SSC
Which dance is known as the 'Royal Dance of Ladakh'?
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Answer: Option B — Shondol
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Shondol. Shondol is famous as the "Royal Dance of Ladakh". In the past, it was performed by court dancers for the kings of Ladakh, especially on special occasions such as the coronation of a king, the celebration of a victory, and festivals at the royal palace in Leh.
Shondol is performed by women, dressed in rich, colourful traditional Ladakhi costumes, including the goncha (a long robe), heavy silver and turquoise jewellery, and the perak, a striking headdress covered with turquoise stones, which is worn by Ladakhi women on special occasions. The dancers move slowly and gracefully, in a line or a circle, with gentle movements of the hands and feet, to the music of the surna (a wind instrument) and the daman (drum). The songs praise the king, the land and the gods.
About the other options:
Spao is a warrior dance of Ladakh, based on the legend of King Kesar (Gesar), a legendary hero of Tibetan and Ladakhi epic tradition. The dancers carry swords and dance with vigorous movements.
Jabro is a dance of the nomadic Changpa people of the Changthang plateau of eastern Ladakh. It is performed at the Losar (new year) festival and at other celebrations.
Cham is the masked dance performed by Buddhist monks at monastery festivals, such as the Hemis festival, which celebrates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava. It depicts the victory of good over evil.
These are all dances of Ladakh, but only Shondol is the royal dance.
Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31 October 2019, after the reorganisation of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is divided into two districts, Leh and Kargil. Other dances of Ladakh include the Balti dance of the Kargil region and the Chabskyan Tses (a dance performed with pots on the head).
💡 Exam tip
Ladakh's dances appear often in recent exams. Remember Shondol (royal dance), Spao (warrior dance), Jabro (Changpa nomads) and Cham (masked monastic dance).💬 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.