SSC
Sangrai, a folk dance performed during the new year festival of the Mog community, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option C — Tripura
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Tripura. Sangrai is a folk dance and festival of the Mog (Magh) community of Tripura. The Mogs are a Buddhist community of Arakanese (Rakhine) origin, who live mainly in the southern districts of Tripura. They are one of the 19 Scheduled Tribes of the state.
Sangrai is the new year festival of the Mog community, celebrated in the middle of April, at the time of Chaitra Sankranti, the end of the Bengali month of Chaitra. It coincides with new year festivals celebrated in many parts of South and South-East Asia at the same time, such as Bihu in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab, Pohela Boishakh in Bengal, Songkran in Thailand and Thingyan in Myanmar. One of the main features of the Sangrai festival, as in Songkran and Thingyan, is the joyful sprinkling of water on one another, which is believed to wash away the bad luck of the old year and to bring blessings for the new one. During the festival, young Mog men and women perform the Sangrai dance, with graceful steps and movements, to the music of traditional instruments. The festival also includes visits to Buddhist temples, the bathing of images of the Buddha, the offering of food to monks and the paying of respect to elders.
Tripura has many tribal communities, and each has its own dances and festivals. Important dances of Tripura include Hojagiri (Reang community), Garia (performed during the Garia Puja), Mamita, Lebang Boomani, Hai-Hak (Halam community), Bizu (Chakma community, also at the new year) and Sangrai (Mog community).
About the other options:
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw, Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya and Bagurumba.
- Meghalaya is known for Shad Suk Mynsiem, Wangala and Laho.
- None of these is associated with Sangrai.
💡 Exam tip
Link Sangrai with the Mog community of Tripura and with the new year in April. The Chakma community of Tripura celebrates its new year with Bizu.💬 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.