How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dances?Dancers occasionally speaking dialo

Q: What is UPSC Prelims?

UPSC Prelims is a competitive examination conducted in India. This question is from the 2012 UPSC Prelims History paper.

Q: How can I prepare for UPSC Prelims History?

To prepare for UPSC Prelims History, practice previous year questions (PYQs), understand concepts thoroughly, and solve mock tests regularly. This 2012 question covers Classical Dance Forms of India topic.

Q: What is the difficulty level of this question?

This UPSC Prelims 2012 History question has a hard difficulty level and is marked as an important question.

Q: Where can I find more UPSC Prelims previous year questions?

You can find more UPSC Prelims previous year questions on AspirantMitraa. Browse by subject, topic, year, and difficulty level to practice effectively.

Question

How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dances?Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues is found in Kuchipudi dance but not in Bharatnatyam.Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the feet on its edges is a feature of Bharatnatyam but Kuchipudi dance does not have such a form of movements.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: A — 1 onlySolution:Statement 1 — Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues is found in Kuchipudi but not Bharatnatyam: This is correct. Kuchipudi is unique among Indian classical dance forms in incorporating spoken dialogues by dancers during performance — a feature derived from its origins as a dance-drama tradition. In traditional Kuchipudi performances, the dancer (usually performing roles from puranic stories) would occasionally recite Sanskrit or Telugu verses or dialogues in character. This dialogue element is not a feature of Bharatnatyam, which is entirely dance and mime-based. ✓Statement 2 — Dancing on brass plate is a feature of Bharatnatyam, not Kuchipudi: This is incorrect. The 'Tarangam' — dancing on the edges of a brass plate while balancing a pot of water on the head — is actually a unique feature of Kuchipudi, not Bharatnatyam. This extraordinary feat of balance and footwork is one of Kuchipudi's most distinctive and celebrated elements. Bharatnatyam does not have this tradition. ✗Why other options are incorrect:Options B, C, D: Statement 2 incorrectly attributes the brass plate dancing to Bharatnatyam — it belongs to Kuchipudi.Key Concept: Indian classical dance forms and their distinctive features: Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu) — originated in Devadasi tradition, codified Nataraja style, intricate footwork, Carnatic music accompaniment, Margam repertoire (Alarippu to Tillana); Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) — dance-drama tradition, dialogues in performance, Tarangam (brass plate dance), Kalika Patam; Odissi (Odisha) — distinctive Tribhanga posture, Mahari temple tradition, lyrical; Manipuri (Manipur) — circular, no heavy footwork, Ras Lila of Radha-Krishna; Kathak (North India) — Lucknow and Jaipur gharanas, pirouettes (chakkardar), tatkaar footwork, influenced by Mughal aesthetics; Mohiniyattam (Kerala) — feminine, gentle, white-gold costumes; Kathakali (Kerala) — elaborate makeup, male performers, epic themes. Each classical dance form has Sangeet Natak Akademi recognition.

Master UPSC Prelims with Our Test Series

More Questions from Classical Dance Forms of India

Frequently Asked Questions

Master UPSC Prelims with Our Test Series

More Questions from Classical Dance Forms of India

Frequently Asked Questions