Performing Arts (MUSIC)

1.Foundations of Indian Music

• Samaveda and the Naradiya ShikshaImportance 3/5
  Which Veda is the root of Indian music, and why? Understand how its chanting differs from the recitation of the other Vedas. What is the Naradiya Shiksha, and what did it codify?
• Natyashastra of Bharata Muni and Its Music TheoryImportance 4/5
  Who wrote the Natyashastra, and in which period? It covers drama, dance and music as one whole. Remember the music-theory ideas it first set out (shrutis, gramas, murchhanas, jatis and rasa), and understand why later Indian music theory builds on it.
• Brihaddeshi of Matanga and the Term 'Raga'Importance 3/5
  Who wrote the Brihaddeshi, and when? Why is it important for the word 'raga'? Understand how Matanga defined a raga, and how this text links the Natyashastra to the medieval raga system.
• Sangita Ratnakara of SarangadevaImportance 3/5
  Remember the author, the century, and the court and place where it was written. Be able to tell its author apart from Bharata Muni and Bhatkhande. What do its seven chapters deal with, and why is it seen as the last unified treatment before Hindustani and Carnatic music went separate ways?
• Abhinavabharati and SadharanikaranaImportance 2/5
  Which text does the Abhinavabharati comment on, and who wrote it? Do not mix up the text with its commentator. What is sadharanikarana, and how does it help an audience feel a rasa?
• Shruti and Swara (Including the Saptaswara)Importance 3/5
  What is a shruti, and how many divide the octave compared with Western semitones? Understand a swara as a note selected from the shrutis, and how many shrutis a swara can take. Remember the seven swaras of the Saptaswara with their full names.
• Raga and Its Essential ComponentsImportance 3/5UPSC 2000
  What is a raga? Remember its components: aroha, avaroha, vadi, samvadi, anuvadi, vivadi, gamaka and pakad, along with its mood and its time or season. Understand how shruti, swara, raga and composition follow one another. How does vadi differ from samvadi, and a raga from a composition?
• Tala and LayaImportance 2/5
  What are tala and laya? Remember the beat counts of Tintal, Ektal, Jhaptal, Keherwa, Rupak and Dadra. What are the three tempos?
• Rasa and the NavarasaImportance 3/5
  What is rasa, and who is a sahridaya? Remember the nine rasas and the emotion each stands for. Which rasa was a later addition, who is said to have added it, and how many rasas were there originally?
• Bhava and How Rasa Is ProducedImportance 2/5
  Understand what bhava is. How do sthayibhava, vibhava, anubhava and sanchari (vyabhichari) bhava work together to produce rasa? Be clear about who feels bhava and who feels rasa.
• Gram and MurchhanaImportance 2/5
  What are the three gramas, which note is the base of each, and which one is considered lost? Understand how murchhanas are formed and how many there are. Which Greek system is comparable to murchhanas?
• Jaati and the Shift to RagaImportance 2/5
  What were jaatis, and how many are described? Remember how many are pure (shuddha) and how many are mixed (vikrita), and how they relate to murchhanas. Understand how music moved from jaatis to ragas, and which text captures that shift.
• Classical Composition Forms by Tradition and LanguageImportance 2/5
  For each of these forms (Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri, Tarana, Tappa, Kriti, Varnam, Tillana, Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi, Ghazal and Qawwali), remember the tradition it belongs to and its usual language. Be able to tell Tarana and Tillana apart as parallel forms in the two traditions. Leave structure aside here.
• TaranaImportance 2/5
  What kind of composition is a Tarana? Remember its tempo and the type of syllables it uses. To whom is it attributed, and how firm is that attribution?
• Margi and Desi Music ComparedImportance 3/5
  What do Margi and Desi mean? Be clear how they differ in rules (shastra), spread across India, audience and setting. Remember the audience and the places linked to Margi music.
• Absorption of Desi Forms into the Classical TraditionImportance 1/5
  How did regional (Desi) forms enrich classical music over the centuries? Understand how the Sufi influence on Hindustani music is an example of this.

2.Hindustani Classical Music

• North Indian Music Before the 12th CenturyImportance 1/5
  Which unified tradition did North Indian music belong to before the 12th century? Understand it as one shared tradition, before the later Persian and Sufi contact.
• Persian and Sufi Influence (12th–16th Century)Importance 3/5
  Which Sufi order arrived from the 12th century, and what did it add to North Indian music (modes, poetic-musical forms, instruments and an aesthetic)? Was this a replacement of the Indian framework or a synthesis? Understand why.
• Tansen and the Mughal CourtImportance 3/5UPSC 2019
  Who was Tansen's guru, and where did he train? Which king did he serve before Akbar's court, and what was his place there? Remember the ragas attributed to him and the gharanas that trace their lineage to him.
• Bhatkhande's Systematisation into ThaatsImportance 3/5
  Who was Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, and in which century did he work? What is a thaat, and how many did he use to classify ragas? Remember the names of the thaats. Understand why his system became the standard for teaching Hindustani music.
• Defining Swaras and Representative Ragas of the ThaatsImportance 2/5UPSC 2026
  For a few key thaats, know the swaras that define them (komal or tivra) and one or two ragas of each. For example, which thaat has all natural swaras, and which has only Ma sharp (tivra), with every other note natural? A full list of ragas is not needed.
• Dhrupad: Character, Structure and AccompanimentImportance 4/5UPSC 2012
  How old is Dhrupad among surviving Hindustani vocal forms, and what is its character? Remember its four parts and its languages. Which drum accompanies it, and how does this differ from Khayal and Thumri?
• Dhrupad's Link to Prabandha and Its RevivalImportance 3/5UPSC 2009
  From which ancient compositions did Dhrupad descend, and why does this make it a link between ancient and present-day Hindustani music? Who is associated with its revival in the 20th century?
• Khayal: Meaning, Origin and AttributionImportance 3/5UPSC 1999
  What does the word Khayal mean, and in which century did it become the dominant vocal form? Who is firmly credited with it, at whose court, and why is Amir Khusrau's role doubtful? Which gharana is credited with systematising it?
• Khayal: Structure and Improvisation TechniquesImportance 2/5
  How are the two parts of a Khayal performance arranged, and what is the bandish? Remember the main improvisation techniques: aalap, bol-aalap, taan, sargam and bol-taan.
• Thumri: Character, Styles and CentresImportance 3/5
  Why is Thumri called semi-classical? Know its themes, and how a singer's freedom differs from that in Khayal. What are its two styles (Purab ang and Punjab ang), and how do they differ? Remember its two centres, its best-known modern singer, and its link with Kathak.
• Dadra and TappaImportance 2/5
  How does Dadra differ from Thumri, and in which tala is it set? What is the origin and character of Tappa? Which region is it from, and who brought it into Hindustani music?
• Chaiti, Kajri and HoriImportance 2/5
  Remember the season or festival linked to each of Chaiti, Kajri and Hori, and the city or region where each is sung.
• Ghazal and QawwaliImportance 3/5UPSC 2003
  How is a Ghazal built (sher and maqta), and in which language? Remember the poets and modern singers linked to it. For Qawwali, know the Sufi order, the call-and-response style, where it is performed, to whom it is attributed and its best-known modern exponent.
• Khayal Gharanas and Their PlacesImportance 2/5
  Remember the six major Khayal gharanas (Gwalior, Agra, Kirana, Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala and Rampur-Sahaswan) with the state or city of each. Which one is the oldest?
• Styles and Leading Singers of the Khayal GharanasImportance 3/5UPSC 2026
  For each gharana, remember one or two marks of its style, its leading singers and its founder where one is named. Girija Devi, Bhimsen Joshi and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan are often confused, so be clear about each one's form and gharana.
• Amir Khusrau: Life, Sufi Link and TitleImportance 3/5UPSC 2003
  Who was Amir Khusrau? Remember his dates, his birthplace, his Sufi guru and order, and the rulers he served. By what title is he known, and what does it mean?
• Contributions Attributed to Khusrau: Firm and DisputedImportance 3/5
  Which contributions are firmly his, and which are popular beliefs that historians dispute (Khayal, tabla and sitar)? Understand how the tabla and the sitar probably developed. Which ragas are said to be his?

3.Carnatic Classical Music

• Bhakti and Temple Roots of Carnatic MusicImportance 2/5
  In which religious and cultural setting did Carnatic music grow, and which empire supported it? Compare its Persian influence with that on Hindustani music.
• AnnamacharyaImportance 3/5UPSC 2018
  Who was Annamacharya, and when did he live? Remember the deity he sang for, the number and form of his compositions (and how many survive), and how they were preserved. By what title is he honoured as a pioneer of Telugu devotional song?
• Purandara Dasa and the Carnatic Teaching CurriculumImportance 4/5
  By what title is Purandara Dasa known, and which devotional tradition did he belong to? Remember the order of the teaching sequence he set, from the first exercises to kritis. Is he one of the Trinity, and did he live before or after them?
• Venkatamakhin and the Melakarta RagaImportance 3/5UPSC 1999
  Who codified the Melakarta system, in which text, and in which century? What makes a raga a melakarta? Understand why the number of melakartas comes out as it does.
• Arrangement of the 72 MelakartasImportance 2/5UPSC 2026
  Into how many groups are the melakartas divided, and how many ragas does each hold? How does the Madhyama differ between the first half and the second half?
• TyagarajaImportance 4/5UPSC 2018
  When and where was Tyagaraja born? Remember his language, his deity, and how many of his compositions survive. What are the Pancharatna Kritis, in which ragas and which tala are they set, and at which annual festival are they sung? Also know his Utsava Sampradaya kritis and his opera.
• Muthuswami DikshitarImportance 3/5
  Remember Dikshitar's dates, language and tradition. Why did Hindustani ragas influence him? Know his two sets of kritis, the Kamalamba Navavarana and the Navagraha kritis.
• Shyama SastriImportance 3/5UPSC 1999
  Remember Shyama Sastri's dates, language and deity, and how many compositions survive. What sets him apart from the other two in output and emotional depth? Know his Navaratnamala and his swarajatis.
• The Trinity as a GroupImportance 3/5
  Where were the three born, and in which period did they live? Was 'Trinity' a label of their own time or a later one? Did they form a school? Be able to tell the three apart by language and deity.
• Kshetrayya and the PadamImportance 3/5
  In which period did Kshetrayya live, and roughly how many padams did he compose? To which deity are they addressed? Understand why his padams matter in the abhinaya of Bharatanatyam and other classical South Indian dance.
• Narayana Tirtha and Oothukkadu Venkata KaviImportance 2/5
  What is the Krishna Leela Tarangini, and how does it link music with dance-drama? In which language did Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi compose, what was his main theme, and what marks his style?
• KritiImportance 3/5
  What are the three sections of a Kriti, and what does each do? Understand why it is the main concert form, why it is called composition-centred, and how it still leaves room for the singer's own improvisation (manodharma).
• VarnamImportance 2/5
  What does a Varnam teach, and where does it come in a concert? Remember its two halves and the two types of Varnam.
• TillanaImportance 2/5
  What kind of syllables does a Tillana use, and where does it fall in a concert and in Bharatanatyam? Which Hindustani form is its counterpart?
• Ragam-Tanam-PallaviImportance 2/5
  What are the three parts of Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi? Why is it seen as the highest form of Carnatic improvisation? Is it a fixed composition or a way of performing?
• Padam and JavaliImportance 2/5
  What does a Padam express, and what is its role in dance? How does a Javali differ from it, and which dance forms use it?

4.Hindustani vs Carnatic Music

• Influences and Classification Systems ComparedImportance 4/5
  How do the dominant influences on the two traditions differ? Remember how many parent scales each system has, who set up each one and when. Why are the two systems not directly parallel? Know the key theorists of each tradition.
• Composition, Improvisation and Concert Format ComparedImportance 3/5
  Compare the main composition form of each tradition, and whether it leans on improvisation or on fixed composition. How do aalap and alapana differ? What is each tradition's term for a composition, and in what order does each arrange a concert?
• Instruments, Language, Raga Time and Gamaka ComparedImportance 3/5
  Which drum is used in each tradition, and what is the drone instrument called in each? Compare the languages used and how strictly raga time is kept. Remember the ornament types named for each tradition.

5.Musical Instruments

• Natyashastra's Classification of InstrumentsImportance 3/5
  What are the four classes of instruments in the Indian system, and what does each name mean? Remember a few example instruments for each class.
• Hornbostel-Sachs System and Its Match with Indian CategoriesImportance 2/5
  What are the categories of the Western Hornbostel-Sachs system? Understand how they match the Indian classes. Which Western category has no Indian counterpart?
• Rudra Veena and Saraswati VeenaImportance 3/5
  Which tradition uses each veena? How do their builds differ (resonators and frets)? These two are easy to confuse. Remember the main maestros of each.
• Sitar, Surbahar and SarodImportance 3/5
  How do the sitar and the sarod differ in build? From which instrument did the sarod come? What is the surbahar? Remember the maestro and gharana linked to each, and who is known for the surbahar.
• SantoorImportance 2/5
  What type of instrument is the santoor? Where does it come from, and who took it to the classical concert stage?
• Sarangi, Dilruba and ViolinImportance 2/5
  What is distinctive about the sarangi's strings, and who are its maestros? In which devotional tradition is the dilruba used? How did the violin, a European instrument, come into Carnatic music, and who are its exponents?
• Ektara and DotaraImportance 1/5
  How many strings do the ektara and the dotara have? In which folk tradition and region are they used?
• Bansuri and ShehnaiImportance 3/5UPSC 2004
  How is each instrument built and played? In which settings is each used? Remember the maestros: who brought the bansuri to the classical stage, and who is the best-known shehnai player?
• Nadaswaram and the Mangala Vadya PairImportance 3/5
  Which tradition uses the nadaswaram, and who is its leading maestro? Both it and the shehnai are auspicious (mangala) instruments. How do they differ in region, tradition and loudness?
• Pungi, Algoza and TutariImportance 2/5
  What type of instrument is each of the pungi, algoza and tutari? Remember the community or region linked to each.
• TablaImportance 3/5
  What are the two drums of the tabla called, and what does each do? Which forms does it accompany? Remember its leading players and the names of its gharanas.
• Mridangam and PakhawajImportance 3/5
  How are the mridangam and the pakhawaj built, and which tradition uses each? Remember the mridangam maestros. How is the pakhawaj related to the tabla?
• Which Drum Accompanies Which FormImportance 3/5
  Match the drum to the form: which one goes with Dhrupad, which with Khayal and Thumri, which with Carnatic music, and which with Kathakali?
• Chenda and MizhavuImportance 3/5UPSC 2000
  How are the chenda and the mizhavu built? Which Kerala art form does each serve?
• Dholak, Nagara and GhatamImportance 2/5
  In what contexts are the dholak and the nagara used? What is the ghatam made of, and in which tradition is it played? Who is its best-known maestro?
• Jalatarang and KanjiraImportance 2/5
  How does the jalatarang produce melodic notes? What is the kanjira, how is it built, and in which tradition is it played? Is the kanjira really a solid (ghana) instrument, or does it belong to another class?
• Manjira, Kartal, Ghungroo and ChimtaImportance 1/5
  What are these four instruments, and where is each used (devotional singing, classical dance, Punjab folk and Sikh music)?

6.Gharanas, Banis and Guru-Shishya Parampara

• Meaning and Features of a GharanaImportance 3/5
  What is a gharana, and why is it important for passing on music and dance? Remember the features each gharana has: a founder, a city or patron, a style, its compositions and its conventions.
• Guru-Shishya ParamparaImportance 2/5
  What is the Guru-Shishya Parampara? Understand how the gurukul system worked and why teaching was oral.
• The Banis of DhrupadImportance 2/5
  What are the four banis of Dhrupad? Understand how they differ in character: which is contemplative, which rhythmically active, and which forceful?
• Dagar Bani and the Dagar FamilyImportance 3/5UPSC 2009
  What is the style of the Dagar bani? Who are its best-known performers today?
• Imdadkhani and Maihar GharanasImportance 3/5
  Who founded each gharana, and where is each based? Remember the style of each and its best-known musicians. Which of the two gharanas is Ravi Shankar linked to?
• Tabla Gharanas (Delhi, Ajrada, Farukhabad, Lucknow and Banaras)Importance 2/5
  Remember the place and the main style mark of each tabla gharana. Which is the oldest?
• Benaras Shehnai TraditionImportance 1/5
  Which musician is the best-known representative of the Benaras shehnai tradition?

7.Major Musicians and Awards

• Swami HaridasImportance 2/5
  Where did Swami Haridas live, and which sampradaya did he found? Which deity did he worship, and how is he linked to Tansen?
• Foundational Figures by Period and Tradition (Amir Khusrau, Swami Haridas, Tansen, Purandara Dasa, Tyagaraja)Importance 3/5UPSC 1999
  Place these five figures in time order. Remember the tradition each belongs to (Hindustani, Sufi, Dhrupad or Carnatic). Only their order and tradition are needed here.
• M.S. SubbulakshmiImportance 4/5
  In which tradition did she sing? In which year did she receive the Bharat Ratna, and what distinction did that award carry among musicians? Which other major international award did she hold, and what makes her holding both notable?
• Bhimsen JoshiImportance 3/5UPSC 2009
  To which gharana does he belong, and in which year did he receive the Bharat Ratna? Besides Khayal, which Maharashtrian devotional form is he known for?
• Ravi ShankarImportance 3/5UPSC 2005
  Which instrument did he play, and in which year did he get the Bharat Ratna? Understand how his work took Indian music abroad, including the Grammy Awards and collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison.
• Bismillah KhanImportance 3/5UPSC 2005
  Which instrument did he play, and in which tradition? In which year did he receive the Bharat Ratna? What did he perform on the night of 15 August 1947, and where?
• Lata MangeshkarImportance 3/5UPSC 2005
  In which field was she famous, and was it classical music? By what title is she known, and in which year did she receive the Bharat Ratna?
• Zakir HussainImportance 3/5
  Which instrument did he play, and whose son was he? He never received the Bharat Ratna, though this is often wrongly claimed. Which Padma award did he receive in 2023, and when did he die? Know his Grammy Awards of 2024 and his collaborations. Who is the most recent musician to receive the Bharat Ratna, and in which year?
• Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Gangubai Hangal and Girija DeviImportance 3/5UPSC 2006
  For each of the three, remember the gharana, the forms they are known for, and one notable mark. For Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, this is his vocal range and his move after Partition. For Gangubai Hangal, it is her place in Karnataka. For Girija Devi, it is her title and her honours.
• Kumar GandharvaImportance 2/5
  How did Kumar Gandharva break away from his training? Which illness did he overcome? Understand how he brought folk melodies into classical music, as an example of innovation within tradition.
• Ali Akbar Khan and Amjad Ali KhanImportance 2/5
  Both play the sarod. How do their gharanas differ? Whose son is Ali Akbar Khan, and how did each of them take the sarod abroad?
• M.S. Gopalakrishnan and Balamurali KrishnaImportance 1/5
  What did M.S. Gopalakrishnan do for the violin in Carnatic concerts? What was Balamurali Krishna's main contribution as a composer and singer?

1. 1.

   In which one of the following ancient works does the word 'raga' appear for the first time in its technical musical sense?

   1. ANatyashastra of Bharata Muni
   2. BBrihaddeshi of Matanga Muni
   3. CSangita Ratnakara of Sarangadeva
   4. DAbhinavabharati of Abhinavagupta
2. 2.

   Consider the following statements about the Natyashastra:
   1. It treats drama, dance and music as an integrated whole.
   2. The original text described nine rasas.
   3. It is traditionally dated to about the 8th-9th century CE.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
3. 3.

   Consider the following statements about Dhrupad:
   1. It is the oldest surviving Hindustani vocal form.
   2. It is usually accompanied by the tabla.
   3. Its composition has four parts: sthayi, antara, sanchari and abhog.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. C1, 2 and 3
   4. D1 and 3 only
4. 4.

   Consider the following statements about Purandara Dasa:
   1. He is known as the 'Father of Carnatic Music'.
   2. He is counted among the Trinity of Carnatic music.
   3. He was born more than two and a half centuries before Tyagaraja.
   4. In the graded curriculum he set, Gitams are taught before Alankaras.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
5. 5.

   Consider the following pairs:

   Composer	Work
   1. Tyagaraja	Pancharatna Kritis
   2. Muthuswami Dikshitar	Kamalamba Navavarana Kritis
   3. Narayana Tirtha	Navaratnamala

   Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
6. 6.

   Match List I with List II:

   List I (Maestro)	List II (Instrument)
   A. Hariprasad Chaurasia	1. Rudra Veena
   B. Bismillah Khan	2. Mridangam
   C. Zia Mohiuddin Dagar	3. Bansuri
   D. Palghat Mani Iyer	4. Shehnai

   Select the correct answer using the code given below:

   1. AA-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
   2. BA-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
   3. CA-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
   4. DA-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
7. 7.

   Consider the following statements:
   Statement-I: M.S. Subbulakshmi, a Carnatic vocalist, was the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna, in 1998.
   Statement-II: She was also a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
8. 8.

   Consider the following statements comparing Hindustani and Carnatic music:
   1. Hindustani music classifies ragas into ten parent scales called thaats, set up by Bhatkhande.
   2. The 72 parent scales of Carnatic music are credited to Venkatamakhin.
   3. Carnatic music shows a stronger Persian-Sufi influence than Hindustani music.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A2 and 3 only
   2. B1 only
   3. C1, 2 and 3
   4. D1 and 2 only
9. 9.

   Consider the following statements about Khayal:
   1. The word Khayal means 'imagination' in Persian.
   2. Sadarang (Niamat Khan), a court musician under Muhammad Shah 'Rangila', is its firmer historical attribution.
   3. Historians firmly establish Amir Khusrau as its creator.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
10. 10.

    Consider the following pairs:

    Form	Usual accompanying drum
    1. Dhrupad	Pakhawaj
    2. Kathakali	Mizhavu
    3. Thumri	Tabla

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1, 2 and 3
    4. D1 and 3 only
11. 11.

    Tansen, one of the 'Navaratnas' of Akbar's court, trained under which one of the following teachers?

    1. AAmir Khusrau of Delhi
    2. BSadarang of Muhammad Shah's court
    3. CPurandara Dasa of the Haridasas
    4. DSwami Haridas of Vrindavan
12. 12.

    Consider the following statements about Thumri:
    1. It is described as the 'queen of semi-classical music'.
    2. Its Punjab ang is faster and more rhythmic than the Purab ang.
    3. It allows less melodic freedom than Khayal.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B1 and 2 only
    3. C2 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
13. 13.

    Consider the following statements about Bharat Ratna recipients in music:
    1. Bhimsen Joshi received it in 2009.
    2. Ravi Shankar received it in 1999.
    3. Bismillah Khan received it in 2001.
    4. Lata Mangeshkar received it before Ravi Shankar did.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. COnly three
    4. DAll four
14. 14.

    Consider the following statements about the Melakarta system:
    1. The 72 melakartas are divided into 12 chakras of 6 ragas each.
    2. The first 36 melakartas use Prati Madhyama.
    3. A melakarta raga contains all seven swaras in both ascending and descending order.
    4. Venkatamakhin's Chaturdandiprakasika, which codified the system, dates to about 1620.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. COnly three
    4. DAll four
15. 15.

    Sarangadeva, author of the Sangita Ratnakara (13th century CE), wrote at the court of which one of the following?

    1. AThe Yadavas of Devagiri
    2. BThe Cholas of Thanjavur
    3. CThe Mughals of Delhi
    4. DThe Guptas of Pataliputra

1. 1.

   UPSC 2009

   Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
   List I (Famous person)
   A. Amrita Sher-Gil
   B. Bhimsen Joshi
   C. Rukmini Devi Arundale
   D. Suryakant Tripathi Nirala
   List II (Well-known as)
   1. Dancer
   2. Painter
   3. Poet
   4. Singer

   1. AA-2 B-1 C-4 D-3
   2. BA-2 B-4 C-1 D-3
   3. CA-3 B-1 C-4 D-2
   4. DA-3 B-4 C-1 D-2
2. 2.

   UPSC 2026

   Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the :

   1. AAgra Gharana
   2. BGwalior Gharana
   3. CPatiala Gharana
   4. DJaipur-Atrauli Gharana
3. 3.

   UPSC 2026

   Which one of the following Carnatic music ragas is similar to Raga Bilawal in Hindustani music ?

   1. ANat Bhairavi
   2. BKamavardhini
   3. CHanumatodi
   4. DDheera Shankarabharanam
4. 4.

   UPSC 2025

   The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in

   1. ADelhi
   2. BGwalior
   3. CUjjain
   4. DLahore
5. 5.

   UPSC 2019

   With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct?

   1. ATansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.
   2. BTansen composed Dhrupads on Hindu gods and goddesses.
   3. CTansen composed songs on his patrons.
   4. DTansen invented many Ragas.
6. 6.

   UPSC 2018

   With reference to cultural history of India, consider the following statements :
   1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna.
   2. Tyagaraja created several new ragas.
   3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries.
   4. Annamacharya kirtanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara.
   Which of the statements given above are correct ?

   1. A1 and 3 only
   2. B2 and 4 only
   3. C1, 2 and 3
   4. D2, 3 and 4
7. 7.

   UPSC 2014

   A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for their

   1. Amartial arts in North-East India
   2. Bmusical tradition in North-West India
   3. Cclassical vocal music in South India
   4. Dpietra dura tradition in Central India
8. 8.

   UPSC 2012

   With reference to Dhrupad, one of the major traditions of India that has been kept alive for centuries, which of the following statements are correct?
   1. Dhrupad originated and developed in the Rajput kingdoms during the Mughal period.
   2. Dhrupad is primarily a devotional and spiritual music.
   3. Dhrupad Alap uses Sanskrit syllables from Mantras.
   Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1, 2 and 3
   4. DNone of the above is correct
9. 9.

   UPSC 2009

   The brothers Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha are

   1. ADhrupad vocalists
   2. BKathak dancers
   3. CSarod maestros
   4. DTabla players
10. 10.

    UPSC 2006

    Who among the following is a Hindustani classical singer?

    1. AGeeta Chandran
    2. BLeela Samson
    3. CGangubai Hangal
    4. DSwapnasundari
11. 11.

    UPSC 2005

    Who among the following is not a recipient of the Bharat Ratna Award?

    1. AUstad Bismillah Khan
    2. BSatyajit Ray
    3. CLata Mangeshkar
    4. DRaj Kapoor
12. 12.

    UPSC 2005

    Whose autobiography is the book “My Music, My Life”?

    1. APandit Shiv Kumar Sharma
    2. BUstad Amjad Ali Khan
    3. CPandit Ravi Shankar
    4. DUstad Zakir Hussain
13. 13.

    UPSC 2004

    Who among the following is well known as an exponent of flute?

    1. ADebu Choudhri
    2. BMadhup Mudgal
    3. CRonu Mazumdar
    4. DShafaat Ahmad
14. 14.

    UPSC 2003

    Consider the following statement:
    1. Kitab-I-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II
    2. Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early form of the musical style known as Qawwali.
    Which of these statements is/are correct?

    1. AOnly 1
    2. BOnly 2
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
15. 15.

    UPSC 2000

    The Raga which is sung early in the morning is

    1. ATodi
    2. BDarbari
    3. CBhopali
    4. DBhimpalasi
16. 16.

    UPSC 1999

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
    List I
    I. Pandit Vishnu Digamber Paluskar
    II. Venkatamahi
    III. Shyama Shastri
    IV. Amir Khusru
    List II
    A. Introduced the scheme of Raga classification of Indian music
    B. Proponent of Carnatic music
    C. Proponent of the Khayal form of Hindustani music
    D. Wrote the music for the song ‘Vande Mataram’
    Codes:

    1. AI-D, II-A, III-C, IV-B
    2. BI-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C
    3. CI-A, II-D, III-C, IV-B
    4. DI-A, II-D, III-B, IV-C
17. 17.

    UPSC 2000

    Consider the following statements regarding the Chakiarkoothu form of dance:
    I. It is performed by Chakiar caste.
    II. It cannot be traditionally witnessed by the higher caste Hindus.
    III. Mizhavu is the accompanying instrument.
    IV. Its theatre form is called koothambalam.
    Which of these statements are correct?

    1. AI, III and IV
    2. BI, II and III
    3. CII, III and IV
    4. DI, II and IV