SSC
Thumri, a semi-classical vocal form of Hindustani music, is closely associated with which classical dance?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — Kathak
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Kathak. Thumri is a light classical, or semi-classical, form of Hindustani vocal music. It developed mainly in Lucknow and Banaras in Uttar Pradesh during the 19th century and flourished in the court of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh. Thumri songs are usually romantic or devotional, often expressing the longing of a woman for Krishna or for her beloved, and they are sung in the Braj Bhasha dialect of Hindi.
Thumri developed in close connection with Kathak, the classical dance of Uttar Pradesh. Its lyrics are ideal for "bhava", the expressive storytelling part of a Kathak performance. A Kathak dancer interprets each line of a thumri through facial expressions and hand gestures, often showing the same line in several different ways. The two arts grew up together in the Lucknow court, where Kathak artists such as Thakur Prasad and the family of Kalka-Bindadin developed the Lucknow gharana of Kathak. Famous singers of thumri include Begum Akhtar, Siddheshwari Devi, Girija Devi (the "Queen of Thumri"), Rasoolan Bai and Shobha Gurtu.
About the other options:
- Bharatanatyam is performed to Carnatic music and uses compositions such as varnams, padams and javalis, not thumri.
- Kathakali, the dance-drama of Kerala, uses Sopana-style music sung in Manipravalam (a mix of Malayalam and Sanskrit).
- Odissi is performed to Odissi music, which draws on Odia songs and the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva.
💡 Exam tip
Kathak is the only classical dance of India that is closely linked to Hindustani music and to Mughal and Nawabi court culture. Questions linking Kathak to thumri, to Wajid Ali Shah, or to the Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras and Raigarh gharanas are common.💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
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.