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Ábout katha dance KATHAK - A CLASSICAL DANCE OF NORTHERN INDIA
by David Courtney
Kathak is the major classical dance form of northern India. The word kathak means "to tell a story". It is derived from the dance dramas of ancient India. When the patronage shifted from the temples to the royal court, there was a change in the overall emphasis. The emphasis shifted from the telling of religious stories to one of entertainment. Today, the story-telling aspect has been downgraded and the dance is primarily an abstract exploration of rhythm and movement.
Kathak was primarily associated with an institution known as the tawaif. This is a much misunderstood institution of female entertainers, very much like the geisha tradition of Japan. It was a profession which demanded the highest standards of training, intelligence, and most important, civility. It is said that it was common for royalty to send their children to the tawaifs for instruction in etiquette. Unfortunately, when the British consolidated their hold over India during the Victorian era, this great institution was branded as mere prostitution and was outlawed. This set the artform of kathak into a downward spiral that was not reversed until Independence when there was a reawakening in interest in traditional Indian artforms.
There are three main gharanas, or schools of kathak. These schools are named according to the geographical area in which they developed. These are the Jaipur, Lucknow, and the Benares gharanas. Each has a slight difference in interpretation and repertoire.
Musical Instruments Used To Accompany Kathak
Bansuri Dilruba Esraj Ghungharu Harmonium Pakhawaj Santur Sarangi Sarod Sitar Surmandal Tabla Tanpura
What is Kathak Dance?
Kathak is among the six major classical dances of India and one of the most dynamic theater arts in the world. The word Kathak is derived from katha, meaning "the art of storytelling." It is also synonymous with the community of artists known as Kathakas whose hereditary profession it was to narrate history while entertaining. With dance, music and mime these storytellers of ancient India would bring to life the great scriptures and epic so ancient times, especially the great Indian epics - the Mahabharata and the Ramayana - and the Puranas of Sanskrit literature.
From its early form as a devotional expression dedicated to the Hindu gods, Kathak gradually moved out of the temples and into the courts of the rulers; the Hindu maharajas and the Muslim nawabs (kings). With these rulers' cultural wealth and preoccupation with lavish entertainment, a class of dancing girls and courtesans emerged to entertain the palaces. Much later, during the mid-1800's, Kathak enjoyed a renaissance and gained prominence among the kings and zamindars (feudal overlords) not only as a form of entertainment, but as a classical art form. In the Hindu courts of the vast semi-desert of the principality of Rajasthan, kathak developed in the Jaipur gharana (school), a regional style emphasizing the technical mastery of pure dance. To the east in the court of Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Oudh and himself a student of Kathak, the dance emphasized dramatic and sensuous expression and developed into the style characteristic of the Lucknow gharana. This gharana is said to have originated with Wajid Ali Shah's court dancer Thakur Prasadji.
The lineage of Kathak dance can be traced from generation to generation, father to son, guru to disciple. Thakur Prasadji's nephews, Binda Din Maharaj and Kalka Prasad, excelled in the study of Kathak. Binda Din's three nephews, Achhan, Lacchu and Shambhu Maharaj, helped carry the Kathak tradition into the twentieth century. Achhan Maharaj, and upon his death, Shambhu Maharaj, had among his many disciples Ram Narayan Misra and Prohlad Das, respectively guru and father of Chitresh Das.
Famous Kathak Dancers
Pandit Birju Maharaj
The most eminent Kathak dancer of recent times is Pandit Birju Maharaj. He is the only son and disciple of Shri Achyan Maharaj and is a competent inheritor of the Lucknow Gharana. Birju Maharaj is a very talented and dignified personality. He is a born artist.
Born in the family of hereditary dancers, Birju Maharaj is the torch bearer of the famous family, Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow, which has been serving the art of Kathak dance through century’s togather. Not only on India, he is familiarly known abroad, nearly all over the world.
He is a wonderful singer having command over, Thumri, Dadra, Bhajan and
Ghazals and is also superb drummer, playing nearly all drums with ease and precision. He has given a new dimension to Kathak, by experimenting this technique in the application of dance-dramas, which has become very successful medium for mass propagation. As a choreographer he is the finest in the country today. His bold and intellectual compositions in traditional themes are brilliant, whereas his contemporary works are also refreshing in concept, crisp and entertaining.
He directed and composed music and sung playback for two classical dance sequences in the film, 'The Chess Players' directed by Satyajit Ray. A measure of his genius is the fact that at the age of 28 years, he received the Sangeet Natak Akademy Award. In 1986, he received the prestigious 'Padma Bibhushan' tittle from the goverment of India. He also received the 'Kalidas' award. He is also a recipient of 'Nehru Fellowship' in the name of India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He is an instituition in himself. Currently, he is the chief faculty at Delhi's Kathak Kendra.
Sitara Devi
Sitara Devi is among the great dancers of modern India. Born in Calcutta, she was trained in Kathak by her father Shri Sukhdev Maharaj Misra and by masters of Lucknow gharana including Achhan Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj and Shambu Maharaj. She has combined the traditions of Banaras and Lucknow in her performance of Kathak.
An exhaustive treatment of the entire gamut of nritta, sometimes in different talas, interspersed with gats of lyrical beauty and compositions of dramatic intensity followed by moving renditions of thumris and Bhajans constitute the format of her hours long performances, characterized by an electrifying energy. In many ways she represents a lost era of complete Kathak
performed all night with the accompaniment of masters of Tabla like Kanthe Maharaj, Samta Prasad and Kishan Maharaj.
Sitara Devi has danced extensively in India and abroad contributing to the popularization of the art. She has also been an actess and dancer in films since the silent era. In a class of her own, she continues to inspire her audience and fellow artists.
She has been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1969) and the Padma Shri.
Shovana Narayan (Padmashri)
An exquisite diamond of her art style, intense and passionate, elegant yet vibrant, effortlessly spanning centuries of Kathak heritage as she does her dance space, Shovana Narayan is sheer poetry and sublime joy transcending boundaries. She is not only India’s most celebrated Kathak Guru and Maestro of the present age but she has also become a living legend who has blazed a trail in Kathak, re-defining the ethos and vocabulary of Kathak bestowing it with dignity and enriching it with a deeper and wider canvas of expression and dimensions. Every fibre of her body lives and breathes dance. Her performances are intimate yet pristine. A consummate artiste and choreographer, a revered guru to her disciples and an intellectual, she combines artistry with keen observation and humanism.
internationally known Indian and western dancers and musicians. She has performed before several Heads of States and Governments all over the world.
In her career spanning several decades that has seen her mesmerizing audiences all over the world in several prestigious national and international festivals, she has been conferred with numerous awards, outstanding among which are the Padmashri Award for excellence and outstanding contribution to dance by the President of India in 1992 and yet again the Sangeet Natak Akademi award by the President of India in 1999-2000. Some of the other awards won by her include Delhi Govt’s Parishad Samman, Rajiv Gandhi Puraskar, Bihar Gaurav Puraskar, Indira Priyadarshini Samman, Kelvinator’s GR8Award, Rotary International Award, International Congress of Women and Japan’s Oisca Award.
Malabika Mitra
A front-ranking Kathak dancer, Malabika Mitra received her initial training from Pandit Ramgopal Mishra of Jaipur Gharana. Later she continued her training under Vijay Shankar and Om Prakash Maharaj. Malabika Mitra has grown into a performer of notable accomplishment with a fine grasp of the technical intricacies of Kathak as well as abhinaya. Her performance shows an assimilation of the features of the different schools of Kathak in which she has been trained.
Malabika Mitra has been featured in a number of dance festivals in the country including Kathak Mahotsava in Delhi and the ghungroo Festival and
Kathak Prasang in Bhopal. She has also been featured in the Festival of India in the USSR.
Kumudini Lakhiya
Kumudini Lakhiya started her career when Kathak was loosing its reputation and interest among public. Ram Gopal who was one of famous dancer those days took her in his tour for performance abroad. In that tour she got appreciation both in Europe and America. She performed in Edinburgh festival in 1956 with Shri Ram Gopal. There they performed the dance 'story of Tajmahal'. She learned Kathak under Guru Rahdhe Lal Mishra (Jaipur School), Ashique Husain, Sunder Prasad. She got National Scholarship to continue further training with Guru Shambhu Maharaj from Ministry of Culture. She worked with Pandit Birju Maharfj. All artists who worked with her were impressed with her creative thinking. She started 'Kadamb' institute in Ahemdabad city after she got married with Shri Rajni
Lakhiya. She was also in contact with Shri Ram Bhartiya Kala Kendra. In 1980 Kumudini Lakhiya was honored with Gujrat State award for Music and Dance and in 1982 from National Sangeet Natak Academy award.
Manisha Gulyani
Manisha Gulyani was born on 14th September 1985. This versatile Kathak Dancer of Jaipur Gharna began her training in Kathak Kendra under the guidance of Dr. Shashi Sankhla. Presently, she is enhancing her kathak skills under her guru PT. GIRDHARI MAHARAJ. She has also performed in numerous dance shows in India, such as: Khajuraho DanceFestival, Kathak Samaroh Rajasthan Utsav, Vindhya Utsav etc. Manisha has danced in a composition 'Vande Mataram' under the Direction of Pt. Birju Maharaj. She has also choreographed for a chineese movie and various Dance shows and has participated and organized various Kathak workshops.
She is not just a good Kathak Dancer but she also has good command
over other Indian Film and Folk Dances like Chari , Ghoomer, Kalbeliya, Mand, Gair,Garba,Dandiya, Gidda, Kashmiri-Doongri, Pahari, Bengali, Odiya and few Tribal dances as well.
Kartik Ram - Kalyan Das
They were born in Mhanwarmal village in Bilaspur in 1910. One can not say keeping them apart. Both dancers lived like one soul in two bodies. Initially they were trained by Pandit Shivnarayan, later by Shri Jaipal, Lachchhu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj also gave Kathak knowledge to them. Kartik Ram and Kalyan Das of them were expert in folk dances, which also make their Kathak dance more creative. King of Raigarh gave them financial protection. He also arranged music training for them. Exponent singers from Kathak world Shri Jailal and Shri Achchhan Maharaj educated them for singing. Till King Chakkradhar Singh lived no one could able to compete Kartik Ram and Kalyan Das in dance. Now very few people know about them. Later on they worked as teachers in Indra Kala Sangeet Vidyalaya,
Khairagarh and in Chakradhar Nritya Kendra, Bhopal.
Bharatanatyam Kathak Kathakali Kuchipudi Mayil attam Mohiniyattam Odissi Manipuri Carnatic Music Hindustani Music Instrumental Music Tanjore painting Photography
Kathak Dance
Kathak is one of the most important classical dances of India. Kathak is said to be derived from the word katha, meaning "the art of storytelling." The Kathak dance form originated in north India and was very similar to the Bharatnatyam dance form. In ancient India, there were Kathakars or bards who used to recite religious and mythological tales to the accompaniment music, mime and dance.
Under the influence of Persian and Muslim traditions Kathak dance assumed the form of courtly entertainment. Under the patronage of medieval rulers and Nawabs a class of dancing girls and courtesans emerged to entertain the palaces and courts. Medieval traditions imparted Kathak a distinct Hindu-Muslim texture. Thus, with the passage of time Kathak went on changing its form and character. This change was also reflected in the dress of Kathak dance.
During the nineteenth century Kathak enjoyed a revival and gained prominence among the kings and zamindars (feudal lords) not only as a form of entertainment but also as a classical art form. Slowly and gradually Gharanas or schools of Kathak emerged. The Jaipur Gharana of Kathak emphasized technical mastery of pure dance. In the court of Wajid Ali Shah, the Nawab of Oudh (a student of Kathak), Kathak dance emphasized dramatic and sensuous expression and developed into a distinct style called the Lucknow Gharana. This Gharana is said to have originated with Wajid Ali Shah's court dancer Thakur Prasadji.
Kathak dances are performed straight-legged and the ankle bells worn by the dancers are skillfully controlled. In Kathak dance the emphasis is more on footwork as against hasta mudras or hand formations in Bharatnatyam dance. Kathak dance can be performed by both men and women. A Kathak dancer is not required strictly to stick to fixed steps and stages in. He or she can change the sequence of steps to suit his or her skill and style of dancing. Modern exponents of Kathak dance are Birju Maharaj and Uma Sharma.
Kathak (Hindi: कथक) is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual dances, and the influence of the bhakti movement. From the 16th century onwards it absorbed certain features of Persian dance and Central Asian dance which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era. The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means he who tells a story, or to do with stories. The name of the form is properly कत्थक katthak, with the geminated dental to show a derived form, but this has since simplified to modern-day कथक kathak. kathaa kahe so kathak is a saying many teachers pass on to their pupils, which is generally translated, 's/he who tells a story, is a kathak', but which can also be translated, 'that which tells a story, that is 'Kathak.' There are three major schools or gharanas of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage: the gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow and Benares (born in the courts of the Kachwaha Rajput kings, the Nawab of Oudh, and Varanasi respectively) ; there is also a less prominent (and later) Raigarh gharana which amalgamated technique from all three preceding gharanas but became famous for its own distinctive compositions. Contents [hide] 1 Repertoire 1.1 Pure Dance (Nritta) 1.2 Expressive Dance (Nritya) 2 History of Kathak 2.1 Change in the Bhakti Era 2.2 In the Mughal Period 2.3 Later court influences 2.4 During the Raj 2.5 Today 3 Gharanas 3.1 Lucknow Gharana 3.2 Jaipur Gharana 3.3 Benares Gharana 3.4 Raigarh Gharana 4 Relationship with other art forms 4.1 Kathak Yoga 4.2 Flamenco 5 Ghunghru 6 Costume 6.1 Female costume 6.2 Male costume 7 Prominent Artists and SNA Awardees 8 See also 9 References 10 External links [edit]Repertoire
[edit]Pure Dance (Nritta) The structure of a conventional Kathak performance tends to follow a progression in tempo from slow to fast, ending with a dramatic climax. A short danced composition is known as a tukra, a longer one as a toda. There are also compositions consisting solely of footwork. Often the performer will engage in rhythmic 'play' with the time-cycle, for example splitting it into triplets or quintuplets which will be marked out on the footwork, so that it is in counterpoint to the rhythm on the percussion. All compositions are performed so that the final step and beat of the composition lands on the 'sam' (pronounced as the English word 'sum' and meaning even or equal, archaically meaning nil) or first beat of the time-cycle. Most compositions also have 'bols' (rhythmic words) which serve both as mnemonics to the composition and whose recitation also forms an integral part of the performance. This recitation is known as padhant. Some compositions are aurally very interesting when presented this way. The bols can be borrowed from tabla (e.g. dha, ge, na, 'ti' 'na' 'ka' 'dhi na') or can be a dance variety (ta, thei, tat, ta ta, tigda, digdig, tram theyi and so on). Often tukras are composed to highlight specific aspects of the dance, for example gait, or use of corners and diagonals, and so on. A popular tukra type is the chakkarwala tukra, showcasing the signature spins of Kathak. Because they are generally executed on the heel, these differ from ballet's pirouettes (which are properly executed on the toe or ball of the foot). The spins usually manifest themselves at the end of the tukra, often in large numbers: five, nine, fifteen, or more, sequential spins are common. These tukras are popular with audiences because they are visually exciting and are executed at great speed. Other compositions can be further particularised as follows:
Music to Kathak is normally provided by tabla and sitar players
Vandana, the dancer begins with an invocation to the gods;
Thaat, the first composition of a traditional performance; the dancer performs short plays with the time-cycle, finishing on sam in a statuesque standing (thaat) pose;
Aamad, from the Persian word meaning 'entry'; the first introduction of spoken rhythmic pattern or bol in to the performance;
Salaami, related to Ar. 'salaam' - a salutation to the audience in the Muslim style;
Kavitt, a poem set on a time-cycle; the dancer will perform movements that echo the meaning of the poem;
Paran, a composition using bols from the pakhawaj instead of only dance or tabla bols;
Parmelu or Primalu, a composition using bols reminiscent of sounds from nature, such as kukuthere (birds), jhijhikita (sound of ghunghru), tigdadigdig (strut of peacock) etc.;
Gat, from the word for 'gait, walk' showing abstract visually beautiful gaits or scenes from daily life;
Lari, a footwork composition consisting of variations on a theme, and ending in a tihai;
Tihai, usually a footwork composition consisting of a long set of bols repeated thrice so that the very last bol ends dramatically on 'sam'.
[edit]Expressive Dance (Nritya)
Aside from the traditional expressive or abhinaya pieces performed to a bhajan, ghazal or thumri, Kathak also possesses a particular performance style of expressional pieces called bhaav bataanaa (lit. 'to show bhaav or 'feeling'). It is a mode where abhinaya dominates, and arose in the Mughal court. It is more suited to the mehfil or the darbar environment, because of the proximity of the performer to the audience, who can more easily see the nuances of the dancer's facial expression. Consequently, it translates to the modern proscenium stage with difficulty. A thumri is sung, and once the mood is set, a line from the thumri is interpreted with facial abhinaya and hand movements while seated. This continues for an indefinite period, limited only by the dancer's interpretative abilities. Shambhu Maharaj was known to interpret a single line in many different ways for hours but all the Maharaj family (Acchan Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj and Achhan Maharaj's son Birju Maharaj) have found much fame for the naturalness and innovativeness of their abhinaya.
[edit]History of Kathak
This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (April 2009)
The story of Kathak begins in ancient times with the performances of professional story-tellers called kathakas who recited or sang stories from epics and mythology with some elements of dance. The traditions of the kathakas were hereditary, and dances passed from generation to generation. There are literary references from the third and fourth centuries BC which refer to these kathakas. The two texts are in the archives of Kameshwar Library at Mithila.
An extract runs as follows:
maggasirasuddhapakkhe nakkhhate varanaseeye nayareeye uttarpuratthime diseebhage gangaye mahanadeeye tate savvokathako bhingarnatenam teese stuti kayam yehi raya adinaho bhavenam passayi (Prakrit text, 4th century BC).
Translation:
in the month of margashirsha, in the shukla-paksha nakshatra, to the north west of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges, the shringar dance of the kathaks in praise of God pleased Lord Adinatha.
A 3rd century BC Sanskrit shloka (Mithila, late Mauryan period): ...anahat...nrityadharmam kathakacha devalokam... Translation: ...sound...and the Kathaks whose duty is dance for the divine peoples
There are also two verses from the Mahabharata which also refer to Kathaks: Kathakscapare rajan sravanasca vanaukasahadivyakhyanani ye ca'pi pathanti madhuram dvijaha (Mahabharata, verse 1.206.2-4, Adiparva) Translation: With the king on the way to the forest were the Kathakas pleasing to the eyes and ears as they sang and narrated sweetly.
Noted Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan, recipient of the Padma Shri Shovana Narayan notes: 'Here the emphasis on ‘pleasing to the eyes’ is indication of the performing aspect of the Kathakas.' The other verse is in the Anusasanika Parva. In the post-Christian era, there is also reference to Kathak in the Harsha-charita of Bana. By the 13th century a definite style had emerged and soon technical features like mnemonic syllables and bol developed. In the 15th-16th century at the time the Bhakti movement, Rasalilas had a tremendous impact on Kathak. The form of dance even made its way to the Kathavachakas who performed in temples. [edit]Change in the Bhakti Era During the era of fervent worship of Radha-Krishna, Kathak was used to narrate tales from the lives of these figures. Popular performances included Sri Krishna’s exploits in the holy land of Vrindavan, and tales of Krishna-Leela (Krishna’s childhood). It was in this time, the dance moved away from the spirituality of the temple and began to be influenced by folk elements. [edit]In the Mughal Period It was when the dance reached the Mughal court after the 16th century that Kathak began to acquire its distinctive shape and features. Here it encountered other different forms of dance and music, most especially dancers from Persia. Dancers were enticed from the temples to the courts by gifts of gold, jewels and royal favour. Patronage soared as a social class of dancers and courtiers emerged in the royal palaces, where dance competitions were held frequently. The environment of the North Indian Mughal courts caused a shift in focus for Kathak, from a purely religious art form to court entertainment. Dancers imported from the Middle East spread their ideas to Kathak dancers, as they borrowed ideas from Kathak to implement in their own dance. Kathak absorbed the new input, adapting it until it became an integral part of its own vocabulary. Kathak began to shift away from other traditional Indian dances, such as Bharatanatyam. The demi-plié stance of most other Indian dance forms gave way to straight legs taken from the Persian dancers. To emphasize the flamboyant and elaborate rhythmic footwork as many as 150 ankle bells on each leg were worn. It was also during this period that the signature 'chakkars' (spins) of Kathak were introduced, possibly influenced by the so-called whirling dervishes. The straight-legged position gave a new vitality to the footwork, which wove percussive rhythms in its own right, whether together with or in complement to the tabla or pakhawaj. By this stage, the varied influences had introduced great flexibility into Kathak in terms of presentation and narrative dance. As it moved away from the temple through folk dances to the court, it gathered many accretions of the themes on which the narrative dance could treat, resulting in a broader catchment of material for abhinaya pieces, and a less stylised and slightly informal presentation style which often incorporated improvisation and suggestions from the courtly audience. The fusion of cultures developed Kathak in a singular manner, but although it was by now substantially different from the other Indian dance forms, the roots of the style remained the same, and as such it still displays a consanguineity with the others, particularly in the hand-formations during story-telling, and some of the body-postures, for example the tribhangi position, which is common to most Indian dance forms. [edit]Later court influences Many emperors and princely rulers contributed to the growth and development of Kathak into different gharanas, or schools of dance, named after the cities in which they developed. The Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah, not only enjoyed giving patronage to dancers, but danced himself, taught by Durga Prasad. He himself choreographed a dance, Rahas, that he danced himself with the ladies of his court. He brought teachers to his palaces, aiding the expansion of technical vocabulary, and formed the basis of the Lucknow gharana, emphasizing sensuous, expressive emotion. The Lucknow gharana placed emphasis on the abhinaya and natya elements or expressional qualities of the dancing; it was famed for its subtlety and grace (nazakat). This contrasted sharply with the Jaipur gharana, which became renowned for highly intricate and complex footwork, and fast, sharp, and accurate dancing. Even after the Mughuls, courts in Rajasthan enjoyed Kathak as a sophisticated art form, fostering the growth of the Jaipur gharana. The Benares gharana was also created in this time. During this period, Kathak was also extensively performed by tawaifs, who themselves developed the art in parallel to its refinement in court. They frequently performed abhinaya on lighter classical music of such as dadra, kajri and tappa as well as thumri. Given the tawaifs' environment, their performance style of Kathak also differed from the court style, involving more of what in Kathak is termed naKhra ('mischievous playfulness'). As the dance teachers of these tawaifs were also often the dance teachers of the court dancers, there was a fairly free interchange of ideas between the two milieus, and this helped consolidate the repertoire of Kathak. [edit]During the Raj The advent of British Rule in India sent Kathak into sharp decline. The Victorian administrators publicly pronounced it a base and unlovely form of entertainment, despite often privately enjoying the pleasures of the tawaif. Indeed, by associating Kathak solely with the tawaifs and then associating the tawaifs with out-and-out prostitution, Kathak acquired an unwholesome image: the entirely British concept of nautch. Kathak was, to Victorian eyes, an entertainment designed solely for the purposes of seduction. During these times of cultural hardship, the role of the tawaifs in preserving the art forms should not be underestimated. Famous tawaifs such as Gauhar Jan were instrumental in the maintenance and continuation of Kathak, even as it was officially denigrated by the prevailing political opinion. Kathak first received world's attention in the early 20th century through Kalka Prasad Maharaj, whose sons Acchan, Lacchhu and Shambhu Maharaj, went on carry forward the tradition for the next generation, both as dancers in their own right and later as dance gurus.[1] [edit]Today Today, Kathak has regained its popularity after the period of decline during the rule of the British Empire (where it was frowned upon by Victorian administrators), and it is now one of the eight officially sanctioned classical dance forms of India. Kathak's current form is a synthesis of all the input it has had in the past: court and romantic aspects sit comfortably side-by-side with the temple and mythological/religious. The work of the Maharaj family of dancers (Acchan Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj and one of the great current dancers still alive today, Birju Maharaj) and his students including Saswati Sen have been very successful in spreading the popularity of Kathak. Another disciple of Acchan Maharaj is Sitara Devi, daughter of Sukhdev Maharaj of Banaras. Her lively, zestful and fiery performances have impressed many audiences. Shambhu Maharaj also trained Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, who, along with Birju Maharaj, has introduced the relative innovation of multi-person choreographies in Kathak, which was traditionally a solo dance form. She has gained a strong reputation for combining purely classical movements and style with distinctly contemporary use of space.Rajashree Shirke, a disciple of Madhurita Sarang (who in turn is a disciple of Birju Maharaj), is playing a pioneer role in reviving the age-old of tradition of story telling in temples by Kathakars. [edit]Gharanas
Because of the linear nature of the passing of knowledge from guru to shishya, certain stylistic and technical features began to fossilise and became hallmarks of a particular school, guru or group of teachers. The different styles are known as gharanas, and these are: [edit]Lucknow Gharana The Lucknow Gharana of Kathak dance came into existence mainly in the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah the ruler of Awadh in the early 19th century. It was in this period that the Lucknow gharana of Kathak attained maturity and perfection. This was due to the pioneering efforts of Thakur Prasad Maharaj, the court dancer and guru of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah and subsequently by his illustrious sons Bindadin Maharaj and Kalkadin Maharaj. Kalkadin Maharajji’s sons Achchan Maharaj, Lachu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj also contributed to the further development of this gharana style. The Lucknow style or Kathak dance is characterized by graceful movements, elegance and natural poise with dance. Artistically designed dance compositions, emotive vocal compositions like thumri-s, dadra-s, hori-s along with abhinaya (expressional acting) and creative improvisions are the hallmarks of this style. Presently, Pandit Briju Maharaj (son of Achchan Maharajji) is considered the chief representative of this gharana. [edit]Jaipur Gharana The Jaipur Gharana developed in the courts of the Kachchwaha kings of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Importance is placed on the more technical aspects of dance, such as complex and powerful footwork, multiple spins, and complicated compositions in different talas. There is also a greater incorporation of compositions from the pakhawaj, such as parans. [edit]Benares Gharana The Benares Gharana was developed by Janakiprasad. It is characterized by the exclusive use of the natwari or dance bols, which are different from the tabla and the pakhawaj bols. There are differences in the thaat and tatkaar, and chakkars are kept at a minimum but are often taken from both the right- and the left-hand sides with equal confidence. There is also a greater use of the floor, for example, in the taking of sam. [edit]Raigarh Gharana This was established by the Maharaja Chakradhar Singh in the princely state of Raigarh in Chhatisgarh in the early 20th century. The Maharaja invited many luminaries of Kathak (as well as famous percussionists) to his court, including Kalka Prasad (the father of Acchan, Lacchu and Shambhu Maharaj) and his sons, and Pandit Jailal from Jaipur gharana. The confluence of different styles and artists created a unique environment for the development of new Kathak and tabla compositions drawn from various backgrounds.Some of renowned dancers of this gharana are Late Pt.Kartik Ram,Late Pt.Phirtu Maharaj,Late Pt.Kalyaandas Mahant,Late Pt.Barmanlak,Pt.Ramlal,Alpana Vajpeyi,Suchitra Harmalkar,MonicaPandeyBohre,Mohini Moghe,Bhagwaandas Manik,Bhupendra Bareth,Vaasanti Vaishnav,Mrs Annapurna Sharma etc. [edit]Relationship with other art forms
[edit]Kathak Yoga Main article: Kathak Yoga Kathak Yoga is a technique common in Kathak that was named by Pandit Chitresh Das. The dancer has to recite the taal, sing a melody, and perform complex footwork and spins in the same composition; frequently two or more of these elements occur simultaneously. The aim is to unify the various aspects of Kathak, so the dancer is constantly aware of the precise relationship of whatever composition is being danced (whether a song or a dance composition) to the rhythm cycle. [edit]Flamenco There are many striking similarities between Kathak and Flamenco, a southern Spanish song and dance style that received much influence from the local gypsies, most notably in the lack of much deviation from the vertical axis, percussive footwork, and dependence on (sometimes complex) rhythmic cycles. It is generally supposed that the Romani people emigrated from India sometime in the 11th century. One group entered Spain via Eastern Europe, having first passed westward through Iran (then Persia) and the fringes of the Ottoman Empire. In these places, they encountered the very same influences that were to later arrive in India through the Mughal incursions and have such an impact on Kathak. Thus, Flamenco and Kathak received the similar stylistic influences in two very different circumstances: The itinerant Romanis carried their Indian art forms' traditions with them and absorbed new influences as they traveled, while Kathak stayed rooted in India and received the same input as a result of those influences (Persian and aspects of Middle Eastern dance) being imported by a new regime. The similarity of Kathak and Flamenco is therefore explained by the same process — the grafting and mixing of Persian and Middle Eastern dance elements on to an Indian base — working in two ways. Now the two traditions have had some seven or eight centuries in which to diverge; yet it is remarkable that the similarities between the two remain such that there have been many successful collaborative performances between Kathak and flamenco dancers (notably Sandra La Espuelita) without much need to dilute either style to accommodate the other. [edit]Ghunghru
Ghunghru or ghunghroo are the small bells the dancer ties around his or her ankles. The Kathak bells are different from those of other Indian dance styles, as they are not affixed to a pad or strip of leather, but rather are individually woven along a thick string. The usual number of bells is 100 on each ankle, although for the initial stages of learning or for children, 25 and 50 belled strings are widely available to allow the dancer to get used to them. There is a more or less accepted upper ceiling of 150 bells on each ankle. Greater figures than this tend to involve the topmost circle of bells being tied further and further up a dancer's calf. This is generally regarded as unsuitable, because it is at some distance from the point of impact, giving rise to the upper levels of bells being prone to delayed sounding given the intervening space and amount of leg. Greater numbers are also unnecessarily difficult to control since they are more likely to sound at unwanted moments, being affected by the movement of the whole of the lower leg, rather than just the ankle. [edit]Costume
As the dance style itself has changed to reflect the different milieus in which it found itself, so too has the costume and performance dress of the dancers. [edit]Female costume Traditional (and perhaps more specifically Hindu) costume sometimes consists of a sari, whether worn in an everyday style, or tied up to allow greater freedom of movement during dance. However, more commonly, the costume is a lehenga-choli combination, with an optional odhni or veil. The lehenga is loose ankle-length skirt, and the choli is a tight fitting blouse, usually short-sleeved. Both can be highly ornately embroidered or decorated. The lehenga is sometimes adapted to a special dance variety, similar to a long ghaghra, so that during spins, the skirt flares out dramatically. Mughal costume for women consists of an angarkha (from the Sanskrit anga-rakshaka 'limb-keeper') on the upper body. The design is akin to a chudidaar kameez, but is somewhat tighter fitting above the waist, and the 'skirt' portion explicitly cut on the round to enhance the flare of the lower half during spins. The skirt may also be cut on the round but beginning just below the bust; this style is known as 'Anarkali' after the eponymous dancer who popularised it. Beneath the top, the legs are covered by the chudidaar or figure hugging trousers folded up giving the look of cloth bangles. Optional accessories are a small peaked cap and a bandi or small waistcoat to enhance the bust-line. A belt made of zari or precious stones is also worn on the waist. [edit]Male costume The traditional costume for men to be bare-chested. Below the waist is the dhoti, usually tied in the Bengal style, that is with many pleats and a fan finish to one of the ends (although it is not unknown for dancers to tie the garment more simply). There is the option of wearing a men's bandi too. The Mughal costume is kurta-churidar. The kurta can be a simple one, or again, adapted for dance to incorporate wider flare, but is usually at least knee-length. Men may also wear an angarkha (see Female Costume, above). Particularly older variety costumes include the small peaked cap too. [edit]Prominent Artists and SNA Awardees
Shambhu Maharaj 1955 Baijnath Prasad “Lacchu Maharaj” 1957 Sunder Prasad 1959 Mohan Rao Kallianpurkar 1962 Birju Maharaj 1964 Damayanti Joshi 1968 Sitara Devi 1969 Gauri Shankar Devilal 1974 Roshan Kumari 1975 Rohini Bhate 1979 Kartik Ram 1982 Kumudini Lakhia 1982 Durga Lal 1984 Uma Sharma 1987 Reba Vidyarthi 1991 Ramlal Bareth 1995 Rani Karnaa 1996 Sunderlal Sathyanarayan Gangani 1998 Shovana Narayan 1999-2000 Rajendra Gangani 2002 Sunayana Hazarilal Agarwal 2003 Urmila Nagar 2003 Saswati Sen 2004 Tirath Ram Azad 2005 Munna Shukla 2006 Geetanjali Lal 2007 Shashi Sankhla 2008 Prerana Shrimali 2009 Malabika Mitra Anuradha Thakur Chopra [D/o Prof. Nirankari Thakur & Adv.K.D.A. Thakur ] Umair Arif 2000-today Pratishtha Sharma [edit]See also
List of Kathak exponents Persian dance [edit]References
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009)
^ Gassner, John; Edward Quinn (2002). The Reader's Encyclopedia of World Drama. Courier Dover Publications. p. 453. ISBN 0-486-42064-7.
Kothari, Sunil (1989) Kathak: Indian Classical Dance Art, New Delhi.
Kippen, James and Bel, Andreine Lucknow Kathak Dance, Bansuri, Volume 13, 1996
Pt. Birju Maharaj (2002) Ang Kavya : Nomenclature for Hand Movements and Feet Positions in Kathak, New Delhi, Har-Anand, photographs, ISBN 81-241-0861-7.
Massey, Reginald (1999). India's Kathak Dance - Past, Present, Future. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 81-7017-374-4.
Bharti Gupta (2004) Kathak Sagar, New Delhi, Radha Pub., ISBN 81-7487-343-0
Sushil Kumar Saxena (2006) Swinging Syllables Aesthetics of Kathak Dance, New Delhi, Hope India Publications, ISBN 81-7871-088-9
Shivvangini Classes Shiva Mathur(Lucknow Kathak Dance)
Dr.Puru Dadheech Kathak Nritya Shiksha, Bindu Publications, Indore, MP, India