SSC
The Songi Mukhawate dance of Maharashtra depicts Narasimha, who is an incarnation of which deity?
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Answer: Option A — Lord Vishnu
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Lord Vishnu. Narasimha, the man-lion, is the fourth of the ten avatars (Dashavatara) of Lord Vishnu. The Songi Mukhawate masked dance of Maharashtra uses a mask of Narasimha to retell the story of how Vishnu destroyed evil to protect his devotee.
According to the Puranas, the demon king Hiranyakashipu received a boon that he could not be killed by a man or an animal, by day or by night, inside or outside a house, on the earth or in the sky, or by any weapon. Confident that he could not be killed, he tormented his son Prahlada, who was a devoted follower of Vishnu. Vishnu then appeared from a pillar as Narasimha, who was neither man nor animal, at twilight, which is neither day nor night. He placed Hiranyakashipu on his lap, which is neither earth nor sky, at the threshold of the palace, which is neither inside nor outside, and killed him with his claws instead of a weapon. This story of the victory of good over evil is what the Songi Mukhawate dance expresses. The dance is performed in northern Maharashtra, mainly during the Chaitra Purnima festival.
About the other options:
- Lord Shiva is represented in the same dance by the mask of Bhairava, a fierce form of Shiva, but Narasimha is not an incarnation of Shiva.
- Lord Brahma is the creator god of the Hindu trinity and does not have avatars in the Dashavatara tradition.
- Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is not linked with Narasimha.
- The ten avatars of Vishnu are usually listed as Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna (or Balarama), Buddha and Kalki.
💡 Exam tip
The Dashavatara are a frequent theme in Indian dance and art. Know the order of the ten avatars, since exams sometimes ask which avatar comes fourth (Narasimha) or which avatar is yet to come (Kalki).💬 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.