Important Fairs, Festivals, Dances and Folk Music of India Notes

India has a rich cultural tradition, and almost every state has its own dances, festivals, fairs and folk music. These topics are asked regularly in the general awareness section of SSC, railways, banking, defence and State exams, and they also support the UPSC prelims question on art and culture. The questions are mostly of the type "Which state is famous for this dance?" or "Where is this fair held?" This note gives you a clear picture, with tables of classical dances, folk dances, festivals, fairs and folk music, followed by memory tips and practice questions. To go deeper into the cultural background, you can also read our UPSC-level notes on Indian art and culture.

Classical Dances of India

The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances. The classical dances follow the rules of the Natyashastra, which was written by Bharata Muni. They use hand gestures (mudras), expressions (abhinaya), rhythm (tala) and storytelling.

Folk Dances by State

Major Festivals

Famous Fairs of India

Folk Music Traditions

Folk and Classical Musical Instruments

Several musical instruments are also linked to regions and artists. The sitar and the sarod are string instruments of Hindustani music. The veena is the main string instrument of Carnatic music. The tabla, pakhawaj and mridangam are drums, the shehnai is a wind instrument that is played in marriages, and the flute is linked with Lord Krishna. Famous players include Ravi Shankar (sitar), Ali Akbar Khan and Amjad Ali Khan (sarod), Bismillah Khan (shehnai), Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Hariprasad Chaurasia (flute). The ektara, dotara and dholak are common in folk traditions. For more on the people who are famous for such arts, see our list of famous personalities and their titles.

Understanding the Classical Dance Terms

Every classical dance has three parts that the examiner may ask about. Nritta is pure dance, made of rhythmic movements without any story. Nritya is expressive dance, in which the dancer tells a story through the face and the hand gestures. Natya is the dramatic element, where the dance becomes a play. The hand gestures are called mudras, the facial and body expressions are called abhinaya, and the rhythm is called tala. The Bharatanatyam stance of the half-sitting posture is called aramandi, while Odissi is known for the three-bend posture called tribhanga. Kathakali uses a very strong language of mudras and eye movements, and its make-up is classified into types such as pacha (green, for noble characters) and kathi (for villains).

Famous Dancers and Their Dance

Questions on personalities are very common, and it is useful to learn the names with their dance forms. Birju Maharaj and Sitara Devi are known for Kathak. Rukmini Devi Arundale revived Bharatanatyam and founded Kalakshetra. Padma Subrahmanyam and Yamini Krishnamurthy are famous Bharatanatyam dancers. Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh and Sanjukta Panigrahi are linked with Odissi. Kalamandalam Gopi is linked with Kathakali. Guru Bipin Singh is linked with Manipuri, and Raja and Radha Reddy are famous for Kuchipudi. Uday Shankar is remembered as the pioneer who brought modern Indian dance to the world stage.

Seasonal Calendar of Major Festivals

A calendar makes festivals easy to remember. In January come Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri and Magh Bihu, which mark the harvest and the movement of the sun. In March and April come Holi, Baisakhi, Bohag Bihu, Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, which mark the new year in many regions. In August and September come Onam, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi. In October and November come Navratri, Dussehra, Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath. In December there are Christmas and the Hornbill Festival. The festivals of other faiths, such as Eid, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Buddha Purnima and Mahavir Jayanti, are also important and show the unity in our diversity. You can revise the dates of national days from our notes on important days and dates.

Common Mistakes

Many students mix up the Garba and the Bhangra because both are energetic group dances. Remember that Garba belongs to Gujarat and is danced around a lamp, whereas Bhangra belongs to Punjab and is linked with the harvest. Some students write Kuchipudi for Kerala because the names begin with the same letter, but it belongs to Andhra Pradesh. Others forget that Kumbh is held at four places and not only at Prayagraj. Another mistake is to confuse the Rath Yatra of Puri with the Ganesh festival of Maharashtra, which are totally different.

Tips to Remember Dance, State and Festival

1. Use the picture of the state. Kerala has Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Onam, so remember "K for Kerala" with the dance-drama.
2. Group by season. Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Lohri and Bihu fall in the harvest season of January, while Onam and Durga Puja fall in the autumn.
3. Link a person with an art. Birju Maharaj with Kathak, Sonal Mansingh with Odissi and Kelucharan Mohapatra with Odissi make the answer easier.
4. Link the place with a river or a temple. The Kumbh is held where rivers meet, and the Rath Yatra is linked with the Puri temple.
5. Remember the exceptions. Bihu belongs to Assam, but Baisakhi belongs to Punjab, even though both are held in April.

Recognition and Heritage Tags

UNESCO has recognised several Indian traditions on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. These include Kutiyattam (Sanskrit theatre of Kerala), Ramlila, Vedic chanting, Kalbelia dance of Rajasthan, Chhau, the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja in Kolkata, and Garba of Gujarat. Such news is often asked in current affairs questions, so keep a record of any new tag and the year in which it was given.

Practice Questions With Answers

• Q1. Kuchipudi belongs to which state? Answer: Andhra Pradesh.
• Q2. Which festival is celebrated with the Vallamkali boat race? Answer: Onam (Kerala).
• Q3. Where is the Pushkar Fair held? Answer: Rajasthan.
• Q4. Which classical dance was introduced by Sankardev? Answer: Sattriya (Assam).
• Q5. Which festival is called the festival of festivals in Nagaland? Answer: Hornbill Festival.

Quick Revision

• Eight classical dances: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Sattriya.
• Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years at four places.
• Learn dances and festivals by state, season and person.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many classical dances are there in India?

The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances.

Which is the oldest classical dance of India?

Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu is considered the oldest classical dance.

Which classical dance belongs to Assam?

Sattriya belongs to Assam and was recognised in 2000.

Which text is the basis of classical dance?

The Natyashastra written by Bharata Muni is the basis.

Where is the Kumbh Mela held?

It is held at Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Nashik, every 12 years at each place.

Which festival is celebrated with Pookalam?

Onam in Kerala is celebrated with the flower carpet called Pookalam.

Which fair is called the camel fair?

The Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan is famous as the camel fair.

Garba is the folk dance of which state?

Garba is the folk dance of Gujarat.

Which festival is the festival of festivals in Nagaland?

The Hornbill Festival, held in December, is called the festival of festivals.

What is Rath Yatra?

It is the chariot festival of Lord Jagannath held at Puri in Odisha.

Who is famous for the shehnai?

Bismillah Khan is famous for the shehnai.

How can I remember the dance and state list?

Group them by state, season and famous person, and revise with a table.