Question

Difficulty: HardState Society, Culture, and Heritage

Consider the following statements regarding regional folk theater traditions and cultural heritage of Indian states:

1. Yakshagana is a traditional folk theater performance of Karnataka that integrates dance, dialogue, and live musical narrative conducted by a lead singer known as the Bhagavatha.
2. Maach is a traditional folk theater art form originating from the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, historically performed on open-air elevated wooden stages.
3. Ankia Naat is a traditional one-act plays heritage of Odisha created by the 12th-century poet Jayadeva to promote Vaishnavism.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 onlyAnswer
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. D
    1, 2, and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only
The combination stating that only the first and second statements are correct is right because Yakshagana is a traditional theater form of Karnataka governed by the Bhagavatha narrator, and Maach is the traditional folk theater of the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. The third statement is incorrect because Ankia Naat originated in Assam under the patronage of the saint Srimanta Sankardeva, not Jayadeva in Odisha.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1 regarding Yakshagana.
Yakshagana is a major traditional theater form native to Karnataka, featuring elaborately costumed performers, dance-drama, and live background music directed by the lead narrator called Bhagavatha. Statement 1 is correct.
Verify regional state theater characteristics for Karnataka.
2
Analyze Statement 2 regarding Maach.
Maach is the prominent traditional folk theater of the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh, traditionally staged on an elevated platform called 'Maach'. Statement 2 is correct.
Verify regional state heritage features for Madhya Pradesh.
3
Analyze Statement 3 regarding Ankia Naat.
Ankia Naat refers to a class of single-act plays initiated by the great saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th–16th century in Assam (using the Brajavali language), not by Jayadeva in 12th-century Odisha. Statement 3 is incorrect.
Identify regional misattribution of theatrical heritage and historical saint-patrons.

Key Concept

Regional Folk Theater and Cultural Heritage of Indian States
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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