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The Hunta dance of Jharkhand is associated with which tribal community?
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Answer: Option A — Santhal
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Santhal. The Hunta dance is a tribal dance of the Santhal community of Jharkhand. It is a hunting dance, in which the dancers act out the activities of a hunt, such as tracking the animal, chasing it and celebrating its capture. In the past, hunting was an important part of the life and economy of the Santhals, and many of their dances and festivals are linked with it.
In the Hunta dance, the dancers carry bows, arrows and other hunting weapons, and they move with energetic, rhythmic steps, imitating the movements of the hunters and the animals. The dance is accompanied by the beat of drums such as the tamak (a large kettledrum) and the tumdak (a double-headed drum), and by the flute, which are the main instruments of Santhal music. The Santhals are the largest tribal community of Jharkhand, and they also live in large numbers in West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Assam. They speak Santali, an Austroasiatic language, which is written in its own script, Ol Chiki, created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925. Santali was added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution by the 92nd Amendment in 2003. The Santhals are known for their festivals, such as Sohrai (a harvest festival connected with cattle), Baha (a spring festival of flowers) and Karam. They are also remembered for the Santhal rebellion (Hul) of 1855-56, led by the brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu against the British and the moneylenders.
About the other options:
- The Bhil tribe lives mainly in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and is known for Ghoomar, Gair and Bhagoriya.
- The Toda tribe lives in the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu and is known for buffalo herding.
- The Khasi tribe lives in Meghalaya and is known for the Shad Suk Mynsiem festival.
- None of these performs the Hunta dance.
💡 Exam tip
Link the Santhal community with Jharkhand, the Hunta (hunting) dance, the Ol Chiki script, the 92nd Amendment and the Hul rebellion of 1855-56.💬 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.