Kathak- Heroic Tradition

Introduction

The diversification across India in different sectors like music, culture, religion, regions, beliefs, etc is just unmatchable. And one of the aspects of our diversity lies in the dance forms prevalent across Bharat. Presently there are eight major classical dance forms in India- Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Kathakali, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniattam, and Manipuri. These dances are used to portray the rich cultural and historical traditions of different regions. Apart from classical dances, hundreds of other traditional dance forms are practiced across the country.

Kathak Group Performance

Suyash Dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Kathak is one of the eight classical dances of India. It has been historically used to narrate stories, especially of religious and historical events. This dance form has survived through different eras of development and changes, ensuring its survival. The most fascinating feature of Kathak is its assimilation with the Persian culture of ghazals, along with numerous other features mentioned below.

Origin of Kathak

• Kathak can be traced to the Natya Shashtra written by Bharata, compiled from around 200 BCE to 500 CE. It comprised over 6000 verses divided into 36 chapters.

• Numerous dance and art forms are described in it including the Shiva Tandav.

• The Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word “Katha” meaning story. Gradually it became attributed to the “kathakars” - storytellers.

• It originated in Uttar Pradesh and slowly spread across northern India towards Rajasthan.

• The traditional Kathak performances used footwork, hand movements, gestures, and especially facial expressions to portray the historical stories. These stories were mostly religious-cultural from the life of Hindu gods like Rama and Krishna.

• Kathak was passed on from generation to generation as an oral art form.

• During the Bhakti era, Kathak was primarily performed in honor of Lord Krishna and his life experiences.

• With the advent of the Muslim rulers in India, it was modified to fit the Mughal courts. And Ghazals were incorporated into the dance routines.

Different Eras of Kathak

Bhakti Movement

• The spread of the Bhakti movement to Uttar Pradesh in the 15th century provided a fillip to the dance form.

• During this period Kathak was modified according to the Vaishanavaita culture prevalent in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh.

• This Vaishnavaita tradition cantered around Lord Krishna and Bhagavad Purana. Numerous acts of Radha and Krishna were depicted through dances.

• The love story of Radha and Krishna served as the story of the unification of Atman (soul) and the supreme source. Eventually, it was named Raslila.

• Dancers also explicitly used expressions and gestures to portray the excerpts from Bhagavad Purana.

Mughal Period

• The Mughals provided a much-needed impetus in the 16th century by patronizing the art.

• From the temple’s courtyard, Kathak went to the Mughal ruler’s durbar.

• It underwent numerous subtle changes as well like it became highly stylized and sophisticated, the elaborated depiction of Hindu religious stories was dampened and Persian ghazals were incorporated in the acts.

• According to historians, the Mughal nobles saw Kathak performances as a service provided by the lower-class Hindus to them.

• The use of ghungurus continued in the Mughal era as well.

British Period and Beyond

• The British rule in India was marked by extensive attacks on Hindu culture and traditions. And Kathak was one of them.

• Victorian-era missionaries tried to bury the Indian tales and replace them with Christian ones.

• Kathak’s heritage was destroyed as it was labelled seductive and demeaning to women.

• Even the Indian middle-class intellectuals grew against this custom. Their inclination toward western ideals was driven by the English education provided during the colonial period.

• Post the independence of India, desperate efforts were to revive Kathak, both in India and Pakistan.

• In India it was quite successful and gradually different ghranas of Kathak were popularized across India, discussed in the next part.

The Three Gharanas

Kathak has been divided into three significant gharanas (groups) based on geography, style, and devotion to God. These three gharanas are Jaipur Gharana, Lucknow Gharana, and Benaras Gharana.

Jaipur Gharana

• Both Shaivism and Vaishnavism were popularized under the Jaipur Gharana.

• Bhanuji served as the pioneer of the craft, who in turn learned it after visiting Vrindavan.

• Eventually, it was Bhanuji’s grandsons Laluji and Kanhuji who refined the art.

• The Rajputs patronized the dance and allowed it to flourish. They focussed a lot on Hindu religious tales like Ramayana and Mahabharata.

• The modern form emphasizes dance and footwork for delivering the story.

Lucknow Gharana

• Post the fall of the Mughal empire a new school rapidly developed under the Awadh Nawabs in Lucknow.

• It was inspired by a Krishna devotee named Ishwari in southeast Uttar Pradesh, who wanted to showcase the intense devotion of Krishna.

• Owing to its performances in Nawab’s court, numerous Muslim acoustic specialties fused with Kathak. A lot of emphases was on acting to portray the story.

Benaras Gharana

• It is believed to be the oldest form of Kathak in the world.

• Janakiprasad was born near Bikaner and later settled in Varanasi.

• He was a famed dancer and musician and is also credited with the development of “bol”.

• Bols is the mnemonics used in Kathak to convey the story.

Conclusion

Kathak is one of the most sacred traditions of northern India even after almost 2000 years of inception. It continues to bind the fabric of society and ensures the Indian way of passing knowledge via stories orally. Its significance is especially evident during the Ramleela festival.

Even after the continued efforts of the Britishers to completely demonize and destroy the Indian cultural heritage, still it thrives in the 21st century. And the most unique aspect of Kathak lies in its universal practice among the Hindus and Muslims of India and Pakistan alike.

FAQs

Q1. Where did the dance form Bharatnatyam originate?

Ans. Bharatnatyam originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu. It also finds its mentions Natya Shashtra and is believed to be 2000 years old.

Q2. How are the classical dances of India grouped?

Ans. Sangeet Natak Akademy set up by the Government of India categorizes the eight Indian classical dances. This organization takes its decision based on origination, history, popularity, cultural influence, and traditions of the dance.

Q3. When was the Sangeet Natak Akademi setup?

Ans. Sangeet Natak Akademy was set up under the Ministry of Education (earlier known as the Ministry of Human Resources) in the year 1952. A draft resolution was passed for its establishment with Dr. PV Rajamanar as its chairman

Q4. Where is the National School of Drama located?

Ans. The National School of Drama is located in New Delhi. It functions under the aegis of the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Government of India. Over the years the NSD has given numerous commendable acts to the country.

Q5. Name a few famous performers of Kathak in India.

Ans. Kathak has been historically performed in temples. Hence there is an element of spirituality in it. Some of the famous performers of Kathak are Pt Acchan Maharaj, Pt Gopi Krishna, Smt Sitara Devi, Pt Durgalal, Pt. Birju Maharaj etc.