A festival, a war ballad, and a martial art, each tied to a specific Northeast Indian state. A 2018 UPSC question paired all three correctly except one. This article covers where each tradition genuinely belongs.
Cheraw (bamboo) dance performed at Chapchar Kut festival, Aizawl, Mizoram. Government Open Data License – India.
MCQ QuestionsArtnCulture0180 · Northeast Matching Trap
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Only two of the three 2018 tradition-state pairs are genuinely correct
Thang-Ta is the trap: it’s a Manipuri martial art, not from Sikkim.
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Real home state of the Chapchar Kut festival
Cultural Ministry
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Real home state of the Khongjom Parba ballad
Cultural Ministry
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Thang-Ta’s real home state, not Sikkim as claimed
Cultural Ministry
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Year of the Anglo-Manipur War, Khongjom Parba’s subject
Historical Record
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Signature bamboo dance at Mizoram’s Chapchar Kut
Mizoram Culture
✊ Must Know
Three Traditions, Checked Against Their Real States
- Chapchar Kut — Mizoram Chapchar Kut genuinely is Mizoram's biggest festival, celebrated in March after the Jhum (shifting cultivation) season's land-clearing work.
- Khongjom Parba — Manipur Khongjom Parba genuinely is a Manipuri ballad, narrating the 1891 Anglo-Manipur War and the Battle of Khongjom.
- Thang-Ta — actually Manipur, not Sikkim Thang-Ta is a Manipuri martial art, not Sikkim's. This is the trap in the 2018 question.
📘 Good to Know
What Each Tradition Actually Involves
- The Cheraw dance Chapchar Kut's signature dance has performers stepping between clapping bamboo poles, one of Northeast India's most recognised folk dances.
- A drum-backed ballad Khongjom Parba is performed with a Dholak drum, honouring war heroes like General Paona Brajabashi from the 1891 conflict.
- Swords and spears Thang-Ta, also called Huyen Lallong, uses swords (Thang) and spears (Ta). It traces back to ancient Kangleipak, present-day Manipur.
Test Yourself
🌟 Great to Know
The History Behind Each Tradition
- A festival that needed reviving As Jhum cultivation practices changed over time, Chapchar Kut's traditional timing lost some relevance. It was later revived as a formal state-level celebration.
- A war still remembered The 1891 Anglo-Manipur War, the subject of Khongjom Parba, ended in British annexation of Manipur. Its memory is still marked annually as Khongjom Day.
- From battlefield to stage Modern Thang-Ta demonstrations often blend genuine martial technique with performance and dance elements, for cultural showcases beyond its original combat purpose.
📝 Previous Year Questions
Two of Three Pairs Actually Match
- Answer: (b) Only pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched.
- The trap Thang-Ta is actually a Manipuri martial art, not a Sikkim dance. Chapchar Kut-Mizoram and Khongjom Parba-Manipur are both genuine.
- View this question on the full 2018 paper →
Beyond the answer
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