Kaathi is a

Question

Kaathi is a

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — D, a folk dance. Kaathi (Kathi) is a devotional folk dance of the Nimar (Nimad) region of Madhya Pradesh, performed by the Bhagat/Balai community from Dev-Prabodhini (Dev Uthani) Ekadashi up to Mahashivratri in worship of Shiva and Parvati. The dancers carry a tall bamboo pole — the 'kathi' — decorated with peacock feathers and cloth, which gives the dance its name; it is performed to the beat of the dhak drum.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Kaathi is not a caste; it is a performance form. Its performers happen to come from the Bhagat/Balai community, but the word names the dance, not a caste.  (b) It is not a tribe either — Kaathi is a folk-dance tradition, not an ethnic group.  (c) Tempting, because a tall decorated pole is central to the performance — but the 'kathi' is only a bamboo prop for the dance, not a wood-carving craft; the art form itself is a dance.

Concept: Madhya Pradesh has a large repertoire of folk dances tied to region and community — Rai in Bundelkhand, Karma and Saila among the tribes, Matki and Gangaur in Malwa-Nimar, and Kaathi in Nimar. Kaathi is specifically a Nimar devotional dance built around a decorated bamboo pole.

State PCS 2019 Q60 — Madhya Pradesh GK PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2019 Q60 — Madhya Pradesh GK PYQ with Answer