Kathak – Every gesture has a STORY
- bey0ndM@gz!ne
- April 16, 2021
- Culture, Default
- 0 Comments
Kathak, one of the most elegant dance forms of India, revolves around the concept of storytelling. An art form with inexplicable charm, mesmerising footwork, and graceful movements. Kathak figures among the 8 Indian Classical Dance Forms, and is the only dance form from the Northern part of India.
HISTORY OF KATHAK
Kathak is found in three distinct forms ‘Gharanas’, named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved – Jaipur, Banaras & Lucknow.
Kathak actually dates back to 4th century BC where sculptures of Kathak dancers were engraved in written scripts and sculptures in ancient temples.
Kathakars were storytellers who travelled around India entertaining folk people with epic tales of Gods and Goddesses, like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Both Hindu and Muslim ruler’s were patrons of this dance form, giving it the status of court entertainment.
The dance form originated in the villages of Northern India, as a way for the natives to share their life experiences with each other. These Kathakers travelled across villages and kingdoms to spread their art.
The pandits set the foundation of Kathak’s transformation into the temple dance, where it focused on mythology, Gods and Goddesses.
ENTRY OF MUGHALS
Kathakars also found themselves being absorbed into the Mughal courts. The focus on worship also changed, and primary importance was given to the appeasement of the emperor. Manuscripts, Music, Jewellery, Costumes & techniques of the dance also evolved and underwent rapid changes. Urdu language was introduced in the art form. In the modern period, Kathak was used to create dramas and plays, and today we will see many interpretations of the dance form in Indian Cinema’s.
Style of Kathak Dancing
- Nritta – The Pure Dance
- Natya – The Authentic Drama
- Nritya – Use of Vivid Facial Expression
When dancing to Kathak, one can perform subtle, slow movements as well as rapid rhythmic movements. The dance form was quickly discovered and acclimated in areas such as Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras. As a result, three significant Gharanas came to be, each with their own distinctive style.
LUCKNOW GHARANA
Lucknow Gharana came into existing during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in the 19th century. As a dance form, the dance form particularly exudes grace, elegance and naturalness. Abhinaya or expressional acting plays a very strong role in this style, and Pandit Birju Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj were famed for the naturalness and innovations of their Abhinaya.
JAIPUR GHARANA
Jaipur Gharana was created in the courts of the Kachchawaha Rulers of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Under this form, the significance is put on the more specified and technical aspects of dance, for example – complex and powerful footwork, multiple spins and complicated compositions in different tales.
BANARAS GHARANA
Banaras Gharana was created and developed by Janki Prasadji. It is the described by the selective civilisation of the Natwari or Dance bols, which are not the same as Tabla and the Pakhawaj Bols. “Dance as the narration of the magical story; that recites on lips, illuminate’s imaginations and embraces the most sacred depths of souls”- Shah Azad Rizvi The Navrasas & their importance in Kathak. Rasa originates from the Sanskrit word, Ras (Hindi), which means taste, juice or an essence. It represents the concepts in the classical dance where the dancer can spark an emotive response from the audience. Even more so, allowing the spectators to feel the emotions which are otherwise hard to describe.
There are nine types of Rasas known as Nav Rasas –
- Hasya – Humour
- Roudra – Anger
- Bibatsa – Disgust
- Bhayanaka – Fear
- Shringara – Delight, Erotic
- Veera – Courage
- Karuna – Pity, Sorrow
- Dbhuta – Wonder
- Shanta – Serenity
The research says that Shringara, Roudra, Veera and Bibhatsa are the primary Rasas, and the other five have been derived from these.
Kathak is the dance that consists more footwork, the sound of these bells accompany as music to the dance. The musical instruments that accompany Kathak are Pakhawaj, Harmonium, Santhur, Bansuri, Sarangi, Tabla, Sarod, Tanpura and Sitar.
KATHAK DANCE TECHNIQUE
Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen of the Theatre Academy of Helsinki wrote: “The basic standing position of a Kathak dancer is with the left arm raised vertically and the right arm kept at shoulder level and bent forward at the elbow, the fingers of both hands decoratively extended. This basic stance already differs drastically from those stances that dominate the southern Indian Lasya styles. It is asymmetric and linear in character, whereas, for example, in Bharatanatyam, geometry and a stricter symmetry are favoured.
“However, as Kathak evolved from an older Indian dance tradition, much of its technique still echoes the influence of the Natyashastra tradition. These features include the division of the dance into pure Nritta and mimetic Abhinaya sections, as well as the use of the Mudras, also known as symbolic hand gestures. In Kathak, the hand gestures do not have such a central role as in other solo forms. They are merely natural extensions of the dance gestures, though, of course, they carry symbolic messages.
“The minute footwork, so dominating in Kathak, is based on the so-called “flatfoot” technique, in which the whole sole of the dancer’s foot touches the floor. When the feet are slapped with great energy and speed against the floor, it seems that the dancer is almost flying. Jumps are also included in the technique, which in general attempts at an impression of fluidity. The Nritta sequences, as mentioned above, are fireworks of rhythm. The dancer’s loud footwork, emphasised by the small ankle bells (Ghunghru), give an essential addition to the aural aspect of the dance.
Modern day Kathak seems to be more about skill than art. Today, Kathak is more competitive than ever before and there is also the increasing tendency of bringing the classroom to the stage by its practitioners. Since the mid-20th century, Kathak has undergone a phenomenal process of revival.
The Maharaj family of dancers gave the dance new impetus and also expanded the repertoire to include duos, trios and group works. Today, Kathak is practiced by both female and male dancers, and regarded as one of the main “Classical forms of Indian Dance”.
