SSC
The Ras Leela of Manipur was first staged as a dance form in 1779 by which Meitei king?
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Answer: Option D — Bhagyachandra
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Bhagyachandra. Maharaja Bhagyachandra (also known as Rajarshi Bhagyachandra and Ching-Thang Khomba) ruled Manipur in the second half of the 18th century. He was a devoted follower of Vaishnavism, and he is credited with creating the Ras Leela, the most famous part of the classical Manipuri dance, in its present form.
According to tradition, Bhagyachandra saw the Ras Leela of Radha, Krishna and the gopis in a dream, and he then composed and staged it, with the help of the scholars and artists of his court. The first performance is said to have been held in 1779, and his own daughter, Princess Bimbavati, is said to have played the role of Radha. He also designed the costume of the gopis, including the Potloi, the stiff, cylindrical, embroidered skirt that has become a symbol of Manipuri dance. He is believed to have created three of the main forms of the Ras Leela: the Maha Ras, the Basanta Ras and the Kunja Ras. Later rulers added other forms, such as the Nitya Ras and the Diba Ras. Bhagyachandra also built the Shri Govindaji temple in Manipur, which became the centre of Vaishnava worship and performance.
About the other options:
- Garib Niwaz (Pamheiba), who ruled Manipur in the early 18th century, made Vaishnavism the state religion of Manipur, but he did not create the Ras Leela.
- Gambhir Singh ruled Manipur in the 1820s and 1830s and is known for freeing Manipur from Burmese occupation with British help.
- Churachand Singh ruled Manipur in the early 20th century, under British rule.
💡 Exam tip
Link the Ras Leela of Manipur with Maharaja Bhagyachandra and the year 1779. Questions may also ask about the five forms of the Ras Leela, or about the Potloi costume. Remember that Lai Haraoba is the older, pre-Vaishnava form of dance in Manipur.💬 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.