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Lebang Boomani, a harvest dance, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option D — Tripura
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Tripura. Lebang Boomani is a folk dance of the tribal communities of Tripura, performed during the harvest season. It is named after the lebang, a type of colourful insect that comes to the hill slopes in large numbers after the seeds are sown in the jhum (shifting cultivation) fields.
According to local tradition, the insects arrive in swarms to feed on the seeds, and the villagers, especially the women, catch them while the men make rhythmic sounds with split bamboo pieces to drive them out of their hiding places. The dance recreates this activity. The men create the rhythm with cymbals and bamboo instruments, while the women dance with graceful movements that imitate catching the insects. The dance reflects the close link between the tribal people of Tripura, their agriculture and their natural environment, and it is performed as a celebration of the harvest.
About the other options:
- Manipur is known for the classical Manipuri dance, Lai Haraoba, Thang-Ta and Pung Cholom.
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya, Bagurumba and Jhumur.
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw (the bamboo dance), Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
- None of these states is associated with Lebang Boomani.
Tripura has a large number of tribal communities, including the Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia, Chakma, Halam and Mog, and each has its own dances. Important dances of the state include Hojagiri (Reang community), Garia, Mamita, Lebang Boomani, Sangrai (Mog community) and Hai-Hak (Halam community). Many of them are linked to the jhum cultivation cycle, with separate dances for sowing, harvesting and the new year.
💡 Exam tip
If you see the words "harvest" and "insect" together in a question on north-eastern dances, the answer is Lebang Boomani of Tripura.💬 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.