung Cholom: a drum dance in which dancers play the "pung" (drum) while leaping and dancing.
Thang-Ta: a traditional martial art using swords ("thang") and spears ("ta").
Sagol Kangjei: the traditional form of polo. Manipur is regarded as the birthplace of modern polo.
Dances of other north-eastern states:
- Assam: Bihu, Sattriya (classical), Bagurumba (Bodo).
- Nagaland: Chang Lo (Sua Lua), war dances.
- Tripura: Hojagiri (performed by the Reang tribe, balancing on pots).
- Mizoram: Cheraw (bamboo dance).
- Arunachal Pradesh: Ponung, Bardo Chham.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Assam is famous for Bihu and Sattriya.
- ✗Nagaland is famous for Chang Lo.
- ✗Tripura is famous for Hojagiri.
Quick tip
Remember: Khamba Thoibi = Manipur duet dance (legend of Khamba and Princess Thoibi of Moirang; Lai Haraoba); Pung Cholom = Manipur drum dance; Hojagiri = Tripura; Cheraw = Mizoram.
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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.