SSC
The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy is located in which city?
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Answer: Option B — Imphal
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Imphal. The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) is located in Imphal, the capital of Manipur. It is one of the leading institutions in India for training in Manipuri dance and music, and it is run as a constituent unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's national academy for music, dance and drama.
The academy was founded in 1954 and was later named after Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. It offers training in Manipuri dance, including the Ras Leela, Lai Haraoba, the Pung Cholom and Thang-Ta, as well as in Manipuri music, such as Nata Sankirtana and the playing of the pung (drum). The academy has trained many of the leading Manipuri dancers and gurus of the country, and it also produces dance-dramas and performs at festivals in India and abroad. It works to preserve, promote and teach the traditional arts of Manipur, many of which are closely linked with the religious and social life of the Meitei people.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi, set up in 1952, also runs other institutions, such as the Kathak Kendra in New Delhi (the national institute of Kathak dance) and the Sattriya Kendra in Guwahati (for the Sattriya dance of Assam). Other important centres of classical dance in India include the Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy (founded in 1930 by the poet Vallathol for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and other arts), Kalakshetra in Chennai (founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale for Bharatanatyam), and Nrityagram near Bengaluru (founded in 1990 by Protima Gauri Bedi for Odissi and other forms).
About the other options:
- Guwahati, in Assam, is home to the Sattriya Kendra of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
- Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya.
- Agartala is the capital of Tripura.
💡 Exam tip
Link major dance institutions with their cities: JNMDA (Imphal, Manipuri), Kathak Kendra (New Delhi), Kerala Kalamandalam (Cheruthuruthy, Kerala), Kalakshetra (Chennai) and Nrityagram (near Bengaluru).💬 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.