Classical Music, Puppetry & Theatre Quiz — 7 Free Questions

Question 1

Which shadow puppet tradition of Odisha uses puppets cut from a single piece of deer skin, without joints, casting a monochrome shadow, and is performed without any spoken dialogue by the puppets themselves, based on a regional text called the 'Vichitra Ramayana'?

Question 2

Which shehnai maestro, who famously performed from the Red Fort on the eve of India's independence in 1947, received the Bharat Ratna in 2001?

Question 3

Which member of the Carnatic Trinity composed mainly in Sanskrit, often signed his compositions with the mudra, or signature phrase, 'Guruguha', and wrote a set of pieces influenced by Western melodies known as 'nottuswarams'?

Question 4

Which satirical folk theatre tradition of Kashmir, traditionally performed by artists of the Bhand community and combining acting, music and dance, is often used as a vehicle for social and political commentary?

Question 5

Which well-known tradition of string puppetry, performed by artists of the nomadic Bhat community and typically depicting stories such as that of the folk hero Amar Singh Rathore, comes from Rajasthan?

Question 6

Which is the most common and widely used tala in Hindustani classical music, consisting of a cycle of sixteen beats divided into four equal sections of four beats each?

Question 7

Which contemporary theatre venue in Bangalore was established in 2004 by the actress Arundhati Nag in memory of her late husband, the actor and director Shankar Nag?

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About Classical Music, Puppetry & Theatre

This quiz is meant for students preparing for the IAS examination and other competitive tests, and for anyone who wants a wide-ranging survey of the classical music, puppetry and theatre traditions of India. It begins with the fundamentals of Hindustani classical music, its ragas, talas, thaats, gharanas and major vocal and instrumental forms, and then covers the Carnatic system of the south, its melakarta ragas, talas, the Carnatic Trinity of composers, and its principal instruments, along with the pioneers who systematised modern music education and the musicians honoured with the Bharat Ratna. It surveys the four main technical families of Indian puppetry -- string, shadow, rod and glove puppets -- and the many named regional traditions within each, from Rajasthan's Kathputli to Kerala's Tholpavakoothu. It then covers the classical Sanskrit theatre of the Natyashastra and its great playwrights, the living tradition of Kutiyattam, and a wide range of regional folk theatre forms across India. It closes with the Parsi Theatre movement, the Indian People's Theatre Association, the National School of Drama, and the major directors and playwrights who shaped modern Indian theatre. When complete it will have one hundred and fifteen carefully checked questions, arranged in five packs of twenty-three.

Every question has four options, and the correct option can be in any position. After each question there is a detailed explanation of more than five lines, in simple Indian English that a school student can follow, giving the important names, terms, dates and the points that examiners like to test.

Every fact has been checked against standard reference books on Indian music, puppetry and theatre.