SSC
Seraikela Chhau, a masked dance, is a popular dance form of which state?
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Answer: Option D — Jharkhand
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Jharkhand. Chhau is a semi-classical dance of eastern India that combines martial movements, folk traditions and stories from the epics. It has three distinct styles, each named after the place where it developed: Seraikela Chhau of Jharkhand, Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, and Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha. Seraikela Chhau developed in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand.
Seraikela Chhau is known for its refined, stylised movements and its delicate masks. The dancers wear masks that represent gods, goddesses, animals, birds and natural elements. Because the face is covered, the dancers express emotions entirely through the movements of the body, which demands great skill and control. The dance grew under the patronage of the royal family of Seraikela, and members of the royal family themselves performed and trained dancers. It is performed mainly during the Chaitra Parva, a spring festival held in April, and its themes come from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. The music is provided by drums such as the dhol, the nagara and the dhumsa, and by the mohuri and shehnai.
About the other options:
- West Bengal is home to Purulia Chhau, which uses large, colourful masks and is known for its acrobatic, energetic movements.
- Odisha is home to Mayurbhanj Chhau, which is the only one of the three styles performed without masks.
- Bihar is not associated with any of the three styles of Chhau.
- In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Chhau dance on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
💡 Exam tip
Chhau is one of the most frequently asked dances in exams. Learn its three styles and their states: Seraikela (Jharkhand), Purulia (West Bengal) and Mayurbhanj (Odisha). Remember that Mayurbhanj Chhau is performed without masks, and that UNESCO inscribed Chhau in 2010.💬 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.