Tourism Chapter 7 – Performing Art Heritage in India

NIOS Class 12 Tourism Chapter 7 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 7.1

1. Write a short note on Folk music.

Ans: Deals with music enjoyed by the common people at the melas, festivals,/ Marriages.

2. How is Hindustani music different from Carnatic music?

Ans: Hindustani music is a blend of the Indo-Turkish style, while Carnatic music is related to music played for gods.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 7.2

1. Write a short note on any two folk dances of India.

Ans: Dandiya is performed on the occasion of Navratri, and Kalbelia is a tribal dance done on the movements of the snake.

2. Describe Morulem.

Ans: Dance of Goa performed during the Shingro festival.

3. Write a note on dance.

Dance is a natural phenomenon that originates from aesthetic sense and feelings in the form of physical action and movements. We can divide the art of dance into two categories: (i) classical dance and (ii) folk dance.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 7.3

1. Discuss the early evolution of theatre.

Ans: The tradition of theatre is quite old, and it is linked to the Vedas. The theatre signifies the drama, and drama comprises three main elements, i.e., dialogue, music, and dance. In Sanskrit, the words for drama are Nata, Nataka, and Natya (actor and drama). Further, it is also known that is comes from the Sanskrit root Nrit, meaning ‘to dance’. Thus, drama originated from dancing. To beautify the drama, music was added to it.

2. Write a short note on Nukkad Natak.

Ans:

Nukkad Natak is one of the forms of Street Plays.
It carries the theme of the socio-political problems.
The motive behind the Nukkad Natak is to create awareness in the people about contemporary issues.
These are so popular among the masses that several academies have been established by different names, such as Jan Natya Manch, Aatish and Yog Jyoti India Foundation, to propagate the Nukkad Natak. Safdar Hashim is among the celebrated exponents of Nukkad Natak.
Just for the cause of the art of Nukkad Natak, he sacrificed his life on January 2, 1989.

3. Write a note on the legend about the origin of the Jarjara.

Ans: The stage is technically known as Jarjara. There is an interesting legend about the origin of Jarjara. Jarjara is known as the setting up of the flag staff of Indra. It was to keep the Danava or Rakshasa (demons) from creating any kind of obstacle or destruction in the performance and to provide strength to the performers.

Terminal Exercises

1. Discuss with suitable examples the evolution of various forms of Music in India.

Ans: The evolution of music in India can be seen through the three main forms, such as Hindustani, Carnatic and folk music.

Hindustani: Hindustani music, the blend of Indo-Turko-Persian styles, was prevalent during the Sultanate era. In the 13th century, people were performing such music and even had a colony og musicians.
Carnatic music: Carnatic music is associated with devotion to God that often involves forms of performing arts (1), Music (2), Dance (3) Singing, go together to please God. It is identified with Bhakti Saints, who sang in praise of God and associated themselves with the temple rituals from the 8th century. Thus grew a culture of Guru-Sishya tradition, and through rigorous practice, South Indian music has achieved a prime position in musicology.
Folk Music: Folk music is a part of the common masses and local tradition. With the passage of time, Folk music got refinement, sophistication and elite patronage. These were given the names of Hindustani and Carnatic music. However, folk music can be identified with a region or professional communities. Folk music has its own charm and appeal for the people. The folk tradition of singing runs through generations in a family. Thus, there are certain communities whose profession is singing.

2. Write a descriptive note on different musical instruments in India.

Ans:

Flute (Bansuri): A flute is a wind instrument that produces sound from the flow of air across an opening. To be louder, a flute must use a larger resonator, a larger air stream, or increased air stream velocity. The volume of the flute can generally be increased by making its resonator and tone holes larger.
Tambura or Tanpura: It is a long-necked stringed instrument. It resembles the Sitar when it comes to body shape. It is known as the Tanbura in North India and has four or five wire strings, which are plucked one after another in a regular pattern to create a harmonic resonance on the basic note.
Tabla: It is an extremely popular Indian percussion instrument which is used in Hindustani Classical Music along with popular and devotional music, as well as musical mehfils.
Veena: It is a plucked string instrument that is designed and used to accompany Carnatic music.
Veena is also one of the oldest musical instruments referred to in the Vedic texts. It is the most popular musical instrument of South India, popularly known as the Saraswati Veena.
Sitar: It is categorised as a chordophone in the lute family. In the Sitar, usually there are seven strings, five of steel and two of brass. Its sound evokes thoughts and feelings of the sub-continent. It is a plucked string instrument predominantly used in Hindustani Classical Music.
Shehnai: The Shehnai comes in the category of aerophonic instruments and is an extremely popular musical instrument in India. It is played in the North Indian marriages and processions. It is a tube-like instrument that gradually widens towards its lower end.
Naga Svaram: The Naga Svaram is much longer than the Shahnai in size. It is also known as Nada Svaram, considered to be one of the most ancient and unique musical instruments of Tamil Nadu. It is extremely appropriate to call this instrument a rare combination of music and divinity, because of its consideration as a very auspicious instrument which is found in temples and on all festive occasions.
Sarod: The Sarod is amongst the famous Indian classical musical instruments. It is a stringed musical instrument. It is said that the main foundation of the Sarod seems to be the Rebab, a similar instrument that is said to have been invented in Afghanistan and Kashmir.
Sarangi: The Sarangi is a bowed stringed instrument and representative of India. The word ‘Sarangi’ has been derived from two Hindi words, ‘Sau’, which means hundred and ‘Rang’, which means colour. It is called Sarangi because the sound of this musical instrument is very pleasing and communicative.
Santoor: The Santoor is a folk instrument of Kashmir. It is a popular instrument, mostly used in singing the Sufiana kalam. The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped musical instrument. It is usually made of walnut wood, with numerous strings and is said to be related to the shata-tantriveena of earlier times.
Mridanga: The literal meaning of Mridanga is ‘body of clay’. It is one of the most important instruments in South India that provides rhythm to Carnatic music performances. Mridangam is a classical percussion instrument.
Gottu Vadyam: Gottuvadyam is 2-3 feet long and is like a hammered lute. It is also known as chitraveena, chitra vina, and maha nataka vina. It is a very rare instrument which is played in the Southern part of India.
Chenda: Cylindrical in shape, Chenda is an extremely popular instrument in Kerala and some parts of Karnataka as well. It is a percussion instrument and is also called Chende in Karnataka.
Rabab: Rabab is the national instrument of Arabs. It journeyed through the Middle East and Afghanistan to reach India.
Dhol, Dholak, Dhak: Dhol is smaller in size and quite popular in the North Indian regions. Dhak is a bigger size of Dhol and played during the Puja ceremonies in Bengal.
Khanjira: Khanjira is also called Khanjari. It is the oldest musical instrument played in folk songs and religious ceremonies. In South India, it has become an integral part of classical music.
Pakhawaj: Pakhawaj is a smaller size of South Indian Mridangam. It is used in the Dhrupad style of singing.

3. What are the different forms of Classical dances in India? List them.

Ans: The popular classical dance forms prevalent in India, like Bharatnatyam, Mohini Attam, Manipuri, Odissi, Kathakali, Kathak and Kuchipudi, etc.

4. Discuss the early evolution of dance in India.

Ans: Dance is a natural phenomenon which originates from the aesthetic sense and feelings in the form of physical actions and movements. This was related to religion to please the gods and thus acquired wider appreciation. As time passed, non-religious forms of dance were also developed. These secular dances became a part of the elite and court culture. In Kautalya’s Arthashastra, dancers were employed as spies.

During the medieval period, there were two kinds of dances. There were classical dances for the elite class and dancers for the common masses, i.e. those who performed in melas (fairs), streets, and bazaars. Merchants are also known to have maintained dancing girls and musicians and arranged their performances from place to place and time to time.

5. What do you understand by Street Theatre? Give the description noted by Tavernier about the street show during his travel from Agra to Surat.

Ans: Street theatre is performed in locales like street corners, the village square, in front of factories, car parks, shopping centres, etc. They are mostly Socio-cultural and political in nature. It includes other performances on the roadside like magical shows, Tamasha, mimicry, etc. These street shows are very old in nature, and even during medieval Indian society, the traces of these street shows can be seen.

Tavernier writes, “On arrival one day when returning from Agra to Surat with the English president, some jugglers immediately came to ask him whether he desired them to show him some examples of their art; these he was curious to see. The first thing they did was to kindle a large fire, and heated iron chains to redness; with these they wound their bodies, making believe that they experienced some pain, but not really receiving any injury. Next, having taken a small piece of stick and planting it in the ground, they asked one of the companies what fruit he wished to have.

He replied that he desired mangoes, and then one of the conjurers, covering himself with a sheet, stooped to the ground five or six times. I had the curiosity to ascend to a room to see from above, through an opening of the sheet, what this man did, and I saw that he cut himself under his armpit with a razor, and anointed the piece of wood with his blood. Each time that he raised himself, the stick increased under the eye, and at the third time it forth branches and brought buds. At the fourth time, the tree was covered with leaves, and at the fifth, we saw flowers themselves.”

6. Discuss the different forms of Puppetry in India.

Ans: Different forms of puppetry in India.

String Puppet- This form of Puppet is used to provide flexibility to puppets. They have jointed limbs controlled by strings. This form of Puppet theatre is more prevalent in Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Shadow Puppets- Shadow puppets are flat figures carved out of leather. They are pressed against the screen, and light is put behind the screen to create colourful shadows for the audience sitting in front of the screen. This form of Puppet theatre is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Glove Puppet – Glove puppets are also known as hand or palm puppets. These are controlled by the hand of the puppeteer. The first finger inserted in the head and the middle finger and the thumb are the two arms of the puppet. The movement, through these fingers, makes the puppet alive.
Rod Puppet – This puppet form is controlled by the rods from below. It is like a glove puppet, but it is much larger in size. This form of puppetry is found in West Bengal and Odisha.