SSC
'Yoksi', a sword-like instrument used during the Ponung dance, belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option D — Arunachal Pradesh
Detailed Solution
Explanation
The yoksi is a sword-like metal instrument used by the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh during the Ponung dance. It has metal rings or jingles attached to it, which make a rhythmic, jingling sound when it is shaken.
The Ponung dance is a traditional dance of the Adi tribe, one of the largest tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh. It is performed mainly by young women during the Solung festival, an agricultural festival celebrated in early September, after the sowing of seeds, to pray for a good harvest and the well-being of the community. The women dance in a circle, holding hands and singing, around a leader called the "Miri", who is usually a man. The Miri stands in the centre, sings songs that tell the myths and history of the tribe, and shakes the yoksi to keep the rhythm. The songs of the Ponung often describe the origin of the world, of rice and of the Adi people, and their themes are closely linked with farming and nature.
The Adis live mainly in the Siang valley of Arunachal Pradesh. They follow the Donyi-Polo faith, the worship of the Sun (Donyi) and the Moon (Polo). Their other festivals include the Aran. Other important tribes of Arunachal Pradesh include the Nyishi, the Apatani (known for the Dree festival and their facial tattoos and nose plugs in the past), the Monpa (who celebrate Losar and live near Tawang) and the Mishmi.
Other traditional musical instruments of the north-east include the pena of Manipur, the khuang (drum) of Mizoram, the gogona and the pepa of Assam, and the tati of Nagaland.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Assam is known for instruments such as the pepa (buffalo-horn pipe) and the gogona.
- ✗Nagaland is known for its tribal festivals, such as the Hornbill Festival.
- ✗Mizoram is known for the khuang drum and the Cheraw (bamboo dance).
💡 Exam tip
Link the yoksi with the Ponung dance, the Adi tribe, the Solung festival and Arunachal Pradesh.💬 Discussions on this question
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Music & Musical Instruments — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Music & Musical Instruments, 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.
This topic covers Indian classical music, its two main traditions (Hindustani and Carnatic), gharanas, ragas and talas, folk music styles, and the musical instruments of India along with the artists who are famous for playing them. It also includes the four classes of instruments: string (tata), wind (sushira), percussion (avanaddha) and solid (ghana). Exam questions usually pair an instrument with its maestro, such as the sitar with Pandit Ravi Shankar, the shehnai with Ustad Bismillah Khan or the santoor with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Other common questions ask about the origin of a gharana, the instrument a folk style uses, or the class an instrument belongs to. Making a two-column list of instruments and artists is the quickest way to revise. Practise the music and musical instruments 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.