Consider the following pairs:
| 1) Garba | Gujarat |
| 2) Mohiniattam | Odisha |
| 3) Yakshagana | Karnataka |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Pair 1 is correct
- Garba is a popular folk dance of Gujarat, held at the time of Navratra. Garba actually refers to “Garbha deep” – an earthen pot with holes, in which a lamp is lit and women dance around it in circular movements with rhythmic clapping.
- Garba of Gujarat has been inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO.
Pair 2 is incorrect
- Mohiniyattam is a traditional Indian dance form from Kerala. It is named after Mohini, the female avatar of Lord Vishnu. Like most other classical Indian dances, Mohiniyattam’s roots can be traced back to Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra. It was initially performed by Devadasis (temple dancers) in Kerala during the reign of the Chera kings (9th to 12th centuries CE).
- Mohiniyattam is primarily a solo dance performed by female artists, characterised by graceful, gentle, and feminine movements known as Lasya. It combines dancing and singing, often featuring Manipravala songs blending Sanskrit and Malayalam. Music for Mohiniyattam is typically Carnatic, with dancers or vocalists performing the recitation.
- The dance is known for its smooth and fluid body movements, avoiding abrupt jerks or leaps. It emphasizes hand gestures and subtle facial expressions (Mukhabhinaya) over footwork, with 24 hand gestures derived from the ‘Hastha Lakshana Deepika’.
Pair 3 is correct
- Yakshagana is a traditional theatre that emerged between the 11th and 16th centuries in coastal Karnataka and some parts of Kerala. It is a unique combination of dance, music, dialogues, colorful costumes, and heavy facial make-up. It was inspired by the Vaishnava Bhakti movement, which began in the 11th century. It took the format of dance drama under the Vijayanagara Empire.
- Theme: Stories of Lord Krishna and Vishnu, Hindu tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
- Accompanied by percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals). Men have traditionally played all parts, including female characters, while women are now included in Yakshagana troupes.
