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The 'Jhora' dance, a community dance performed as a springtime celebration, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option A — Uttarakhand
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Uttarakhand. Jhora (also spelt Jhoda) is a popular community folk dance of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It is performed especially in the spring season, from the festival of Basant Panchami until the harvest season, and at fairs (melas) and festivals.
Jhora is a dance of the whole community. Men and women, young and old, take part in it together, regardless of caste or social status, which makes it a symbol of unity and equality in the hill villages. The dancers stand in a large circle, with their arms linked around each other's shoulders or waists, and move together in rhythmic steps, swaying forwards and backwards and moving around the circle. A lead singer, standing in the centre, sings the songs, which the other dancers repeat in chorus. The songs describe the beauty of the hills, the arrival of spring, local legends, gods and goddesses, love and everyday life. The dance is accompanied by the hurka (a small hourglass-shaped drum) and other traditional instruments. Large Jhora performances are a feature of fairs such as the Bageshwar Uttarayani fair, held on Makar Sankranti.
Uttarakhand's other folk dances include Choliya (a sword dance of Kumaon performed at weddings), Chancheri (a dance similar to Jhora, performed in a circle), Langvir Nritya (an acrobatic pole dance of Garhwal), Barada Nati, Pandav Nritya (based on the Mahabharata), Hurka Baul (performed during the planting of paddy and maize) and Thadya. The Ramman, a ritual festival and theatre of the Garhwal region, is on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2009).
About the other options:
- Punjab is known for Bhangra, Giddha and Luddi.
- Rajasthan is known for Ghoomar, Kalbelia and Chari.
- Gujarat is known for Garba, Dandiya Raas and Tippani.
- None of these is associated with Jhora.
💡 Exam tip
Link Jhora with Uttarakhand, the Kumaon region, spring and the community circle dance in which everyone takes part, regardless of caste.💬 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.