SSC
Wangala, a harvest dance of the Garo tribe, is a famous folk dance of which state?
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Answer: Option B — Meghalaya
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Meghalaya. Wangala is the most important harvest festival of the Garo tribe, who live mainly in the Garo Hills of western Meghalaya. The festival and its dance are held after the harvest, usually in October or November, to thank Misi Saljong, the sun god of the Garos, for a good harvest.
During the Wangala festival, the people celebrate with music, dancing and feasting. The Wangala dance is performed by men and women in two long parallel lines. The men beat long, oval drums called the dama, while the women dance in rhythm, wearing colourful costumes and feathered headgear. The leader of the line, called the grika, sets the pace of the dance, and the lines move forwards with slow, graceful steps. The festival is also called the "Hundred Drums Festival", because a large number of drummers take part in it, filling the hills with sound. Today, a grand Wangala celebration is held every year at Asanang near Tura, the main town of the Garo Hills, and it attracts visitors from across India.
Meghalaya has three main tribal communities, each with its own festivals and dances. The Khasis celebrate Shad Suk Mynsiem and Ka Pom-blang Nongkrem. The Jaintias (Pnar) celebrate Behdienkhlam and perform the Laho dance. The Garos celebrate Wangala, which is their most important festival.
About the other options:
- Assam is known for Bihu, Sattriya and Bagurumba.
- Tripura is known for Hojagiri, Garia and Mamita.
- Mizoram is known for Cheraw, Khuallam and Chheih Lam.
- None of these states is associated with Wangala.
💡 Exam tip
Wangala is often asked through its other name, the "Hundred Drums Festival", or through the tribe that celebrates it (the Garo). Remember that it honours the sun god Misi Saljong and is held after the harvest.💬 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.