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Hindu Philosophy and Temple System for APPSC Executive Officer · Chapter 11

Hindu Festivals and Classical Arts Across India

What to remember

  • Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar (tithi and month) or the solar movement (Sankranti), and each is tied to a deity, a season or a story.
  • India recognises a set of classical dance forms, each from a region: Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Kathakali and Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Odissi (Odisha), Kathak (north India), Manipuri (Manipur) and Sattriya (Assam).
  • Temples are the home of these arts. Festival days bring music, dance and processions that Endowments officers must plan and protect.

1. How the festival calendar works

  • The Hindu calendar is mainly lunar. A month has two halves: Shukla paksha (bright, waxing moon) and Krishna paksha (dark, waning moon).
  • Each day is a tithi. Festivals are fixed by tithi and month, so their English dates change every year.
  • Makara Sankranti is solar and falls in mid-January each year.
  • Ugadi is the New Year of the Telugu and Kannada people, on the first day of the month of Chaitra.

2. Major festivals

FestivalSeason / MonthDeity or themeMain region
Makara Sankranti / PongalMid-JanuarySun God; harvestAll India; Pongal in Tamil Nadu; Sankranti in Andhra
Maha ShivaratriMagha / PhalgunaShiva; night vigilAll India; Srisailam and Srikalahasti in AP
HoliPhalguna full moonPrahlada and Holika; springNorth India
Ugadi / Gudi PadwaChaitraNew YearAndhra, Karnataka, Maharashtra
Sri Rama NavamiChaitraBirth of RamaAll India; Bhadrachalam
Vinayaka ChaturthiBhadrapadaGaneshaMaharashtra and all India
Krishna JanmashtamiShravana / BhadrapadaBirth of KrishnaAll India
Navaratri / DasaraAshvinaDurga; victory of goodAll India; Durga Puja in Bengal
DeepavaliAshvina / KartikaLights; victory over evilAll India
Karthika PurnimaKartikaShiva; lampsSouth India; Karthika Deepam in Tiruvannamalai
Vaikuntha EkadashiMargashira / PushyaVishnu; "gate" of VaikunthaVaishnava temples; Tirumala
OnamChingamKing MahabaliKerala

3. Festivals with a special place in Andhra Pradesh

  • Sankranti is a three-day festival: Bhogi, Sankranti, Kanuma. Kite flying, rangoli and cattle worship are common.
  • Brahmotsavam at Tirumala is the big annual festival of Lord Venkateswara with processions on different vahanas (vehicles).
  • Maha Shivaratri draws large crowds at Srisailam, Srikalahasti and Draksharama.
  • Sri Rama Navami at Bhadrachalam is marked with a celestial wedding (Kalyanam) of Sita and Rama. Bhadrachalam is now in Telangana.
  • Dasara at Vijayawada (Indrakeeladri) celebrates Goddess Kanaka Durga.
  • Kartika month is auspicious for lamps; Karthika Deepam and Karthika Somavaram are observed at Shiva temples.
  • Vaikuntha Ekadashi is marked by opening of a special passage (Uttara Dwara) in Vishnu temples.
  • Ugadi is celebrated with Ugadi Pachadi, a mixed dish of six tastes meaning that life has joy and sorrow.

4. Pan-India religious gatherings

  • Kumbh Mela is held in rotation at four places: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Nashik. The full Kumbh at each place comes once in 12 years.
  • Rath Yatra at Puri (Odisha) is a car festival of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra.
  • Pushkaram is a river festival held once in 12 years for each of the twelve rivers, such as Godavari, Krishna and Tungabhadra. These are major events in Andhra and Telangana.
  • Durga Puja is the great festival of Bengal. Ganesh Chaturthi is the major public festival of Maharashtra.
  • Thrissur Pooram is a temple festival in Kerala with decorated elephants.

5. Classical dance forms

The foundation text is the Natyashastra, attributed to Bharata Muni. It describes four types of abhinaya (expression): Angika (body), Vachika (speech), Aharya (costume) and Satvika (emotion). It names eight rasas (moods) such as Shringara, Karuna and Veera; Shanta was added later as the ninth, giving the familiar navarasa.

Dance has three parts: Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (dance with expression) and Natya (drama).

DanceStateNotes
BharatanatyamTamil NaduOnce temple dance of Devadasis; Tanjavur Quartet shaped its modern form
KuchipudiAndhra PradeshNamed for Kuchipudi village; Siddhendra Yogi gave it form; dance-drama in Telugu
KathakaliKeralaHeavy makeup and costume; stories from epics
MohiniyattamKeralaSlow, graceful, female solo
OdissiOdishaTribhanga posture; linked with the Jagannath temple
KathakNorth IndiaStorytelling; footwork and spins; Mughal and Hindu influences
ManipuriManipurSoft, Vaishnava; Radha-Krishna themes
SattriyaAssamBorn in Vaishnava monasteries (Sattras) of Sankaradeva

Kuchipudi is associated with the Bhama Kalapam, a dance-drama about Satyabhama. In the traditional form, it was performed by Brahmin men; women performers became common later.

6. Music and folk arts in the temple world

  • Carnatic music of the south has the trinity: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. Purandara Dasa is called the father of Carnatic music.
  • Annamacharya (Tallapaka) of Tirumala composed devotional songs (sankirtanas) in praise of Lord Venkateswara. Tallapaka is associated with the Telugu-speaking country.
  • Kshetrayya composed padams for dance.
  • Hindustani music is the northern tradition (Dhrupad, Khayal).
  • Andhra folk arts: Burrakatha, Harikatha, Tholu Bommalata (leather puppet play), Veeranatyam, Dappu and Chindu Bhagavatam.
  • Many temples have a Nrityamandapa or a Mukhamandapa where dance and music are offered as service to the deity.

7. Why this matters for an Executive Officer

  • Festivals draw crowds, so planning for safety, queues, drinking water and sanitation is part of the Executive Officer's work.
  • The Act and orders deal with arrangements for festival expense, special rituals and utsavams out of temple funds.
  • Hereditary performers and musicians connected with temples (nadaswaram, dance, singing) may be on the temple's payroll under custom.
  • Protecting customary rituals ("Agamic" practice) is a duty. Changes should follow the temple's Agama and customs.

8. Quick revision: festival by season

  • Winter and early spring: Makara Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Maha Shivaratri, Holi.
  • Spring and summer: Ugadi, Sri Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti.
  • Monsoon: Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Onam, Rath Yatra.
  • Autumn and early winter: Navaratri and Dasara, Deepavali, Karthika Purnima, Vaikuntha Ekadashi.

Temple-related terms to remember

  • Utsava murti: the processional image taken out in festivals.
  • Vahana: the vehicle of the deity, such as Garuda, Hanuman or Sesha.
  • Kalyanotsavam: the ceremonial wedding of the deity.
  • Rathotsavam: the car festival.
  • Teppotsavam: the float festival on a temple tank.
  • Nitya puja: the daily worship.

Regions at a glance: Pongal and Bharatanatyam belong to Tamil Nadu; Onam, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam to Kerala; Bihu to Assam; Durga Puja to Bengal; Ganesh Chaturthi to Maharashtra; Kuchipudi, Sankranti and Brahmotsavam to Andhra Pradesh.

Some festival names are used in many places for different meanings. For instance, Dasara in Karnataka and Mysuru is a royal state festival, while in Andhra it is mainly the festival of Goddess Durga; in North India it ends with the burning of Ravana. For an exam, keep the common meaning in mind: victory of good over evil.

Exam traps

  • 1. Pongal is the Tamil name for harvest festival; Sankranti is the Telugu and general name.
  • 2. Kuchipudi is Andhra; Kathakali is Kerala; Mohiniyattam is also Kerala.
  • 3. Kathakali has costume and masks-like makeup; Mohiniyattam is a graceful feminine dance.
  • 4. Kumbh rotates between four places; Pushkaram rotates between twelve rivers.
  • 5. Natyashastra is by Bharata, not by Nandikeshvara.
  • 6. Vinayaka Chaturthi is in Bhadrapada; Ugadi in Chaitra.
  • 7. Odissi is from Odisha; Sattriya is from Assam; Manipuri from Manipur.
  • 8. Rama Navami marks the birth of Rama; Janmashtami marks that of Krishna.

One-liners

  • 1. Natyashastra is attributed to Bharata Muni.
  • 2. Kuchipudi is the classical dance of Andhra Pradesh.
  • 3. Bharatanatyam belongs to Tamil Nadu.
  • 4. Odissi is linked with the Jagannath temple tradition.
  • 5. Sattriya was founded in Sankaradeva's Sattras.
  • 6. Makara Sankranti follows the solar calendar.
  • 7. Ugadi is the Telugu New Year.
  • 8. Kumbh Mela is held at Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Nashik.
  • 9. Annamacharya composed songs for Lord Venkateswara.
  • 10. Purandara Dasa is called the father of Carnatic music.
  • 11. Rath Yatra is held at Puri.
  • 12. Pushkaram comes once in twelve years for each river.

Practice questions

  1. Kuchipudi is the classical dance of which state?

    1. Odisha
    2. Kerala
    3. Andhra Pradesh
    4. Assam
    Answer

    C. Andhra Pradesh

    It is named after Kuchipudi village.

  2. Bharatanatyam belongs to

    1. Kerala
    2. Andhra Pradesh
    3. Odisha
    4. Tamil Nadu
    Answer

    D. Tamil Nadu

    It was once the temple dance of the Devadasis.

  3. Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of

    1. Karnataka
    2. Kerala
    3. Tamil Nadu
    4. Assam
    Answer

    B. Kerala

    It is known for elaborate makeup and costume.

  4. Odissi is the classical dance of

    1. Assam
    2. Manipur
    3. Odisha
    4. Bihar
    Answer

    C. Odisha

    It is linked with the Jagannath temple tradition.

  5. Sattriya dance developed in the monasteries founded by

    1. Ramanuja
    2. Chaitanya
    3. Basava
    4. Sankaradeva
    Answer

    D. Sankaradeva

    The Sattras of Assam preserve it.

  6. The foundation text of Indian dance and drama theory is the

    1. Dharmashastra
    2. Natyashastra
    3. Kamasutra
    4. Arthashastra
    Answer

    B. Natyashastra

    It is attributed to Bharata Muni.

  7. The Natyashastra is attributed to

    1. Panini
    2. Kalidasa
    3. Bharata Muni
    4. Patanjali
    Answer

    C. Bharata Muni

    Bharata Muni is its traditional author.

  8. Pure dance without expression is called

    1. Natya
    2. Nritya
    3. Abhinaya
    4. Nritta
    Answer

    D. Nritta

    Nritta is pure dance; nritya adds expression; natya is drama.

  9. Which of the following is the Telugu New Year?

    1. Ugadi
    2. Onam
    3. Pongal
    4. Baisakhi
    Answer

    A. Ugadi

    Ugadi falls in the month of Chaitra.

  10. Makara Sankranti is based on the

    1. lunar tithi
    2. solar movement
    3. eclipse
    4. Venus cycle
    Answer

    B. solar movement

    It falls in mid-January every year.

  11. In Andhra Pradesh, the three days of Sankranti are Bhogi, Sankranti and

    1. Deepavali
    2. Kartika
    3. Kanuma
    4. Ugadi
    Answer

    C. Kanuma

    Kanuma is the day for cattle.

  12. Pongal is the harvest festival chiefly of

    1. Tamil Nadu
    2. Kerala
    3. Bengal
    4. Punjab
    Answer

    A. Tamil Nadu

    Pongal marks the Sankranti season in the Tamil country.

  13. Onam is the major festival of

    1. Tamil Nadu
    2. Andhra Pradesh
    3. Karnataka
    4. Kerala
    Answer

    D. Kerala

    It recalls King Mahabali.

  14. The Rath Yatra of Jagannath is held at

    1. Madurai
    2. Dwaraka
    3. Puri
    4. Tirupati
    Answer

    C. Puri

    It is the car festival of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra.

  15. Kumbh Mela is NOT held at which of these places?

    1. Haridwar
    2. Tirupati
    3. Ujjain
    4. Prayagraj
    Answer

    B. Tirupati

    The four Kumbh centres are Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Nashik.

  16. Pushkaram for a river comes once in

    1. 24 years
    2. 6 years
    3. 3 years
    4. 12 years
    Answer

    D. 12 years

    Each of twelve rivers has its Pushkaram in turn.

  17. Brahmotsavam, the annual festival with processions on vahanas, is famous at

    1. Ujjain
    2. Kanchi
    3. Tirumala
    4. Puri
    Answer

    C. Tirumala

    It is the main festival of Lord Venkateswara.

  18. Vaikuntha Ekadashi is mainly associated with

    1. Durga
    2. Vishnu
    3. Surya
    4. Shiva
    Answer

    B. Vishnu

    The special northern gate (Uttara Dwara) is opened in Vishnu temples.

  19. Maha Shivaratri is the night vigil of

    1. Shiva
    2. Vishnu
    3. Rama
    4. Ganesha
    Answer

    A. Shiva

    Devotees fast and keep awake in Shiva temples.

  20. Sri Rama Navami celebrates the

    1. wedding of Krishna
    2. birth of Rama
    3. birth of Hanuman
    4. victory of Durga
    Answer

    B. birth of Rama

    It falls in Chaitra.

  21. Vinayaka Chaturthi falls in the month of

    1. Bhadrapada
    2. Chaitra
    3. Magha
    4. Kartika
    Answer

    A. Bhadrapada

    It marks the birth of Ganesha.

  22. Dasara in Vijayawada is celebrated at the temple of

    1. Bhramaramba
    2. Meenakshi
    3. Kanaka Durga
    4. Kamakshi
    Answer

    C. Kanaka Durga

    Indrakeeladri hill is the site of the temple.

  23. Holi is celebrated on the full moon of

    1. Kartika
    2. Chaitra
    3. Ashvina
    4. Phalguna
    Answer

    D. Phalguna

    It is the spring festival.

  24. The Tiruppavai is traditionally recited in the month of

    1. Margali (Dhanurmasa)
    2. Shravana
    3. Bhadrapada
    4. Chaitra
    Answer

    A. Margali (Dhanurmasa)

    The month precedes Sankranti.

  25. Who is called the father of Carnatic music?

    1. Tyagaraja
    2. Purandara Dasa
    3. Muthuswami Dikshitar
    4. Syama Sastri
    Answer

    B. Purandara Dasa

    He set the basic lessons of Carnatic music.

  26. Which of these is NOT among the Carnatic music trinity?

    1. Tyagaraja
    2. Muthuswami Dikshitar
    3. Annamacharya
    4. Syama Sastri
    Answer

    C. Annamacharya

    The trinity are Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and Syama Sastri.

  27. Annamacharya composed songs in praise of

    1. Lord Nataraja
    2. Lord Jagannath
    3. Lord Krishna of Udupi
    4. Lord Venkateswara
    Answer

    D. Lord Venkateswara

    He is the Telugu sankirtana composer of Tirumala.

  28. Burrakatha is a folk art of

    1. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
    2. Assam
    3. Kerala
    4. Punjab
    Answer

    A. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

    It is a story-telling form with a drum.

  29. Tholu Bommalata is the

    1. mask dance of Kerala
    2. harvest dance of Assam
    3. street theatre of Bengal
    4. leather puppet play of Andhra
    Answer

    D. leather puppet play of Andhra

    Flat leather figures are moved behind a screen.

  30. Kuchipudi is closely linked with the dance-drama

    1. Ram Lila
    2. Ras Lila
    3. Bhama Kalapam
    4. Yakshagana Prasanga
    Answer

    C. Bhama Kalapam

    It tells the story of Satyabhama.

  31. Kuchipudi is associated with the name of the teacher

    1. Tallapaka
    2. Siddhendra Yogi
    3. Kshetrayya
    4. Purandara Dasa
    Answer

    B. Siddhendra Yogi

    He gave Kuchipudi its drama form.

  32. Padams for dance in Telugu were composed by

    1. Annamacharya
    2. Basava
    3. Tyagaraja
    4. Kshetrayya
    Answer

    D. Kshetrayya

    Kshetrayya wrote many padams addressed to Muvva Gopala.

  33. An Executive Officer must plan queues, water and sanitation for a festival mainly because

    1. dates never change
    2. large crowds attend
    3. hymns are in Tamil
    4. festivals are tax events
    Answer

    B. large crowds attend

    Crowd safety is part of festival administration.

  34. Consider the statements: 1. Ugadi is the New Year of Telugu people. 2. Kuchipudi comes from Kerala. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Kuchipudi is from Andhra Pradesh.

  35. Consider the statements: 1. Manipuri is from Assam. 2. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance of Kerala. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Manipuri is from Manipur.

  36. Consider the statements: 1. Kathak is a classical dance of north India. 2. Odissi has Tribhanga posture. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  37. Consider the statements: 1. Pushkaram is held for only one river. 2. Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years at each of its four places. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Pushkaram is held for twelve rivers in turn.

  38. Consider the statements: 1. Rama Navami marks the birth of Krishna. 2. Janmashtami marks the birth of Krishna. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Rama Navami marks the birth of Rama.

  39. Consider the statements: 1. Kathakali is a classical dance of Odisha. 2. Bharatanatyam is a classical dance of Tamil Nadu. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Kathakali is from Kerala.

  40. Match: (1) Kuchipudi (2) Odissi (3) Kathakali (4) Sattriya with (a) Assam (b) Kerala (c) Odisha (d) Andhra Pradesh

    1. 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a
    2. 1-c, 2-d, 3-b, 4-a
    3. 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b
    4. 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c
    Answer

    A. 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a

    Each dance is paired with its region.

  41. Match: (1) Ugadi (2) Onam (3) Rath Yatra (4) Brahmotsavam with (a) Puri (b) Tirumala (c) Kerala (d) Chaitra

    1. 1-d, 2-a, 3-c, 4-b
    2. 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d
    3. 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b
    4. 1-c, 2-d, 3-b, 4-a
    Answer

    C. 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b

    Ugadi-Chaitra; Onam-Kerala; Rath Yatra-Puri; Brahmotsavam-Tirumala.

  42. Which of the following is NOT a classical dance form of India?

    1. Manipuri
    2. Mohiniyattam
    3. Kathak
    4. Burrakatha
    Answer

    D. Burrakatha

    Burrakatha is a folk story-telling art.

  43. Which is a correct pair of festival and deity?

    1. Maha Shivaratri - Shiva
    2. Vinayaka Chaturthi - Vishnu
    3. Dasara - Hanuman
    4. Vaikuntha Ekadashi - Shiva
    Answer

    A. Maha Shivaratri - Shiva

    Vinayaka Chaturthi is for Ganesha; Vaikuntha Ekadashi for Vishnu.

  44. Which type of expression in the Natyashastra refers to costume and makeup?

    1. Angika
    2. Vachika
    3. Satvika
    4. Aharya
    Answer

    D. Aharya

    Angika is body, vachika speech, aharya costume, satvika emotion.

  45. The nine moods of Indian aesthetics, such as Shringara and Karuna, are called

    1. talas
    2. tithis
    3. rasas
    4. ragas
    Answer

    C. rasas

    Natyashastra lists nine rasas.

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