How Many Classical Dances in India: 8 or 9?
For SSC, railway and bank exams, the answer is 8 classical dances: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and Sattriya. These are the eight forms that the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), the national academy for music, dance and drama under the Ministry of Culture, treats as separate classical categories in its awards.
Many pages say "the Ministry of Culture recognises 9, with Chhau". We could not find any official document that says so. In fact, in a Rajya Sabha answer on 6 February 2025 (Unstarred Question 349), the Minister of Culture was asked why Chhau had not been given classical status; the reply did not grant it, and said that "SNA does not declare any dance form as classical." Chhau has its own SNA award category and a UNESCO listing (2010), but it is officially a traditional/folk-martial form, not a ninth classical dance.
Key takeaway for exams: 8 classical dances. Newest to be counted = Sattriya (Assam), added by SNA in 2000. Kerala has 2 (Kathakali, Mohiniyattam); every other state has at most 1. Chhau (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal) is UNESCO-listed but not one of the 8. If the options give both 8 and 9, choose 8.
Sources checked on 17 October 2026: the SNA "Guidelines for SNA Fellowship & Award" page (dance categories), the Ministry of Culture's Rajya Sabha answer of 6 February 2025, and the SNA Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Pair this note with our musical instruments and their players list, because exams often ask "X is a famous exponent of which dance or instrument?" in the same set.
8 Classical Dances of India and Their States (Table)
| # | Classical dance | State | One-line identity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Oldest living form; earlier called Sadir / Dasiattam; temple devadasi tradition |
| 2 | Kathak | Uttar Pradesh (North India) | Story-telling dance; fast footwork (tatkar) and spins (chakkar); Mughal court influence |
| 3 | Kathakali | Kerala | Dance-drama by male actors; heavy make-up (green "pacha" for heroes); stories from epics |
| 4 | Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Named after Kuchipudi village (Krishna district); Tarangam dance on a brass plate |
| 5 | Manipuri | Manipur | Ras Leela of Radha-Krishna; soft, flowing moves; barrel-shaped skirt (kumil / potloi) |
| 6 | Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Solo dance by women; "dance of the enchantress (Mohini)"; graceful lasya style |
| 7 | Odissi | Odisha | Tribhanga (three-bend) and chowk postures; temple sculpture of Konark and Puri |
| 8 | Sattriya | Assam | Created by Srimanta Sankardev (15th-16th century) in the Vaishnava sattras (monasteries) |
Which state has two classical dances?
Kerala: Kathakali and Mohiniyattam. No other state has more than one.
Classical Dances and Famous Dancers (Exponents)
This is the most asked format in SSC CGL and CHSL: "X is associated with which dance?"
| Classical dance | Famous exponents |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Rukmini Devi Arundale (founded Kalakshetra, Chennai, 1936), Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam, Alarmel Valli, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Leela Samson |
| Kathak | Pandit Birju Maharaj (Lucknow gharana), Sitara Devi, Shambhu Maharaj, Shovana Narayan, Kumudini Lakhia |
| Kathakali | Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Guru Kunchu Kurup |
| Kuchipudi | Vempati Chinna Satyam, Raja and Radha Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy; Siddhendra Yogi is credited as its founder |
| Manipuri | Guru Bipin Singh, the Jhaveri sisters (Darshana Jhaveri) |
| Mohiniyattam | Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Bharati Shivaji, Sunanda Nair |
| Odissi | Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, Madhavi Mudgal, Protima Bedi (founded Nrityagram) |
| Sattriya | Jatin Goswami, Ghanakanta Bora |
Exam trap: Yamini Krishnamurthy is linked with both Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi; Sonal Mansingh with both Bharatanatyam and Odissi. If both dances appear in the options, read the question carefully.
Key Features of Each Classical Dance (One-Liners)
- Bharatanatyam: based on the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni; recital order includes alarippu, jatiswaram, varnam and tillana; revived in the 20th century by Rukmini Devi Arundale.
- Kathak: three main gharanas, Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras; Raigarh gharana was patronised by the ruler of Raigarh (Chhattisgarh).
- Kathakali: Kerala Kalamandalam was founded in 1930 by poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, who also revived Mohiniyattam.
- Kuchipudi: performed by Brahmin men of Kuchipudi village in the old tradition; Bhama Kalapam is a famous dance-drama.
- Manipuri: Rabindranath Tagore brought it to Santiniketan; the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, is an SNA unit. "Sankirtana" of Manipur is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list (2013).
- Mohiniyattam: white and gold Kasavu costume; mixes elements of Bharatanatyam and Kathakali.
- Odissi: Gotipua (boys dressed as girls) and Mahari (temple dancers) are its older traditions.
- Sattriya: counted as classical by SNA on 15 November 2000; Ankiya Naat plays and Bhaona performances belong to the same tradition.
Chhau Dance: Why It Is Not the 9th Classical Dance
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Three styles | Seraikella Chhau (Jharkhand), Purulia Chhau (West Bengal), Mayurbhanj Chhau (Odisha) |
| Masks | Seraikella and Purulia use masks; Mayurbhanj Chhau is performed without masks |
| UNESCO | Inscribed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010 |
| SNA support | Separate Chhau award category; Chhau Kendra at Chandankiyari, Bokaro (2018) |
| Classical status? | Not granted. Rajya Sabha answer, 6 Feb 2025: "SNA does not declare any dance form as classical." |
So when a question asks "How many classical dances does India have?", write 8. Chhau may appear as a distractor.
Classical Dance vs Folk Dance: Common Confusions
| Dance | Type | State |
|---|---|---|
| Yakshagana | Traditional theatre (not one of the 8) | Karnataka |
| Bihu | Folk dance | Assam |
| Ghoomar | Folk dance | Rajasthan |
| Lavani | Folk dance/music | Maharashtra |
| Garba | Folk dance | Gujarat |
| Kutiyattam | Sanskrit theatre; UNESCO intangible heritage (2008) | Kerala |
| Chhau | Martial / masked dance; UNESCO (2010) | Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal |
How to Remember the 8 Classical Dances (Trick)
Use "BK3 MOMS": Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, Mohiniyattam, Sattriya. Then fix the states in pairs:
- South: Tamil Nadu (Bharatanatyam), Andhra (Kuchipudi), Kerala x2 (Kathakali, Mohiniyattam).
- East and North-East: Odisha (Odissi), Manipur (Manipuri), Assam (Sattriya).
- North: Uttar Pradesh (Kathak).
Common Mistakes in Classical Dance Questions
- Answering 9 or 10. The official position (SNA, Rajya Sabha 2025) gives 8.
- Putting Kuchipudi in Tamil Nadu. It is Andhra Pradesh.
- Calling Mohiniyattam a Tamil Nadu dance. It is Kerala.
- Matching Birju Maharaj with Odissi. He was the leading Kathak (Lucknow gharana) dancer.
- Treating Yakshagana as classical. It is a traditional theatre form of Karnataka.
Classical Dances Questions with Answers (Practice Set)
- How many classical dances are recognised in India? Answer: 8.
- Sattriya is a classical dance of which state? Answer: Assam.
- Which state has two classical dances? Answer: Kerala (Kathakali, Mohiniyattam).
- Kuchipudi takes its name from a village in which state? Answer: Andhra Pradesh.
- Who founded Kalakshetra in Chennai? Answer: Rukmini Devi Arundale (1936).
- Kelucharan Mohapatra is associated with which dance? Answer: Odissi.
- Which style of Chhau is performed without masks? Answer: Mayurbhanj Chhau (Odisha).
- Kerala Kalamandalam was founded by whom? Answer: Vallathol Narayana Menon (1930).
- Which classical dance shows the Ras Leela of Radha and Krishna? Answer: Manipuri.
- Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras are gharanas of which dance? Answer: Kathak.
Practise these in the SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 01 and SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 04.
Classical Dances of India FAQs
How many classical dances are there in India?
Eight: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and Sattriya. This is the list used by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and in SSC and bank exams.
Is Chhau a classical dance of India?
No. Chhau is UNESCO-listed (2010) and has its own Sangeet Natak Akademi award category, but it has not been given classical status. A Rajya Sabha answer of 6 February 2025 said SNA does not declare any dance form as classical.
Which is the newest classical dance of India?
Sattriya of Assam, counted as a classical dance by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2000.
Which classical dance belongs to Kerala?
Kerala has two: Kathakali (a dance-drama) and Mohiniyattam (a solo dance by women).
Which is the oldest classical dance of India?
Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu is usually called the oldest classical dance form, drawing on the Natya Shastra.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 01, SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 02, SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 03 and SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 06.
- Related notes: musical instruments and their players, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2026, important days list 2026, president of India list 1950 to 2026, Mughal emperors list in order and folk dances of India state wise.
- Exam details: SSC CGL 2026.
- Browse all study notes.