Mando, a slow and graceful song and dance form of the Catholic community, belongs to which state?

The correct answer is Goa. Mando is a song and dance form of the Goan Catholic community. It developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, during the period of Portuguese rule in Goa, and it shows a blend of Indian (Konkani) and Western (Portuguese) musical traditions.

Mando songs are slow, graceful and melancholic. They are written in Konkani, the main language of Goa, and they mostly deal with love, especially unfulfilled love, separation and longing, as well as with social and political events of the time. The dance is performed by men and women in pairs, in a slow and dignified style. The women wear the traditional Goan dress, such as the "torop" or a long gown, and hold a fan in their hands, while the men wear Western-style suits. The music is provided by instruments such as the violin, the guitar and the ghumot, a traditional Goan percussion instrument made of a clay pot covered with animal skin. Mando is usually performed at weddings, festivals and social gatherings, and a Mando festival is held every year in Goa to preserve and promote the art form. A related form, called the Dulpod, is a faster and livelier song form, usually sung after the Mando. Mando is sometimes called the "song of the Goan soul", and it is regarded as an important part of the cultural identity of Goa.

Goa was a Portuguese colony from 1510 until 1961, when it was liberated and became part of India. It became a state in 1987. Its culture shows a unique mix of Indian and Portuguese influences.

About the other options:

• Kerala is known for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and the Christian art forms Margamkali and Chavittu Natakam.
• Karnataka is known for Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha and Kamsale.
• Maharashtra is known for Lavani, Koli and Tamasha.
• None of these is associated with Mando.