SSC
Which traditional folk dance of Rajasthan is performed by the women of the Kanjar tribe?
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Answer: Option D — Chakri
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Chakri. Chakri is a folk dance of Rajasthan performed by women of the Kanjar tribe, especially in the Kota, Baran and Bundi districts of the Hadoti region. The name comes from "chakkar", which means a circle or a spin, because the most striking feature of the dance is the continuous, rapid spinning of the dancers.
In the Chakri dance, the women spin round and round at great speed, almost without stopping, so that their long, flowing skirts (ghagras), which are made of many metres of cloth, spread out in a wide circle around them. The dancers wear colourful costumes and heavy traditional ornaments, and they sing folk songs as they dance. The music is provided by the dhol, the nagara and the harmonium. Chakri is performed at weddings and at festivals, and it has also become a popular performance at cultural events and fairs. The Kanjar community is traditionally a nomadic community, and their songs and dances are an important part of their cultural identity.
Rajasthan has a very rich tradition of folk dance, and many of its dances are linked with particular communities. Ghoomar is linked with the Bhil tribe and Rajput royal families. Kalbelia is linked with the Kalbelia (snake charmer) community. Gair is linked with the Bhil community. Terah Taali is performed by the Kamad community, in which the women play 13 cymbals tied to their bodies. Kachchhi Ghodi is a dummy horse dance of the Shekhawati region. Chari is performed by women of the Gujjar community with brass pots and lit lamps. The Agni (fire) dance is performed by the Jasnathi Siddha sect of Bikaner. Bhavai is known for balancing stacks of pots on the head.
About the other options:
- Kalbelia is the snake charmer dance of the Kalbelia community.
- Ghoomar is the spinning dance associated with the Bhil tribe and Rajput tradition.
- Gair is a stick dance of the Bhil community, performed mainly during Holi.
💡 Exam tip
Rajasthan's dances are often asked with the community that performs them. Link the Kanjar tribe with Chakri, the Kamad community with Terah Taali, the Jasnathi sect with the fire dance, and the Bhils with Gair and Ghoomar.💬 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.