Kathak From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For the Pashtun sword dance, see Khattak (dance). Kathak dancer Richa Jain performing the chakkarwala tukra, one of the many popular highlights of Kathak Kathak performance by Sharmila Sharma and Rajendra Kumar Gangani at the Guimet Museum (November 2007) Kathak (Hindi: कथक) is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dance. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathakars 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, she/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 gharana of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage: the gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow and Varanasi (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 See also 8 References 9 External links Repertoire===Pure Dance (Nritta)=== [[File:Manisha.JPG|thumb| State of sam performed by Manisha Gulyani]] 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 dance 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 [[Bol (music)|bol]]s (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: [[File:Kathak 3394879526 09db68a66e o.jpg|thumb|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 (music)|bol]] into 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 [[Pakhavaj|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. # Toda, a dancer performs to the composition of time beats in a rhythmic cycle, ending with Tehai and arriving on the sam, a concluding beat. ===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 era|Mughal]] court. It is more suited to the mehfil or the darbaar environment, because of the proximity of the performer to the audience, who can more easily see the nuances of the dancers 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 dancers interpretative abilities. For example, [[Shambhu Maharaj]] is claimed to have interpreted a single line in many different ways for hours. All the Maharaj family ([[Acchan Maharaj]], [[Lachhu Maharaj]], [[Shambhu Maharaj]] and Achhan Maharajs son [[Birju Maharaj]]) have found much fame for the naturalness and innovativeness of their abhinaya. ==History of Kathak== 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 3rd and 4th centuries BCE which refer to these kathakas. The two texts are in the archives of Kameshwar library at [[Mithila (India)|Mithila]]. An extract runs as follows: {{quotation|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 BCE Sanskrit shloka (Mithila, late [[Mauryan]] period): {{quotation|...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: {{quotation|Kathakscapare rajan sravanasca vanaukasahadivyakhyanani ye capi 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.}} [[File:Shovana Narayan.jpg|thumb|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 [[Harshacharita]] of Bana. By the 13th century a definite style had emerged and soon technical features like mnemonic syllables and [[Bol (music)|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. ===Change in the Bhakti Era=== During the era of fervent worship of [[Radha Krishna|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. ===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 [[Central Asia]] 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 [[Pakhavaj|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. ===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 forming 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. Royal 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 [[tawaif]]s, 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. ===During the Raj=== [[File:Native Nautch at Delhi.jpg|thumb|Native [[Nautch]] at Delhi, 1864.]] 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 worlds attention in the early 20th century through Kalka Prasad Maharaj, whose sons Acchan, [[Lacchu Maharaj|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.{{cite book|last=Gassner|first=John |author2=Edward Quinn|title=The Readers Encyclopedia of World Drama|url=books.google/books?id=oPOQf26l-PEC&pg=PA453&dq=%22Damayanti+Joshi%22+-inpublisher:icon&cd=12#v=onepage&q=%22Damayanti%20Joshi%22%20-inpublisher%3Aicon&f=false|year=2002|publisher=Courier Dover Publications|isbn=0-486-42064-7|page=453}} ===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. Kathaks 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. Different dancers have worked on the form in different ways. 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]]) has 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. The late [[Rohini Bhate]] greatly enriched Kathaks rhythmic repertoire by creating a large corpus of dance compositions, while [[Durga Lal]] of the Jaipur gharana was famed for his speed and easy style of performance. ===Change in the Bhakti Era=== During the era of fervent worship of [[Radha Krishna|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. ===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 [[Central Asia]] 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 [[Pakhavaj|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.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:56:57 +0000
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