With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements: 1. It is a song and dance performance. 2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance. 3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is B. Statements 1 and 3 are correct, and statement 2 is not.

• Statement 1 is correct. Manipuri Sankirtana is a devotional form that combines congregational singing with rhythmic dance, performed in temples and courtyards as a religious offering.
• Statement 2 is wrong. Cymbals (kartal) are indeed used, but the principal drum is the pung, a barrel-shaped drum, and it is central to the performance. Cymbals are not the only instrument.
• Statement 3 is correct. The texts and performances narrate the life, leelas and deeds of Lord Krishna, especially the Radha-Krishna themes rooted in Vaishnavite bhakti.

The core concept is Vaishnavite bhakti, which reached Manipur through the influence of Chaitanya and was shaped locally by the Manipuri Vaishnava tradition. For Mains GS-I (art and culture, and the bhakti movement), it is a good example of how a pan-Indian movement took a distinct regional form. UNESCO inscribed Sankirtana on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.

Trap: aspirants see the cymbals in the description and assume they are the only instrument. Remember that the pung drum is equally essential.