Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Agra.

 Key Points

• The tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah is located along the banks of the Yamuna at Agra.
• It was built by the Mughal queen Noor Jahan, wife of Emperor Jehangir.
• The tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal.
• It is known for the first use of the pietra dura (floral design made up of semiprecious stone).
• Tomb of Jahangir in Lahore is supposed to be the result of Noor Jahan vision. 

Important Points

• Agra is known for Taj Mahal (Tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for the memory of his favourite wife).
• The Taj Mahal is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
• Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was the chief architect of Taj mahal.
• Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until1638.
• Moti Masjid inside Agra Fort was built by Mughal emperor Shah jahan.
• Moti Masjid inside Red Fort, Delhi was built by Aurangzeb.
• The tomb of Akbar is at Sikandra, approximately 8 km from the main city of Agra.
• Fatehpur Sikri is a town in the Agra District, known for Buland Darwaza, and Tomb of Salim Chishti, the city itself was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar to 1585.

The correct answer is Neither I nor II.

Key Points

• Chhau dance is a traditional dance form performed by men from Eastern India that enacts episodes from epics including Ramayana and Mahabharata.
  • The main objective of this dance form is to celebrate martial arts.
  • Chhau dance can be classified into three divisions based on the place it is performed; Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha, Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand, and Purulia Chau of Bengal.
• Kathak is a North Indian dance that originated in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
  • ​The name Kathak comes from the word "Katha" which means a story.
  • Shambhu Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj are famous Kathak dancers.

Additional Information

• Eight dance forms have been acknowledged by Sangeet Natak Akademi as classical dance forms of India.
• The classical dance form originated from the Natya Shastra.
• Classical dance has a deep-rooted relationship with the Natya Shastra where the specific features of each of the Classical dance forms have been mentioned.
• There are 8 classical dance forms in India as per the source and scholar

Important Points

• The Cultural Ministry of India has included Chhau into the list of classical dances that make a total of 9 classical dance forms.

The correct answer is Assam.

Important Points

• Bihu dance is an Indigenous folk dance of the Indian state of Assam.
• This dance is usually performed by young men and women.
• The dancing style is characterized by brisk steps and rapid hard movements.
• In this folk dance, the traditional costumes of dancers are colourful and centred around the red colour theme.
• The origin of this folk dance is unknown.
• The earliest depiction of Bihu dance is found in the 9th Century Sculptures.
• This dance is mainly found in the Tezpur and Darrang districts of Assam.
• It is mentioned in the inscriptions of the 14th Century, Chutia and Laxminarayan as well.
• Bihu dance is performed outdoors, in fields, groves, etc.
• This folk dance takes its name from the Bohag Bihu festival.
• Bohag Bihu festival is celebrated as New year in Assam.

The correct answer is Valmiki.

• According to 'The Ramayana', Ratnakar was the other name of Valmiki.

Important Points

• Sage Valmiki is revered as adi kavi.
• Valmiki was known as Ratnakar.
• As per Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Narada Muni transformed him into a great devotee of Lord Rama by giving him the Rama Nama mantra.
• Ramayana is the most important Sanskrit epics of ancient India.
  • The epic, traditionally ascribed to the Maharishi Valmiki, narrates the life of Rama, a legendary prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala.
  • It consists of nearly 24,000 verses, divided into five kaṇḍas: the ayodhyakaṇḍa, the araṇyakaṇḍa, the Kiskindhakand, the Sundarkanda, and the laṅkākāṇḍa, and about 500 Sargas (chapters).
  • The Ramayana Grantha depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal husband, and the ideal king.

The correct answer is 2 only.

Key Points

• The three main components of classical dances are
  • Natya (the dramatic element of the dance i.e. the imitation of characters)
  • Nritta (the dance movements in their basic form)
  • Nritya (expressional component i.e. mudras or gestures)

There are eight classical dances in India:

1. Bharatanatyam: Tamil Nadu (Hence pair 3 is incorrectly matched)
2. Mohiniyattam: Kerala
3. Kathakali: Kerala
4. Kathak: North India (Uttar Pradesh)
5. Kuchipudi: Andhra Pradesh  (Hence pair 1 is incorrectly matched)
6. Sattriya: Assam (Hence pair 2 is correctly matched)
7. Odissi: Odisha 
8. Manipuri: Manipur

Important Points

• Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of Karnataka that depicts mythological stories and Puranas.
• It is a temple art form performed with massive headgears and vibrant costumes.