UPSC Prelims 2014 Q88: Art & Culture – Classical Dance Forms
Consider the following pairs:
1. Garba : Gujarat
2. Mohiniattam : Odisha
3. Yakshagana : Karnataka
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Dance forms and their States
| Pair | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Garba : Gujarat | Correct | Circular folk dance performed during Navratri |
| 2. Mohiniattam : Odisha | Incorrect | A classical dance of Kerala; Odisha's classical dance is Odissi |
| 3. Yakshagana : Karnataka | Correct | Folk dance-drama of coastal Karnataka |
Classical dances of India:
| Dance | State |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu |
| Kathakali, Mohiniattam | Kerala |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh |
| Odissi | Odisha |
| Kathak | North India |
| Manipuri | Manipur |
| Sattriya | Assam |
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pair 3 is also right: Yakshagana belongs to Karnataka.
- (b) Incorrect. Mohiniattam belongs to Kerala, not Odisha.
- (c) CORRECT. Garba - Gujarat and Yakshagana - Karnataka are correctly matched.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 2 is wrong; Mohiniattam is from Kerala.
Key point
Garba - Gujarat; Yakshagana - Karnataka; Mohiniattam - Kerala; Odissi - Odisha. Eight classical dances in all.
Remember
Mohiniattam = Kerala, not Odisha.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up Mohiniattam and Odissi.
- Treating Yakshagana as a classical dance; it is a folk dance-drama.
- Forgetting that Kerala has two classical dances.
Exam tip
Mohini-attam and Kathakali both belong to Kerala.
Sources
- Sangeet Natak Akademi — Classical dances of India
- Centre for Cultural Resources and Training — Dance forms of India