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'Ponung' is a folk dance associated with which state?
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Answer: Option C — Arunachal Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Arunachal Pradesh. Ponung is a folk dance of the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, who live mainly in the Siang valley, in districts such as East Siang, West Siang and Upper Siang. It is performed mainly during the Solung festival, the most important agricultural festival of the Adis, held in early September, after the sowing of the seeds, to pray for a good harvest and for the prosperity of the community.
The Ponung dance is performed by young women and girls, who form a circle and dance with graceful, rhythmic steps, holding each other's hands or shoulders. In the centre of the circle stands a man called the Miri, who sings the Ponung songs and plays a sword-like instrument called the yoksha, which has small metal discs that jingle as it is shaken, keeping the rhythm. The women repeat the songs in chorus as they dance. The songs tell the story of creation, the origin of the crops and the history of the Adi people, as well as describing nature and everyday life. The Ponung dance is believed to bring a good harvest and to protect the crops from pests and disease. The women wear traditional Adi dress, including woven skirts called gale and beaded necklaces.
The Adis also perform the Tapu, a war dance performed by men, and celebrate the Aran festival, a hunting festival. Arunachal Pradesh's other dances include Rikhampada (Nyishi tribe), Bardo Chham (Sherdukpen tribe), Aji Lamu and the Yak dance (Monpa tribe), Popir (Galo tribe) and Buiya (Digaru Mishmi tribe).
About the other options:
- Nagaland is known for Chang Lo, Zeliang and Changai.
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw, Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
- Sikkim is known for Chu Faat, Maruni and Tashi Sabdo.
- None of these is associated with Ponung.
💡 Exam tip
Link Ponung with the Adi tribe, the Solung festival (September) and the Miri singer in the centre of the circle.💬 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.