MCQs with answers on “The Role of Dance in Indian Rituals and Religious Practices”

1. Which of the following is considered a form of dance that is primarily used in religious rituals in India?

a) Kathak
b) Bharatanatyam
c) Kathakali
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

2. The classical dance form Bharatanatyam is associated with which of the following temples?

a) Chidambaram Temple
b) Meenakshi Temple
c) Khajuraho Temple
d) Somnath Temple
Answer: b) Meenakshi Temple

3. Which dance form is closely linked with the worship of Lord Krishna in India?

a) Odissi
b) Kuchipudi
c) Kathak
d) Manipuri
Answer: b) Kuchipudi

4. In which dance form does the dancer use mudras to convey spiritual themes and stories?

a) Kathakali
b) Bharatnatyam
c) Kuchipudi
d) Mohiniyattam
Answer: a) Kathakali

5. Which of these dance forms originated in the temples of Odisha?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathakali
c) Odissi
d) Kuchipudi
Answer: c) Odissi

6. Which Hindu deity is the central figure in the dance drama of ‘Kathakali’?

a) Shiva
b) Vishnu
c) Krishna
d) Durga
Answer: b) Vishnu

7. What is the significance of ‘Mudras’ in Indian classical dance?

a) Used to express emotions
b) Used to narrate stories
c) Used as a form of offering prayers
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

8. Which dance form evolved as part of the traditional court dance of the kings of Andhra Pradesh?

a) Kathakali
b) Kuchipudi
c) Bharatanatyam
d) Mohiniyattam
Answer: b) Kuchipudi

9. Which dance form is most closely associated with the worship of Lord Shiva and is performed in temples during religious ceremonies?

a) Kathak
b) Bharatnatyam
c) Kuchipudi
d) Odissi
Answer: b) Bharatnatyam

10. Which temple is known for the origin of the Manipuri dance form?

a) Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
b) Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
c) Shree Govindajee Temple, Imphal
d) Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
Answer: c) Shree Govindajee Temple, Imphal

11. Which classical dance form is known for its emphasis on storytelling through intricate footwork and expressive gestures?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathak
c) Odissi
d) Kathakali
Answer: b) Kathak

12. The performance of classical dance during which Hindu festival is common in many parts of India?

a) Diwali
b) Navaratri
c) Makar Sankranti
d) Holi
Answer: b) Navaratri

13. Which of the following dance forms is associated with the concept of ‘lasya’, the graceful form of dance performed by women?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kuchipudi
c) Odissi
d) Kathakali
Answer: a) Bharatanatyam

14. Which classical dance form has its origins in the temples of Tamil Nadu and is performed with intricate footwork and facial expressions?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathakali
c) Kuchipudi
d) Kathak
Answer: a) Bharatanatyam

15. Which is a key feature of the dance form Kathak?

a) Use of hand gestures (mudras)
b) Recitation of poetry
c) Rapid footwork and spins
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

16. The ‘Natya Shastra’, the ancient treatise on performing arts, is attributed to which sage?

a) Patanjali
b) Bharata Muni
c) Vyasa
d) Kalidasa
Answer: b) Bharata Muni

17. The ‘Kalaripayattu’ martial arts form also incorporates dance elements, particularly in the worship of which deity?

a) Vishnu
b) Shiva
c) Ganesha
d) Durga
Answer: b) Shiva

18. In which classical dance form is the ‘Rasa Lila’, a dance form depicting the stories of Radha and Krishna, prominently performed?

a) Manipuri
b) Bharatanatyam
c) Kuchipudi
d) Kathak
Answer: a) Manipuri

19. Which of these classical dance forms is performed with a storytelling element centered around the goddess Saraswati?

a) Odissi
b) Bharatnatyam
c) Kathakali
d) Kuchipudi
Answer: b) Bharatnatyam

20. Which of these dance forms is particularly recognized for its large costumes, makeup, and performances associated with the epic Ramayana?

a) Kathak
b) Kathakali
c) Bharatnatyam
d) Kuchipudi
Answer: b) Kathakali

21. The dance form ‘Mohiniyattam’ is primarily associated with which deity?

a) Shiva
b) Krishna
c) Vishnu
d) Durga
Answer: c) Vishnu

22. In which classical dance form does the dancer emphasize ‘abhinaya’, the expressive element through facial expressions and gestures?

a) Kathak
b) Odissi
c) Bharatnatyam
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

23. Which classical dance form is rooted in the temples of Kerala and is recognized for its elaborate storytelling and vibrant costumes?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathakali
c) Kuchipudi
d) Odissi
Answer: b) Kathakali

24. Which dance form is considered the oldest surviving classical dance form in India?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathak
c) Odissi
d) Kuchipudi
Answer: a) Bharatanatyam

25. In which state is the traditional dance form of ‘Yakshagana’ performed, which also has strong religious elements?

a) Kerala
b) Karnataka
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Andhra Pradesh
Answer: b) Karnataka

26. Which dance form of India has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?

a) Kathak
b) Kuchipudi
c) Bharatnatyam
d) Odissi
Answer: d) Odissi

27. The dance drama of ‘Ramlila’ performed during the festival of Dussehra mainly involves the depiction of which story?

a) Ramayana
b) Mahabharata
c) Bhagavad Gita
d) Durga Puja
Answer: a) Ramayana

28. Which dance form involves a unique combination of dance, theatre, music, and elaborate makeup and costumes, performed in temples?

a) Kathakali
b) Bharatnatyam
c) Kuchipudi
d) Odissi
Answer: a) Kathakali

29. In which Indian classical dance form is the dancer often barefoot and performs on a raised platform to accentuate footwork?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kuchipudi
c) Odissi
d) Kathak
Answer: a) Bharatanatyam

30. Which of the following is not a classical dance form of India?

a) Bharatanatyam
b) Kathakali
c) Kathak
d) Lavani
Answer: d) Lavani

---

These MCQs cover various aspects of Indian classical dance forms and their role in religious and cultural contexts.