SSC
Veedhi Bhagavatam, a form of street theatre, is a famous dance-drama form of which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — Andhra Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Andhra Pradesh. Veedhi Bhagavatam is a traditional form of folk theatre of Andhra Pradesh. "Veedhi" means street, and "Bhagavatam" refers to stories from the Bhagavata Purana and other religious texts. As the name suggests, the performances were traditionally held in the open, in streets and village squares, so that everyone could watch.
Veedhi Bhagavatam developed from the older Yakshagana tradition of the Telugu-speaking region. Its stories are mostly taken from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana, especially the stories of Krishna. The performances combine dance, song, music, dialogue and humour. A central figure, the Sutradhara (narrator), introduces the story, links the scenes and comments on the action, while a clown character, often called the Konangi or Vidushaka, entertains the audience with jokes. The actors wear colourful costumes and make-up, and the music is provided by instruments such as the mridangam, harmonium and cymbals. Veedhi Bhagavatam is closely related to Kuchipudi, the classical dance of Andhra Pradesh, which also developed from the dance-drama traditions of the region. Both share many stories, characters and elements of style.
About the other options:
- Karnataka is known for Yakshagana, which is the counterpart of this tradition in the Kannada-speaking region.
- Kerala is known for Kathakali, Koodiyattam and Krishnanattam.
- Odisha is known for Odissi, Gotipua, Jatra and Prahlad Nataka (a form of folk theatre of southern Odisha).
- None of these is associated with Veedhi Bhagavatam.
Other folk arts of Andhra Pradesh include Burrakatha (a form of storytelling with songs, performed by a narrator and two companions who play drums), Tholu Bommalata (leather shadow puppetry), Kolattam (stick dance), Veeranatyam and Dhimsa.
💡 Exam tip
Veedhi Bhagavatam and Kuchipudi are both from Andhra Pradesh and both draw on the Bhagavata stories. Questions may ask for the state, or describe the form as "street theatre" based on the Bhagavata.💬 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.