UPSC Prelims 2001 Q66: Art & Culture – Classical Dance Forms
Match List I with List II
and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I (Dancer)
I. Kalamandalam Kshemavaty
II. Kottakkal Sivaraman
III. Lakshmi Viswanathan
IV. N. Madhabi Devi
List II (Dance)
A) Kathakali
B) Manipuri
C) Mohiniyattam
D) Bharata Natyam
- (a) I - A, II - C, III - B, IV - D
- (b) I - C, II - A, III - D, IV - B
- (c) I - A, II - C, III - D, IV - B
- (d) I - C, II - A, III - B, IV - D
Answer: (b) I - C, II - A, III - D, IV - B
Explanation
Matching dancers with their dance forms
| Dancer (List I) | Dance (List II) |
|---|---|
| I. Kalamandalam Kshemavathy | C. Mohiniyattam |
| II. Kottakkal Sivaraman | A. Kathakali — famous for female roles |
| III. Lakshmi Viswanathan | D. Bharatanatyam |
| IV. N. Madhabi Devi | B. Manipuri |
Kalamandalam Kshemavathy is a leading Mohiniyattam dancer and Kottakkal Sivaraman a Kathakali artist, both from Kerala. Lakshmi Viswanathan was a Bharatanatyam dancer and N. Madhabi Devi a Manipuri dancer.
Answer: (b) I - C, II - A, III - D, IV - B.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Kshemavathy dances Mohiniyattam, not Kathakali.
- (b) CORRECT. Kshemavathy–Mohiniyattam, Sivaraman–Kathakali, Viswanathan–Bharatanatyam, Madhabi Devi–Manipuri.
- (c) Incorrect. Kshemavathy and Sivaraman are swapped.
- (d) Incorrect. Lakshmi Viswanathan and Madhabi Devi are swapped.
Key point
Kerala dances: Kathakali (dance-drama, mostly men), Mohiniyattam (solo, women). Kalamandalam is the Kerala arts institution.
Remember
Kshemavathy–Mohiniyattam; Sivaraman–Kathakali.
Common mistakes
- Matching a 'Kalamandalam' name to Kathakali automatically.
- Swapping Bharatanatyam and Manipuri dancers.
- Not using the Manipuri-sounding name 'Madhabi Devi'.
Exam tip
Use names as clues: Manipuri names often end in 'Devi'; 'Kalamandalam' and 'Kottakkal' point to Kerala.
Sources
- Sangeet Natak Akademi — Akademi Award (Puraskar) list of awardees
- NCERT Class XI — An Introduction to Indian Art / CCRT material on classical dances