In the monasteries of which state was the Sattriya dance form developed?

The correct answer is C, Assam. Sattriya was developed in the sattras, the Vaishnavite monasteries of Assam, by the saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardev in the 15th century. He created it as part of his one-act plays called 'Ankia Naat' to spread devotion to Lord Krishna, and for centuries it was performed only by male monks, the bhokots, inside the sattras. The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognised Sattriya as a classical dance of India in the year 2000. It is still closely tied to the sattras of Majuli, the river island in the Brahmaputra. A is wrong because West Bengal is known for folk forms such as the Purulia Chhau, not Sattriya. B is wrong because the monasteries of Arunachal Pradesh, such as Tawang, are Buddhist and have masked dances, not Sattriya. D is wrong because Sikkim's monasteries are also Buddhist and are known for the Cham masked dance. Exam tip: Sattriya, Assam, Srimanta Sankardev, the sattras, and classical status in 2000.