SSC
The Mayurbhanj style of Chhau dance is performed in which state?
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Answer: Option C — Odisha
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Odisha. Mayurbhanj Chhau is one of the three styles of Chhau dance. It developed in the Mayurbhanj district in the northern part of Odisha, especially around Baripada, the district headquarters, under the patronage of the royal family of Mayurbhanj.
The most important feature of Mayurbhanj Chhau is that, unlike the other two styles, it is performed without masks. Because the dancers' faces are visible, they can express emotions through their facial expressions as well as through their body movements. The dance is known for its vigorous, energetic and martial movements, which come from the old war dances and martial exercises of the region. The training of a Mayurbhanj Chhau dancer begins with a set of basic exercises called the topkas and uflis, which imitate the movements of animals, birds and everyday activities. The dance is performed mainly during the Chaitra Parva, the spring festival held in April in honour of Lord Shiva and the goddess Shakti. The themes come from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas and local legends, and the music is provided by the dhol, the dhumsa, the nagara and the mohuri (a wind instrument).
About the other options:
- Jharkhand is home to Seraikela Chhau, which developed in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district and uses delicate, stylised masks.
- West Bengal is home to Purulia Chhau, which uses large, colourful masks and is known for its acrobatic movements.
- Bihar is not associated with any of the three styles of Chhau.
- Chhau as a whole was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, and the Ministry of Culture of India counts it as one of the country's classical dance forms.
💡 Exam tip
Learn the three styles of Chhau with their states: Mayurbhanj (Odisha, without masks), Seraikela (Jharkhand) and Purulia (West Bengal). The fact that Mayurbhanj Chhau does not use masks is the most frequently tested detail.💬 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.