SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 19 September 2025, Shift 3 · General Awareness · Question 16 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Fill in the Blank: Tamasha is a folk theatre form mainly found in _____.

(a)Kerala
(b)Karnataka
(c)Maharashtra
(d)Odisha

Answer

Why

Correct — C. Tamasha is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, with singing and dancing, performed by local and travelling troupes in Maharashtra.

Tamasha troupes present Lavani, sung to the beat of the dholki, as one of their main sections. Maharashtra fills the blank → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Kerala — Kerala's classical stage forms are Kathakali and Koodiyattam. Tamasha is Marathi theatre and belongs to Maharashtra.
(b)
Karnataka — Karnataka's traditional theatre is Yakshagana, from its coastal districts. Tamasha is a separate, Marathi tradition.
(d)
Odisha — Odisha is known for the classical dance Odissi. Tamasha is performed in Marathi by Maharashtra's troupes.

Concept

Tamasha is Marathi theatre built on singing and dancing, staged by local or travelling troupes across Maharashtra.

Its traditional cast included Nachya (dancing boys), a Shahir (poet-composer) and a Songadya (jester). Lavani, a song genre popular in Maharashtra and sung to the dholki, is one of the main sections a Tamasha troupe presents.

Traditional Tamasha performers came from communities such as the Kolhati, Mahar, Mang and Bhatu of rural Maharashtra.

Key facts

Tamasha is a traditional Marathi theatre form of Maharashtra, with singing and dancing.
Lavani is one of the main sections presented by Tamasha troupes, sung to the dholki.
Yakshagana is the traditional theatre of coastal Karnataka.
Koodiyattam and Kathakali are stage traditions of Kerala.

Study next

Lavani and its singersFolk theatres by State: Yakshagana, Nautanki, Jatra, BhavaiClassical dances and their home States

Common traps

Confusing Tamasha with Lavani: Lavani is the song-and-dance form, Tamasha the theatre that presents it.
Mixing up the regional theatres: Tamasha is Maharashtra's, Yakshagana Karnataka's.

Lavani, the song form Tamasha troupes present, is asked through its singers at 13 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.13 and 17 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.3. Karnataka's Yakshagana is asked at 11 Sep 2024, 12:30, GA Q.11.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.