Kathak Dance

Kathak Is One Of The Main Styles Of Ancient Indian Classical Dance And Is Traditionally Believed To Have Originated From Itinerant Bards From North India Called Kathkars Or Storytellers. These Storytellers Moved Around And Communicated Mythological Stories Through Music, Dance And Songs, Much Like In Ancient Greek Theatre. The Style Developed During The BhaktiMovement, A Trend Of Theistic Devotion That Developed In Medieval Hinduism. Narrators Communicate Stories Through Rhythmic Foot Movements, Hand Gestures, Facial Expressions And Eye Work. This Performance Art, Which Incorporates Legends From Ancient Mythology And The Great Indian Epics, Especially The Life Of Lord Krishna, Became Quite Popular In The Courts Of North Indian States. The Three Distinct Forms Of This Style Which Are The Three Gharanas (Schools), Which Differ Mostly In The Emphasis Placed On Footwork Versus Acting, Are The More Famous Names, The Lucknow Gharana, The Jaipur Gharana , And The Banaras Gharana

Kathak History

The Roots Of This Dance Form Go Back To The Sanskrit Hindu Text On The Performing Arts Called 'NatyaShastra' Written By The Ancient Indian Dramatist And Musicologist Bharata Muni. It Is Believed That The First Complete Version Of The Text Was Completed Between 200 Bce And 200 Ce, But Some Sources Mention The Time Frame To Be Around 500 Bce And 500 Ce. Thousands Of Verses Structured In Different Chapters Are Found In The Text Which Divide The Dance Into Two Special Forms, Namely 'Nritta' Which Is A Pure Dance Consisting Of Hand Movements And Finesse Of Gestures, And 'Nritya' Which Is A Single Expressive Dance. Which Focuses On The Expressions.

Russian Scholar Natalia Lidova States That 'Natya Shastra' Describes The Various Principles Of Indian Classical Dances Including The Tandava Dance Of Lord Shiva, The Manner Of Acting, Standing Posture, Gestures, Basic Steps, Expressions And Rasa. Mary Snodgrass Says That The Tradition Of This Dance Form Is Traced Back To 400 Bce. Bharhut, A Village In The Satna District Of Madhya Pradesh, India, Stands As A Representative Of Early Indian Art. Panels From The 2nd Century Bce Found There Depict Sculptures Of Dancers In Different Vertical Postures, Resembling Kathak Steps, Many Of Which Depict The 'Pataka Hasta' Posture. The Word Kathak Is Derived From The Vedic Sanskrit Word 'Katha' Which Means 'Story' Whereas The Word Kathak Which Finds Place In Many Hindu Epics And Texts Means The Person Who Tells The Story. Text-Based Analysis Points To Kathak As An Ancient Indian Classical Dance Form That Probably Originated In Banaras Or Varanasi And Then Spread To Jaipur, Lucknow And Many Other Regions Of North And North West India.

Association With Bhakti Movement

The Lucknow Gharana Of Kathak Was Founded By Ishwari Prasad, A Devotee Of The Bhakti Movement. Ishwari Lived In Hadiya Village In South-Eastern Uttar Pradesh. It Is Believed That Lord Krishna Appeared In His Dreams And Instructed Him To "Develop Dance AsA Form Of Worship". He Taught The Dance To His Sons Adguji, Khadguji And Tularamji, Who Then Taught Their Descendants, And This Tradition Continued For More Than Six Generations And Carried On This Rich Legacy, Which Is Better Known By Indian Literature As The Lucknow Guarana Of Kathak. Kind Of Accepted. Music Of Both Hindu And Muslim. The Development Of Kathak During The Era Of The Bhakti Movement Mainly Centered On The Legends Of Lord Krishna And His Eternal Love Radhika Or Radha, Found In Texts Such As The 'Bhagavata Purana', Which Were Brilliantly Performed By Kathak Artists.

 

Reforms In The Mughal Period

This Ancient Classical Dance Form Which Was Majorly Associated With The Hindu Epics Was Well Accepted By The Courts And Nobles Of The Mughal Period. However, The Dance Performed In Mughal Courts Adapted A More Sensual Form Without Much Reference To Previously Applied Special Themes Communicating Religious Or Spiritual Concepts. The Improvisations Were Done By Dancers Primarily To Entertain Muslim Audiences With Erotic And Sexual Performances, Which Differed From The Age-Old Dance Concept, But Contained A Subtle Message Similar To The Love Of Radha-Krishna. Central Asian And Persian Themes Eventually Became Part Of Its Repertoire. These Included Adding A Transparent Veil To The Dress Worn By Medieval Harem Dancers And Circling While Performing In Sufi Dance. By The Time The Colonial European Authorities Arrived In India, Kathak Had Already Become Famous As A Court Entertainment And Was A Fusion Of Ancient Indian Classical Dance Form And Persian-Central Asian Dance Forms, In Which The Dancers Were Called 'Nach Girls'. Was Called

Decline During Colonial Rule

The Rise Of Colonial Rule In The 18th Century Followed By The Establishment Of Colonial Rule In The 19th Century Saw A Decline In Various Classical Dance Forms, Which Were Subject To Humiliating Fun And Gloom, Including Kathak. Ultimately, The Social Stigma Attached To Naughty Girls, Coupled With The Highly Critical And Contemptuous Attitude Of Christian Missionaries And British Officials Who Kept Them And The Devadasis Of South India As Prostitutes, Brought Such Systems Into Disrepute. Anglican Missionaries Were Critical Of Hinduism As Manifested By The Proposal Of The Reverend James Long, Who Suggested That Kathak Artists Should Adopt European Legends And Stories Associated With Christianity And Do Away With Indian And Hindu Legends. Christian Missionaries Started The Anti-Dance Movement In 1892 To Stop Such Practice.

Fuller's Book 'TheWrongs Of Indian Womanhood', Published In 1900, Depicts Facial Expressions And Sensual Gestures During KathakPerformances In Hindu Temples And Family Gatherings. Nauchanki Girls Were Not Only Humiliated By Newspapers And Officials Of The Colonial Regime, But They Were Also Financially Suppressed By Pressurizing Their Patrons To Stop Financial Aid. The Madras Presidency Under British Colonial Rule Banned The Practice Of Dancing In Hindu Temples In 1910. The Indian Community Rejected Such A Ban On The Pretext Of Social Reform Fearing Persecution Of Such Rich And Ancient Hindu Customs. Many Classical Art Revivalists Questioned Such Discrimination.

Revival

In The Midst Of Such Turmoil, Families Attempted To Save This Ancient Dance Form From Extinction And Continued To Teach The Form By Training Boys. The Progress Of The Indian Independence Movement In The Early 20th Century Saw An Attempt Among Indians To Rediscover The Rich History Of India To Revive The National Culture And Tradition And To Revive The Essence Of The Nation. The Revival Movement Of Kathak Developed Simultaneously In Both Hindu And Muslim Households, Especially In The Kathak-Mishra Community. Kalkaprasad Maharaj Was Instrumental In Attracting An International Audience To Kathak In The Early 20th Century.

Repertoire

The Three Main Sections Of Kathak Dance Are Invocation And 'Nritya' And 'Nritya' Are Mentioned In 'Natya Shastra' And Are Followed By All Major IndianClassical Dances. In The Invocation Part, The Dancer Pays Respect To Her Master And The Musicians On Stage And Invokes Hindu Deities Through Mudras Or Hand Gestures And Facial Expressions If The Group Follows Hindu Tradition. In The Case Of Muslim Groups, The Dancer Salutes Or Salutes. Nritta Represents Pure Dance, Where The Dancer Initially Displays Elegant And Slow Movements Of The Eyebrows, Neck And Wrists, After Which She Gradually Increases Her Speed And Energy Manifold As She Performs A Sequence Of Lyrics. Fulfills. Each Bol With Short Volumes Includes Spectacular Footwork, Turns And Gestures Including Tora, Tukra, Parhant And Paran. She Performs To Musical Beats And Tempo, Perfectly Synchronizing Her Footwork Sequence Called Tatkar, Thus Creating A Rhythmic Sound With The Ghungroo, And Usually Completing Each Sequence With A Sharp Turn Of The Head. Does. In 'Nritya' The Dancer Communicates A Story, Spiritual Themes, Message Or Feelings Through Expressive Gestures And Slow Body Movements With Musical Notes And Vocals.

Dress

Since Kathak Is Popular Among Both Hindu And Muslim Communities, The Costumes Of This Dance Form Are Tailored According To The Traditions Of The Respective Communities. There Are Two Types Of Famous Kathak Dance For Female Dancers. While The Former Involves A Sari Worn In A Unique Style, Consisting Of A Choli Or Blouse That Covers The Upper Body And A Dupatta Or Urni Worn In Some Places, The Second Includes A Contrasting Choli And A Transparent Urni. A Long Embroidered Skirt Is Included With. The Dress Is Well Complemented With Traditional Jewellery, Usually Gold, Covering Her Hair, Nose, Ears, Neck And Hands. The Musical Anklet Called Ghungroo Is Made Of Leather Straps To Which Small Metal Bells Are Attached, Wrapped Around Her Ankles That Produce A Rhythmic Sound While She Performs Exquisite And Graceful Footwork. In The Second Case The Head Ornaments Adorn It. The Bright Facial Makeup Helps To Highlight Her Facial Expressions. Hindu Male Kathak Dancers Usually Wear A Silk Dhoti With A Silk Scarf On The Upper Part Of The Body Which Is Usually Bare Or May Be Covered With A Loose Jacket. The Jewelery Of Male Dancers Is Much Simpler Than That Of Their Female Counterparts And Is Usually Made Of Stone.

The Dress Of Muslim Female Dancers Includes A Skirt With A Tight Fitting Trouser Called A Churidar Or Pajama And A Long Coat To Cover The Upper Body And Arms. A Head Covering Scarf Compliments The Entire Outfit Which Is Completed With Light Jewellery.

Instruments And Music

A Kathak Performance May Include Up To A Dozen Classical Instruments, Depending On The Effect And Depth Required For A Particular Performance. However, Certain Instruments Are Commonly Used In Kathak Performances Such As The Tabla Which Harmonize Well With The Dancer's Rhythmic Foot Movements And Often Imitate The Sound Of Such Footwork Movements Or Vice Versa To Create A Spectacular Jugalbandi. For. A Manjira Which Is A Hand Cymbal And A Sarangi Or Harmonium Are Also Most Commonly Used.