Kathak

Understand

Where Kathak comes from

Kathak is one of the eight classical dances of India, with origins in the kathakars — the storytelling dance-tellers of northern Hindu temples, particularly the temples of north India where kathak storytelling originated. The form took a decisive turn at the Mughal court of the late 16th century when court dancers adapted the temple form to the Persian-influenced darbar aesthetic, with the kindled crown of the dancers giving way to more elaborate costumes and the secular themes of Krishna and the Radha-Krishna leela. The court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh (Lucknow, mid-19th century) was the high-water mark of the Lucknow gharana, while the Banaras gharana of Pandit Janaki Prasad distinguished itself in the use of the padhant (rhythmic recitation) and the thungla (large cymbal). The Jaipur gharana of the Hindu court of Jaipur remained the closest to the temple tradition. After the anti-nautch movement and the colonial decline, Kathak was revived as a temple-tradition and dance-concert art from the 1940s on, with figures including Maharaj Bindadin, Acchan Maharaj, Kumari Narayan, Sitara Devi and Lacchu Maharaj. The Government of India recognises Kathak as one of the eight classical dances (SNA, 1952). Today Kathak has three principal gharanas — Lucknow, Banaras and Jaipur — plus the Raigarh gharana and the revivalist Jaipur-Jaipur school.

How it's practiced

Kathak is performed by soloists or duets to classical Hindustani music, with the dancer wearing ankle-bells (ghungroo, about 100-200 bells on each ankle) that amplify the percussive footwork. The repertoire is divided into nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (expressive dance-storytelling). The pure dance includes the tatkar (basic footwork), the tora, the kramal, the chakkars (rapid spins — sometimes 30 or more turns in succession) and the parhant (rhythmic recitation by the tabla player). The abhinaya section tells the radha-krishna stories and the classical rasa themes through facial expressions, hasta mudras and torso inclination. Costume varies by gharana — the Lucknow gharana traditionally favours the Anarkali-style long flowing frock and transparent odhni, the Jaipur gharana favours the pleated sari-style lehenga with the dupatta over the head, the Banaras gharana uses a panche and kanchli with the odhni, and male dancers wear the dhoti-kurta or the tailored Hindustani court tunic. Music is the tabla, the pakhawaj, the sarangi and the sitar.