SSC
The Siddi community of Gujarat, whose ancestors came from East Africa, is known for which dance?
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Answer: Option A — Siddi Dhamal
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Siddi Dhamal. The Siddis are a community of African descent who live mainly in Gujarat, Karnataka and Hyderabad. Their ancestors came to India from East Africa over many centuries, mostly as merchants, sailors, soldiers and enslaved people, and some rose to positions of power. In Gujarat, many Siddis live around the Gir forest in the Saurashtra region, especially in the village of Jambur.
Siddi Dhamal, also called the Siddi Goma dance, is the traditional dance of this community. It shows clear African roots in its rhythm and movements, which are fast, energetic and full of leaps and spins. The dancers decorate themselves with peacock feathers, shells and colourful costumes, and they paint their faces. The music comes from drums called mugarman and dhamal, and from the malunga (a musical bow) and coconut shell rattles. Traditionally, the dance was performed to celebrate victories after hunting and at religious festivals, especially at the shrine of their patron saint, Bava Gor. Today, it is also performed for tourists and at cultural festivals.
About the other options:
- Tippani is a folk dance of the Chorwad region of Saurashtra in Gujarat, performed by women who beat the ground with long sticks called tippanis while working on floors and roofs.
- Padhar is a folk dance of the Padhar community who live near Nal Sarovar in Gujarat, and it imitates the movements of rowing boats.
- Garba is the famous circular dance of Gujarat performed during Navratri in honour of the goddess Amba (Durga).
- None of these is linked to the Siddi community.
💡 Exam tip
Siddi Dhamal appears in exams as an example of the African heritage of India. Remember the link between the Siddi community, Gujarat, the Gir forest and the Dhamal dance.💬 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.