Which of the following is NOT a gharana of Kathak?
- A.Lucknow
- B.Jaipur
- C.Banaras
- D.Gwalior
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Gwalior. Gwalior is the oldest gharana of Hindustani classical vocal music, not of Kathak, and it is placed among these options precisely because a candidate who remembers the word gharana without remembering the art form will pick it. Keep the two lists separate in memory.
Options A, B and C are the three recognised gharanas of Kathak. The Lucknow gharana, associated with Bindadin Maharaj and later with Birju Maharaj, is known for expression and grace. The Jaipur gharana is known for vigorous footwork and complex rhythmic patterns. The Banaras gharana, to which Sitara Devi belonged, has its own distinctive use of the floor and of natural stance. A fourth, Raigarh, is sometimes added, but the standard examination answer lists three.
Read the full article: Classical Dances of India: Eight Forms, States and Gurus
Practice Questions
View allBharatanatyam is the classical dance form of which Indian state?
- A.Kerala
- B.Tamil Nadu
- C.Karnataka
- D.Andhra Pradesh
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Bharatanatyam grew in the temples of Tamil Nadu, where it was performed by devadasis under the older name sadir or dasiattam, and it was brought to the concert stage in the twentieth century by E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale, who founded Kalakshetra at Madras in 1936.
Read the full explanation →Which classical dance form of Kerala is a dance-drama performed with elaborately painted faces and towering headgear?
- A.Mohiniyattam
- B.Kathakali
- C.Kuchipudi
- D.Odissi
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The name means story-play, and the form stages episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Its characters are identified by make-up types, chiefly pacha for noble heroes, kathi for proud anti-heroes such as Ravana, thadi for fierce figures, kari for demonesses and minukku for gentle women and sages.
Read the full explanation →The Natya Shastra, the foundational text of Indian classical dance and drama, is attributed to which author?
- A.Nandikeshvara
- B.Bharata Muni
- C.Abhinavagupta
- D.Jayadeva
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The Natya Shastra is the Sanskrit treatise that lays down the grammar every classical form follows, dividing performance into nritta, nritya and natya, naming the four kinds of abhinaya, and describing the rasas.
Read the full explanation →In which year was Sattriya recognised as a classical dance form by the Sangeet Natak Akademi?
- A.1958
- B.1980
- C.2000
- D.2010
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Sattriya of Assam was the eighth and last form to enter the Akademi list, and that single date is the fact papers ask most often about it.
Read the full explanation →The tarangam, in which the dancer performs on the rim of a brass plate, is an item of which classical dance?
- A.Odissi
- B.Kuchipudi
- C.Manipuri
- D.Kathak
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In the tarangam the dancer balances on the raised rim of a brass plate and moves it in rhythm, often with a pot of water carried on the head, which demonstrates the control over balance for which the Andhra form is famous.
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