Challenge Prelims V1.0 – Day 43 – GS Paper (Indian Art & Culture)

1. Consider the following passage:

It is a classical dance form pertaining to Tamil Nadu in southern India. It is the first of India’s traditional dances to be refashioned as theatre art and to be exhibited widely both at home and abroad. A single dancer taking on many roles in a single performance is a key feature. It leans heavily on the mime aspect of dance and Varnam is its most important component.

Which among the following dance form is being described in the above given passage?

2. Which of the following statements is not correct about Kathak dance?

3. Consider the following statements regarding Mohiniyattam:

1. It belongs to the lasya style which is feminine, tender, and graceful.
2. Movements have been borrowed from Nangiar Koothu and female folk dances Kaikottikali and the Tiruvatirakali.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

4. Consider the following passage:

Many choreographical patterns of this dance were influenced by the early martial arts of Kerala. The face of the artist is painted over to appear as though a mask is worn. The characters in a performance are broadly divided into satvika, rajasika and tamasika.

Which of the following dance forms is being described in the passage given above?

5. Consider the following passage:

Sensuous and lyrical, this dance form is a dance of love and passion touching on the divine and the human, the sublime and the mundane. It is a highly stylised dance and to some extent is based on the classical Natya Shastra and the Abhinaya Darpana. The techniques of movement are built around the two basic postures of the Chowk and the Tribhanga. The torso movement is very important and is an unique feature of this dance form.

Which of the following dance form is best described by the above passage?

6. Consider the following statements regarding the Kuchipudi danceform:

1. It grew as a product of Bhakti movement in Andhra Pradesh.
2. Initially male only performed the dance but now female kuchipudi dancers also participate.
3. A Kuchipudi recital is usually concluded with tarangam.
4. Rukmini Devi Arundale was a prominent Indian dancer who patronized this dance form.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

7. Consider the following pairs regarding the dances of India and their regions:

Folk Dances: State

1. Lavani: West Bengal
2. Giddha: Punjab
3. Bhavai: Gujarat
4. Bihu: Assam

How many of the pairs given above is/are not correctly matched?

8. India has a rich and ancient tradition of string puppets or marionettes. How many of the following belongs to the tradition of string puppetry?

1. Kathputli
2. Gombeyatta
3. Bommalattam
4. Ravanchhaya

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

9. With reference to Kundhei, a form of puppetry, consider the following statements:

1. It belongs to the state of West Bengal.
2. The puppets are made of light wood and have no legs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

10. Consider the following passage:

This shadow puppetry uses puppets that are large in size and have a jointed waist, shoulders, elbows, and knees. The puppets are coloured on both sides as a result of which they cast coloured shadows on the screen. The music is mainly classical music and the themes of the puppet plays are drawn from epics like Ramayana. It is mainly prevalent in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Which of the following forms of puppetry is being described in the passage given above?

11. In the context of cultural history of India, the term ‘nritya’ refers to

12. Consider the following passage:

It is an eastern Indian tradition which represents a blend of martial traditions, temple rituals, and folk dances. Episodes from the epics Mahabharata, Ramayana and abstract themes are played through the medium of dance and a music ensemble that consists primarily of indigenous drums. It is included in the UNESCO’s list of Intangible cultural heritage.

The above passage describes which of the following dance-forms?

13. How many of the following folk dances are form of mask dance?

1. Singhi chham
2. Butta Bommalu
3. Padayani

Select the correct answer using the code below.

14. Which of the following statements about the Sattriya dance form is not correct?

15. How many is/are common to the folk dances ‘garba’ and ‘ghoomar’?

1. Both are popular dance forms in western India.
2. Both are performed by women only.
3. Both are dances performed during festivals and social rituals.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.