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Which folk dance represents a mock fight between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura?
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Answer: Option B — Dandiya Raas
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Dandiya Raas. Dandiya Raas is a folk dance of Gujarat performed during Navratri, the nine-night festival of the goddess Durga. It is believed to represent a mock fight between the goddess Durga and the buffalo demon Mahishasura, whom she defeated after a battle lasting nine days and nights. The colourful sticks (dandiyas) used in the dance are said to represent the sword of the goddess.
In Dandiya Raas, men and women dance in pairs or in two concentric circles that move in opposite directions. Each dancer holds a pair of decorated wooden sticks and strikes them together and against the sticks of the partner in time with the music. As the circles move, the dancers change partners, so that everyone dances with many people during the evening. The rhythm is set by the dhol and other instruments, and the songs are often devotional songs in praise of the goddess, or folk songs about Krishna and the gopis. The women wear the colourful chaniya choli, with mirror work and embroidery, while the men wear the kediyu (a short, frilled tunic) and the chorno (trousers). Dandiya Raas is also linked with the Raas Leela of Krishna, and its name reflects this link. Today, Dandiya Raas is performed not only in Gujarat but across India and around the world wherever Gujarati communities live.
About the other options:
Garba is also performed during Navratri, but it is danced in circles around a lamp or an image of the goddess, with clapping rather than sticks. It represents the cycle of life and the divine energy of the goddess, not a mock fight.
Ghoomar is a spinning dance of the women of Rajasthan.
Lavani is a song and dance form of Maharashtra.
💡 Exam tip
Garba and Dandiya Raas are often asked together. Remember that Dandiya Raas uses sticks and represents the mock fight between Durga and Mahishasura, while Garba is danced around a lamp with clapping.💬 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.