This community played a big role in preserving Karnataka’s folk song traditions:

Nomadic tribes
Royal courts
Temple priests
Merchant guilds

The correct answer is: A) Nomadic tribes

Nomadic tribes played a big role in preserving Karnataka’s folk song traditions. They would travel from place to place, singing their songs and sharing their stories. This helped to keep the traditions alive and passed down from generation to generation.

Royal courts also played a role in preserving folk song traditions. They would often sponsor musicians and dancers to perform at court, and this helped to keep the traditions alive and in the public eye. However, nomadic tribes were more likely to be the ones who actually performed the songs and passed them down to the next generation.

Temple priests and merchant guilds did not play as big a role in preserving folk song traditions. Temple priests were more focused on religious ceremonies, and merchant guilds were more focused on trade. However, they may have supported nomadic tribes and royal courts in their efforts to preserve folk song traditions.

In conclusion, nomadic tribes played the biggest role in preserving Karnataka’s folk song traditions. They would travel from place to place, singing their songs and sharing their stories. This helped to keep the traditions alive and passed down from generation to generation.