SSC
Ras, Sankirtana and Thang-Ta are popular forms associated with which dance tradition?
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Answer: Option B — Manipuri dance
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Manipuri dance. Manipur, a state in north-eastern India, has a rich performing arts tradition, and the Ras Leela, Sankirtana and Thang-Ta are three of its best-known forms.
The Ras Leela is the most famous part of the classical Manipuri dance. It depicts the love of Radha and Krishna and the gopis. It was given its present form by Maharaja Bhagyachandra, who is believed to have conceived it in a dream and first staged it in 1779. The female dancers wear the stiff, embroidered skirt called the Potloi. Sankirtana (also called Nata Sankirtana) is a form of ritual singing, drumming and dancing performed in temples and homes on religious and life-cycle occasions, such as births, marriages and deaths. Performers play the pung (drum) and the kartal (cymbals) while singing and dancing. UNESCO added Sankirtana to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Thang-Ta is the traditional martial art of Manipur. "Thang" means sword and "ta" means spear. It is performed as a martial dance with swords, spears and shields and was used by the Meitei warriors in the past. Its movements have influenced the vigorous Cholom dances.
About the other options:
- Sattriya dance of Assam is linked with the sattras, Borgeet songs and the Ankiya Nat plays of Sankaradeva.
- Odissi dance of Odisha is linked with the worship of Lord Jagannath and the Gita Govinda.
- Kathak dance of North India is linked with Hindustani music, storytelling and the Mughal courts.
- None of these is linked with Thang-Ta.
💡 Exam tip
Manipur's performing arts appear often in exams. Remember Lai Haraoba (the earliest form), Ras Leela (the most famous form), Sankirtana (UNESCO, 2013), Thang-Ta (martial art), Pung Cholom (drum dance) and Thabal Chongba (the moonlight dance of Yaoshang, the Holi of Manipur).💬 Discussions on this question
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Ask a doubtMore Indian Dance Forms Questions
View all ›- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:
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.