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The Ghoomar dance of Rajasthan is believed to have been developed by which community?
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Answer: Option A — Bhil tribe
Detailed Solution
Explanation
The Ghoomar is a famous folk dance of Rajasthan. It is believed to have been developed by the Bhil tribe, who performed it to worship the goddess Saraswati, and it was later adopted by the Rajput communities and the royal families of Rajasthan.
The name Ghoomar comes from "ghoomna", meaning to twirl or spin. The dance is performed by women, wearing a long, flowing skirt called the ghaghara and a veil (odhni). The dancers move in a circle and spin gracefully, and as they twirl, their wide skirts spread out in beautiful circles of colour. The movements of the hands and the clapping are graceful and rhythmic. The dance is performed on happy and auspicious occasions, such as weddings, the arrival of a new bride in her husband's home, and festivals such as Teej, Gangaur and Holi. Traditionally, the women who perform the dance keep their faces covered with the veil. The dance is accompanied by songs, often about love, valour and the seasons, and by instruments such as the dhol. The Ghoomar became widely known across India through the song "Ghoomar" in the Hindi film "Padmaavat" (2018).
The Bhils are one of the largest tribal communities of India. They live mainly in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. They are known for their archery skills, their festivals such as Bhagoriya, and their colourful art, especially Bhil painting, made famous by Bhuri Bai.
Other folk dances of Rajasthan include Kalbelia (of the Kalbelia snake-charmer community), Chari, Bhavai, Kachchhi Ghodi, Terah Taali and Gair.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Gond tribe of central India is famous for Gond painting.
- ✗Santhal tribe of eastern India performs the Santhali dance.
- ✗Kalbelia community of Rajasthan performs the Kalbelia dance, made famous by Gulabo Sapera.
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Link Ghoomar with Rajasthan, the Bhil tribe, women dancers in twirling ghagharas, and festivals such as Teej and Gangaur.💬 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.