Folk Dances, Theatre and Puppetry Across States

What to remember

• Folk dances are tied to a region, a festival or a community. Learn each dance with its State: Garba (Gujarat), Bhangra and Giddha (Punjab), Ghoomar (Rajasthan), Bihu (Assam), Lavani (Maharashtra), Dollu Kunitha (Karnataka), Karagattam (Tamil Nadu) and Dhimsa (Andhra Pradesh).
• Andhra Pradesh special: Tholu Bommalata (leather shadow puppetry), Burrakatha (story-telling), Veeranatyam, Dhimsa, Tappeta Gullu, Kolattam and Kuchipudi.
• Puppets come in four types: string, shadow, rod and glove. Know one example for each.

Folk dances by State

Andhra Pradesh folk arts in detail

• Dhimsa: a group dance of the tribal people of the hills near Araku. Dancers form a chain and move to the beat of drums and pipes.
• Tappeta Gullu: a drum dance in which men wear a small drum around the neck. It is common among the Yadava community in the north coastal region.
• Veeranatyam: a vigorous dance linked to Lord Veerabhadra, performed with heavy drum beats and sword-like props.
• Kolattam: a stick dance, performed in a circle with sticks beaten in rhythm. It is a village festival dance.
• Garagalu: the dance of pots decorated and carried on the head, linked with village goddess festivals.
• Butta Bommalu: dancers wear large basket-like masks.
• Burrakatha: a story-telling art. The main performer plays the burra (a tambura, a stringed drone instrument shaped like a skull) and is joined by two co-singers who beat small drums (gummeta/dakki) for rhythm and replies. Subjects include epics, local heroes and social messages.
• Harikatha, Oggu Katha and Chindu Bhagavatam are other story-telling forms of Telugu villages.
• Surabhi theatre: a travelling Telugu theatre company tradition from the late 19th century. It is known for stage tricks and mythological plays.
• Telugu stage plays: the verse-plays (padya natakam), such as Harishchandra, were very popular. Kanyasulkam by Gurajada Apparao is a famous social play.

Other well-known folk dances

• Garba and Dandiya (Gujarat): circle dances in Navaratri. Garba is danced around a lamp or an image of the goddess; dandiya is danced with sticks.
• Bhangra (Punjab): vigorous male dance of harvest time with dhol. Giddha is the women's counterpart.
• Ghoomar (Rajasthan): women whirl in long flowing skirts. Kalbelia is a snake-charmer community dance, on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
• Bihu (Assam): dance of the spring festival Bohag Bihu, with dhol, pepa (buffalo horn) and gogona.
• Lavani (Maharashtra): dance with fast drum rhythm (dholki) and bold songs; Tamasha is the folk theatre which uses it.
• Chhau: performed with masks in Purulia (West Bengal), Seraikella (Jharkhand) and Mayurbhanj (Odisha). Mayurbhanj Chhau is performed without a mask. It is on UNESCO's list but is not one of the eight classical dances.
• Karagattam (Tamil Nadu): dancers balance decorated pots on the head while moving.
• Dollu Kunitha (Karnataka): drum dance with large drums worn by men of the Kuruba community.
• Theyyam (North Kerala): ritual performance in which the performer becomes the deity, with colourful face painting and tall head-dress.
• Cham (Himalayan monasteries): mask dance by Buddhist monks, showing the fight of good against evil.
• Cheraw (Mizoram): dancers step in and out between bamboo poles.

Folk and traditional theatre

Modern theatre and key persons

• Sanskrit theatre: Bhasa and Kalidasa wrote plays; Kalidasa's best-known play is Abhijnana Shakuntalam.
• Parsi theatre (19th century, Mumbai) used the proscenium stage.
• IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association, 1943): a people's theatre movement.
• National School of Drama (1959): the premier training school in Delhi.
• Prithvi Theatre: founded by Prithviraj Kapoor in 1944.
• Playwrights: Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, Badal Sircar, Habib Tanvir and Utpal Dutt.
• Habib Tanvir worked with folk actors of Chhattisgarh and created plays such as Charandas Chor.
• Badal Sircar is known for Third Theatre, a form that takes theatre to the people without a stage.

Puppetry

• Tholu Bommalata is the leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh. The puppeteers use light behind a screen and sing the epic stories. The puppets are cut from treated animal skin, painted with natural colours.
• Kathputli means "wooden doll" (kath = wood, putli = doll). Rajasthani Bhat community performers are famous for this form.

Why these arts matter

• Folk dance and theatre carry the memory of a community. They mark harvests, weddings, seasons and village-goddess festivals, and they pass stories of epics and local heroes to people who may not read.
• Most forms are passed on from parent to child within a family or caste group. Many performers are poor, so government bodies such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the regional cultural zone centres help them with awards, grants and festivals.
• The Republic Day parade and the National Folk Festival show many of these dances to a wide audience.
• UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage includes several Indian forms, such as Kalbelia, Chhau, Koodiyattam, Mudiyettu and Ramlila.
• Puppetry is the oldest form of mass communication in many regions. Today puppet shows are also used to teach health, literacy and social messages in villages.
• Folk art differs from classical art in a simple way. Folk forms are less bound by written rules and are learnt by watching. Classical forms follow written grammar and a trained gurus' method.

Exam traps

• 1. Tholu Bommalata (shadow, Andhra Pradesh) vs Kathputli (string, Rajasthan).
• 2. Bommalattam (Tamil Nadu) has string and rod; Pavakoothu (Kerala) is a glove puppet.
• 3. Garba is Gujarat; Ghoomar is Rajasthan; Giddha is Punjab.
• 4. Chhau is a masked martial dance, not a classical dance.
• 5. Yakshagana is Karnataka; Kuchipudi is Andhra Pradesh.
• 6. Koodiyattam is Sanskrit theatre of Kerala; Therukoothu is Tamil street theatre.
• 7. Dhimsa is an Andhra tribal dance; Cheraw is from Mizoram.
• 8. Burrakatha is story-telling with the burra (tambura) and side drums; it is not a dance.

One-liners

• 1. Garba is the dance of Gujarat.
• 2. Bhangra is the dance of Punjab.
• 3. Bihu is the dance of Assam.
• 4. Ghoomar is the dance of Rajasthan.
• 5. Lavani is the dance of Maharashtra.
• 6. Dhimsa is a tribal dance of Andhra Pradesh.
• 7. Burrakatha is a Telugu story-telling art with the burra (tambura) and drums.
• 8. Tholu Bommalata is leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh.
• 9. Kathputli is a string puppet art of Rajasthan.
• 10. Yakshagana belongs to Karnataka.
• 11. Ramlila is the staging of the Ramayana.
• 12. The National School of Drama is in Delhi.

Practice questions

1. Garba is a folk dance of which State?

   1. Gujarat
   2. Rajasthan
   3. Punjab
   4. Karnataka
   Answer

   A. Gujarat

   Garba and dandiya are danced in Navaratri in Gujarat.

2. Bhangra is a folk dance of

   1. Kerala
   2. Assam
   3. Odisha
   4. Punjab
   Answer

   D. Punjab

   Bhangra is a vigorous harvest dance with the dhol.

3. Bihu is the folk dance of

   1. Assam
   2. Manipur
   3. Goa
   4. Mizoram
   Answer

   A. Assam

   Bihu is danced in the spring festival Bohag Bihu.

4. Ghoomar is a folk dance of

   1. Maharashtra
   2. Gujarat
   3. Haryana
   4. Rajasthan
   Answer

   D. Rajasthan

   Women whirl in long flowing skirts in Ghoomar.

5. Lavani is a folk dance of

   1. Bengal
   2. Tamil Nadu
   3. Maharashtra
   4. Odisha
   Answer

   C. Maharashtra

   Lavani is danced to fast dholki rhythm.

6. Dhimsa is a tribal dance of which State?

   1. Kerala
   2. Andhra Pradesh
   3. Punjab
   4. Gujarat
   Answer

   B. Andhra Pradesh

   Dhimsa is danced by tribal people of the hills near Araku.

7. Burrakatha is a

   1. Mask dance of Sikkim
   2. Kerala ritual dance
   3. Rajasthani puppet show
   4. Telugu story-telling art with a drum
   Answer

   D. Telugu story-telling art with a drum

   The main narrator carries the burra and two co-singers join in.

8. Tholu Bommalata is the traditional

   1. Rod puppetry of Bengal
   2. String puppetry of Rajasthan
   3. Leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh
   4. Glove puppetry of Kerala
   Answer

   C. Leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh

   Large coloured leather puppets are shown behind a lit screen.

9. Kathputli is a string puppet tradition of

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

   B. Rajasthan

   Kathputli means wooden doll.

10. Yakshagana is a dance-drama of

    1. Karnataka
    2. Punjab
    3. Andhra Pradesh
    4. Gujarat
    Answer

    A. Karnataka

    Yakshagana is known for large head-dresses and loud music.

11. Karagattam, in which pots are balanced on the head, belongs to

    1. Gujarat
    2. Jammu and Kashmir
    3. Assam
    4. Tamil Nadu
    Answer

    D. Tamil Nadu

    It is a folk dance of Tamil Nadu.

12. Theyyam is a ritual performance of

    1. Sikkim
    2. Rajasthan
    3. North Kerala
    4. Odisha
    Answer

    C. North Kerala

    The performer becomes the deity in Theyyam.

13. The bamboo dance Cheraw belongs to

    1. Mizoram
    2. Haryana
    3. Tamil Nadu
    4. Goa
    Answer

    A. Mizoram

    Dancers step in and out between moving bamboo poles.

14. The National School of Drama is located in

    1. Kolkata
    2. Delhi
    3. Hyderabad
    4. Chennai
    Answer

    B. Delhi

    It was set up in 1959 in Delhi.

15. Koodiyattam is an ancient form of

    1. Street theatre in Punjab
    2. Folk songs in Assam
    3. Sanskrit theatre in Kerala
    4. Puppet theatre in Odisha
    Answer

    C. Sanskrit theatre in Kerala

    It is performed by the Chakyar community.

16. Pandavani, the Mahabharata story-telling, belongs to

    1. Kashmir
    2. Gujarat
    3. Goa
    4. Chhattisgarh
    Answer

    D. Chhattisgarh

    Teejan Bai is a noted performer.

17. Ramlila is the staging of the story of

    1. The Ramayana
    2. The Panchatantra
    3. The Mahabharata
    4. The Gita Govinda
    Answer

    A. The Ramayana

    Ramlila is a large public performance in North India.

18. Kolattam is a

    1. Mask dance
    2. Sword dance on stage only
    3. Stick dance
    4. Puppet show
    Answer

    C. Stick dance

    Dancers beat sticks in rhythm in a circle.

19. Tholu Bommalata belongs to which type of puppetry?

    1. String puppetry
    2. Shadow puppetry
    3. Rod puppetry
    4. Glove puppetry
    Answer

    B. Shadow puppetry

    Light behind a screen throws the shadows of leather figures.

20. Bommalattam of Tamil Nadu is famous for puppets that are

    1. Large and controlled by strings and rods
    2. Small gloves
    3. Flat paper figures
    4. Shadows only
    Answer

    A. Large and controlled by strings and rods

    They are among the biggest and heaviest puppets.

21. Chhau is best described as a

    1. Classical dance of Kerala
    2. Masked martial and tribal dance
    3. Puppet show of Rajasthan
    4. Theatre of Kashmir
    Answer

    B. Masked martial and tribal dance

    It is performed in Purulia, Seraikella and Mayurbhanj.

22. The Burra in Burrakatha is

    1. A string puppet
    2. A mask
    3. A stick
    4. A drum carried by the main narrator
    Answer

    D. A drum carried by the main narrator

    The narrator plays the burra while telling the story.

23. In Tappeta Gullu, dancers

    1. Wear masks of animals
    2. Play small drums hung around the neck while dancing
    3. Balance pots on the head
    4. Walk on bamboo poles
    Answer

    B. Play small drums hung around the neck while dancing

    Tappeta Gullu is a drum dance of the Yadava community.

24. Giddha is the folk dance of

    1. Men of Gujarat
    2. Children of Assam
    3. Women of Punjab
    4. Monks of Sikkim
    Answer

    C. Women of Punjab

    Giddha is the women's counterpart of Bhangra.

25. Kalbelia is a dance of a community of

    1. Snake charmers in Rajasthan
    2. Monks in Ladakh
    3. Fishermen in Kerala
    4. Farmers in Assam
    Answer

    A. Snake charmers in Rajasthan

    Kalbelia is included in UNESCO's intangible heritage list.

26. Tamasha is a folk theatre of

    1. Sikkim
    2. Kerala
    3. Bihar
    4. Maharashtra
    Answer

    D. Maharashtra

    Tamasha uses Lavani songs and humour.

27. Therukoothu is a form of

    1. Mask dance in Ladakh
    2. Street theatre in Tamil Nadu
    3. Ritual dance of Bengal
    4. Shadow puppetry in Kerala
    Answer

    B. Street theatre in Tamil Nadu

    Therukoothu stages the Mahabharata in village streets.

28. Which playwright worked with folk actors of Chhattisgarh and wrote Charandas Chor?

    1. Habib Tanvir
    2. Vijay Tendulkar
    3. Badal Sircar
    4. Girish Karnad
    Answer

    A. Habib Tanvir

    Habib Tanvir founded the Naya Theatre.

29. The Indian People's Theatre Association was formed in

    1. 1905
    2. 1975
    3. 1943
    4. 1857
    Answer

    C. 1943

    IPTA was a people's theatre movement.

30. Cham dances performed with masks belong to

    1. Rajasthani villages
    2. Kerala temples
    3. Punjab fairs
    4. Buddhist monasteries of the Himalayas
    Answer

    D. Buddhist monasteries of the Himalayas

    Cham shows the victory of good over evil.

31. Pavakoothu of Kerala is

    1. String puppetry of Rajasthan
    2. Glove puppetry
    3. A form of folk song
    4. Shadow puppetry
    Answer

    B. Glove puppetry

    The puppeteer wears the puppet like a glove.

32. Consider the following statements: 1. Garba is a folk dance of Gujarat. 2. Garba is danced around a lamp or an image of the goddess. 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.

33. Consider the following statements: 1. Bhangra is a folk dance of Punjab. 2. Bhangra is a women's dance of Rajasthan. 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

    Bhangra is Punjabi; Ghoomar is Rajasthani.

34. Consider the following statements: 1. Dhimsa is a dance of Mizoram. 2. Dhimsa is a tribal dance of Andhra Pradesh. 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

    Mizoram's famous dance is Cheraw.

35. Consider the following statements: 1. Burrakatha uses a drum called burra. 2. Burrakatha is a classical dance. 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

    It is a story-telling art.

36. Consider the following statements: 1. Tholu Bommalata is shadow puppetry. 2. Its puppets are made of leather. 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 following statements: 1. Kathputli is a glove puppet art of Kerala. 2. Kathputli is a string puppet art. 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

    Kerala's glove puppetry is Pavakoothu.

38. Consider the following statements: 1. Chhau is one of the eight classical dances. 2. Some Chhau forms use masks. 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

    Chhau is a folk and tribal martial dance, not classical.

39. Consider the following statements: 1. Yakshagana belongs to Gujarat. 2. Bihu belongs to 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

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    Yakshagana is from Karnataka and Bihu from Assam.

40. Consider the following statements: 1. Koodiyattam is an ancient Sanskrit theatre of Kerala. 2. Mudiyettu is a ritual theatre 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

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

41. Consider the following statements: 1. Kanyasulkam is a famous Telugu social play by Gurajada Apparao. 2. Kanyasulkam is a Sanskrit play by Kalidasa. 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

    Kalidasa wrote Abhijnana Shakuntalam.

42. Which pair is correctly matched?

    1. Bihu - Gujarat
    2. Ghoomar - Punjab
    3. Cheraw - Kerala
    4. Lavani - Maharashtra
    Answer

    D. Lavani - Maharashtra

    Lavani is from Maharashtra.

43. Which of the following is NOT a type of puppetry?

    1. Kathputli
    2. Bommalattam
    3. Tholu Bommalata
    4. Burrakatha
    Answer

    D. Burrakatha

    Burrakatha is a story-telling art.

44. Which of the following is a folk dance of Assam?

    1. Garba
    2. Giddha
    3. Karagattam
    4. Bagurumba
    Answer

    D. Bagurumba

    Bagurumba is a Bodo dance of Assam.

45. Nautanki is a folk theatre form of

    1. Kerala
    2. Assam
    3. Uttar Pradesh
    4. Tamil Nadu
    Answer

    C. Uttar Pradesh

    Kanpur and Hathras are known centres of Nautanki.