The 8 Sangeet Natak Akademi Classical Dances of India
Classical dance questions appear in virtually every shift. Memorize state associations and prominent maestros:
- Bharatanatyam: Tamil Nadu (Rukmini Devi Arundale, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam).
- Kathak: Northern India / Uttar Pradesh (Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Shambhu Maharaj - Lucknow/Jaipur Gharanas).
- Kathakali: Kerala (Kalamandalam Gopi, complex facial makeup & storytelling).
- Kuchipudi: Andhra Pradesh (Raja and Radha Reddy, Yamini Reddy).
- Odissi: Odisha (Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh).
- Sattriya: Assam (Introduced by the 15th-century Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev).
- Manipuri: Manipur (Jhaveri Sisters, Raas Leela themes).
- Mohiniyattam: Kerala (Dance of the Enchantress - Sunanda Nair, Bharati Shivaji).
Key Strategy Takeaway
Know not just the dance name, but the founding saint/tradition and 2-3 prominent award-winning exponents.
Indian Musical Instruments and Virtuosos
A recurring question model asks candidates to identify which instrument an artist plays:
- Sitar: Pt. Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan, Nikhil Banerjee.
- Sarod: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ali Akbar Khan.
- Shehnai: Ustad Bismillah Khan (Bharat Ratna 2001).
- Tabla: Ustad Zakir Hussain, Alla Rakha, Kishan Maharaj.
- Flute (Bansuri): Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pannalal Ghosh.
- Santoor: Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Rahul Sharma.
High-Yield State Festivals Table
Hornbill Festival (Nagaland), Chapchar Kut (Mizoram), Losar (Ladakh/Arunachal), Wangala (Meghalaya), Khajuraho Dance Festival (Madhya Pradesh), Ambubachi Mela (Kamakhya Temple, Assam).