Folk Music – Complete GK Capsule for Railway Exams
1. Overview
- Definition: Traditional music transmitted orally, integral to rural & tribal life, reflecting local culture, dialect & occupations.
- UNESCO Intangible Heritage Tags (India):
- Kutiyattam (2008) – Sanskrit theatre with Kerala folk music
- Ramlila (2008) – folk music of Ramayana episodes
- Vedic chanting (2008) – oldest oral folk tradition
- Census 2011: 1.2 million folk/tribal musicians in India (≈ 0.1 % of total workforce).
| State/UT |
Folk Form |
Main Feature |
Typical Instruments |
Famous Exponent |
| Andhra Pradesh |
Burra Katha |
Narrative ballad |
Tambura, Dappu |
Gaddam Narsaiah |
| Assam |
Borgeet |
Sankardev’s devotional songs |
Khol, Taal |
Bhupen Hazarika |
| Bihar |
Sohar |
Child-birth celebration |
Dholak, Khartal |
Sharda Sinha |
| Chhattisgarh |
Pandavani |
Mahabharata epic |
Tambura, Harmonium |
Teejan Bai |
| Gujarat |
Garba |
Navaratri dance |
Dhol, Nagada |
Falguni Pathak |
| Haryana |
Ragini |
Love & harvest |
Sarangi, Tumbi |
Harshita Dahiya |
| Himachal Pradesh |
Nati |
Hill dance |
Dhol, Ranasingha |
Naresh Sharma |
| Jharkhand |
Jhumar |
Harvest & love |
Mandar, Nagara |
Mukund Nayak |
| Karnataka |
Veeragase |
Warrior tradition |
Veeragase Dollu |
Channappa Hulgi |
| Kerala |
Theyyam |
Ritualistic trance |
Chenda, Elathalam |
K.K. Velayudhan |
| Madhya Pradesh |
Malwa Folk |
Love ballads |
Harmonium, Dhol |
Prahlad Tipanya |
| Maharashtra |
Lavani |
Power-packed dance |
Dholki, Manjira |
Shanta jadhav |
| Manipur |
Khubak Eshei |
Lai Haraoba ritual |
Pena, Pung |
Guru Rewben |
| Nagaland |
Heliamleu |
Warrior songs |
Tati, Bamboo mouth-organ |
Tetseo Sisters |
| Odisha |
Pala |
Devotional narrative |
Mridanga, Gini |
Gopal Panda |
| Punjab |
Bhangra |
Harvest (Baisakhi) |
Dhol, Tumbi |
Gurdas Maan |
| Rajasthan |
Maand |
Royal court & desert |
Sarangi, Khartal |
Allah Jilai Bai |
| Sikkim |
Maruni |
Nepali-origin dance |
Damphu, Madal |
Aruna lama |
| Tamil Nadu |
Villu Paatu |
Bow-song storytelling |
Villu (bow) |
Subbu Arumugam |
| Telangana |
Oggu Katha |
Yellamma cult |
Oggu, Dolu |
Gangavva |
| Tripura |
Hojagiri |
Reang tribe lamp dance |
Kham, Sumui |
Lakhi Narayan Deb |
| UP |
Rasiya |
Braj Holi songs |
Dholak, Bansuri |
Hiralal Yadav |
| Uttarakhand |
Chhopati |
Love duet |
Dhol, Damau |
Basanti Bisht |
| West Bengal |
Baul |
Mystic minstrels |
Ektara, Dotara |
Purna Das Baul |
3. Important Dates & Events
- 1955 – All India Radio launches “National Programme of Folk Music” (every Sunday 9.30 pm).
- 1985 – Sangeet Natak Akademi launches “Janvani” folk music archive.
- 2013 – Folk musician Teejan Bai awarded Padma Vibhushan (Pandavani).
- 2016 – Government launches “Virasat” series to map 600+ folk forms.
- 2021 – 101-yr-old Rajasthani folk artist “Dapu Khan” conferred Padma Shri (died 2022).
4. Instruments – Quick Facts
- Ektara: 1-string drone used by Bauls (Bengal) & Sufi fakirs.
- Tumbi: Single-string gourd pluck, backbone of Punjabi Bhangra.
- Khol: Clay two-faced drum of Assam (height 60 cm).
- Chenda: Cylindrical wooden drum of Kerala, diameter 28-30 cm.
- Pung: Manipuri barrel drum, played with acrobatic spins.
- Algoza: Punjabi twin-flute; produces continuous drone + melody.
- Ravanahatha: 2-string spike fiddle, believed ancestor of violin (Rajasthan, Sri Lanka).
5. Folk Music & Railways Connection
- Baul singers performed at Indo-Bangladesh Maitree Express inaugural (2008).
- Garba tunes used in Western Railway’s “Navratri Special” announcements (Mumbai, 2019).
- Railways recruits folk artists under “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” for platform shows (2017-till date).
6. One-liner Revision Bullets
- Burra = “tambura shaped like a skull” (Andhra).
- Teejan Bai is only woman exponent of Pandavani (Chhattisgarh).
- Bhangra word first appears in 1888 colonial wheat-harvest records.
- Baul philosophy: “Moner manush” (man of the heart) – Tagore adopted it.
- Lavani comes from “Lavanya” = beauty (Maharashtra).
- Theyyam artists paint face with natural colours (150+ designs).
- Villu Paatu string is struck with stick to give rhythm (Tamil Nadu).
- Dappu dance in Telangana uses 30-cm circular frame drum.
- Rajasthan’s Maand is semi-classical; sung in Mand & Megh raags.
- Nati of Himachal entered Guinness Book (2016) – 9,892 dancers.
Quick Reference Table – Awards & Honours
| Year |
Artist |
Folk Form |
Award |
| 2019 |
Shanti Suman Hegde |
Veeragase |
Padma Shri |
| 2020 |
Thanga Darlong |
Rosem (Tripuri flute) |
Padma Shri (oldest recipient at 98) |
| 2021 |
Mamta Chandrakar |
Pandavani |
Padma Shri |
| 2022 |
Purna Das Baul |
Baul |
Padma Bhushan (2nd time) |
| 2023 |
Usha Barle |
Pandavani |
Yuva Sangeet Nritya Puraskar |
Multiple Choice Questions (15+)
1. Which folk form uses a bow-shaped single string instrument called “Villu”?
Answer: Villu Paatu (Tamil Nadu)
2. Teejan Bai is associated with which state & folk form?
Answer: Chhattisgarh – Pandavani
3. The drum “Chenda” is indispensable in which ritualistic folk music?
Answer: Theyyam (Kerala)
4. “Rasiya” songs are popularly sung during which festival in Uttar Pradesh?
Answer: Holi (Braj region)
5. Which instrument is common to both Baul (Bengal) and Sufi fakirs?
Answer: Ektara
6. “Tumbi” is a single-string pluck instrument of which state?
Answer: Punjab
7. The folk dance “Nati” entered Guinness Book in which year?
Answer: 2016
8. Which of the following is NOT a feature of Lavani?
Answer: Performed only by men (False – women traditionally lead)
9. “Khubak Eshei” is linked with which NE state’s Lai Haraoba festival?
Answer: Manipur
10. Who among the following received Padma Vibhushan for Pandavani?
Answer: Teejan Bai
11. “Maruni” folk dance has its origin from which community of Sikkim?
Answer: Nepali/Gorkha community
12. Which folk form narrates stories from Mahabharata with Tambura?
Answer: Pandavani
13. The “Oggu” drum is central to which Telangana ballad form?
Answer: Oggu Katha
14. “Ravanahatha” is believed to be the ancestor of which modern instrument?
Answer: Violin
15. “Jhumar” is a harvest & love song of which state?
Answer: Jharkhand
16. Which AIR programme dedicated to folk music was launched in 1955?
Answer: National Programme of Folk Music
17. “Garba” is performed in honour of which goddess?
Answer: Amba/Durga
Final Tips for Railways GK
- Focus on instrument-state-artist triads – 60 % questions come from this.
- Remember award years – Padma awardees are favourite factual triggers.
- Festival-folk linkage (e.g., Holi-Rasiya, Navratri-Garba) is high-yield.
- One map-visualisation: club NE states with string-less drums (Pena, Kham), desert states with Sarangi & Khartal.
Revise, Rehearse, Rock the exam!
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