Folk Dances of India State Wise: Quick Answer
Folk dances are community dances performed at harvests, festivals, weddings and seasonal rituals, unlike the eight classical forms that follow the Natya Shastra. The most asked pairs in SSC and RRB exams are Bhangra and Giddha (Punjab), Garba and Dandiya (Gujarat), Bihu (Assam), Lavani (Maharashtra), Ghoomar and Kalbelia (Rajasthan), Chhau (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal), Yakshagana (Karnataka), Theyyam (Kerala), Karakattam (Tamil Nadu) and Cheraw (Mizoram).
Key takeaway: Questions are almost always "dance → state" matching. Learn one or two signature dances per state from the table below, and the few dances shared by more than one state.
Folk Dances of India State Wise List (All States)
| State | Folk dances |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Kolattam, Dhimsa, Veeranatyam, Butta Bommalu |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Bardo Chham, Ponung, Aji Lamu |
| Assam | Bihu, Bagurumba (Bodo), Jhumur, Ali Ai Ligang |
| Bihar | Jat-Jatin, Jhijhiya, Bidesia, Kajari |
| Chhattisgarh | Panthi, Raut Nacha, Karma, Saila |
| Goa | Dekhni, Fugdi, Dhalo, Kunbi |
| Gujarat | Garba, Dandiya Raas, Tippani, Padhar |
| Haryana | Phag, Saang, Dhamal, Loor |
| Himachal Pradesh | Nati, Dangi, Jhora, Chamba |
| Jharkhand | Chhau (Seraikela), Karma, Jhumair, Paika |
| Karnataka | Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha, Huttari, Veeragase |
| Kerala | Theyyam, Thiruvathirakali, Oppana, Padayani |
| Madhya Pradesh | Matki, Tertali, Grida, Jawara |
| Maharashtra | Lavani, Koli, Tamasha, Dhangari Gaja |
| Manipur | Thang-Ta (martial), Lai Haraoba, Pung Cholom |
| Meghalaya | Shad Suk Mynsiem, Nongkrem, Wangala |
| Mizoram | Cheraw (bamboo dance), Khuallam, Chheih Lam |
| Nagaland | Chang Lo, Zeliang, Rangma |
| Odisha | Chhau (Mayurbhanj), Ghumura, Dalkhai, Gotipua |
| Punjab | Bhangra, Giddha, Jhumar, Sammi |
| Rajasthan | Ghoomar, Kalbelia, Chari, Kachchhi Ghodi, Terah Taali |
| Sikkim | Singhi Chham, Tamang Selo, Maruni |
| Tamil Nadu | Karakattam, Kummi, Kolattam, Mayilattam, Oyilattam |
| Telangana | Perini Sivatandavam, Lambadi, Bathukamma |
| Tripura | Hojagiri, Garia |
| Uttar Pradesh | Raslila, Nautanki, Charkula, Kajri |
| Uttarakhand | Chholiya, Langvir Nritya, Barada Nati, Jhora |
| West Bengal | Gambhira, Chhau (Purulia), Jatra, Baul |
Folk Dances of Union Territories
| Union Territory | Folk dances |
|---|---|
| Jammu and Kashmir | Rouf, Dumhal, Kud, Bhand Pather |
| Ladakh | Jabro, Shondol |
| Lakshadweep | Lava, Kolkali, Parichakali |
| Puducherry | Garadi |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Tarpa, Bhavada |
UNESCO-Listed Folk Dances of India
Six Indian dance and dance-drama elements are on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
| Element | State | Year inscribed |
|---|---|---|
| Ramman (religious festival and ritual theatre) | Uttarakhand (Garhwal) | 2009 |
| Mudiyettu (ritual theatre and dance drama) | Kerala | 2010 |
| Chhau dance | Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal | 2010 |
| Kalbelia folk songs and dances | Rajasthan | 2010 |
| Sankirtana (ritual singing, drumming and dancing) | Manipur | 2013 |
| Garba of Gujarat | Gujarat | 2023 |
The latest Indian addition overall is Deepavali (2025), a festival rather than a dance. Source: ich.unesco.org (India's inscribed elements).
Dances Shared by More Than One State (Exam Favourites)
| Dance | States |
|---|---|
| Chhau | Seraikela (Jharkhand), Mayurbhanj (Odisha), Purulia (West Bengal) |
| Karma | Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha |
| Kolattam | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu |
| Jhumar / Jhumair | Punjab (Jhumar), Jharkhand and Assam (Jhumur) |
| Nati | Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (Barada Nati) |
Tricks to Remember Folk Dances State Wise
- Punjab "BG": Bhangra for men, Giddha for women.
- Rajasthan "GKK": Ghoomar, Kalbelia (snake charmers' dance), Kachchhi Ghodi (dummy horse).
- North-East pairs: Bihu–Assam, Cheraw–Mizoram, Hojagiri–Tripura, Wangala–Meghalaya, Chang Lo–Nagaland.
- South "Y-T-K": Yakshagana–Karnataka, Theyyam–Kerala, Karakattam–Tamil Nadu (dancers balance a pot on the head).
- Lavani (Maharashtra) and Tamasha go together; Gotipua (Odisha) is performed by young boys dressed as girls and is a precursor of Odissi.
Folk Dances of India MCQs with Answers
- Bihu is the folk dance of? Answer: Assam.
- Cheraw, the bamboo dance, belongs to? Answer: Mizoram.
- Lavani is associated with? Answer: Maharashtra.
- Hojagiri is a folk dance of? Answer: Tripura.
- Yakshagana is from which state? Answer: Karnataka.
- Which folk dance is performed in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal? Answer: Chhau.
- Ghoomar is a folk dance of? Answer: Rajasthan.
- Garba was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in? Answer: 2023.
- Karakattam is a folk dance of? Answer: Tamil Nadu.
- Rouf is a folk dance of? Answer: Jammu and Kashmir.
Common Traps on Folk Dances
- Kathakali and Mohiniyattam are classical dances of Kerala; Theyyam and Oppana are folk.
- Chhau is a folk/tribal dance (UNESCO 2010), not one of the eight classical dances recognised by Sangeet Natak Akademi.
- Dandiya and Garba are both Gujarati; Dandiya uses sticks, Garba is danced around a lamp (garbo).
- Lai Haraoba is a Manipuri ritual folk dance; Manipuri itself is a classical form.
Folk Dances of India State Wise FAQs
What is the difference between folk and classical dance?
Classical dances follow the Natya Shastra and long training; folk dances are community dances tied to harvests, festivals and rituals.
Which is the folk dance of Punjab?
Bhangra (mostly by men) and Giddha (by women).
Which state is famous for Garba?
Gujarat. Garba was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2023.
Which Indian folk dances are on the UNESCO list?
Chhau, Kalbelia, Mudiyettu, Ramman, Sankirtana of Manipur and Garba of Gujarat.
Which is the folk dance of Uttarakhand?
Chholiya (a sword dance), Langvir Nritya, Barada Nati and Jhora.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 03, SSC CHSL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 03, SSC CGL General Awareness Mini Mock Test 01 and RRB NTPC General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 01.
- Job update: SSC CGL 2026.
- Related notes: classical dances of India and their states, musical instruments and their players, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2026 and important days list 2026.
- Browse all study notes.