Which dance of Maharashtra, performed by women to the beat of the dholki, is a powerful combination of song and dance?

The correct answer is Lavani. Lavani is the most famous folk performing art of Maharashtra. It is a combination of song and dance, performed by women to the beat of the dholki, a two-headed drum. The name is often explained as coming from "lavanya", which means beauty.

Lavani became especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, during the time of the Peshwas, when it was performed to entertain and boost the morale of soldiers and at the courts of local rulers. The songs of Lavani deal with many subjects, including love, romance, devotion, social issues, politics and humour, and they often contain sharp wit and clever wordplay. The dancers wear a nine-yard saree, called the nauvari, tied in a special way that allows free movement, along with heavy jewellery, such as the nath (nose ring), the tanmani (necklace) and bangles, and ghungroos (ankle bells). The dance is known for its fast rhythm, energetic movements and expressive gestures. There are two main types of Lavani. Phadachi Lavani is performed in public before large audiences, often as part of Tamasha (the folk theatre of Maharashtra). Baithakichi Lavani is performed in a seated position, in front of a smaller, select audience, and places more emphasis on expression and singing. Famous Lavani artists and writers include Honaji Bala, Ram Joshi, Patthe Bapurao, Vithabai Narayangaonkar and Surekha Punekar.

About the other options:

• Koli is the dance of the fishing community of the Konkan coast.
• Dhangari Gaja is the dance of the Dhangar (shepherd) community.
• Powada is a heroic ballad, often about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, sung by shahirs.
• These are all arts of Maharashtra, but only Lavani is the women's dance performed to the dholki.