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Q91 (IAS/2014) History & Culture › Heritage & Misc Culture › Traditional music forms Official Key

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

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The Manganiyars are professional Muslim folk musicians belonging to Jaisalmer, Barmer, parts of Jalor, Bikaner and Jodhpur districts[4], which are located in Rajasthan in North-West India. They are known for their rich musical tradition[5]. This community has preserved and performed traditional folk music for generations, making them an integral part of Rajasthan's cultural heritage. The other options are incorrect as Manganiyars are neither associated with martial arts in North-East India, classical vocal music in South India, nor the pietra dura (decorative stone inlay) tradition in Central India. Their identity is specifically linked to the folk musical heritage of North-West India, particularly the desert regions of Rajasthan.

Sources
  1. [1] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzE2MTMEEQQVV/A-community-of-people-called-Manganiyars-is-well-known-for-their-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
  2. [2] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzE2MTMEEQQVV/A-community-of-people-called-Manganiyars-is-well-known-for-their-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
  3. [3] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzE2MTMEEQQVV/A-community-of-people-called-Manganiyars-is-well-known-for-their-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
  4. [4] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzE2MTMEEQQVV/A-community-of-people-called-Manganiyars-is-well-known-for-their-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for their [A] martial arts in North-East India [B] musical tradition in North-We…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This question rewards 'Cultural General Knowledge' over rote textbook learning. It highlights the importance of regional folk traditions (Little Traditions) alongside classical ones. If you knew Rajasthan's desert music or followed cultural news (like the Rajasthan International Folk Festival), this was a 2-second kill.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the community of people called Manganiyars known for martial arts in North-East India?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Manganiyars are professional Muslim folk musicians belonging to Jaisalmer, Barmer, parts of Jalor, Bikaner and Jodhpur districts"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly identifies Manganiyars as professional folk musicians from Rajasthan (North‑West India).
  • Directly contradicts the claim that they are known for martial arts in North‑East India.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"musical tradition in North-West India"
Why this source?
  • Shows the multiple-choice question listing 'musical tradition in North-West India' as the correct option for Manganiyars.
  • Indicates the martial‑arts/North‑East option is not the correct identification.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Manganiyars are a community of musicians predominantly found in the Rajasthan area of North-West India."
Why this source?
  • States Manganiyars are a community of musicians predominantly found in Rajasthan (North‑West India).
  • Reinforces that their notable identity is musical, not martial arts in the North‑East.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: Family and Community > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 148
Strength: 4/5
“• A group of people of a particular religion, region, common work or interest, especially a smaller group, may also be called a community; for instance, 'Mumbai's Parsi community', 'Chennai's Sikh community', 'America's Indian community', 'Kerala's scientific community', 'our school's art community', 'the village's farming community', and so on… The list is endless!• In your school, you may be part of different communities — your class, of course, but also the sports community, the National Service Scheme, the National Cadet Corps, a science or drama club, etc.”
Why relevant

Gives a general definition of 'community' as people linked by region, religion, work or interest — useful for interpreting whether 'Manganiyars' denotes a regional community.

How to extend

A student could use this rule to check whether Manganiyars are defined by a North‑East regional origin (vs. another region) by consulting a map or a community list.

Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > The North-East > p. 126
Strength: 5/5
“In the North-East, regional aspirations reached a turning point in 1980s. This region now consists of eight States. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya, which earlier constituted the North-East region, are often called "the seven sisters". Sikkim, which has been added to the list is– referred to as the 'Brother' to those seven states. The region has only 4 per cent of the country's population but about twice as much share of its area. A small corridor of about 22 kilometers connects the region to the rest of the country. Otherwise the region shares boundaries with China, Myanmar and Bangladesh and serves as India's gateway to South East Asia.”
Why relevant

Lists and bounds the North‑East region (the 'seven sisters' plus Sikkim) — establishes the geographic scope for any claim about a community being 'in North‑East India'.

How to extend

A student could compare the known home region of the Manganiyars (from a gazetteer or map) against this list to see if they fall inside the NE states.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > Table 13.2 > p. 22
Strength: 4/5
“Main Areas of Concentration of Tribal Population • 1.: 2.; The North Eastern Region (NER): The Central Tribal Belt; Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and West Bengal. • 1.: 3.; The North Eastern Region (NER): Other States and Union Territories; Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.”
Why relevant

Provides a table of tribal population concentrations in the North‑Eastern Region — implies that many recognized communities in the NE are tribal and regionally concentrated.

How to extend

Use this pattern to check whether Manganiyars appear among listed NE communities/tribes or are instead associated with other regions.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 16: India–Political Aspects > Terrorism in North-eastern India > p. 55
Strength: 3/5
“North Eastern India consists of seven states (also known as the seven sisters): Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura. Tension exists between these states and the Central Government, as well as amongst the tribal people, who are natives of these states, and migrant peoples from other parts of India. The states have accused New Delhi of ignoring the issues concerning them. It is this feeling which has led to the greater participation of the natives of these states in self governance. There are existing territorial disputes between Manipur and Nagaland. There is a rise of insurgent activities and regional movements in the northeast, especially in the states of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.”
Why relevant

Describes the North‑East as composed of specific states and highlights distinctive native tribal populations — suggests that claims about a community in the NE should align with documented tribal/regional groups.

How to extend

A student could test the statement by seeing if Manganiyars are documented among native NE tribes or are known from other parts of India.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > The Nagas > p. 35
Strength: 2/5
“The Nagas (population about 2 million) are one of the largest and politically awakened tribes of north east India. Their cultural core is Nagaland where they account for about 86.5% of the total population. The spatial distribution of some of the important tribes of north east India including that of Nagas has been shown in (Fig. 13.10). They are in good numerical strength in Manipur, followed by Assam, and Meghalaya. They are also found in the border districts of Myanmar. Their terrain is characterised by the serrated ridges of the Brail Range and the Arakan Yoma. Nagaland has a cold winter and moderately hot and humid summer.”
Why relevant

Gives an example (the Nagas) of a prominent, regionally concentrated tribe in the NE with distinct cultural identity — shows that well‑known NE communities are usually local tribal groups.

How to extend

Compare Manganiyars' cultural/ethnic profile against examples like the Nagas to judge plausibility of them being a martial NE community.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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