Musical Instruments Questions and Answers

Answer: D

The Damama is a folk instrument of Uttarakhand, the last option.

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have other folk instruments. The key gives Uttarakhand for the Damama, a large kettledrum. A damama is a big kettledrum played with sticks, and it belongs to the family of the nakkara. In Uttarakhand it is used in the hill traditions and in processions, along with the dhol. The other three states are the homes of other folk instruments, so the key gives Uttarakhand for this one.

Answer: A

The Dhaunsa is a kind of Nakkara, the first option. It is a large kettledrum of the folk tradition.

The Pakhawaj, Nal and Tabla are different drums, so the Dhaunsa is not a kind of them. The Nakkara family of kettledrums was played in pairs and was used in the Naubat Khana of courts and at fairs and processions. Dhaunsa is a large drum of the same kind, played with sticks and heard in the folk music of the north. The Pakhawaj is a barrel-shaped drum, the Nal is a drum with two heads played with the hands and the Tabla is a pair of drums.

Answer: C

The Vipanchi veena had nine strings, which is option (C). Bharata describes two harps in his Natyashastra, the seven-stringed Chitra veena and the nine-stringed Vipanchi veena, and the latter was played with a plectrum. The numbers 7 (A), 8 (B) and 12 (D) are not the count given for the Vipanchi, and 7 is the count for the Chitra veena. This question belongs to Part I of the paper, the section common to all candidates, which tests general knowledge of Indian music: its theory, history, instruments, texts and artists. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: A

The Ektantri veena was called Ghoshak, which is option (A). This is the key's answer from the ancient lists of veenas. Vitantri (B) suggests a different number of strings, and Ghraasaktaa (C) is not a name of a veena, while Alaabu Veena (D) is the gourd veena, a separate name. This question belongs to Part I of the paper, the section common to all candidates, which tests general knowledge of Indian music: its theory, history, instruments, texts and artists. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: D

The sitar evolved from the Tri Tantri veena, which is option (D). According to tradition, Amir Khusrau adapted the Persian setar, a three-stringed instrument, to the Indian tantri veena, and the name is the same as the Persian setar. The Kachchhapi veena (A), Ghoshwati veena (B) and Ek Tantri veena (C) are other veenas and not the ancestor of the sitar. This question belongs to Part I of the paper, the section common to all candidates, which tests general knowledge of Indian music: its theory, history, instruments, texts and artists. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: D

The instrument without sarika is the Sur Singaar, which is option (D). Sarikas are the frets on the fingerboard of the sitar, surbahar and vichitra veena. The sursingar is a fretless instrument played with a glass or a bone piece. So Surbahar (A), Sitar (B) and Vichitra Veena (C) all have frets. This question belongs to Part I of the paper, the section common to all candidates, which tests general knowledge of Indian music: its theory, history, instruments, texts and artists. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: B

The Natyashastra calls instruments by the name Aatadya, which is option (B). Bharata groups the instruments as tata, avanaddha, ghana and sushira in Atodya. Vadya (A), Pushkar (C) and Dunduvi (D) are other words for an instrument or for a drum and are not the Natyashastra's general name. This question belongs to Part I of the paper, the section common to all candidates, which tests general knowledge of Indian music: its theory, history, instruments, texts and artists. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: A

The Shruti Darpan Vaadya was invented by Kailash Chandradev Vrihaspati, which is option (A). The key names him for this instrument for demonstrating the shrutis. S.N. Ratanjankar (B), Sharangdev (C) and Bharat (D) are not its inventors. This question belongs to Part II of the paper, the Hindustani music section, which tests the theory, texts, instruments, ragas and talas of the Hindustani tradition. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: C

The matching is 1-ii, 2-i, 3-iv, 4-iii, which is option (C). The Bhoomi dundubhi is a drum, an avanaddha instrument. The Rudra veena is a stringed instrument, tat. The clarionet is a wind instrument, sushir, and the israj is a bowed stringed instrument, tat. The other options pair the clarionet or the drum with the wrong class. This question belongs to Part II of the paper, the Hindustani music section, which tests the theory, texts, instruments, ragas and talas of the Hindustani tradition. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.

Answer: C

The matching is I-4, II-1, III-2, IV-3, which is option (C). Nantuni is a stringed instrument, kombu is a wind instrument, chenda is a drum and tavitra is paired with nagaswaram in the key. The other options exchange these classes. This question belongs to Part III of the paper, the Karnatak music section, which tests the theory, compositions, composers and talas of the Karnatak tradition. The answer follows the final UGC answer key issued after the grievances, and a candidate should learn the keyed answer together with the facts that separate it from the other options, since the options in this subject are often names or terms of the same kind.