Module 3: Classical Music Traditions, Folk Theatre and Dance-dramas

📖 Chapter 3 of 3 🧩 Module 3 of 8 ⏱️ ~3 min read 💡 9 MCQs

Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 3.1: Gharanas, Jat-Jatin and Bidesiya

In the Buddha's lifetime, music and dance were already alive in Rajgir and Vaishali. Amrapali of Vaishali was a classical dancer and a contemporary of Magadha's ruler Ajatashatru. She later joined the Buddhist sangha.
Bihar's Dhrupad centres are Amta in Darbhanga (Darbhanga Gharana), Betiah in West Champaran (Betiah Gharana) and Dumraon in Buxar (Dumraon Gharana). Gaya is the main centre of Thumri and Dadra, the Gaya Gharana.
The chief historical account of Mithila's music is Lochana Kavi's Raga Tarangini, written in the seventeenth century. It records ragas, talas and regional melodies. Vidyapati composed verses across classical ragas and is honoured as Maithil Kokil.
Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan was born at Dumraon in Buxar district. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2001.
Jat-Jatin is the best-known folk dance-drama of Mithila. Rural women perform it outdoors on moonlit nights in the monsoon. It shows the affection, humour and trouble between a husband (Jat) and wife (Jatin).
Bidesiya is Bihar's leading folk dance-theatre, created by Bhikhari Thakur. It speaks of wives left behind when men migrate for work. It is a folk drama, not a novel by Phanishwar Nath Renu. Renu's prose includes Maila Anchal, Kitne Chaurahe and Julus.

⭐ Key Points

The poet Vidyapati was honoured with the title Maithil Kokil.
Jat-Jatin is a folk dance-drama of Bihar, especially of Mithila.
Ustad Bismillah Khan was born at Dumraon in Buxar district. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2001.
Bidesiya is a well-known folk dance-drama of Bihar, composed by Bhikhari Thakur.
Bidesiya is a folk drama by Bhikhari Thakur. Kitne Chaurahe, Julus and Maila Anchal were written by Phanishwar Nath Renu.
Both Rajgir and Vaishali preserve evidence of court dancers and singers, including the courtesan Amrapali of Vaishali.
Amta, Dumraon and Betiah are all historic Dhrupad gharana centres in Bihar.
Lochana Kavi's Raga Tarangini, composed in the seventeenth century, is the authoritative text on Mithila's music.
Gaya is the primary centre of Thumri gayaki in Bihar.

📌 One-line Q&A

Question: Which scholar of Bihar was called Maithil Kokil? Answer: Vidyapati.
Question: Where is the Jat-Jatin folk dance-drama famous? Answer: Bihar.
Question: Where was the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan born? Answer: Dumraon (Buxar).
Question: Bidesiya is a popular dance-drama of which state? Answer: Bihar.
Question: Which of the following is not a work of Phanishwar Nath Renu? Answer: Bidesiya.
Question: Evidence of female singers and dancers in the time of Gautama Buddha in ancient Bihar has been found from: Answer: Both A and B.
Question: Which of the following are important centres of Dhrupad singing in Bihar? Answer: All of the above.
Question: What is the primary source of the authentic history of Mithila's musical tradition in Bihar? Answer: Raga Tarangini.
Question: What is the main centre of Thumri in Bihar? Answer: Gaya.

Topic

Questions

MCQs

Answer this question, then use Next.

Question 1: Which scholar of Bihar was called Maithil Kokil?

The poet Vidyapati was honoured with the title Maithil Kokil.

Question 2: Where is the Jat-Jatin folk dance-drama famous?

Jat-Jatin is a folk dance-drama of Bihar, especially of Mithila.

Question 7: Where was the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan born?

Ustad Bismillah Khan was born at Dumraon in Buxar district. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2001.

Question 10: Bidesiya is a popular dance-drama of which state?

Bidesiya is a well-known folk dance-drama of Bihar, composed by Bhikhari Thakur.

Question 12: Which of the following is not a work of Phanishwar Nath Renu?

Bidesiya is a folk drama by Bhikhari Thakur. Kitne Chaurahe, Julus and Maila Anchal were written by Phanishwar Nath Renu.

Question 14: Evidence of female singers and dancers in the time of Gautama Buddha in ancient Bihar has been found from:

Both Rajgir and Vaishali preserve evidence of court dancers and singers, including the courtesan Amrapali of Vaishali.

Question 31: Which of the following are important centres of Dhrupad singing in Bihar?

Amta, Dumraon and Betiah are all historic Dhrupad gharana centres in Bihar.

Question 32: What is the primary source of the authentic history of Mithila's musical tradition in Bihar?

Lochana Kavi's Raga Tarangini, composed in the seventeenth century, is the authoritative text on Mithila's music.

Question 33: What is the main centre of Thumri in Bihar?

Gaya is the primary centre of Thumri gayaki in Bihar.

Question 1 of 9

One-liners

Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.

Which scholar of Bihar was called Maithil Kokil?

Vidyapati.

Where is the Jat-Jatin folk dance-drama famous?

Bihar.

Where was the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan born?

Dumraon (Buxar).

Bidesiya is a popular dance-drama of which state?

Bihar.

Which of the following is not a work of Phanishwar Nath Renu?

Bidesiya.

Evidence of female singers and dancers in the time of Gautama Buddha in ancient Bihar has been found from:

Both A and B.

Which of the following are important centres of Dhrupad singing in Bihar?

All of the above.

What is the primary source of the authentic history of Mithila's musical tradition in Bihar?

Raga Tarangini.

What is the main centre of Thumri in Bihar?

Gaya.

Question 1 of 9