RAS question
The Bhopa is a priest-performer in Rajasthan. What is the female Bhopa called?
Correct answer: (C) Bhopi.
In the Phad performance tradition of Rajasthan, the female counterpart of the Bhopa is called a Bhopi.
Explanation
The answer is Bhopi because the Phad performance tradition pairs the male Bhopa with his wife or female partner, the Bhopi. Sahapedia's overview of the Pabuji epic describes the narrative as sung by bards, specifically the male bhopa and the female bhopi, who use a large painted backdrop to point out key moments in the story. During the all-night narration, the Bhopa sings the ballad and plays the ravanhatha, while the Bhopi holds an oil lamp, lights the relevant parts of the painted scroll, and dances. The role is therefore not a generic female priestly title; it is a specific performer role within the Phad tradition.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Devrani is not the term used for the female performer paired with the Bhopa in the Phad tradition.
- (B) Bhopani looks close to Bhopa, but the tradition names the female counterpart as Bhopi, not Bhopani.
- (D) Pujarin is a generic female priestly term, whereas the Phad performance role identified with the Bhopa is specifically called Bhopi.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan Art and Culture vocabulary, especially named performer roles in folk traditions such as Phad. RAS repeatedly asks such terms because they distinguish precise local cultural knowledge from generic religious or performance labels.