SSC
Varnam is one of the stages (items) of which classical dance?
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Answer: Option D — Bharatanatyam
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Bharatanatyam. Varnam is the central and most demanding item of a traditional Bharatanatyam recital, which is called the margam. The structure of the margam was organised in the 19th century by the Tanjore Quartet, four brothers who served at the court of Thanjavur.
A traditional Bharatanatyam margam includes the following items, usually in this order. Alarippu is an opening piece of pure dance, which means "to blossom", in which the dancer warms up the body and offers salutations. Jatiswaram is a piece of pure dance set to a musical composition. Shabdam introduces expression (abhinaya) through a short song. Varnam is the longest and most complex item. It combines pure dance (nritta) and expressive dance (nritya), alternating between fast rhythmic passages and expressive passages that tell a story or convey an emotion, and it tests the dancer's skill, stamina and expression. Padams and Javalis are slower expressive pieces, usually about love and devotion. Tillana is a lively, fast-paced piece of pure dance that ends the recital, and the performance closes with a Mangalam (a closing prayer).
About the other options:
- Kathak has its own items, such as Thaat, Aamad, Tukda, Tihai, Paran, Gat Bhaav and Tatkaar.
- Manipuri is structured around the Ras Leela, Sankirtana and Cholom dances.
- Sattriya has its own types of dance, such as Chali, Jhumura and Nadu Bhangi.
- None of these uses the Varnam.
- Odissi also has a set sequence: Mangalacharan, Batu (or Sthayee), Pallavi, Abhinaya and Moksha.
💡 Exam tip
The items of the Bharatanatyam margam are often asked, especially the first item (Alarippu), the most important item (Varnam) and the last item (Tillana). Learn the order, and link Odissi with its own sequence ending in Moksha.💬 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.