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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Kalbelia | Snake-charmer community of Rajasthan; women's dance with serpentine movements inscribed UNESCO ICH 2010; black embroidered ghagra; Gulabo Sapera is iconic exponent | High |
| Ghoomar | Women's group folk dance; circular pirouette (ghumna); performed by all castes; officially State Dance of Rajasthan (2023); origins in Bhil tribal community | High |
| Terahtali | Dance of Kamad community women (Nagaur, Pali); 13 brass cymbals (manjiras) tied to body; performed seated; accompanies Ramdev devotional songs | High |
| Chari Dance | Gujjar community dance (Kishangarh, Ajmer); women balance lit clay pots on head while dancing; GI-recognised folk tradition of Kishangarh | Medium |
| Gair | Bhil tribal circular stick-and-dance form (Banswara-Dungarpur); performed during Holi; UNESCO ICH nomination candidate; featured at Tribes Art Fest 2026 | Medium |
| Langha | Muslim hereditary musician community of western Rajasthan (Barmer); patron = Sindhi-Sipahi Rajputs; instruments: Sarangi, Khartal; oral baithak tradition | High |
| Manganiar | Hereditary musician community (Barmer-Jaisalmer); serves Hindu and Muslim patrons; instruments: Kamayacha, Morchang; Sakar Khan won Padma Shri 2012 | High |
| Kamayacha | 12-stringed spike lute played by Manganiar musicians; critical endangerment — fewer than 15 active masters (2025); Barmer Morchang Utsav provides platform | High |
| Ravanhatha | Ancient two-stringed bowed instrument (coconut shell resonator, horsehair bow); traditionally played by Bhopas reciting Pabuji ki Phad; claimed 5,000+ years old | High |
| Morchang | Iron or bronze jaw harp; Manganiar and Jogi tradition; Rajasthan is India's primary seat; Barmer Morchang Festival promotes it internationally | Medium |
| Algoza | Double flute played simultaneously through nose and mouth; Bhil and Meghwal communities (Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh); creates continuous drone melody | Medium |
| Maand | Rajasthan's classical-folk raga; combines elements of Kafi and Yaman; "Kesariya Balam" is its most iconic composition; Jaipur-Bikaner tradition; Allah Jilai Bai was legendary exponent | High |
| Lok Devta | Folk deity of Rajasthan; five major ones with oral epic traditions: Pabuji, Devnarayan, Ramdevji, Gogaji, Tejaji; each revered as regional divine hero | High |
| Devnarayan Phad | UNESCO ICH 2013; one of the world's longest oral folk epics in active performance tradition (1 million+ words); performed by Bhopa-Bhopi pairs with 30-feet Phad scroll; Jantar (instrument) accompaniment | High |
| Bhopa-Bhopi | Male-female bard duo who perform Lok Devta epics; male plays Ravanhatha/Jantar and narrates; female holds oil lamp and sometimes sings; hereditary role | High |
| Baithak tradition | Sitting performance tradition of Langha-Manganiar musicians; intimate court/haveli performances for patron families; contrast with stage/festival performance | Medium |
| Pabuji | Folk deity of Pali district; 14th-century historical chieftain who died protecting a woman's cattle; his saga performed by Bhopa community with Ravanhatha | High |
| Kesariya Balam | Most iconic Maand composition; sung by Rajasthani women welcoming their husbands; internationalised by Allah Jilai Bai of Bikaner; Rajasthan's informal cultural anthem | Medium |
| Sangeet Natak Akademi | India's national academy for performing arts; initiated Kamayacha documentation drive (2026); provides grants to endangered folk performance traditions | Medium |
| Walar Dance | Garasia tribal dance from Sirohi-Abu Road area; courtship dance performed during Holi; male-female couple form; associated with Garasia marriage customs | Medium |
| Bhavai | Folk theater tradition of Rajasthan (Jaisalmer origin); satirical social commentary; performers balance brass pots on head while dancing on the rim of a glass | Medium |
| RISA Brand | Rajasthan government commercial brand for tribal-folk arts (March 2026); e-commerce platform for tribal artisans; covers Phad, Bhil paintings, tribal textiles | Medium |
| Pungi | Reed wind instrument traditionally played by snake-charmers; used as accompaniment to Kalbelia dance; distinct from Algoza (double flute) | Medium |
| Barmer Morchang Festival | Annual international music festival in Barmer promoting Morchang (jaw harp) and endangered Rajasthani folk instruments; 9th edition attracted 120 performers from 14 countries (2026) | Medium |
| Terahtali | Dance of Kamad community women (Nagaur, Pali); 13 brass manjiras tied to body (9 right knee, 2 left, 1 each hand); performed seated; Ramdev devotional context | High |
Topic 6 of 138 | Paper I, Unit 1 — History | Generated: 2026-04-06