SSC
Kummi, a dance in which women dance in a circle while clapping their hands, is associated with which state?
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Answer: Option D — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Tamil Nadu. Kummi is one of the oldest folk dances of Tamil Nadu, and it is also popular in Kerala. It is performed by women and girls, usually during festivals such as Pongal, temple festivals, the coming-of-age ceremonies of girls and other family celebrations.
Kummi is a simple and joyful dance that does not need any musical instruments. The women stand in a circle and dance around it, clapping their hands in rhythm and singing folk songs called Kummi paattu. The clapping provides the rhythm, and the songs are usually sung by one woman and repeated by the others. The songs cover many themes, including the praise of gods and goddesses, the harvest, nature, family life and social messages. The movements are graceful, with the dancers bending, turning and clapping in time with the songs. There are many varieties of Kummi, such as Poonthatti Kummi, Deepa Kummi, Kulavai Kummi, Kadir Kummi and Mulaipari Kummi, each linked with a particular occasion.
Tamil Nadu has a very rich folk dance tradition. Other important dances include Karagattam (dancing with a decorated pot on the head, in honour of the goddess Mariamman), Kavadi Attam (performed by devotees of Lord Murugan, carrying a decorated arch called the kavadi), Mayilattam (the peacock dance), Oyilattam (performed by men waving handkerchiefs), Kolattam (a stick dance) and Poikkal Kuthirai Attam (the dummy horse dance). The classical dance of the state is Bharatanatyam.
About the other options:
- Andhra Pradesh is known for Kuchipudi, Kolattam (also performed in Tamil Nadu), Veeranatyam and Dhimsa.
- Karnataka is known for Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha and Kamsale.
- Odisha is known for Odissi, Gotipua and Dalkhai.
💡 Exam tip
Tamil Nadu's folk dances appear often in exams. Learn Kummi (women clapping in a circle), Karagattam (pot on the head), Kavadi Attam (Murugan), Mayilattam (peacock dance) and Poikkal Kuthirai (dummy horse 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.