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'Manduka Shabdam', the story of a frog, is performed in which classical dance?
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Answer: Option D — Kuchipudi
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Kuchipudi. Manduka Shabdam is a well-known item in the repertoire of Kuchipudi, the classical dance of Andhra Pradesh. "Manduka" means frog, and a "shabdam" is a type of composition that combines pure dance with expressive storytelling, in which the dancer acts out the meaning of the words through gestures and expressions.
Manduka Shabdam tells a story from Hindu mythology. A celestial nymph (apsara) is cursed to become a frog, and she lives in a well for a long time. Later, she is restored to her human form by the grace of the gods, and she becomes Mandodari, the beautiful wife of Ravana, the king of Lanka. In the dance, the performer portrays the different stages of the story, including the graceful movements of the nymph, the hopping and croaking of the frog, and the beauty of Mandodari, as well as the praise of the gods. The piece is known for its lively rhythms and the skill and humour with which the dancer imitates the movements of a frog. Manduka Shabdam is usually performed as a solo item.
Kuchipudi is named after the village of Kuchipudi in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It was given its traditional form by Siddhendra Yogi in the 17th century, and its most famous dance-drama is the Bhama Kalapam. Kuchipudi combines speech, mime and pure dance, and it is known for the Tarangam, in which the dancer balances on the rim of a brass plate. It is accompanied by Carnatic music, and the songs are mostly in Telugu. Famous Kuchipudi dancers include Vempati Chinna Satyam, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Raja and Radha Reddy, and Shobha Naidu.
About the other options:
- Bharatanatyam has its own Shabdams, such as the Salaam Daru, but Manduka Shabdam is a Kuchipudi item.
- Kathak is known for items such as Thaat, Aamad, Tukda and Paran.
- Odissi is known for items such as Mangalacharan, Batu, Pallavi, Abhinaya and Moksha.
💡 Exam tip
Kuchipudi's famous items include Bhama Kalapam (Satyabhama), the Tarangam (dancing on a brass plate) and the Manduka Shabdam (the story of a frog).💬 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.