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Odisha CHSE +2 Vocational Chhow Dance study materials
Odisha CHSE +2 Vocational Chhow Dance study resources

Odisha CHSE +2 Vocational Chhow Dance practice questions

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Question 1History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which region of Odisha is most closely associated with the birth and development of Chhow dance as a martial dance-drama tradition?

  1. The undivided Mayurbhanj region of northern Odisha Correct answer.
  2. The Mahanadi basin around Sambalpur
  3. The Koraput plateau in southern Odisha
  4. The coastal delta districts around Puri and Cuttack

Explanation

Chhow is rooted in the undivided Mayurbhanj region of northern Odisha, where local rulers and village akhadas patronised the form. The dance-drama grew out of the martial exercises and ritual practices of that region rather than the coastal temple towns or the western Odisha belt.

Question 2History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

The word 'Chhow' in the Odia tradition is generally understood to derive from a term meaning which of the following?

  1. A temple lamp festival
  2. A drum used in processions
  3. A shadow or reflected image Correct answer.
  4. A sword dance performed at weddings

Explanation

The term Chhow is commonly traced to the Sanskrit-derived idea of a shadow or covering, reflecting the masked, shadow-like appearance of the performers. Many scholars connect it with the word for shadow, which also appears in the naming of other masked dance traditions of the region.

Question 3History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Chhow dance is traditionally performed in which broad setting?

  1. On riverboats during monsoon rituals
  2. Only on urban proscenium stages
  3. In open village arenas and courtyards during festivals Correct answer.
  4. Inside closed temple sanctums before a single deity

Explanation

Chhow is traditionally a community performance staged in open spaces such as village akhadas, courtyards and festival grounds. The form depends on an audience gathered around the performers, and the open arena suits its vigorous, expansive movements.

Question 4History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which three regional variants are conventionally recognised when Chhow dance is described as a family of traditions?

  1. Puri, Cuttack and Balasore
  2. Seraikella, Ranchi and Jamshedpur
  3. Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Koraput
  4. Mayurbhanj, Seraikella and Purulia Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow is described as having three recognised styles: the Mayurbhanj Chhow of Odisha, the Seraikella Chhow of Jharkhand and the Purulia Chhow of West Bengal. These variants share masked dance-drama conventions while differing in technique and mask use.

Question 5History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

What distinguishes Mayurbhanj Chhow from the Seraikella and Purulia styles in the use of masks?

  1. Mayurbhanj Chhow uses masks made exclusively of metal
  2. Mayurbhanj Chhow performers generally do not wear masks Correct answer.
  3. Mayurbhanj Chhow uses masks only for demon characters
  4. Mayurbhanj Chhow masks cover only the lower half of the face

Explanation

Mayurbhanj Chhow is characteristically performed without masks, with facial expression and body language carrying the characterisation. Seraikella and Purulia Chhow, by contrast, are strongly associated with elaborate masks. This difference is one of the clearest markers separating the Odisha style from its neighbours.

Question 6History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

The martial character of early Chhow is best explained by its historical connection with which activity?

  1. Weaving of silk for temple deities
  2. Boat racing on the Baitarani
  3. Military training and physical drills in akhadas Correct answer.
  4. Temple sculpture carving

Explanation

Chhow developed in close association with akhadas, the traditional gymnasia where young men trained in physical drills and combat skills. The stances, leaps and sword-and-shield movements of the dance retain this martial training heritage.

Question 7History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

In traditional Chhow performance, the musical accompaniment is dominated by which category of instruments?

  1. Wind instruments such as the shehnai alone
  2. Electronic amplification with recorded tracks
  3. String instruments such as the sitar and sarod
  4. Percussion instruments such as drums and cymbals Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow is driven by percussion, with drums and cymbals setting the tempo for the dancers' steps and leaps. The rhythm is integral to the dramatic tension, and performers synchronise their movements closely with the percussion cycle.

Question 8History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Chhow themes are most commonly drawn from which body of narrative material?

  1. Modern urban social dramas
  2. Colonial administrative records
  3. Botanical treatises on medicinal plants
  4. Episodes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow draws its plots chiefly from the epics, especially the Mahabharata and Ramayana, along with Puranic and local legends. Characters such as Krishna, Arjuna, Durga and Mahishasura are staple figures in the repertoire.

Question 9History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Why is the akhada significant in reconstructing the early history of Mayurbhanj Chhow?

  1. It was the market where dance costumes were traded
  2. It was the court where masks were formally licensed
  3. It was the tax office that funded temple construction
  4. It was the training ground where martial drills evolved into dance sequences Correct answer.

Explanation

Akhadas were community gymnasia where young men practised physical exercises, weapon handling and group formations. Over time these disciplined movement sequences were elaborated into the patterned dance vocabulary of Chhow, which is why the akhada is central to the form's early history.

Question 10History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which royal house is most frequently credited with patronising and shaping Mayurbhanj Chhow in its formative period?

  1. The Bhoi dynasty of Khurda
  2. The Bhanja rulers of Mayurbhanj Correct answer.
  3. The Gajapati rulers of Puri
  4. The Chauhan rulers of Sambalpur

Explanation

The Bhanja rulers of Mayurbhanj are widely associated with the patronage that helped consolidate Chhow as a courtly and festival art. Their support linked the akhada-based martial practice with organised performance at the royal seat.

Question 11History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

A researcher argues that Chhow's shift from akhada drill to theatrical dance-drama required a change in performance structure. Which development best supports this argument?

  1. The abandonment of percussion in favour of vocal music alone
  2. The replacement of open arenas with temple sanctums
  3. The organisation of movement into character-driven episodes with narrative plots Correct answer.
  4. The discontinuation of group formations in favour of solo improvisation

Explanation

Turning drill into drama required performers to embody named characters and enact stories rather than merely display physical skill. The structuring of movement into episodic, character-driven sequences is therefore the key change that marks the emergence of dance-drama from martial exercise.

Question 12History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which feature most clearly links Mayurbhanj Chhow to a shared pan-regional Chhow heritage while also distinguishing it locally?

  1. Shared masked dance-drama conventions combined with an unmasked performance style Correct answer.
  2. Use of the same mask-making guilds as Purulia
  3. Performance exclusively in the Bengali language
  4. Identical costume colours across all three styles

Explanation

All three Chhow styles share the broad convention of vigorous dance-drama built on epic themes and strong percussion. Mayurbhanj's distinctiveness lies in performing this shared format without masks, relying instead on facial expression.

Question 13History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

The vigorous, wide-legged stances and leaps seen in Chhow are best understood as survivals of which earlier practice?

  1. Martial exercises and weapon drills Correct answer.
  2. Yogic meditation postures
  3. Classical Bharatanatyam seated poses
  4. Agricultural harvesting movements

Explanation

The low, powerful stances and aerial leaps of Chhow derive from martial training, where stability and explosive movement were essential. These physical habits were retained and stylised when the drill became dance.

Question 14History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

In Chhow performance, what is the primary function of the percussion ensemble during a dramatic entry?

  1. To replace the need for any narrative plot
  2. To announce the interval between episodes
  3. To provide background melody for the singer
  4. To build rhythmic tension that cues and heightens the dancer's movements Correct answer.

Explanation

Percussion in Chhow shapes dramatic timing, accelerating or intensifying to match and heighten the dancer's entries, leaps and confrontations. The drummer and dancer are in close dialogue, with rhythm driving the emotional arc of the scene.

Question 15History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which pairing of character and typical Chhow portrayal is most consistent with the tradition's epic repertoire?

  1. Krishna as a colonial official
  2. Durga as a warrior deity confronting the demon Correct answer.
  3. Mahishasura as a comic villager
  4. Arjuna as a temple priest

Explanation

Chhow frequently stages the Durga-Mahishasura combat, with Durga portrayed as a powerful warrior deity and Mahishasura as her formidable demon adversary. The confrontation suits the form's energetic, martial movement vocabulary.

Question 16History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Why do scholars treat Chhow as a 'dance-drama' rather than simply a folk dance?

  1. Because it is performed without any costume or makeup
  2. Because it is performed only by trained court musicians
  3. Because it combines codified dance movement with enacted narrative episodes and characters Correct answer.
  4. Because it has no musical accompaniment

Explanation

Chhow unites stylised dance movement with enacted story, dialogue-like gesture and defined characters, which is what makes it dramatic rather than purely rhythmic. The term dance-drama captures this fusion of narrative theatre with dance technique.

Question 17History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which statement best explains why Mayurbhanj Chhow could develop facial expressiveness more fully than its masked counterparts?

  1. Because the absence of masks allowed the face to convey emotion alongside body movement Correct answer.
  2. Because its performers specialised in mime without music
  3. Because it relied entirely on narrative sung by a chorus
  4. Because it used masks that covered the whole body

Explanation

Without a mask, the performer's face becomes an expressive instrument, allowing subtle shifts of emotion to complement the vigorous body movement. Masked styles must project character through the fixed mask and heightened gesture instead.

Question 18History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which of the following best describes the relationship between Chhow and the ritual calendar of its home region?

  1. It is performed only during eclipses
  2. It has no connection to any seasonal or festival occasion
  3. It is tied to festival occasions and community celebrations, notably in the spring season Correct answer.
  4. It is performed exclusively at funerals

Explanation

Chhow performance is embedded in festival life, with major performances associated with community celebrations in the spring season and other festive occasions. The calendar of festivals provides the social occasion for staging the dance-drama.

Question 19History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

A troupe wishes to present a Mayurbhanj Chhow episode with maximum fidelity to the tradition's conventions. Which choice is most appropriate?

  1. Perform only seated gestures with a string quartet
  2. Use epic narrative, vigorous unmasked movement and driving percussion Correct answer.
  3. Perform silently in masks with no percussion
  4. Replace the plot with abstract geometric patterns

Explanation

Fidelity to Mayurbhanj Chhow means retaining epic narrative material, unmasked and vigorous movement, and a percussion-led ensemble. These three elements together define the style's conventional performance profile.

Question 20History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which historical process best accounts for the spread of Chhow's reputation beyond its home region in the modern period?

  1. Its presentation at national cultural festivals and recognition as a classical-style dance-drama Correct answer.
  2. Its adoption as a court ritual of the Mughal empire
  3. Its replacement of Odissi in temple worship
  4. Its suppression by colonial authorities

Explanation

In the modern period Chhow gained wider visibility through cultural festivals, documentation and institutional patronage, which carried it beyond its regional base. This recognition helped establish it as one of India's notable dance-drama traditions.

Question 21History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Comparing the three Chhow styles, which analytical statement is most defensible?

  1. They share masked dance-drama conventions, but Mayurbhanj is notable for dispensing with masks Correct answer.
  2. All three perform exclusively in the Odia language
  3. All three are performed only by women
  4. They are entirely unrelated traditions that merely share a name

Explanation

The three styles form a recognisable family through shared conventions of vigorous dance-drama, epic themes and percussion, while differing in such features as mask use. Mayurbhanj's unmasked practice is the clearest internal contrast within that family.

Question 22History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Why is it misleading to describe Chhow simply as a surviving relic of primitive tribal dance?

  1. Because it was invented entirely in the twentieth century
  2. Because it has no movement vocabulary at all
  3. Because it is a historically evolving form shaped by martial training, courtly patronage and theatrical narrative Correct answer.
  4. Because it is performed only in urban theatres

Explanation

Chhow's history shows layered development: akhada martial practice, courtly patronage and the elaboration of narrative dance-drama. Calling it a static relic ignores this documented evolution and the deliberate artistry of its codified movement.

Question 23History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

A scholar notes that Chhow's martial stances and its theatrical plots serve different functions yet coexist in one performance. Which interpretation best resolves this?

  1. The narrative and movement belong to separate, unrelated traditions
  2. The martial movement supplies the physical vocabulary, while the narrative supplies the dramatic structure Correct answer.
  3. The plots are irrelevant interludes between combat displays
  4. The martial elements were added only after the plots were abandoned

Explanation

In Chhow the martial heritage provides the stylised physical language of stance, leap and confrontation, while epic narrative organises that language into meaningful dramatic episodes. The two are complementary layers of a single performance form rather than competing elements.

Question 24History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which evidence would most strongly support the claim that Chhow's development was shaped by multiple patronage centres rather than a single origin?

  1. The absence of any masks in all styles
  2. The performance of Chhow only in one village
  3. The use of a single percussion instrument everywhere
  4. The existence of distinct regional styles with shared conventions but differing techniques Correct answer.

Explanation

Distinct regional styles that nonetheless share core conventions point to a common matrix that diversified under different local patrons and training traditions. Variation within a shared family is exactly the pattern expected when several centres shape a form.

Question 25History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which statement most accurately captures the place of rhythm and language in traditional Chhow storytelling?

  1. Rhythm sets the dramatic pulse while sung or recited text and gesture carry the narrative Correct answer.
  2. Rhythm and narrative are mutually exclusive in Chhow
  3. Rhythm is decorative and the story is conveyed only through costume colour
  4. Language is irrelevant because the form is entirely silent

Explanation

Chhow storytelling works through a combination of percussive rhythm, which governs timing and tension, and sung or recited text together with gestural enactment. Costume and colour support character identification but do not replace the verbal and rhythmic narration.

Question 26History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Odisha's Chhow tradition is conventionally described as having three regional styles. Which set correctly names them?

  1. Seraikella, Bolangir and Cuttack
  2. Purulia, Koraput and Ganjam
  3. Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Puri
  4. Mayurbhanj, Seraikella and Purulia Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow is recognised in three regional styles: Mayurbhanj in northern Odisha, Seraikella in adjoining Jharkhand, and Purulia in West Bengal. The three share a broad heritage of vigorous dance-drama but differ in masking and technique. Odisha's own contribution to this trio is the Mayurbhanj style.

Question 27History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

In the masked Chhow styles, the mask worn by a performer primarily serves which purpose?

  1. It signals the dancer's rank within the performing troupe
  2. It marks the musical tempo at which the entry is played
  3. It fixes the character's identity and expressive type for the audience Correct answer.
  4. It protects the dancer's face during acrobatic ground movements

Explanation

Where masks are used, they are the chief means of establishing who the character is, since the performer's own face is hidden. Facial expression is therefore replaced by stylised mask design together with strong body language. This is why masked and unmasked Chhow styles differ so markedly in acting technique.

Question 28History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

A troupe performs an episode in which a demon-king is introduced with a slow, heavy rhythmic cycle, broad stances and a prolonged circular movement before any dialogue. Which analysis of this passage is most consistent with Chhow conventions?

  1. The passage shows that Chhow narrative depends chiefly on spoken dialogue rather than on rhythm
  2. The passage proves that the demon role must be performed without a mask in all Chhow styles
  3. The passage uses music and movement to establish the character's nature before verbal narrative begins Correct answer.
  4. The passage indicates that the percussion ensemble is accompanying a purely abstract dance item

Explanation

In Chhow the entry and bearing of a character are built from rhythm, stance and gait, so the audience grasps the character's nature before speech carries the story. Percussion shapes the timing of that entrance and reinforces its mood. Verbal narration supports, rather than leads, this movement-based exposition.

Question 29History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Which statement best explains why the akhada setting shaped the physical vocabulary of early Chhow?

  1. It supplied trained musicians who composed new ragas for each performance
  2. It provided a stage with painted scenery for elaborate narrative productions
  3. It was a temple courtyard where only ritual offerings were performed
  4. Training there emphasised stamina, low stances and jumps that were later absorbed into dance technique Correct answer.

Explanation

The akhada was a place of physical drill, so the bodies trained there carried strength, balance and explosive movement into performance. Those qualities survive as the wide stances, leaps and sustained energy characteristic of Chhow. The setting thus explains the technique rather than the staging or the music.

Question 30History, Origin and Evolution of Chhow Dance

Early accounts describe Chhow in Odisha developing within the akhada (gymnasium) culture of village and estate life. Which explanation best accounts for why this setting shaped Chhow's characteristic body language?

  1. The akhada was a market guild that taught traders narrative songs later used in Chhow plots.
  2. The akhada was a court chamber where performers learned polite gesture and refined seated posture.
  3. The akhada was primarily a ritual space where only priests could dance, so movement stayed restrained and small.
  4. The akhada trained young men in physical drill, stamina and combat-like movement, which were then carried into dance vocabulary. Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow's wide stances, leaps and strong torso work reflect the physical training of the akhada, where young men practised exercise, wrestling and weapon-like drill. When this training was transferred to performance, the martial vocabulary became the basis of entrances, fights and heroic characterisation.

Question 31Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which state's classical dance tradition is the source of the Chhow style associated with the Mayurbhanj royal court?

  1. Odisha Correct answer.
  2. Jharkhand
  3. West Bengal
  4. Bihar

Explanation

Chhow is a martial-derived dance form practised in three regional variants, and the Mayurbhanj style belongs to Odisha, where it developed under royal patronage. The other states named either host different Chhow variants or no Chhow tradition at all, so Odisha is the only defensible answer for this exam's regional focus.

Question 32Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

The Purulia Chhow tradition is most closely associated with which state?

  1. Odisha
  2. Assam
  3. Chhattisgarh
  4. West Bengal Correct answer.

Explanation

Purulia Chhow takes its name from the Purulia district of West Bengal, where it is performed during the spring festival season. Odisha hosts the Mayurbhanj variant instead, while Assam and Chhattisgarh are not Chhow regions, making West Bengal the only correct association.

Question 33Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Seraikella Chhow is traditionally performed in which region?

  1. The Konkan coast
  2. Coastal Odisha
  3. The Chittagong hills
  4. The Seraikella region of Jharkhand Correct answer.

Explanation

Seraikella Chhow is named for Seraikella in the Kolhan region, now part of Jharkhand, and was historically patronised by local royalty. The other options name coastal or hill regions with no Chhow tradition, so only the Seraikella region fits.

Question 34Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which three regional variants are conventionally recognised within the Chhow dance form?

  1. Mayurbhanj, Seraikella and Bolangir
  2. Mayurbhanj, Seraikella and Purulia Correct answer.
  3. Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Purulia
  4. Seraikella, Purulia and Cuttack

Explanation

Chhow is classified into the Mayurbhanj, Seraikella and Purulia variants, each tied to a distinct locality and patronage tradition. The other options substitute Odishan district names that have no recognised Chhow variant, so they cannot complete the standard triad.

Question 35Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

In Mayurbhanj Chhow, the basic stepping pattern that anchors the dancer's footwork is known as:

  1. Karan
  2. Tali
  3. Chauka
  4. Ufli Correct answer.

Explanation

Mayurbhanj Chhow uses a repertoire of grounded stepping units, of which the ufli is the foundational pattern taught first to learners. Chauka is an Odissi stance, tali refers to rhythmic beats, and karana denotes a unit of movement in classical treatises, so only ufli names this Chhow footwork.

Question 36Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

A distinguishing feature of Seraikella Chhow compared with the Mayurbhanj and Purulia variants is that performers:

  1. wear elaborate masks Correct answer.
  2. perform exclusively in temples
  3. dance only to percussion
  4. use no facial expression at all

Explanation

Seraikella Chhow is famous for its carved masks, which the dancers wear so that expression is conveyed through the mask and body rather than the face. Purulia also uses masks, but Mayurbhanj does not, and the other options describe practices not specific to Seraikella.

Question 37Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which musical instrument provides the primary rhythmic accompaniment in Mayurbhanj Chhow performances?

  1. Veena
  2. Sitar
  3. Dhol Correct answer.
  4. Sarod

Explanation

Mayurbhanj Chhow is driven by the dhol, a double-headed drum that sets the tempo for the vigorous martial movements. Sitar, veena and sarod are melodic string instruments associated with Hindustani or Carnatic music, not with Chhow percussion.

Question 38Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

In Chhow performance, the term 'mudra' most directly refers to:

  1. a costume colour
  2. a drum syllable
  3. a mask-making technique
  4. a codified hand gesture Correct answer.

Explanation

Mudra denotes a codified gesture of the hands used to convey meaning and emotion in Indian dance, and Chhow employs such gestures within its narrative sequences. Drum syllables are called bols, mask-making is a craft, and costume colours carry symbolic rather than gestural meaning.

Question 39Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

The martial character of Chhow is most evident in which element of its technique?

  1. Seated singing by the dancer
  2. Slow lyrical torso undulations
  3. Prolonged stillness in a single pose
  4. Vigorous jumps, squats and sword-like gestures Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow grew out of martial and physical training traditions, and this heritage survives in its athletic jumps, low squats and combat-like arm movements. Lyrical undulation belongs to Odissi, singing is the musician's role, and prolonged stillness is not characteristic of Chhow's energetic style.

Question 40Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which epic and Puranic sources most commonly supply the narrative themes of Chhow dance?

  1. Persian romances
  2. Buddhist Jataka tales
  3. Tamil Sangam poetry
  4. The Ramayana and Mahabharata Correct answer.

Explanation

Chhow dancers most often enact episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, along with Puranic stories of deities such as Shiva and Durga. Sangam poetry, Jataka tales and Persian romances belong to other literary and performance traditions, so they are not the standard Chhow sources.

Question 41Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

A Mayurbhanj Chhow dancer performs a sequence of grounded steps followed by a leap and a strong stance. Which aspect of the form does this passage chiefly demonstrate?

  1. The primacy of facial abhinaya
  2. The dominance of vocal improvisation
  3. The use of masks to convey character
  4. The integration of footwork with martial vigour Correct answer.

Explanation

The described passage combines patterned footwork with an athletic leap and a firm stance, which is precisely how Mayurbhanj Chhow fuses dance rhythm with martial energy. Facial abhinaya and masks belong to other emphases, and vocal improvisation is not a dancer's function in this form.

Question 42Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

In Chhow, the term 'tali' is used to denote:

  1. a type of mask
  2. a melodic mode
  3. a rhythmic beat or hand clap marking the cycle Correct answer.
  4. a temple festival

Explanation

Tali refers to a rhythmic beat or clap that marks the metrical cycle in Indian percussion practice, and Chhow musicians use it to lock movement to rhythm. Masks, festivals and melodic modes have their own distinct terms, so none of them can be meant by tali.

Question 43Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

A troupe wishes to perform a Chhow item in which the character's identity must be clear before the dancer moves. Which variant's convention best supports this staging choice?

  1. Seraikella, because the mask establishes character instantly Correct answer.
  2. Mayurbhanj, because the drum announces the character
  3. Purulia, because the dancer sings the introduction
  4. Mayurbhanj, because the bare face is always used

Explanation

In Seraikella Chhow the carved mask presents the character's identity visually from the moment the dancer appears, before movement begins. Mayurbhanj dancers perform unmasked, and no Chhow variant has the dancer sing an introduction, so the masked convention is the only one that satisfies the requirement.

Question 44Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

The vigorous, athletic vocabulary of Mayurbhanj Chhow is historically linked to which source?

  1. Local martial and physical-culture traditions Correct answer.
  2. Courtly Persian dance
  3. Temple devadasi ritual
  4. Buddhist monastic chant

Explanation

Mayurbhanj Chhow developed in a region with strong martial traditions, and its jumps, squats and combat-like gestures derive from that physical culture. Devadasi ritual underlies Odissi, while Persian court dance and Buddhist chant have no connection to Chhow's athletic vocabulary.

Question 45Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which festival season is most closely associated with the annual performance of Chhow in its home regions?

  1. The monsoon month of Shravana
  2. The spring festival of Chaitra Correct answer.
  3. The autumn Navaratri of Odisha
  4. The winter harvest of Pausha

Explanation

Chhow is traditionally performed during the Chaitra spring festival, when village and town communities gather for its energetic presentations. The monsoon, Navaratri and Pausha seasons are associated with other festivals and dance occasions, so the Chaitra season is the correct association.

Question 46Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

A Seraikella Chhow dancer must portray a demon whose ferocity is apparent before any step is taken. Which element of the form most directly accomplishes this?

  1. The colour and features of the carved mask Correct answer.
  2. The number of musicians on stage
  3. The tempo of the dhol
  4. The length of the dancer's costume

Explanation

In masked Chhow the mask itself carries the character's identity, so colour and carved features such as bulging eyes or fangs signal ferocity immediately. Tempo, costume length and the size of the ensemble contribute atmosphere but do not define the character before movement begins.

Question 47Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Which statement best captures the relationship between the three Chhow variants?

  1. They differ only in the language of their songs.
  2. They are identical in costume, music and mask use.
  3. They share a martial-derived idiom but differ in masking and regional patronage. Correct answer.
  4. They are unrelated forms that merely share a name.

Explanation

All three variants descend from a common martial and festival idiom, yet they diverge in whether masks are worn and in the courts or communities that patronised them. Claiming they are identical or wholly unrelated misrepresents the evidence, and language alone does not account for their differences.

Question 48Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

Why is the Mayurbhanj variant often described as the most 'unmasked' of the Chhow traditions?

  1. Its dancers wear partial masks only on the forehead.
  2. Its dancers remove masks midway through a performance.
  3. Its dancers paint masks onto their faces.
  4. Its dancers perform with the bare face, relying on expression and gesture. Correct answer.

Explanation

Mayurbhanj Chhow is performed without masks, so the dancer's own facial expression and hand gestures carry the emotional content. Partial masks, painted masks and mid-performance removal are not conventions of this variant, which is why the bare-face description is the accurate one.

Question 49Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

In the context of Chhow, the term 'abhinaya' refers to:

  1. the tuning of the drum
  2. the expressive communication of emotion and meaning Correct answer.
  3. the stitching of costumes
  4. the construction of the stage

Explanation

Abhinaya is the expressive dimension of Indian dance, through which the performer communicates emotion, narrative and meaning to the audience. Drum tuning, costume stitching and stage construction are technical crafts, not expressive communication.

Question 50Regional Styles and Schools of Chhow

A choreographer wants a Chhow piece in which the same dancer changes from a human hero to a divine figure within one episode. Which convention would most naturally support this transformation?

  1. A change of drum
  2. A change of stage direction
  3. A change of mask Correct answer.
  4. A change of song language

Explanation

In masked Chhow traditions, swapping the mask is the established way to signal a change of character within a single episode. Changing the drum, the stage direction or the song language alters atmosphere or staging but does not transform the character's identity.