UPSC Prelims 2018 Q22: Art & Culture – Festivals, Crafts & Folk Traditions
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 2
Explanation
Cultural Traditions and State Verification
| Pair | State | Correct? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chapchar Kut festival | Mizoram | YES - Chapchar Kut is Mizoram's most important spring festival, celebrated in March after the jhum (slash-and-burn) clearing of bamboo forests. |
| 2. Khongjom Parba ballad | Manipur | YES - Khongjom Parba is a Manipuri narrative ballad commemorating the Battle of Khongjom (1891) between the Manipuri army and British forces. Sung with dholak accompaniment. |
| 3. Thang-Ta dance | Sikkim | NO - Thang-Ta is the traditional Manipuri martial art (sword-and-spear combat), NOT a Sikkim tradition. |
Answer: (b) 1 and 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Khongjom Parba is also correctly paired with Manipur, so 1 only is incomplete.
- (b) CORRECT. Pairs 1 (Chapchar Kut-Mizoram) and 2 (Khongjom Parba-Manipur) are both correct; Thang-Ta belongs to Manipur, not Sikkim.
- (c) Incorrect. Thang-Ta is Manipuri martial art, not from Sikkim.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 3 is wrong; Thang-Ta is Manipuri, not from Sikkim.
Key point
Manipur trio: Khongjom Parba (ballad), Thang-Ta (martial art), Sankirtana (UNESCO-listed devotional song). Mizoram festival = Chapchar Kut (spring, jhum). Sikkim festivals: Losar, Saga Dawa, Pang Lhabsol.
Remember
Chapchar Kut is the spring festival of Mizoram, celebrated after jhum clearing. Khongjom Parba is a Manipuri ballad tradition commemorating the Battle of Khongjom (1891). Thang-Ta is a Manipuri martial art (sword and spear), NOT a Sikkim tradition - a common exam trap.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Sikkim (Buddhist Losar, Saga Dawa) with Manipur (Vaishnavite, Meitei traditions like Thang-Ta and Ras Leela).
- Assuming any martial art tied to the North-East is from the same state - Kalaripayattu is Kerala, Thang-Ta is Manipur.
- Missing that Chapchar Kut is Mizoram's flagship festival - all major Mizo festivals connect to jhum cultivation cycles.
Exam tip
North-East festival map: Mizoram = Chapchar Kut. Nagaland = Hornbill. Assam = Bihu. Manipur = Lai Haraoba, Ningol Chakouba. Meghalaya = Wangala. Arunachal = Losar, Solung. Sikkim = Losar, Saga Dawa.
Sources
- UNESCO — Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2013)
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts - Documentation on North-East India