Q. With reference to India, the terms ‘Halbi, Ho and Kui’ pertain to

• Dance forms of Northwest India
• Musical instruments
• Pre-historic cave paintings
• Tribal languages

Answer: (d) Tribal languages

Notes:

• Halbi, also known as Bastari, is an Eastern Indo-Aryan language and is spoken by tribes across the central part of India. 
  • It is written in Devanagari and Odia script, however it is used mainly as an oral language, particularly for trade, and few Habli speakers can read and write their language.  
• Ho is tribal language, which is written in Warang Chiti script. It is the mother tongue of nearly 10 lakh tribal people living in Odisha and Jharkhand. 
• Kui is a South-Eastern Dravidian language spoken by the Kandhas. It is mostly spoken in Odisha, and written in the Odia script.
  • The Kui language was also referred to as the Kuinga language during the historical period. It is closely related to the Gondi and Kuvi languages. 

Dance forms of Northwest India

• Garba (Gujarat):
  • A dance festival held during Navratri in Gujarat and other parts of northwest India. The dance symbolizes the womb and celebrates life, while the circle of the dance represents the cycle of life.
• Bhangra (Punjab):
  • A folk dance from Punjab that originated as a celebratory dance during the spring harvest festival of Vaisakhi. It has become a global phenomenon.
• Dandiya (Gujarat):
  • Dandiya is the folk dance of Gujarat, which shows the great vigor and joy of the in habitants of the North West State of India.
  • Dressed in colorful costumes, the people of the desert play dandiya gracefully, by holding big sticks in their hands (used as the prop for the dance). The dances are accompanied by the musical instrument called the ‘Meddale’, which is played by the drummer positioned in the centre.
• Tarpha Nach:
  • ‘Tarpha Nach’ or ‘Pavri Nach‘ is the dance of the Kokna tribals native to the hilly regions of the north-west India. These dances derive their names from the wind instruments of ‘Tharpa’ or ‘Pavri’, which are made of dried gourd, played during the dance performance.
  • During the dance performance, the performers stand in a close formation, holding each other by the waist, and then dance to the tune played by the wind instruments, gracefully. The dances are performed by men alone as well, who form pyramids or rapidly revolve a dancer round a stout pole.
• Tera Tali (Rajasthan):
  • Native to the ‘Kamar’ tribe of North West India, Tera Tali is performed by two or three women.
  • The performers sit on the ground while performing the Tera Tali, which is an elaborate ritual, followed in the region. Small metal cymbals called ‘Manjiras’ are tied to different parts of the body, mostly on the legs, of the dance performer. The dancers hold the metal cymbals in their hands and strike them in a rhythmic manner.
• Tippani dance:
  • The Tippani dance originated in the Chorwad region of Saurashtra. Working women take a wooden rod (sometimes tipped with iron at one end) and beat the floor with it.
• Padhar dance:
  • The Padhar dance is performed by the Padhar community.

Cave paintings

• The Ambadevi rock shelters have the oldest cave paintings in India, dating back to 25,000 years.
• The Bhimbetka rock shelters are dated to about 8,000 BC.
• In Tamil Nadu, ancient Paleolithic Cave paintings are found in Kombaikadu, Kilvalai, Settavarai and Nehanurpatti.
• In Odisha they are found in Yogimatha and Gudahandi.
• In Karnataka, these paintings are found in Hiregudda near Badami.