Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Ladakh.

Key Points

• Hemish festival is celebrated in Ladakh.
• Hemish Festival:
  • It is celebrated every year on the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. 
  • The Dance Festival is world-famous representing the reincarnation of Buddha.
  • The most attractive part of the festival is the mystic mask dance.
  • The mask dances of Ladakh are referred to as Chams dance.

Additional Information

• Giddha is not an Indian classical dance form.
• It is a folk dance that is performed exclusively by women in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.
• Indian classical dance forms include those styles which have mythological roots and whose theory and practice can be found in the Natya Shastra (Sanskrit text).
• Classical Dances of India- Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Sattriya, Manipuri are the recognized Indian classical dance forms.

The Correct Answer is Bagurumba.

• The most popular Folk dance of Assam is Bagurumba.
• Bagurumba is a folk dance of the indigenous Bodo tribe in Assam and Northeast India.
• It is a traditional dance that is traditionally inherent to one generation to another generation.
• The Bodo women perform the Bagurumba dance with their colorful dokhna, jwmgra and aronai.
• The dance is also called the "butterfly dance" due to its motion that resembles butterflies.
• The Bagurumga dance is usually performed during the Bwishagu festival of the Bodos in the Bishuba Sankranti or in Mid-April.
• As per the Bodo mythology, the Bagurumba dance is favored by a supreme deity called "Bathou" represented by the Size Plant that belongs to the Euphorbia genus.
• The nature of the dance is peaceful and yet it represents the vitality of the spring.
• The origin of the Bagurumba may be found in the original naturalistic beliefs of the Bodo tribes, as it's few songs are just simple images of nature.
• This dance is an amalgamation of rhythm and vivacity.
• The dancer's hop and swing, bend and unbend, and at times, give the impression of fluttering butterflies.
• Bagurumba dance is generally performed by female dancers.
• Musical instruments like Serja (a bowd instrument), Sifung (flute), and Tharkha ( a piece of split bamboo), accompany this dance.
• Along with these, instruments like Kham, a long drum made of wood and goatskin, and Gongona, a musical instrument of a curved horn is also used.

Extra Facts:-

Raut Nacha:-

• It is the folk dance of Chattisgarh.
• This dance is performed by the Yadavas or the Yaduvanshis who are believed to be the descendants of Lord Krishna.
• A close resemblance of Raas Leela, the dance represents a worshipping Lord Krishna and is performed at the time of 'Dev Udhni Ekadashi".

Ragini:-

• It is the folk dance of Haryana.
• Ragini is a term for the feminine counterpart of a Masculine Raga. These are envisioned to parallel the god-goddess themes in Hinduism, and described variously by different medieval Indian Music Scholars.

Maanch:-

• It is the folk dance of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is performed by Malwa in Madhya Pradesh.
• The word Maanch is derived from the Sanskrit folk form. Manch that is the stage.

The correct answer is Onam.

Key Points

• Onam:
  • It is a harvest festival of Kerala.
  • It was celebrated to commemorate the arrival of King Mahabali.
  • The festival lasts for ten days.
  • It is celebrated every year in August-September.
  • Boat Race is conducted during this festival in Kerala.
• Pongal:
  • Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival celebrated mostly in the states of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu.
  • The harvest festival is named after the Tamil word, Ponga, which means to boil.
  • The first day of Pongal is called Bogi and is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra.
  • The second day of Pongal is known as Surya Pongal and is dedicated to the Sun God.
  • The third day of Pongal is called Mattu Pongal and is celebrated in the name of cows.
  • The fourth and final day of Pongal is called Kaanum Pongal, which marks the end of the harvest festival for the year.
  • It is celebrated in the month of January every year.
• Bihu:
  • It is a harvest festival that is celebrated to mark the shift in the Sun's solstice.
  • It is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the state of Assam.
  • It is celebrated three times a year. 
  • Rongali or Bohag Bihu is observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.
• Navratri:
  • It is celebrated as Durga Puja in various parts of Northeast India.
  • It is celebrated among the Hindus as a symbol of victory of goddess Durga for defeating Mahishasura.
  • The nine-day Durga festival, or Navratri is celebrated in September or October. 

The correct answer is Ajanta.

Some important paintings at Ajanta are:

• Scenes from the Jataka stories of the life of the Gautama Buddha, the Buddha’s former lives as a bodhisattva, etc.
• Paintings of various Bodhisattvas in tribhanga pose in Cave 1:
  • Vajrapani (protector and guide, a symbol of Buddha’s power),
  • Manjusri (manifestation of Buddha’s wisdom) and
  • Padmapani (Avalokitesvara) (symbol of Buddha’s compassion).
• The Dying Princess in Cave.no 16.