RAS question
The Gair dance of Rajasthan involves men:
Correct answer: (A) Moving in a circle and striking sticks.
In Rajasthan's Gair folk dance, performers move in circles while rhythmically striking sticks, especially during Holi.
Explanation
Gair is a male folk dance popular in Marwar and Mewar during Holi, with men striking wooden sticks in rhythm while moving in a circle. Rajasthan Foundation describes the same performance pattern: on Holi, Gair is performed by striking sticks, moving in circles and taking turns in between. That makes option A the only option that describes the actual movement vocabulary of the dance. The point being tested is not merely that Gair is a dance, but the recognisable visual form: group circular movement combined with stick-striking, tied to the Holi context.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Reading poetry does not match Gair, a Holi folk dance based on circular movement and stick-striking.
- (C) Performing silently is wrong because the described form is rhythmic and active, with performers striking sticks as they move in circles.
- (D) Swimming has no link to this performance practice, which is a land-based Rajasthan folk dance performed through circular movement and sticks.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan folk dances under Art and Culture, especially the ability to match a dance with its performance style. It recurs in RAS because folk forms are often asked through distinctive movements, occasions and regional associations.