FOLK DANCE OF INDIA

Natya Shastra:
• Author - Bharat Muni
• Original Language - Sanskrit
• The Most ancient literature which mentions about Indian music and dance
• Describes the theory of Tāṇḍava dance (Shiva), the theory of rasa, of bhāva, expression,
gestures, acting techniques, basic steps, standing postures – all of which are part of Indian
classical dances.

❖ The Sangeet Natak Akademi has divided the Indian classical dances into 8 parts.
❖ According to India’s Ministry of Culture there is 9 classical dances

1. Bharatanatyam, Tamil Nadu (Southern India)

• Bharatanatyam is a major Hindu form of Indian classical dance that
originated in the modern region of Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam is the
oldest dance form of India.
• Silambam is also Martial Art of Tamil Nadu

➢ Famous folk dance of Tamil Nadu:

o Kummi
o Kolattam
o Kavadi Attam

2. Sattriya, Assam
• It originated in the 15th century by Srimanta Sankardeva, a scholar and
saint of the Bhakti movement.
• In the year 2000, it was declared a classical dance by the Sangeet Natak
Akademi.
➢ The folk dances of Assam include:
o Bihu
o Bichua,
o Natpuja,
o Maharas,
o Kaligopal,
o Bagurumba

3. Mohiniattam Kerala
• Mohiniattam and Kathakali are the classical dances of Kerala.
• Martial Art of Kerala - “Kalaripayattu”

4. Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh (Southern India)

• Kuchipudi is also known as Thal dance as it is performed on the edge of a bronze plate.
• It was originated in Andhra Pradesh
 ➢ Famous folk dance of Andhra Pradesh
o Vilasini Natyam
o Andhra Natyam
o Bhamakalpam
o Burrakatha
o Veeranatyam
o Butta bommalu
o Lambaadi
o Dhimsa
o Kolatam

5. Manipuri Dance, Manipur (North-eastern India)

• Thangata - Martial Arts Manipur state
• Dress of female Manipuri dancer is called ‘patloi’ and lehenga is called Kumin.
➢ Folk dances of Manipur
o Lai Haroba
o Nupa Dance

6. Kathak (Northern India)

• It is the classical dance form from Uttar Pradesh.
• The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards(कवि) in ancient northern
India known as Kathakars or storytellers

7. Odissi Dance, Orissa

(Eastern India)
▪ Major folk dances of Odisha –
• Dekhani Dance
• Savari
• Dalkhai
• Sambalpuri
• Ghumara
• Painka
• Mundari
• Chhau

8. Chhau (Eastern India)

• The Chhau dance of Eastern India -- Orissa, Jharkhand, and West Bengal – is a blend of
martial traditions, temple rituals, and folk and popular performance of this region.
• It originates in the Purulia District of West Bengal

Q1. Pandit Birju Maharaj is related to which dance?

पंडित डिरजू महाराज डिस नृत्य से संिंडित हैं?
a) Kathak
b) Manipuri • Kathak is a classical dance form of Uttar Pradesh and
c) Kuchipudi North India.
d) Kathakali • Pandit Birju Maharaj was a famous Kathak dance artist
who belonged to the Lucknow Gharana and passed away
recently
Ans. a) Kathak
Q2. Charkula is a folk dance of which state?
चरिुला डिस राज्य िा लोि नृत्य है ?
a) Uttarakhand
b) Uttar Pradesh The major folk dances of Uttar Pradesh include – Rasleela,
c) Bihar Ramleela, Kajri, Nautanki, Nakal, Swang, and Charkula dance
d) Jharkhand

Ans. b) Uttar Pradesh

Q3. Yakshagana is related to which state?
यक्षगान डिस राज्य से संिंडित है ?
a) Rajasthan • Yakshagana is a folk dance from the state of Karnataka.
b) Madhya Pradesh • It is a traditional dance.
c) Karnataka • Yakshagana originated in the royal court of the
d) Kerala Vijayanagara Empire

Ans. c) Karnataka
Q4. Kalbelia dance is related to which state?
िालिेडलया नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित है?
a) Rajasthan
Major Folk Dances of Rajasthan – Kalbelia, Katputli,
b) Gujarat
Ghoomar Chakri, Gangor, Jhulan Leela, Jhuma, and Ghapa
c) Uttarakhand
d) Uttar Pradesh

Ans. a) Rajasthan
Q5. Lavani and Tamasha are folk dances related to which state?
लावणी और तमाशा डिस राज्य से संिंडित लोि नृत्य हैं?
a) Rajasthan
b) Maharashtra Lavani is an integral part of the folk theatre style
c) Uttar Pradesh of the state of Maharashtra.
d) Bihar

Ans. a) Maharashtra
Q6. Jump dance’ and ‘Rauf dance’ are famous dances of which of the following?
जंप िांस और रऊफ िांस डनम्नडलखित में से डिसिे प्रडसद्ध नृत्य हैं?
a) Himachal Pradesh
b) Jammu Kashmir • Kud dance is a folk dance of Jammu and Kashmir.
c) Ladakh • This is done after the harvest of the crops is over by
d) Uttarakhand the grateful villagers
Ans. b) Jammu and Kashmir
Q7. Pandawani is the folk dance of which state?
पांिवानी डिस राज्य िा लोि नृत्य है?
• One of the famous Artist of Pandwani is Teejan Bai.
a) Bihar
• Other folk dances – Gaur Maria,
b) Uttarakhand
• Panthi, Raut Nacha,
c) Chhattisgarh
d) Jharkhand • Pandwani, Vedmati and Kapalik.

Ans. c) Chhattisgarh
Q8. Sikmari dance is a folk dance of which state?
डसिमारी नृत्य डिस राज्य िा लोि नृत्य है
a) Sikkim
b) Bihar The folk dances of Sikkim include - Chu Phat dance, Sikmari,
c) Jharkhand Khukuri dance, Chhutke dance, Maruni dance etc.
d) Madhya Pradesh

Ans. a) Sikkim
Q9. Chhau and Bideshiya dance are related to which state?
छऊ और डिदे डशया नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित हैं?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Bihar • Chhau Dance - This is a dance mainly performed by male dancers.
c) Uttarakhand This dance is popular in both Bihar and Jharkhand regions.
d) Jharkhand • Other folk dances – Jat Jatin, Bakho-Bakhain, Panwariya etc.

Ans. b) Bihar
Q10. Shigdi dance is related to which state?
डशगिी नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित है? • The major folk dances of the state of Goa are:
a) Goa • Koli dance,
b) Karnataka • Tarang Mel dance
c) Maharashtra • Horse dance
d) Gujarat • Fugdi dance

Ans. a) Goa
Q11. ‘Matki’ is a popular folk dance of which of the following states?
मटिी डनम्नडलखित में से डिस राज्य िा लोिडप्रय लोि नृत्य है?
a) Kerala
b) Karnataka • Performed using a "small pitcher" is a folk dance.
c) Maharashtra • It mainly performed in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.
d) Madhya Pradesh • Mallakhamba - Martial Art Madhya Pradesh

Ans. d) Madhya Pradesh

Q12. Jhumar and Munda dance is related to which state?
Major folk dances of Jharkhand –
झूमर और मुंिा नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित है?
a) Bihar • Munda dance
b) Jharkhand • Agni Dance
c) Gujarat • Janani Jhumar
d) Karnataka • Mardana Jhumar
• Paika Dance
• Fagua Dance
Ans. b) Jharkhand
Q13. Hojagiri dance (Reang community) is related to which state?
होजाडगरी नृत्य (ररयांग समुदाय) डिस राज्य से संिंडित है?
a) Nagaland
 b) Tripura
c) Meghalaya
d) Manipur

Ans. b) Tripura
Q14. Rangma and Zeliang dance are related to which state?
रं गमा और जेडलयांग नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित हैं?
a) Nagaland
b) Tripura
c) Meghalaya
d) Manipur

Ans. a) Nagaland
Q15. Cheraw dance is the dance of which state?
चेराव नृत्य डिस राज्य िा नृत्य है?
• Cheraw dance is also known Bamboo Dance.
a) Meghalaya
• Folk dances of Mizoram –
b) Mizoram
o Khullam Dance
c) Tripura
o Chaillam Dance
d) Nagaland
o Sawlakin Dance

Ans. b) Mizoram
Q16. Wancho dance is related to which state?
वांचो नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित है ? • Arunachal Pradesh Folk Dances –
a) Manipur • Buiya Dance
b) Arunachal Pradesh • Chalo dance
c) Nagaland • Wancho Dance
d) Tripura • Pasi Dance
Ans. b) Arunachal Pradesh • Kongki Dance
Q17. Which dance is known as the 'royal dance of Ladakh’? • Ponung dance
डिस नृत्य िो 'लद्दाि िा शाही नृत्य' िहा जाता है? • Popir Dance etc

a) Lavani
b) Dumhal • It created history by breaking into the Guinness book of
c) Garba world records as the largest Ladakhi dance
d) Shondol Dance

Ans. d) Shondol Dance

Q18. Nongkrem and Laho dance is the dance of which state?
नोंगक्रेम और लाहो नृत्य डिस राज्य िा नृत्य है?
a) Manipur
b) Meghalaya
c) Nagaland
d) Tripura

Ans. b) Meghalaya
Q19. Nati dance is the dance of which state?
नाटी नृत्य डिस राज्य िा नृत्य है? • Other Folk Dances Himachal Pradesh –
a) Uttarakhand o Jhora Dance
b) Himachal Pradesh o Dhaman Dance
c) Uttar Pradesh o Chapeli Dance
d) Maharashtra o Mahasu Dance.

Ans. b) Himachal Pradesh

Q20. Cholia and Jhora dance are related to which state?
चोडलया और झोरा नृत्य डिस राज्य से संिंडित हैं?
a) Uttarakhand Chhapeli, Cholia and Jhora dance are famous dances of
b) Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand and along with it Kumaoni and Garhwali folk
c) Madhya Pradesh dances are also performed in Uttarakhand.
d) Maharashtra

Ans. a) Uttarakhand
Q21. Bhangra and Giddha are folk dances related to which state?
भांगडा और डगद्दा डिस राज्य से संिंडित लोि नृत्य हैं ?
a) Gujarat
b) Uttarakhand
c) Rajasthan
d) Punjab

Ans. d) Punjab
Q22. Dandiya is a famous folk dance of which state?
िांडिया डिस राज्य िा प्रडसद्ध लोि नृत्य है?
a) Gujarat
b) Uttarakhand • Raas or Dandiya Raas is a socio-religious folk dance
c) Rajasthan originating from the Indian state of Gujarat and is
d) Maharashtra popularly performed in the festival of Navratri.
• Garba – Gujarat

Ans. a) Gujarat
Q23. Bharatnatyam is related to which state?
भरतनाट्यम डिस राज्य से संिंडित है?
a) Tamil Nadu • Bharatanatyam is often referred to as the ‘fire dance’ because it
b) Kerala beautifully embodies the element of fire within the human body
c) Karnataka
• It has a strong influence from temple rituals and traditions
d) Andhra Pradesh
• It traces its roots back to the devadasi system

Ans. a) Tamil Nadu