SSC
Mamita (Maimita), a harvest dance, is a popular folk dance of which state?
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Answer: Option D — Tripura
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Tripura. Mamita, also written as Maimita, is a harvest dance of Tripura. It is performed during the Mamita festival, which is held after the harvest to thank the gods and goddesses for a good crop. The dance is associated with the Tripuri and Reang communities, and some accounts specifically link it to the Kaloi (Kalai) clan.
In Tripura, many dances are linked to the agricultural cycle. Men and women dance together during Mamita, with movements that reflect the joy of the harvest. Traditional instruments such as the bamboo flute (sumui), the bamboo drum and the kham (drum) accompany the dancers. Tripura has a very rich tribal dance heritage. Other important dances include Hojagiri of the Reang community, in which women balance an earthen pitcher on their heads, a bottle on the pitcher and a lamp on the bottle while dancing; Garia, performed during the Garia Puja in April; Lebang Boomani, a harvest dance named after an insect that comes to the fields; Sangrai of the Mog community, performed during the new year; and Hai-Hak of the Halam community. Many of these dances are linked to jhum, the shifting cultivation practised on the hill slopes, with separate celebrations for sowing and harvesting.
About the other options:
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw (bamboo dance), Khuallam, Chheih Lam and Chai.
- Manipur is known for the classical Manipuri dance, Lai Haraoba, Thang-Ta and Pung Cholom.
- Meghalaya is known for Shad Suk Mynsiem, Wangala, Laho and Nongkrem.
💡 Exam tip
Tripura's dances appear often in SSC exams. Learn them as a set: Hojagiri (Reang community, balancing pots and lamps), Garia, Mamita, Lebang Boomani, Sangrai and Hai-Hak. If any of these names appears, the answer is very likely Tripura.💬 Discussions on this question
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Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
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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.