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Assam ASSEB Higher Secondary Skill Subject Bihu study materials
Assam ASSEB Higher Secondary Skill Subject Bihu study resources

Assam ASSEB Higher Secondary Skill Subject Bihu practice questions

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Question 1Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Bihu is the collective name for a set of Assamese festivals. Which three Bihu festivals mark the agricultural calendar?

  1. Bohag Bihu, Kati Bihu and Magh Bihu Correct answer.
  2. Bohag Bihu, Ambubachi and Kati Bihu
  3. Bohag Bihu, Raas Purnima and Magh Bihu
  4. Magh Bihu, Baisakhi and Kati Bihu

Explanation

The Bihu cycle has three seasonal festivals: Bohag Bihu in mid-April, Kati Bihu in mid-October and Magh Bihu in mid-January. Each corresponds to a stage of the paddy cycle - sowing, growing and harvest. Ambubachi, Raas Purnima and Baisakhi belong to other traditions and are not part of the Bihu triad.

Question 2Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

In which Assamese month does Bohag Bihu normally begin?

  1. Magh
  2. Bohag Correct answer.
  3. Kati
  4. Fagun

Explanation

Bohag Bihu takes its name from the Assamese month of Bohag, which corresponds roughly to mid-April to mid-May in the Gregorian calendar. It usually starts on or near 14 April and is the first of the three seasonal Bihu festivals.

Question 3Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Bohag Bihu is popularly known by another name that refers to its festive merrymaking. Which name is it?

  1. Bhogali Bihu
  2. Sankranti Bihu
  3. Kongali Bihu
  4. Rongali Bihu Correct answer.

Explanation

Bohag Bihu is called Rongali Bihu, from 'rong' meaning colour or joy, because it is the most celebratory of the three. Kati Bihu is Kongali (poor) and Magh Bihu is Bhogali (of feasting).

Question 4Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Magh Bihu festival is best known for which central community activity?

  1. Lighting earthen lamps in the paddy fields
  2. Building and burning the Meji and Bhelaghar Correct answer.
  3. Planting the first paddy seedlings
  4. Worshipping the serpent goddess Manasa

Explanation

Magh Bihu, also called Bhogali Bihu, centres on the Uruka feast and on the construction and burning of the Meji and Bhelaghar, temporary huts of bamboo and thatch. The burning marks the end of the harvest season. The other activities belong to different festivals or seasons.

Question 5Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

During Kati Bihu, what is the traditional practice performed in the paddy fields?

  1. Offering new rice to elders
  2. Lighting a lamp at the foot of a tall bamboo (saki) Correct answer.
  3. Singing Husori at every household
  4. Burning a large bonfire of logs

Explanation

Kati Bihu is observed when the paddy is still growing and the granary is empty, so it is called Kongali Bihu. Families light an earthen lamp, often placed at the base of a tall bamboo or near the Tulsi plant, to pray for a good crop. The bonfire belongs to Magh and Husori to Bohag.

Question 6Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which folk dance is the best-known dance form performed by women during Bohag Bihu?

  1. Sattriya
  2. Jhumur
  3. Bagurumba
  4. Bihu Naas Correct answer.

Explanation

Bihu Naas is the traditional dance of Bohag Bihu, performed by young women in the fields and on stages, with rapid hip and wrist movements. Sattriya is a classical form from the sattras, Bagurumba belongs to the Bodo community and Jhumur is associated with tea-garden communities.

Question 7Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Bihu dance is traditionally accompanied by which pair of instruments?

  1. Dhol and Pepa Correct answer.
  2. Gogona and Sarod
  3. Khol and Kartal
  4. Sitar and Tabla

Explanation

Bihu performances are driven by the dhol (drum) and the pepa (buffalo horn pipe), along with the gogona and toka. Khol and kartal are the instruments of Vaishnavite devotional music rather than the core Bihu ensemble.

Question 8Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Bihu songs are traditionally composed in which language?

  1. Mishing
  2. Bengali
  3. Bodo
  4. Assamese Correct answer.

Explanation

Bihu geet are sung in Assamese, the language of the festival's home region. Although Assam has many communities with their own languages, the Bihu song tradition is an Assamese-language genre.

Question 9Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

In Bihu performances, what is the gogona?

  1. A bamboo Jew's harp played by women Correct answer.
  2. A large drum played by men
  3. A pair of wooden clappers
  4. A buffalo-horn pipe

Explanation

The gogona is a small bamboo Jew's harp held to the mouth and plucked, producing a twanging rhythm. It is traditionally played by women during Bihu dance. The drum is the dhol, the horn pipe is the pepa and the clappers are the toka.

Question 10Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Husori tradition of Bohag Bihu is best described as which of the following?

  1. A wrestling contest held after the harvest
  2. A women-only dance performed in the village field
  3. A ritual bath in the Brahmaputra at dawn
  4. Groups of men visiting households to sing and dance for blessings Correct answer.

Explanation

Husori is a Bohag Bihu custom in which troupes of men move from house to house singing and dancing, receiving gifts and offering blessings. It is distinct from the field dance of young women and from the bathing and sports customs of the same festival.

Question 11Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The first day of Bohag Bihu, on which cattle are bathed and worshipped, is known as which day?

  1. Gosai Bihu
  2. Uruka
  3. Manuh Bihu
  4. Goru Bihu Correct answer.

Explanation

Bohag Bihu is observed over several days: Goru Bihu is the day for cattle, Manuh Bihu is the day for people, and Gosai Bihu honours the household deities. Uruka is the eve of Magh Bihu, not a Bohag day.

Question 12Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Why is Kati Bihu also called Kongali Bihu?

  1. Because it marks the end of the harvest feast
  2. Because no musical instruments may be played
  3. Because it is celebrated only by poor families
  4. Because the granary is empty and the crop is still in the field Correct answer.

Explanation

Kongali means poor or lean, and the name reflects the time of year when the previous harvest has been consumed and the new paddy is still growing. It is a period of scarcity and quiet prayer rather than feasting. The name does not refer to the wealth of the celebrants.

Question 13Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which statement correctly distinguishes Uruka from the main Magh Bihu day?

  1. Uruka is the name for the Husori troupe
  2. Uruka is the cattle day of Bohag Bihu
  3. Uruka is the eve of feasting before the Meji is burned on Magh Bihu Correct answer.
  4. Uruka is the day the Meji is burned and Magh Bihu is the eve

Explanation

Uruka falls on the last day of the Assamese month of Puh and is marked by community feasts and merrymaking. The Meji and Bhelaghar are set alight the next morning, on Magh Bihu itself. The two are consecutive, with Uruka as the eve.

Question 14Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Bihu dance is believed to have been performed originally in which setting?

  1. Royal courts of the Ahom kings
  2. Open paddy fields and village spaces Correct answer.
  3. Temple courtyards of the sattras
  4. Boat races on the Brahmaputra

Explanation

The Bihu dance grew out of village life and was performed in the open fields and community spaces during the spring festival. Its association with temple courtyards belongs to Sattriya, and court patronage is associated with other performing arts. The dance's roots are agricultural and communal.

Question 15Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Bihu geet traditionally deal with which range of themes?

  1. Only religious hymns to Vishnu
  2. Only laments for the dead
  3. Love, courtship, rural life and the agricultural cycle Correct answer.
  4. Only historical accounts of Ahom battles

Explanation

Bihu songs are folk lyrics that combine romance and courtship with observations of village life and the farming year. They are secular in tone and often improvised. They are not liturgical hymns, chronicles or funeral laments.

Question 16Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which of these is a traditional Bihu song form in which a line is sung by one voice and answered by others?

  1. Borgeet
  2. Ojapali
  3. Lokgeet
  4. Husori geet Correct answer.

Explanation

Husori geet are the songs sung by Husori troupes during Bohag Bihu, often in a call-and-response pattern. Borgeet are devotional songs of the sattras, Lokgeet is a broad term for folk song, and Ojapali is a narrative performance tradition.

Question 17Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Bihu festival cycle is most closely tied to which crop?

  1. Mustard
  2. Tea
  3. Paddy (rice) Correct answer.
  4. Jute

Explanation

All three Bihu festivals follow the stages of paddy cultivation: sowing and New Year in Bohag, the growing crop in Kati, and the harvest in Magh. Rice is the staple crop of Assam and the ritual calendar reflects this. Tea, jute and mustard are commercial crops without this ritual cycle.

Question 18Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which of the following best explains why Magh Bihu is called Bhogali Bihu?

  1. It is named after a king called Bhog
  2. It is the day of fasting and abstinence
  3. It is associated with bhog, the feasting and offering of the harvest Correct answer.
  4. It is celebrated only by the Bhog community

Explanation

Bhog refers to enjoyment and to offerings of food, and Bhogali Bihu is the harvest feast with rice cakes, curd and fish. The name reflects abundance after the harvest. It has no connection to a king or to fasting.

Question 19Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which traditional food is especially associated with the Magh Bihu feast?

  1. Luchi and cholar dal
  2. Pitha and laru made from rice Correct answer.
  3. Momos and thukpa
  4. Appam and stew

Explanation

Magh Bihu feasts feature rice-based sweets such as pitha and laru, along with curd, fish and meat. These preparations use the newly harvested rice. The other dishes belong to other regional cuisines and are not the Bihu specialities.

Question 20Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

What is the pepa, an instrument closely identified with Bihu music?

  1. A stringed instrument with a coconut shell
  2. A bamboo flute with six holes
  3. A pipe made from buffalo horn Correct answer.
  4. A clay pot drum

Explanation

The pepa is made from the horn of a buffalo, fitted with a bamboo mouthpiece and reed, and produces a distinctive blaring tone in Bihu performances. It is not a flute, a pot drum or a stringed instrument.

Question 21Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

In the sequence of Bohag Bihu days, which day comes immediately after Goru Bihu?

  1. Uruka
  2. Gosai Bihu
  3. Manuh Bihu Correct answer.
  4. Kati Bihu

Explanation

Bohag Bihu begins with Goru Bihu for cattle, followed by Manuh Bihu for people, and then Gosai Bihu for the household deities. Uruka belongs to Magh Bihu and Kati Bihu is a separate festival months later.

Question 22Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

A researcher studying Bihu as an agricultural festival would most plausibly argue which point?

  1. It is a purely religious festival without seasonal basis
  2. It was introduced by tea-plantation workers in the nineteenth century
  3. It originated as a court ritual of the Ahom dynasty
  4. Its rituals map onto stages of rice cultivation and monsoon timing Correct answer.

Explanation

The three Bihu festivals align with sowing, crop growth and harvest, and their names and rituals reflect the agrarian year. This is the central evidence for reading Bihu as an agricultural festival. Court origin, purely religious character and nineteenth-century plantation origin are not supported by the festival's seasonal structure.

Question 23Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which pairing of Bihu name and season is correct?

  1. Rongali - winter; Kongali - spring; Bhogali - autumn
  2. Rongali - autumn; Kongali - winter; Bhogali - spring
  3. Rongali - spring; Kongali - autumn; Bhogali - winter Correct answer.
  4. Rongali - spring; Kongali - winter; Bhogali - autumn

Explanation

Rongali is Bohag Bihu in mid-April (spring), Kongali is Kati Bihu in mid-October (autumn) and Bhogali is Magh Bihu in mid-January (winter). The three names describe the mood of each season: colourful, lean and feasting.

Question 24Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

A troupe performs a Bihu item using a dhol, a pepa, a gogona and a toka. Which element of the ensemble provides the rhythmic pulse that the dancers follow?

  1. The gogona
  2. The dhol Correct answer.
  3. The pepa
  4. The toka

Explanation

The dhol is the drum that sets and drives the rhythm for Bihu dance, with dancers matching its beats. The pepa supplies a melodic drone-like line, the gogona adds a buzzing rhythmic texture and the toka marks time with claps, but the primary pulse comes from the drum.

Question 25Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which statement about the relationship between Bihu and Sattriya is accurate?

  1. Both were created in the twentieth century for the stage
  2. Bihu is a temple dance and Sattriya is a harvest dance
  3. Both are classical dances codified in the Natyashastra
  4. Bihu is a folk festival tradition while Sattriya is a classical tradition of the Vaishnavite sattras Correct answer.

Explanation

Bihu dance and music belong to the folk, seasonal life of the villages, while Sattriya developed in the Vaishnavite monasteries founded under Srimanta Sankardeva's tradition. Sattriya was recognised as a classical dance form, whereas Bihu remains a folk festival expression. Neither was invented for the modern stage.

Question 26Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

In the annual cycle of Assamese festivals, which Bihu is observed in the month of Kati (mid-October) and is marked by the lighting of earthen lamps in paddy fields?

  1. Kati Bihu Correct answer.
  2. Bohag Bihu
  3. Baisagu Bihu
  4. Magh Bihu

Explanation

Kati Bihu falls in the Assamese month of Kati, corresponding to mid-October, and is traditionally observed with lamps lit at the base of the tulsi plant and in paddy fields to welcome the harvest and ward off pests. Bohag Bihu is the spring new-year festival in April, Magh Bihu is the harvest festival in January, and Baisagu is another name for Bohag Bihu.

Question 27Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

The Bihu dance is traditionally performed by young women who wear which distinctive two-piece garment?

  1. Salwar kameez
  2. Dhoti and kurta
  3. Sari with blouse
  4. Mekhela chador Correct answer.

Explanation

The mekhela chador is the traditional Assamese drape worn by women, consisting of a lower wrap (mekhela) and an upper shawl-like piece (chador). In Bihu performances the dancers typically wear a brightly coloured mekhela chador with a riha, and this attire is closely identified with the dance.

Question 28Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which Bihu song genre is characterised by a lead singer posing a riddle-like line that is answered by a chorus, often with playful teasing between the sexes?

  1. Husori geet Correct answer.
  2. Tokari geet
  3. Borgeet
  4. Bihu naam

Explanation

Husori geet are the songs sung by the Husori troupe that goes door to door during Bohag Bihu; they often take the form of a question from the leader answered by the group, with witty exchanges. Bihu naam is a broader term for Bihu songs, tokari geet are devotional songs accompanied by the tokari, and borgeet are Vaishnava devotional compositions.

Question 29Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

A cultural organisation wants to present a Bihu programme that follows the traditional Bohag Bihu sequence. Which order of events is correct?

  1. Goru Bihu, then Manuh Bihu, then Gosai Bihu Correct answer.
  2. Gosai Bihu, then Goru Bihu, then Manuh Bihu
  3. Manuh Bihu, then Goru Bihu, then Gosai Bihu
  4. Goru Bihu, then Gosai Bihu, then Manuh Bihu

Explanation

Bohag Bihu is traditionally observed over several days: the first day is Goru Bihu, when cattle are bathed and worshipped; the second is Manuh Bihu, the human new year; and the third is Gosai Bihu, dedicated to the family deities. The sequence reflects a progression from the animal world to the human community and then to the divine.

Question 30Historical and Cultural Foundations of Bihu

Which statement best explains why the Bihu dance is often described as having roots in fertility ritual rather than in courtly entertainment?

  1. It developed as a temple dance under Sattra monasteries.
  2. Its movements and timing are linked to the agricultural cycle and courtship, performed in open fields. Correct answer.
  3. It was created in the twentieth century for the Assamese film industry.
  4. It was patronised by the Ahom kings and performed only in royal courtyards.

Explanation

Scholars who trace Bihu to fertility ritual point to its performance in open fields during the sowing season, its hip and hand movements, and its themes of courtship and agricultural abundance. These features connect the dance to community fertility rites rather than to courtly or temple traditions.

Question 31Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

In Bihu dance, the small paired cymbals that mark the rhythmic pulse alongside the dhol are known as:

  1. Doba
  2. Pepa
  3. Taal (tal) Correct answer.
  4. Gagana

Explanation

The taal, a pair of small metal cymbals, is the standard time-keeping instrument in Bihu ensembles and locks the dancer's footwork to the dhol. The pepa is a buffalo-horn wind instrument, the gagana a bamboo clapper, and the doba a type of drum, so none of them supplies the cymbal pulse.

Question 32Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The Bihu dance is most closely associated with which Assamese festival season?

  1. Magh Bihu in mid-January
  2. Kati Bihu in mid-October
  3. Bohag Bihu in mid-April Correct answer.
  4. Bhogali Bihu at the winter solstice

Explanation

Bohag Bihu, celebrated around mid-April, marks the Assamese New Year and is the occasion when the Bihu dance is performed most prominently in open fields and community spaces. Kati and Magh Bihu are the other two seasonal Bihus, and Bhogali is another name for Magh Bihu, so those options name the wrong festivals.

Question 33Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The characteristic hip and waist movement of Bihu dance, in which the pelvis is swung while the torso stays relatively upright, is best described as:

  1. Kamar-khela, a controlled waist swing Correct answer.
  2. Chal, a sliding glide
  3. Tora, a deep forward bend
  4. Ghera, a spinning turn

Explanation

Bihu's signature is the flexible, rhythmic waist and hip action, often called kamar-khela, performed with a fairly erect spine and relaxed shoulders. The other terms describe bending, gliding and turning actions that do not name this central waist movement.

Question 34Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

Which drum provides the principal rhythmic drive for a Bihu dance performance?

  1. Tabla
  2. Dhol Correct answer.
  3. Pakhawaj
  4. Khol

Explanation

The dhol, played with sticks and slung across the shoulder, drives Bihu ensembles and gives dancers their tempo cues. The khol, pakhawaj and tabla belong to other traditions and are not the lead drum of Bihu.

Question 35Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The traditional Bihu dance costume for women typically includes which garment wrapped around the upper body?

  1. Riha Correct answer.
  2. Mekhela
  3. Gamosa
  4. Seleng

Explanation

The riha is the narrow woven cloth worn across the upper body with the mekhela skirt, forming the classic two-piece Assamese drape. The mekhela is the lower garment, the seleng is a shawl, and the gamosa is a utility towel, so those options name other items.

Question 36Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A dancer wants to keep the torso steady while emphasising the waist swing. Which practice best supports this?

  1. Isolating the pelvis while keeping the shoulders level and relaxed Correct answer.
  2. Locking the knees and bending from the spine
  3. Lifting the shoulders sharply on every beat
  4. Leaning the whole upper body forward with each step

Explanation

Bihu waist work depends on separating pelvic motion from the upper body, so the dancer keeps shoulders level and relaxed while the hips swing. Lifting the shoulders or leaning the torso introduces unwanted upper-body motion, and locked knees restrict the bounce.

Question 37Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

In Bihu footwork, the basic step pattern is best characterised as:

  1. A flat heel-first stamp held on each beat
  2. A light, springy step that alternates weight with a small bounce Correct answer.
  3. A wide lunge held for several counts
  4. A dragging shuffle with no lift of the foot

Explanation

Bihu footwork is buoyant and quick, with the weight shifting between feet and a small bounce that keeps the rhythm lively. Heel-first stamps, dragging shuffles and held lunges all contradict the springy character of the form.

Question 38Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

Which pair of instruments most commonly plays the call-and-response rhythmic interplay that dancers follow in Bihu?

  1. Dhol and taal Correct answer.
  2. Khol and kartal
  3. Bahi and sifung
  4. Pepa and gagana

Explanation

The dhol sets the pattern and the taal reinforces the cycle, and dancers track this interlocking pulse. The pepa and gagana are melodic and clapper instruments that decorate rather than anchor the cycle, while the other pairs belong to different traditions.

Question 39Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A dancer performs a sequence where the tempo gradually increases while the basic step stays the same. This is best described as:

  1. Progressive acceleration within a fixed rhythmic cycle Correct answer.
  2. A shift from dance to instrumental interlude
  3. A break into free improvisation without beat
  4. A change of taal to a different metre

Explanation

Bihu performances often build excitement by increasing speed while the underlying rhythmic cycle and step vocabulary remain constant. Changing metre, stopping for an interlude, or abandoning the beat would each alter the structure rather than simply accelerate it.

Question 40Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The hand gestures used in Bihu dance are most accurately described as:

  1. Rigid fist positions held throughout the dance
  2. Purely symbolic gestures with no rhythmic function
  3. Fixed mudras codified in a classical text
  4. Loose, expressive movements that often follow the rhythmic accents Correct answer.

Explanation

Bihu hand movement is fluid and decorative, with the arms and palms responding to the beat rather than following a codified gesture system. Fixed mudras, rigid fists and purely symbolic gestures misrepresent the folk, rhythm-led character of the form.

Question 41Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

Which statement best describes the relationship between the dhol player and the Bihu dancers?

  1. The drummer plays independently with no reference to the dance
  2. The dancers set the tempo and the drummer follows without variation
  3. The taal player decides all tempo changes and the dhol is silent
  4. The drummer leads tempo changes and the dancers respond in coordinated timing Correct answer.

Explanation

In Bihu the dhol player cues accelerations and accents, and the dancers synchronise their steps and waist work to those cues. The other options either reverse the leadership, deny coordination, or wrongly silence the lead drum.

Question 42Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A group of dancers must keep their waist swings identical while moving in a circle. Which element is most critical?

  1. Individual improvisation by each dancer
  2. Constant eye contact with the audience
  3. Alternating between two unrelated tempos
  4. Shared awareness of the taal cycle and the dhol accents Correct answer.

Explanation

Synchronised group Bihu depends on all dancers hearing the same taal cycle and dhol accents so their movements coincide. Individual improvisation, audience focus and tempo switching all work against the uniformity required.

Question 43Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The pepa, often played by a dancer during Bihu, is made from:

  1. Buffalo horn Correct answer.
  2. Goat skin
  3. Bamboo tube
  4. Clay pot

Explanation

The pepa is a wind instrument fashioned from buffalo horn, fitted so it can be blown while dancing. Bamboo, clay and goat skin describe materials of other instruments such as flutes, pots and drum heads.

Question 44Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

Which feature most clearly distinguishes Bihu dance from the satriya tradition of Assam?

  1. Its use of codified hand gestures from a classical treatise
  2. Its performance exclusively inside monastery halls
  3. Its accompaniment by the pakhawaj alone
  4. Its folk, festival-based improvisation around a rhythmic cycle Correct answer.

Explanation

Bihu is a folk festival dance with scope for improvisation within the rhythmic cycle, whereas satriya is a codified classical tradition tied to monastery settings and specific gesture systems. The other options describe satriya features, not Bihu.

Question 45Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A dancer wishes to add a short solo flourish during a group Bihu item. The most appropriate choice is to:

  1. Ask the taal player to keep silent during the solo
  2. Improvise within the existing taal cycle and rejoin on the next accent Correct answer.
  3. Stop dancing and let the drummers play alone
  4. Change to a faster taal mid-performance without warning

Explanation

Solo flourishes in Bihu are framed by the continuing rhythmic cycle, so the dancer improvises inside the taal and rejoins the group on an accent. Unannounced metre changes, stopping the dance, or silencing the cymbals would disrupt the ensemble.

Question 46Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

The husori, a related Bihu performance practice, is best described as:

  1. A solo female dance performed only at weddings
  2. A group song-and-dance visit performed by men during Bohag Bihu Correct answer.
  3. A drumming contest between two villages
  4. A ritual lamp-lighting ceremony of Kati Bihu

Explanation

Husori is the men's group tradition of visiting households with song and dance during Bohag Bihu. It is not a solo wedding dance, a drumming contest, or the lamp ritual of Kati Bihu.

Question 47Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

Which body part carries the most continuous rhythmic articulation in Bihu dance?

  1. The hips and waist Correct answer.
  2. The elbows
  3. The ankles
  4. The neck

Explanation

The hips and waist produce the continuous oscillation that defines Bihu's rhythmic character, with other parts supporting. Elbows, neck and ankles contribute but do not carry the main continuous articulation.

Question 48Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A teacher counts a Bihu step as a repeating unit of beats before the pattern restarts. This repeating unit is called a:

  1. Sur
  2. Taal cycle Correct answer.
  3. Raga
  4. Bol

Explanation

A taal is the repeating metrical cycle that frames the dance and drum pattern. Raga and sur concern pitch, and bol refers to spoken drum syllables, not the repeating cycle itself.

Question 49Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

When a Bihu dancer executes a quick turn, the safest technical cue is to:

  1. Spot the head toward a fixed point and keep the bounce in the knees Correct answer.
  2. Drop the arms and hold the breath
  3. Shift weight onto the heels and stop the waist swing
  4. Straighten the knees fully and lock the spine

Explanation

Spotting the head and maintaining a soft knee bounce preserve balance and rhythm through a turn. Locking the knees, holding the breath, or shifting to the heels reduces control and interrupts the continuous waist action.

Question 50Bihu Dance: Technique, Rhythm and Repertoire

A choreographer wants a Bihu piece to build from slow to fast while preserving the same step vocabulary. Which approach best realises this?

  1. Insert unrelated folk steps between sections
  2. Switch to a new taal at each section
  3. Remove the dhol and rely on the pepa alone
  4. Keep one taal and increase the beat rate across sections Correct answer.

Explanation

Holding one taal while raising the beat rate creates a clear accelerando without changing the step vocabulary. Switching taal, inserting unrelated steps, or removing the lead drum alters the structure rather than simply building speed.