the eversion of kathak.pdf

I

THE EVERSION OF KATHAK

BY

AISHWARYA VASHISTHA Batch 2012-2014

Submitted to

National Institute of Fashion Technology

In Partial Fulfilment of the requirements

For the degree of

Master of Design

Department of Design Space

Faculty Guide- Ms. Susmita Das Pal

II

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

Mumbai

THE EVERSION OF KATHAK

By Aishwarya Vashistha

M. Design- 2014

Submitted by Ms. Aishwarya Vashistha to NIFT in partial fulfilment of the requirements

for the degree of Master in Design of National Institute of Fashion Technology, at

Mumbai and hereby certify that in the judgement of the following members of jury it is

worth of acceptance.

Name Institute/Organization Signature & Date

____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________

____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________

____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________

____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________

____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________

Remarks regarding fulfilling further requirements:

Signature of CC-Design Space: Date:

III

The Eversion of Kathak

DECLARATION

I Aishwarya Vashistha hereby declare that the project titled The Eversion of Kathak is

authentic and original and is the outcome of my contribution and research. The project

was carried out under the guidance of Ms. Susmita Das Pal the Post Graduate

Department of Design Space, Mumbai. No portion of this work has been submitted in

support of an application for another degree or qualification to National Institute of

Fashion Technology or any other University or professional organization.

Signature of the Student:

Place: Mumbai

Date:

IV

The Eversion of Kathak

ABSTRACT

The aim of this dissertation project is to do a descriptive study of Kathak- An Indian classical

dance form that is one of the most popular, experimental and widely accepted not only in

India but all over the world. This was accomplished through qualitative methods of primary

and secondary data collection and analysis, namely in-depth interviews and textual as well

as visual analysis of the history of the dance forms in various aspects like costume, make-

ups, composition, dance movements, stage elements and textual sources. An elaborative

historical research was done in many old libraries; visiting places like Lucknow Kathak

Gharana, Pandit Birju Maharajs house etc.; photographing live shows and interviewing

national and international performers, experts and teachers.

The study revealed amazing facts regarding Kathak elements which are discussed in the

chapters further in detail. Also, many drawbacks are figured out that are responsible for

making Kathak lose its traditional essence which could probably one day make it entirely

different from what it was when it started. There are both pros and cons of the innovations

happening worldwide. On one hand, where it is making Kathak totally a new art form with

every new choreography and on the other hand there is no record of its original elements

which is harming the dance form in a way.

The study concluded the problems of Kathak and the reasons responsible for harming its

originality; consequences of which may be dangerous for Kathaks traditional heritage. It

also suggests the solutions on which concerned people can work on and take the research

forward by implementations of the identified solutions.

Keywords: Innovations Harm.

V

PREFACE

India's cultural heritage dates back to 5000 years. Very few countries in the world has a

social and religious structure which withstood invasions and persecution and yet kept its

identity by being resilient enough to absorb, ignore or reject all attempts to radically change

or destroy them. Indian culture is unique because of its diversity and variety in physical,

religious, racial, linguistic and artistic fields. In India religion is a way of life being an integral

part of Indian tradition. Many dances, theatrics and folklore are religious and based on

Indian mythology and folk legends. One has to have background knowledge of Indian

mythology to enjoy and appreciate the Indian Arts.

My study also began by talking and researching about Indian heritage and somehow started

dealing with Katha (story telling) and its various kinds of traditions - Purana-Pravachana,

Kathakalakshepa and Folk traditions. The story telling traditions that are still living by

keeping the prestigious cultural heritage of India still alive like Pandavani, Yakshagana,

Nangiar Koothu, Kaavad, Baul, Kathakali and Kathak are all so popular, interesting and have

a wide history of themselves. While Kathakali fascinated strongly due to its colourful

costume and make up, similarly, Kathak had its attraction in its simplicity and soberness

which was leading me towards a detailed comparative study of the two.

As per the suggestions from the panel in the mid jury, the focus was finally shifted only to

Kathak. As each of the Indian dance form has its amazing history and Kathak is a North

Indian dance form that has not only gone through hundreds of innovations but also survived

during the foreign invasions of the country. It has now reached a level that is completely

different from what it was when it started. It kept living, going through ups and downs,

facing challenges, criticism and appreciation but still lived.

This implies how strong an Indian art form can be that instead of all the interference it is still

one of the favourite dance forms that have not only gained national encouragement but

also international platform to maintain its individuality.

Therefore, the main purpose of study is the evolution of Kathak through the years and the

innovations that have taken place from past to present in terms of costumes, stage props,

compositions and many other possible aspects.

- Aishwarya

VI

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would not have been able to complete my Dissertation Project without the kind support

and help of many individuals and organizations. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to

all of them.

I am highly indebted to my mentor Ms. Susmita Das Pal for her guidance and constant

supervision towards my Project. I would like to thank our course co-ordinator Ms. Disha

Gupta for providing necessary information and guidelines regarding the project and Mr.

Nitin Kulkarni and Ms. Rebecca Phillip also for their support in deciding my topic for

Dissertation.

I would like to express my gratitude towards my Family and friends for their encouragement

and moral support which helped me in completion of this project.

I would like to express my special gratitude to Ms. Shruti Sadolikar (Vice chancellor-

Bhatkhande University) for granting me permission to access the library and Ms. Veena

Singh, Pandit Arjun Mishra, Pandit Anuj Mishra, Padmshree Shovana Narayan, Rameshwari

Jee for their kind co-operation in helping me with the project and for giving me such

attention and time.

My thanks and appreciations also go to my teachers in developing the project and people

who have willingly helped me out with their abilities.

VII

CHAPTER 1 1

1.1 BACKGROUND 1

1.2 OBJECTIVES 2

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 2

1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3

CHAPTER 2 4

2.1 INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN CLASSICAL ART 4

2.2 KATHAK- THE INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE FORM 8

2.2.1 KATHAK-THE NAME 8

2.2.2 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT 9

2.2.3 THE NAUTCH 13

2.3 KATHAK GHARANAS 15

2.4 ELEMENTS OF KATHAK 22

2.4.1 HISTORY OF KATHAK COSTUMES 22

2.4.2 CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES AND MAKE-UPS 31

2.4.3 COMPOSITIONS 33

2.4.4 KRISHNA CUSTOMS IN KATHAK 34

2.5 COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF KATHAK 37

2.6 TEXTUAL SOURCES OF KATHAK 41

2.7 PROMINENT KATHAK ARTISTS 49

CHAPTER 3 54

3.1 KATHAK IN BOLLYWOOD 54

3.2 INNOVATIONS IN KATHAK: THEIR CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES 56

3.3 OBSERVATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 57

3.4 INTERVIEWS 58

3.4 CONCLUSION 60

3.4 LIMITATIONS 62

3.5 STRENGTHS 62

BIBLIOGRAPHY 63

GLOSSARY 65

VIII

TABLE OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1 INDIA, MUGHAL PERIOD, C.1675, 11

FIGURE 2 THE INSIDE VIEW-1 16

FIGURE 3 THE INSIDE VIEW-2 16

FIGURE 4 THE BACK VIEW 17

FIGURE 5 THE FRONT GATE VIEW 17

FIGURE 6 BHARAT DURING RAMAYANA TIMES 22

FIGURE 7: GANDHAR BUDDHA 2ND CENTURY B.C; TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM 22

FIGURE 8 THE MAURYAN EMPIRE 23

FIGURE 9- THE DIDARGANJ YAKSHI 23

FIGURE 10 3RD CENTURY B.C. 24

FIGURE 11 A STYLISTIC FEMALE ANTARIYA 24

FIGURE 12 3RD CENTURY B.C. 24

FIGURE 13- COMPARING COSTUMES 24

FIGURE 14- COMPARING COSTUMES 24

FIGURE 15 KUSHAN EMPIRE 25

FIGURE 16 COSTUME CATEGORIES DURING KUSHAN KINGDOM 26

FIGURE 17 1ST CENTURY A.D. - KUSHAN PERIOD COSTUMES; KANISHKA (FROM THE WARRIOR CLASS) 26

FIGURE 18 PERSIAN CLOTHING 27

FIGURE 19 PERSIAN CAPS AND GARMENTS 27

FIGURE 20 GUPTA EMPIRE 27

FIGURE 21 5TH CENTURY A.D. GUPTA PERIOD- DEOGARH 28

FIGURE 22 GUPTA PERIOD SCULPTURES DEPICTING SIDE SLIT KURTA AND CHURIDAR/PYJAMA 28

FIGURE 23 GUPTA PERIOD SCULPTURE DEPICTING KURTA -5THCENTURY AD-DEOGARH 28

FIGURE 24 GUPTA PERIOD -5TH CENTURY AD DEPICTING LEHENGA-CHOLI, DUPATTA AND DHOTI -BIKANER 28

FIGURE 25 MUGHAL KINGDOM 29

FIGURE 26 KATHAK DANCE IN FRONT OF BADSHAAH DAARASHIKOH 30

FIGURE 27 TAMASHA OF BHAAT AND NAT 30

FIGURE 28 ANARKALI-CHURIDAAR 31

FIGURE 29 LEHENGA, CHOLI, DUPATTA 31

FIGURE 30 ANARKALI-CHURIDAAR 31

FIGURE 31 SAREE 31

FIGURE 32 DIFFERENT STYLES OF MEN'S KATHAK COSTUME 32

FIGURE 33 PANDIT ANUJ MISHRA IN MUGHAL CHARACTER 33

FIGURE 34 PANDIT ANUJ MISHRA AS KRISHNA & NEHA SINGH AS RADHA 35

FIGURE 35 PAINTING DEPICTING RAAS LEELA 37

FIGURE 36 AN ARTIST PERFORMING BHARATNATYAM 38

FIGURE 37 FOLK DANCES OF INDIA 40

FIGURE 38 NATYASHAALA (STAGE CONCEPT): NATYASHASTRA 45

FIGURE 39- MAHARAJ BINDADEEN 49

FIGURE 40- PANDIT SHAMBHOO MAHARAJ 50

FIGURE 41- MS. SHOVANA NARAYAN 50

FIGURE 42 -PANDIT ANUJ MISHRA 51

FIGURE 43- PANDIT BIRJU MAHARAJ 52

FIGURE 44 MEENA KUMARI IN PAKEEZAH 54

FIGURE 45 VAIJANTIMAALA IN DEVDAAS 54

IX

FIGURE 46 MADHUBAALA IN MUGHAL-E-AZAM 54

FIGURE 47 MADHURI DIKSHIT IN DEVDAAS 55

FIGURE 48 KANGANA RANAUT IN RAJJO 55

FIGURE 49 KAREENA KAPOOR IN AGENT VINOD 55

FIGURE 50 MANJIRI CHATURVEDI PERFORMING SUFI-KATHAK 56

FIGURE 51 AN ARTIST PERFORMING KATHAK-YOGA 56

FIGURE 52 KATHAK MAESTRO PANDIT CHITRESH DAS AND TAP DANCER JASON SAMUELS SMITH 57

FIGURE 53 PANDIT ANUJ MISHRA 58

FIGURE 54 PANDIT ARJUN MISHRA 58

FIGURE 55 MS. SHOVANA NARAYAN 59

FIGURE 56 MR. SURENDRA SAIKIYA 59

FIGURE 57 MS. VEENA SINGH 59

FIGURE 58 MS. RASHMEE 59

1 | T h e E v e r s i o n o f K a t h a k

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The classical dance forms of India are the one which combine music, dance, poetry, stories,

acting and many more, therefore along with being aesthetically appealing the classical

dance forms are the prestigious cultural heritage of our country. As we all know there are

eight different classical dance forms in India and Kathak is one of them. The greatest Impact

of Bhakti movement on Indian literature, music and dance lead to the innovation and

change in the Dance forms in the country. It has evolved in terms of innovation in costume,

make-up, stage props etc. Most of the development of Indian dance is linked to the 2nd

century Bharatas Natyashastra, which is the most important source for establishing the

characteristics of Indian dance and drama and some other textual sources as well.

Historically, the chief aim of the composition of the epics was to instruct the indigenous

population of the sub continent in the knowledge of God. This time can be said as parallel to

Greek theatre. After Hinduism, Buddhism came into being and later on Islam. In 8th century

when Islam was firstly brought by Arabs and then by Turks, they preached that all men were

brothers under one God, there was only one path to heaven which lay through the

teachings of the prophets and that it was morally dangerous to make representations of

living things. This attitude seriously affected Kathak because they not only concerned with

many Gods and Goddesses but also portrayed them in human forms. This made the dance

doubly sacrilegious to the Muslims and therefore it was vehemently condemned. Kathak

had to find Hindus to continue their original form. Later under less severe rulers they were

permitted to dance with impunity.


1.2 Objectives

To study Kathak as a classical dance form and the evolution of the same in

terms of costumes, stage props and stories.

To study the innovations taken place in Kathak throughout the years and the

important elements those are now diminishing.

To study the sociological, cultural and political influence on Kathak

1.3 Significance of the Study

Like any other classical art form, Kathak is an ancient art form which started as an oral story

telling traditions or the Katha and was narrated by Kathakars who were mainly from the

community called Kathak. Since Kathak has seen various eras therefore has gone through

many changes and innovations which gradually became its tradition.

The study of its evolution and innovation will not only hold a record of a systematic

transformation in the dance form but also tells us how little things have affected the art.

Kathak has not only changed in design aspects of costumes and make-ups but also in

sociological aspects that are discussed in the document. We need to know and preserve our

cultural heritage so that people do not remain ignorant about them.


1.4 Research Methodology

Secondary Research

This was done by collecting articles from books, journals, Internet and referring to various

libraries that are listed below:

1. National Centre for Performing Arts, Churchgate, Mumbai

2. Bhatkhande Music Institute (Deemed University), Qaiserbagh, Lucknow

3. Rashtriya Kathak Sansthan, Maharaja Mahmoodaad, Qaiserbagh, Lucknow

4. Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi

Primary Research

Non participant observation and focused group interview was done, both backstage and as

audience. Formal Interviews were conducted with Kathak scholars and artists. They are:

1. Padmshree Ms. Shovana Narayan, National & International Performer

2. Pandit Arjun Mishra, Teacher, Choreographer and Artist

3. Pandit Anuj Mishra, National & International Performer

4. Ms. Rameshwari Jee, D/O Pandit Shambhoo Maharaj

5. Ms. Veena Singh, Kathak Reader, Bhatkhande Music Institute (Deemed University),

Lucknow

6. Ms. Rashmee, Teacher, Bhatkhande Music Institute (Deemed University)


CHAPTER 2

STUDY OF THE DANCE FORM

2.1 Introduction to Indian Classical Art

Indian Classical Dance is one of the most comprehensive and oldest dance forms in the

world. The Natyashastra lays down two aspects of dance Nritta- pure dance and Nritya-

interpretative dance. Nritta is the expression of rhythmic movement primarily through use

of the hands and feet often in specific poses and uses gestures and facial expressions to

show the poetic or emotional meaning while combining rhythmic gaits and postures.

In India, most classical dances evolved as a temple art. Many Indian dynasties from the 6th

century onwards have contributed to this art form. This interest in temple art was brought

about by spurts of building temples in the 9th and 10th centuries. The Devadasis (servants

of God) performed dance at the temples. In the early 19th century, four brothers known as

the Tanjore Quartet defined dance tradition. Dance was one of the mediums of worship.

Thereafter, temple dancing was institutionalized and kings patronized the dancers.

Indian classical music can be categorized into two genres; Hindustani - system is a melodic

scale, consisting of notes from the basic seven and Carnatic Music that is the classical music

of Southern India and one of the worlds oldest and richest musical traditions.


IMPACT OF PROMINENT MOVEMENTS

Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement was a Hindu religious movement of the medieval period that

promoted the belief that salvation was attainable by everyone. The movement is closely

related to Islamic Sufism, which appeared around the same time: both advocated that a

personal expression of devotion to God is the way to become at one with him. The Bhakti

movement originated in 7th century in Tamil Nadu and spread northwards. While the

southern movement favoured devotion to Shiva, Vishnu and his avatars, the northern

devotional movement was centred on Rama and Krishna, both of whom are believed to be

incarnations of Vishnu. Despite this, the sects of Shiva or of Vishnu did not go into decline.

In fact, for all of its history, the Bhakti movement co-existed peacefully with the other

movements in Hinduism. It was initially considered unorthodox, as it rebelled against caste

distinctions and disregarded Brahmanic rituals, which according to Bhakti saints were not

necessary for salvation. In the course of time, however, owing to its immense popularity

among the masses (and even gaining royal patronage) it became 'orthodox' and continues

to be one of the most important modes of religious expression in modern India.

During the 14th17th centuries, a great Bhakti movement swept through central and

northern India, initiated by a loosely associated group of teachers or saints. Ramananda,

Ravidas, Srimanta Sankardeva, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vallabhacharya, Surdas, Meera Bai,

Kabir, Tulsidas, Namdev, Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram and other mystics spearheaded the Bhakti

movement in the North while Annamacharya, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Tyagaraja among

others propagated Bhakti in the South. They taught that people could cast aside the heavy

burdens of ritual and caste, and the subtle complexities of philosophy, and simply express

their overwhelming love for God. This period was also characterized by a spate of devotional

literature in vernacular prose and poetry in the ethnic languages of the various Indian states

or provinces.

While many of the Bhakti mystics focused their attention on Krishna or Rama, it did not

necessarily mean that the sect of Shiva was marginalized. In the twelfth century Basava

founded the ViraShaiva School or Virashaivism. He rejected the caste system, denied the

supremacy of the Brahmins, condemned ritual sacrifice and insisted on Bhakti and the

worship of the one God, Shiva. His followers were called Vira-Shaivas, meaning "stalwart

Shiva-worshipers". One of the prominent figures in this tradition is Akka Mahadevi, a

contemporary of Basava.

Seminal Bhakti works in Bengali include many songs of Ramprasad Sen. His pieces are

known as Shyama Sangeet. Coming from the 17th century, they cover an astonishing range


of emotional responses to Ma Kali, detailing philosophical statements based on Vedanta

teachings and more visceral pronouncements of his love of Devi. Mirabai was one of the

bhakti poets.

This movement was responsible for many rites and rituals associated with the worship of

God by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of Indian subcontinent. For example, Kirtan at a Hindu

Temple, Qawaali at a Dargah (by Muslims), and singing of Gurbani at a Gurudwara are all

derived from the Bhakti movement of medieval India (800-1700). The leader of this Hindu

revivalist movement was Shankaracharya, a great thinker and a distinguished philosopher.

And this movement was propounded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Tukaram, and

Jayadeva. The movement's major achievement was its abolition of idol worship. Followers

of Bhakti movement in 12th and 13th Century included saints such as Bhagat Namdev, and

Saint Kabir Das, who insisted on the devotional singing of praises of lord through their own

compositions. Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru and founder of the Sikhism, too was a

Nirguna Bhakti Saint and social reformer. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

continued to witness the rise of many religious reformers. The leading light of the Rama cult

was saint-poet Tulsidas. It advocated communal harmony among various religious groups in

medieval India through the teachings of saints like Kabir.

Sufi Movement

Sufism arose from within Islam in the 8th-9th centuries C.E. as an ascetic movement. The

Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the

mastery of Sufism's philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices

include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful

literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual

practices intended to help them realize union with God, such as distinct forms of ritual

prayer (dhikr, literally "remembrance"), including the recitation of God's names, as well as

bodily rituals such as those practices by the so-called "Whirling Dervishes," a Turkish Sufi

order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning.

The Sufi Movement had twofold aims: To make their own spiritual progress and to serve

the mankind. Sufism, which started as a reform movement, laid emphasis on free-thinking,

liberal ideas and toleration. They believed in the equality of all human beings and

brotherhood of man. Their concept of universal brotherhood and the humanitarian ideas of

the Sufi saints attracted the Indian mind. A movement similar to Sufism, called the Bhakti

cult, was already afoot in India on the eve of the Muslim conquest of the country. The

liberal-minded Sufis were, therefore, welcomed in India. The Sufi movement proved very

helpful in bridging the gap between the followers of the two religions and in bringing the

Hindus and the Muslims together.


The Sufi movement gained impetus during the reign of Akbar who adopted a liberal religious

policy under the influence of the Sufi saints. The Sufism reached India in the 12th century

A.D. Its influence grew considerably during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In India,

Chisti and Suhrawardi Silsila were most prominent (out of 14 silsilhas mentioned by Abul

Fazal.

Chisti order was founded in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. His dargah at Ajmer became

a centre of veneration for both the Muslims and Hindus. After his death in 1236 A.D., his

devotees continued to celebrate an annual festival at Ajmer. But the most famous Sufi saint

of the Chisti order was Nizamuddin Auliya. He led a simple austere life and lived in Delhi. By

his vast learning, religious knowledge, and tolerant attitude to all religions, he earned

devotion of both the Hindu and Muslim masses. The Sufi Movement in India helped in

establishing peace and amity among the Hindus and Muslims.

The liberal ideas and unorthodox principles of Sufism had a profound influence on Indian

society. The liberal principles of Sufi sects restrained orthodox. Muslims in their attitude and

encouraged many Muslim rulers to pursue tolerant attitude to their non-Muslim subjects.

Most Sufi saints preached their teachings in the language of common man that contributed

greatly to the evolution of various Indian languages like Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Kashmiri and

Hindi. The impact of Sufi Movement was deeply felt on some renowned poets of the period,

like Amir Khusrau and Malik Muhammad Jayasi who composed poems in Persian and Hindi

in praise of Sufi principles.


2.2 Kathak- The Indian Classical Dance Form

2.2.1 Kathak-The Name

According to Pandit Rajaram Dwivedi, Kathak Nritya sangya is been originated from

Lucknow in 1635 or 1636. Some say that the name Kathak is given by Late Mr. Raamdas

Kathik who was an appointed faculty in Marris Music Institute (present: Bhatkhande Music

Institute, Deemed University). It is true that all the currently existing classical dance forms

were named in the 4th decade of 20th century. Bharatnatyam was named by Srimati

Rukmani Devi, Manipuri by Gurudev Ravindra Nath Thakur and Kathakali by Poet Vallathol

Narayan Menon. These names are not mentioned in any of the books written earlier.

Similarly in North India when the dance classes started in Marris College of Lucknow, Late

Mr. Ramdas Kathik (Ramdatt Jee), (who was maternal uncle of Late Shri Shambhoo Maharaj

and traditional Kathak dancer of Ayodhya) was appointed as a faculty and named the dance

form as Kathak. Professor Kalyanpurkar came to Lucknow from Bombay as a faculty

appointed in Marris College, Lucknow when one day the Founder/President of the college

and Raja of Dariyavaad Late Rai Umanaath Bali said that the dance they teach (Tukde, Paran

and Gaths) is not Kathak and to show what original Kathak means, he called Traditional

Kathaks from Dariyavaad State (A place near Ayodhya). But since the name was already

popularised it was difficult to change and since then it was permanently named as Kathak.

According to Pandit Raja Ram Dwivedi (as per his research and writings) this dance is

termed as Natwari in all the old sources, also Late Shree Jagannath (Achhan) used to call

his dance as Natwar Nritya.

When the dance form was named as Kathak, a detailed research of the relevant (pre-

existing) words was done, as a result words like: Kathik, Kathiko, Kahub, Kathak came into

limelight. Traditional dancers of Ayodhya used to call themselves Kathik while Rajasthani

tradition called it Kathhak ()

Pandit Rajaram Dwivedi, editor of sangeet (1641), which was a monthly magazine, Pandit

Ganesh Prasad Dwivedi and other intellectuals have always used the word Kathik, Kathiko

word is found in Pali and Nepali dictionaries. Kahub is found in Kalpsutra and other Jain

books.


Mythological Origin

There are two religious legends related to the origin of Kathak as a dance form. They are as

follows:

In ancient times God Indra held a big festival and when the competitive dance performance

was given, Parvati, wife of God Shiva, executed the most rapid dance steps and her dance

was far better than any other. Therefore God Indra gave the reward to Parvati. Though, she

was his wife, Shiva was indignant that he was belittled by her, because he considered

himself as the best one. He suggested Indra to keep a competition again between Shiva and

Parvati. Shiva executed rapid steps and quick turns but Parvati danced even faster. Shiva got

extremely angry and threatened to destroy the world with Tandava. Parvati pretended to be

a bad dancer and conceded victory to Shiva. Thus, she calmed down his anger and he tried

to extend and promote Kathak style dance through Parvati.

Another legend is again about shiva where Shiva had a wonderful ring that had a magical

power. If anybody keeps it on anyones head and made an incantation, the person got

crushed into pieces. Shiva gave the ring to a rakshasa (devil) being pleased with him. Devil

tried to kill Shiva, Parvati got worried and planned to save his husband and said to the devil

your dance is so splendid, Can you dance for me and the devil in pride started dancing.

Soon he started doing turns putting his hand on his head which had the ring. Meanwhile,

Parvati hurried to chant incantation and the devils body got crushed into pieces. Believers

of the story think it is because of this only that in the beginning of Kathak dance there is

always a pose of standing still like the devil did before being crushed.

2.2.2 History & Development

The story of Kathak begins in ancient times with the performances of professional

storytellers called Kathakars who recited or sang stories from epics and mythologies with

some elements of dance. The tradition of the Kathakars was hereditary and dances passed

from generation to generation. By the 13th century a definite style had emerged and soon

technical features like mnemonic syllables and bol developed. Although history of Kathak

has been a debatable issue as it was the style which evolved gradually during the course of

several centuries, imbibing diverse influences. Till then this dance continued to flourish in

the precincts of the temples till 14th and 15th centuries A.D In the 15th and 16th century at

the time of Bhakti movement, rasleela had tremendous impact on Kathak. The dance of the

form even made its way to the kathavaachaks who performed in temples.


However, in 15th century with the rise of Mughal Empire and with the establishment of a

state religion which did not believe in dance as a form of worship, some changes took place.

It acquired distinctive shape and features and encountered different forms of dance and

music most especially dancers from Persia. As a result, dancing figures disappeared in

temple structure. The beginnings of the Kathak dance can be traced back to the dance

illustrated in Jain paintings and manuscripts. The last Nawab of Oudh Wajid Ali Shah was

himself a musician, dancer and poet. During his rule Lucknow Gharana came into being.

By about the 16th century, the tight churidar pyjama appeared as the standard dress of the

dancer. Despite wearing a full-skirted lehenga; the churidar pyjama below is seen. The

anklets become a common feature of the paintings of this period. Before the 17th century

the women danced to accompaniment of the mridanga and the majira. Many paintings of

the period are illustrations of the ragas and the raginis on one hand and the nayikas on the

other. While the dance was not popular in the Mughal court however the music was liked.

Thumri and Khayal (North Indian classical music) were closely associated with this dance.

Kathak was influenced by the dancers and musicians from Persia.

Till this time the dance had completely shifted from purely religious to entertainment.

Dancers from Middle East spread their ideas to Kathak dancers as they borrowed ideas from

Kathak to implement in their own dance. Slowly the two dances became one as a common

link between Hindu and Muslim culture. It remained a solo dance form based on personal

interpretation and emotional values.

Kathak became two distinct styles in the atmosphere, theme, costume and music. The

temple style defines the mythological and spiritual importance, and the court style gave its

attention to rhythmic displays, fast footwork and an enhanced body balance. The major

theme of Kathak shifted from devotional to romantic ideas. In recent times, both the styles

have been integrated into one distinct style that merges both the spiritual physical aspects

into one unified dance form. It was also during this period Kathak was performed by the

tawaifs, who actually developed the dance form in parallel to its refinement in the court.

The beginning of the colonial domination in Indian landmass saw a steep decline in the

dance form of Kathak. The British administration associated the dance form as sole form of

tawaifs culture and thought it was basically for the purpose of seduction. But in recent

times Kathak as a dance form has again regained its popularity after the period of decline

and now it is one of the eight dances officially sanctioned classical dance forms of India.


Muslim Influence

Indian dance has always been religious in origin and temple dancers have been an integral

part of its maintenance. No Indian dancing has deviated further from this original intent

than Kathak. For some centuries now, Kathak has not been scared nor has it been in

temples. Owing partly to the less devout character of north India as compared with the

south, and partly because the Muslim rulers of north India greatly influenced the art and

expunged it of many of its Hindu sentiments, kathaks connection with religion is now

attenuated almost beyond recognition.

In the atmosphere of the Muslim courts, Indians danced not to please their Gods, but to

please their overlords; not for spiritual reward, but for immediate remuneration. The erotic

aspect of the dance was not even slenderly disguised with spiritual fervor.

Kathak developed as a court dance to be performed before rulers who, although Indianized,

were originally foreigners of an alien religion from Persia and Arabia. The indigenous

elements of the dance became overgrown with the tastes of its patrons. This hybrid

combination produced in Kathak a special charm and individuality.

The greatest contribution of the Muslims to the

dance was their patronage. They encouraged

the art and made it possible for large numbers

of artists to pursue their gifts. Muslim aversion

to pictorial representation in art made meaning

and mudras greatly decline in Kathak. Kathak

has neither the interpretive powers of padas,

nor has it a pure abstractness comparable to

nritta parts of Bharatas Natyashastra and

Kathakali. It has instead fostered and

developed suggestiveness and virtuosity.

Kathak suggests the emotion of a phrase rather

than depict its words. It retains its intellectual

elements through brilliance of execution and

subtlety of performance. The enjoyment of a

performance is largely a mental exercise rather

than an experience in feeling.

Figure 1 India, Mughal period, c.1675,

Two Girls joining hands and performing a Kathak

Dance-Victoria & Albert Museum


Muslim rulers predisposition for young men led Kathak to develop into an epicene art, a

blend of tanadava and lasya. Kathak is natural when performed either by men or women, as

it requires neither violence nor excessive daintiness. It is the only dance of India, over which

controversy has not raged as to the propriety of both sexes performing it, although the

majority of dancers are female.

Change in Bhakti Era

During the era of fervent worship of Radha-Krishna, Kathak was used to narrate tales from

the lives of these figures. Popular performances included Sri Krishnas exploits in the holy

land of Vrindavan, and tales of Krishna leela (Krishnas childhood). In this time, the dance

moved away from the spirituality of Temple.

Later Court Influences

Many specific emperors 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 Awadh, 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 formed 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. Even after

the Mughals, courts in Rajasthan enjoyed Kathak as a sophisticated art form, fostering the

growth of the Jaipur Gharana. The Banaras Gharana was also created at this time.

During the Raj

With the advent of British rule in India, Kathak went into sharp decline. The Victorian

administrators publicly pronounced it a base and unlovely form of entertainment, despite

often privately enjoying the pleasures of Tawaifs. Indeed, by associating Kathak solely with

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 purpose 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 Jaan were instrumental in the maintenance and continuation of Kathak, even as it

was officially denigrated by the prevailing political opinion.


2.2.3 The Nautch

Name, by which Indian dances as we know today was universally known right up to the first

quarter of the century, was Nautch. Bharatnatyam, Orrisi, Ballet and the rest are all labels

that have gained currency during the past 50 years or so. Earlier, all the dances especially to

western commentators, was just plain Nautch. Performers were known as Nautch girls.

These professionals became a part of Indias cultural life in Mughal era. Mughals brought a

lot of good and bad things to the country. They considered entertainment as a necessity,

and one of their favourite diversions was dance. This led to the importation on a large scale

of dancing girls from Persia who brought in their own dance, which was promptly adapted

to suite their masters gradually a new form of dance began to emerge and this became the

Nautch. Europeans and other travellers who visited India between 16th and 19th centuries

(for over 400 years); it was regarded as a decadent art, a vulgar pursuit.

If the word nautch is familiar in the west, it is due rather more to the use to which they put

the dance than to the dance itself. Nautch for a long time has been synonymous with the

inmates of brothels, and even today. For a slight gratuity, most North Indian prostitutes will

supply the customer with a brief dance prelude before the more serious business of the

evening.

In course of time, Kathak evolved from the Nautch. Other contributory factors were the

dance content of sacred Rasleela plays of Braj, which revolved around Krishna and his

childhood stories. Element of storytelling is very strong in these plays, and this is derived

from the professional narrators who were committed to the temples of Braj. They were

known as Kathakars and from this sprang the style of Kathak.

Kathak after Independence

If we talk about the history of Indian culture during late 19th and early 20th century, the

condition was very pathetic. After the end of Nawabs of Owdh and British invasion, the

national respect that was given to Kathak almost vanished and their daily earning was only

limited to teaching dance to the prostitutes. Kathak dance which once used to furnish in

temples started decorating the evenings of Brothels. Due to voluptuary environment Kathak

evolved large changes in its form time to time. British did not have much interest in Indian

arts; therefore they never encouraged Kathak as a dance form. Due to its linkages to the

brothels and prostitutes, Kathak was seen as renounceable and useless thing. During this

deplorable time which Kathak was going through, the encouragement and contribution of

some important personalities cannot be forgotten. Maharaj Kalka Prasad, Maharaj

Bindadeen, Madam Menaka were some of them who had a remarkable approach in keeping

Kathak in its purest forms.


India got independence in 1947. During the promotion of National awareness, various art

forms faced reformation. Kathak, which is an inseparable part of Indian cultural heritage,

started being appreciated by people and got encouragement as well as respect. Its

development was done at a national level, and that is how not only in India but it is one of

the popular dance forms all over the world.

Kathak has the qualities of beauty, sanctity, depth, universality and power to fascinate the

ordinary crowd. Other than Kalka and Bindadeen, Gharanas, gurus and instructors also

played a major role in establishing Kathak for what it is today. The list involves the name of

Achhan Maharaj, Lachhu maharaj, Shambhoo Maharaj, Birju Maharaj, Sundar Prasad jee,

Gaurishankar Jee, Kundanlaal Gangaani, Mohanrav Kalyanpurkar, Hazarilaal Jee, Sunayan

Jee, KrishnaKumar, Raja Chakradhar Singh, Kartikraam, Sitaaradevi, Gopikrishna, Ramgopal,

Damyanti Joshi, Maya Rav, Roshan Kumari, Rani Karna, Kapila Vtsyayan, Rohini Bhate, Uma

Sharma, Kumudini Laakhiya, Urmila Naagar, Jagdish Gangaani, Rajendra Gangaani,

Shovana Narayan, Shashi Sankhala, Prerna Sreemali etc. These Kathak artists have done a

lot of labor to overdress it.

Kathak Today

Today we see Kathak as an amalgamation of temple and court style both. Other than

spiritual side of the sweet pageant of Radha and Krishna, more emphasis is on the romantic

face of the same. People are losing on the spiritual connect with Kathak. The major aim of

the dance is now limited to entertain the audience and nothing more. The costumes, make

ups, stage arrangement, light and sound arrangement all have changed in every aspect.

Due to westernization, Kathak dance form got amalgamated with Ballet (Dance Drama) in

which stories based on mythological literature were witnessed. Udayshankar did a

remarkable work in composition of Ballet-Kathak fusion that contained Kathak elements

(although it was not purely Kathak) majorly.

Late Lachhu Maharaj and Pt. Birju Maharaj have also done notable hard work in developing

the compositions based on the same, which has also been represented several times on

national and international platforms. These days choreographic compositions based on a

theme are very popular with the developing technology.

In modern times government has encouraged Kathak dance form to a much larger extent by

developing Kathak Kendra in different cities, Keeping dance and music (classical) as a subject

in colleges and universities and also creating international platform for the dancers. Other

than this, honouring the artists with the title of Padmshree is also a big step towards

encouragement. Kathak shows on televisions, live shows at various centres and historical

places, stating and writing about Kathak are also very helpful. Although Kathak dance in


bollywood is not considered as a good thing by classical critics because the perspective

entirely changes in terms of makeup, costumes, techniques and other elements that define

Kathak.

Conclusion is that the Kathak what we are seeing today is very different from the one which

used to be in earlier times. Starting from a temple dance it went through the courts and

later to brothels which kept on changing it widely. There is no particular incident that how it

changed from a spiritual worship to a source of romance and entertainment. Muslim

influence brought a lot of Urdu words like aamad, nikas, adaa, salaami etc. Today we see

Kathak as completely new art form that has gone through a lot of innovations and has

evolved into a novel art.

2.3 Kathak Gharanas

The development of Gharanas played a major role in keeping Kathak alive.

Lucknow Gharana


The Lucknow gharana actually developed in the courts of the Nawab of Oudh in Lucknow,

Uttar Pradesh. It particularly gives importance to grace, elegance and natural expressions in

the dance. Abhinaya or expressional acting, especially improvised plays a very strong role in

this style, and Birju Maharaj, Shambhoo Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj were all famed for

the naturalness of and innovativeness of their abhinaya.

Figure 2 The Inside View-1

Figure 3 The Inside View-2


Figure 5 The Front Gate View

Figure 4 The Back View The back portion is Pandit Birju Maharajs house and rest of the plot is given to the Government

for developing Kathak Museum


JAIPUR GHARANA

The Jaipur gharana developed in the courts of the Kachchwaha kings of Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The significance is placed on the more technical aspects of dance, such as complex and

powerful footwork, multiple spins, and complicated compositions in different talas. There is

also a greater incorporation of compositions from the Pakhwaj, such as, Parans.


BANARAS GHARANA

The Banaras gharana was also developed by Jankiprasad. It is characterised by the

exclusive use of the Natwari or Dance bols, which are different from the Tabla and Pakhwaj

bols. There are differences in the Thaat and Tatkaar, and chakkars are kept at a minimum

but are often taken from both the right and the left hand sides with equal confidence. There

is also a greater use of the floor. Though the style developed in Varanasi, today it flourishes

in Bikaner.


RAIGAD GHARANA

The Raigarh Gharana was established by the Maharaja Chakradhar Singh in the princely state of Raigarh in Chhattisgarh in the early 20th century. The Maharaja invited many luminaries of Kathak (as well as famous percussionists) to his court, including, Kalka Prasad (the father of Achhan, Lacchu and Shambhoo Maharaj) and his sons, and Pandit Jailal from the Jaipur Gharana. The confluence of different styles and artists created a unique environment for the development of new Kathak and tabla compositions created from various backgrounds.


COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE GHARANAS

LUCKNOW GHARANA JAIPUR GHARANA BANARAS GHARANA

This Gharana had its origin at Lucknow. It prospered here.

The centre of this gharana was Jaipur in Rajasthan.

This Gharana evolved at Banaras

It was founded by Shri Ishwari Prasadjee

It was founded by Shri Bhanu Ji.

It was founded by Shri Janki Prasad.

Lord Krishna had inspired Shri Ishwari Prasad in his dreams to revive the Natwari style of dance

Shri Bhanu Ji was trained in Tandava style by a sage.

Janki Prasad came to Banaras and created this new style.

This gharana was patronized by the Nawab of Oudh and Muslim rulers and hence the influence of Muslim culture is evident.

This Gharana was patronized by Hindu kings and hence is influenced entirely by Hindu culture

This Gharana imbibes both the Tandava and Lasya and the influence of Hindu religion is evident.

In this style, Lasya is important and depicts soft bhavas (sentiments).

The Gharana involves special preparations in which stress is laid upon purity of footwork.

This tandava dance characterises this gharana and hence the spirit of bravery is reflected in this style.

Thumris are more often used.

Devotion is the main theme.

Prayers of Lord Shiva and Krishna are mostly used.

Use of Kavitas (poems) is nominal. Emoting is based on singing of thumris and ghazals.

Kavitas (poems) are more often used.

Kavitas (poems) and thumris both are equally used.

Bols of Tatkar are tigda dig dis tigda dig dig

Bols of tatkars are ta thai thai tat.

While bols are same as luck now Gharana, in Padnikasi, feet are tapped 6 times.

Due to Muslim influence, the costume usually comprises Angarkha and pyjama. There is not much difference between the costume of men and women dancers.

In this Gharana, usually Bandi (vest) and dhoti are worn by male dancers and lehenga and choli by female dancers.

The male dancers wear only dhoti and nothing above waist. Female dancers wear lehenga and choli.

Bhramari is not much used.

Bhramari is more often used.

Bharamari is more often used.


2.4 Elements of Kathak

2.4.1 History of Kathak Costumes

Today if we refer to any website or book we see the two styles of costumes: Hinduism

Inspired and Islam inspired. Where they say that lehenga and sarees were all related to

Hindu clothing and anarkali suits and churidaar was all given by Muslim invasion which is

not true. If we deeply study the History of Indian costumes, one can easily understand the

evolution of costumes in the dance form. The origin of Kathakars dates back to the Vedic

period when the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata were written with the very first

story tellers who are believed to be Luv and Kush; sons of Lord Rama and Sita.

Vedic Period:

The Harappa civilization was followed by Vedic

or Rig-Vedic culture which was completely

opposed to it. The Vedic culture was founded by

the Aryans. They were immigrants and arrived

in India between 2000 and 1500 BC. The origin

of the Aryans is still an unsettled affair. The

coming of the Aryans to India was a great event

in Indian history. The Aryans were considered to

be one of the world's most civilized

communities. They were far ahead of other

races of their time. The original homeland of

Aryans has remained a subject of long and

protracted controversy. Regarding the original

home of the Aryans the historians have held

divergent views. Communities of Kathakars wandered around the

countryside conveying the stories of these great epics and myths to

the people by means of poetry, music and dance, all three of which

were closely linked. As per the findings saree or dhoti of fabrics

cotton and linen existed during Vedic period. There is also a mention

of unending saree gifted to Draupadi by Krishna in Mahabharata.

After the invasion of the Aryans, silk fabric also came into the

country and now except cotton and linen, silk was also used in the

garments. In the fifth century B.C. there arose in north India a new

religion which was to begin with, very different from the Vedic

religion then prevalent. It was founded by prince Siddhartha of the

sakya tribe who forsaking riches and power, preached equality

Figure 6 Bharat during Ramayana times

Figure 7: Gandhar Buddha 2nd century B.C; Tokyo

National Museum


among all men and by his own example showed the path to self realisation. He came to be

known as Buddha or the enlightened one and his teachings spread across the countries of

Asia. One piece cloth was the major costumes of the Buddhists and it can be seen in the

sculptures and the statues found.

Maurya Period:

Mauryan Empire was the first empire to

unite almost all of India under a single

government. The empire lasted from

about 324 to about 185 B.C. Under the

rule of Chandragupta Maurya, which

ended about 298 B.C., the empire included

much of what are now northern India,

Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Chandraguptas son Bindusara and

Bindusara's son Asoka expanded the

empire far into South India. The empire's

capital was Pataliputra (now Patna).

During this period the unstitched clothes continued to be worn.

The birth of ghaghara was noticed in some parts.

Antariya in kachha style, utariya across the head or casually

draped on the shoulders, kayabandh or the girdle. The cloth

became finer with the increase in status of the person adorning

it. Cotton continued to be used as traditional textile and silk

called cinamsuka was imported from China along silk route.

Figure 8 The Mauryan Empire

Figure 9- The Didarganj Yakshi depicting the dhoti wrap of the

Vedic Period, Patha Museum


In the above figures we see the lady wearing a ghaghara that creates a circular shape while

pirouetting while in the second figure we can see utariya worn over head, a much stylised

antariya and a kayabandh. In the third figure we see Nati with damaru in the hands wearing

a skirt/ghaghra. These can be compared by the present day Kathak costumes as shown

below.

Figure 12 3rd Century B.C. Nati Pirouetting

Figure 11 A Stylistic Female Antariya

Figure 14- Comparing Costumes

Figure 10 3rd Century B.C.

Figure 13- Comparing Costumes


0-500 A.D.

Until this period the stitches were introduced in the country but Gods and Goddesses were

depicted in the dresses without stitches.

Kushan Dynasty

The name Kushan is derived from a

Chinese name Gui-shang, a branch of

the Yuezhi, a group of people

speaking the Tocharian language.

They were originally driven out of

China, when the Chinese built a large

wall to keep out nomads and

uncivilized tribes. The Kushans

overthrew the Indo-Greek kingdom

and the Indo-Parthian kingdom and

established themselves in Bactria for

some years, before they pushed

down into India. They ended up

ruling all the Gangetic plain down to

Patna, making Mathura their

Southern capital. Their Northern

capital was near modern day Kabul,

called Purusapura (modern

Peshawar).

There were in all 15 Kushan rulers from 1 AD to 375 AD. The rule of the Kushans linked

seagoing trade of the Indian Ocean with the commerce of the Silk Road from China to

Europe through the Indus Valley. Cultural exchanges also flourished, and the Kushan time

saw a fusion of Greek and Buddhist cultural elements, expanding into Asia as Mahayana

Buddhism. In the 1970s a tomb was discovered near Kabul, containing richly decorated

bodies and artefacts, which has been approximately dated at around 100 AD. In the tomb

there were 5 noble ladies, one maidservant and a man in warrior dress (shown here on the

right) who could have been a family member or a guard. Here below are the details of the

clothing and jewellery of the ladies.

The Kushan society lasted nearly 400 years. 15 kings ruled. In the early stages everyone

wore Persian style garments, and the people they were ruling wore Hindu style garments

from the Mauryan times. Gradually the two costume styles mixed and eventually by the

time of the Guptas, most people were wearing Hindu style garments. The royal court ladies

and courtiers wore a very Hindu style. So the costumes worn during the Kushan period can

be divided into several categories.

Figure 15 Kushan Empire


Figure 16 Costume categories during Kushan kingdom

The Shalwar Kameez has a very significant place in

the History of the Textiles and traces its roots back

to the invasion and subsequent rule of the Indian

subcontinent by central Asians as far back as 400

CE. Evidence of Persian influence on Textiles and

Clothing in India can be traced to the Kushan

Empire (001 AD). Coinage and stone palettes

found from the Indo-Scythian/Parthian period

show Greek and Persian influences in clothing. The

palettes depict people dressed in caps or head-

bands, ruched long sleeved Tunics, calf-length

Coats worn loose crossed-over from right to left

and secured with leather or metal belt and baggy

trousers.

The Kushan dress evolved from a nomad culture

based on the use of the horses. This costume very

well resembles the anarkalis and shalwar suits of

the present day.

Figure 17 1st Century A.D. - Kushan Period Costumes; Kanishka (From the

warrior class)


Persian Rule

Due to the Islamic invasion in the 11th century,

Persian fashions were incorporated in the

everyday wardrobe. Men and women would

wear long trousers with a long tunic that came

down to their knees. Some women wore long

veils that would cover their trousers. Silver and

gold jewellery became popular among Indian

women. Women also started sporting the bindi,

which is a red dot on the forehead.

Persian Caps and dresses were introduced

in India. The major inspirations were taken

from the motifs of Persia that were

introduced later in carpets and other

textiles.

Gupta Dynasty

The Gupta Empire extended across present-

day northern India and portions of present-

day Pakistan and Bangladesh from about

A.D. 320 to about 500. At this time, India

became a centre of art, learning, and

medicine. As traditional Hindu monarchs,

the Guptas were strong supporters of Vedic

religious beliefs and rituals. Hinduism had

reached its peak Manu Smriti dictated a

rigid class system and Buddhism declined.

During this time many types of cut and sewn

garments started to exist in the country and

the proofs are found in various sculptures of

gupta times.

Figure 18 Persian Clothing

Figure 19 Persian Caps and garments

Figure 20 Gupta Empire


The sculptures in the right clearly show women in dancing posture wearing cut and sewn

garments resembling kurta pyjama.

Other sculptures

resembles garments

like kurta with side

slit which is very

similar to the

silhouette of

lucknawi side cut

kurtis (local name).

Figure 21 5th Century A.D. Gupta Period- Deogarh

Figure 23 Gupta Period Sculpture depicting Kurta -5thCentury AD-Deogarh

Figure 22 Gupta Period Sculptures depicting side slit Kurta and churidar/Pyjama

Figure 24 Gupta Period -5th century AD Depicting Lehenga-choli, dupatta and

Dhoti -Bikaner


After 5th century A.D. stitched antariya evolved as ghaghara and Kanchukas were also

noticed. Kanchukas were the close fitting garments closing the upper body. During and after

6th century A.D. men started wearing lungi instead of dhoti/saree. In 7th century A.D. when

Indo Scythians came, they brought new textures and materials with them which makes

present day scenario. So, it is clear from the above discussion that saree, dhoti, lehenga-

choli, kurta-churidar/pyjama already existed in the country before Mughals conquered the

nation. Therefore, there is nothing such as Hindu and Islamic costume in Kathak dance form.

It is only the style that was prominent in both the cultures. Today also while depicting

compositions like jahaan-ara, Mughal-e-azam the artist wears anarkalis and veil because it

was prominent during their rule and the characters in reality used to wear those. Same is

the case with compositions based on Radha-Krishna and any other Hindu character.

Mughal Empire

Central Asian Muslims established the empire in 1526. By about 1600, the Mughals

controlled most of what are now north and central India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and

Pakistan. The empire lasted until the 1700's.

The greatest Mogul emperor

was Akbar (ruled 15561605),

who subdued some of the

strongest Hindu states. Akbar's

grandson Shah Jahan (ruled

162858) was the builder of the

Taj Mahal. He was deposed by

his son, Aurangzeb (16581707),

who extended the Mogul

domains but aroused fierce

resistance by the Maratha

Confederacy, a group of Hindu

states in central India. Shortly

after Aurangzeb's death the

Persians invaded India and

sacked Delhi. Many Indian states

declared their independence,

and Mogul power gradually dwindled away, although the empire survived in name until

1858. Muslims found this kind of devotions unsuitable for the patronage but they liked the

music and dance detached from worship. Therefore they sent for dancers and musicians

from Persia and Central Asia. These dancing girls were known as: Dominis, Hansinis, Lolonis,

and Hourkinis. All of them had their distinctive style of dancing.

Figure 25 Mughal Kingdom


Mughals brought political unity,

economic stability and social

justice. Akbar married a Rajput

princess and Kathak entered its

golden era. Fatehpur Sikri was the

new centre for dancers, poets and

musicians.

There was a huge Persian influence

on the costumes and interestingly

new costumes were introduced.

Men wore a jacket and women

wore a choli- a fitted blouse with

short sleeves (midriff bare). Both

had tight trousers called chust

pyjamas. Over this they wore

plisse skirt made of stiff material in

three tiers several inches above

the knee. It resembled the tutu of

western ballet which was not

invented until very much later.

They also took transparent scarf of silk or

Muslin odhni or dupatta head dress consisted

of a muslin Turban.

During Jahangirs era the dancers wore chust

pyjama in a bright colour over which was worn

a high neck diaphanous dress- Angarkha. Soft

flowing bell-shaped skirt was of full length and

like the sleeves was left unlined.

For women, embroidered waistcoat of rich

satin emphasized the body line and odhni. For

men, double breasted angarkha which fastened

on their left with chust pyjamas. Palms and

bare feet were dyed in henna. Numerous

miniatures of 18th and 19th century show the

dancers in the costume.

Figure 26 Kathak dance in front of Badshaah Daarashikoh

17th Century, Indian Museum, Calcutta

Figure 27 Tamasha of Bhaat and Nat

In Akbars court, 17th century- Courtesy: Baagla

Family, Haathras


2.4.2 Contemporary Costumes and Make-ups

Traditional (and perhaps

more specifically Hindu)

costume sometimes

consists of a saree,

whether worn in an

everyday style, or tied up

to allow greater freedom

of movement during

dance. However, more

commonly, the costume

is a lehenga choli

combination, with an

optional odhni or veil.

The lehenga is loose

ankle-length skirt, and

the choli is a tight fitting

blouse, usually short-

sleeved. Both can be highly ornately embroidered or decorated. The lehenga is sometimes

adapted to a special dance variety, similar to a long Ghaghara, so that during spins, the skirt

flares out dramatically.

Figure 29 Lehenga, choli, Dupatta Figure 28 Anarkali-churidaar

Figure 30 Anarkali-churidaar Figure 31 Saree


The traditional costume for men is to be bare-chested. Below the waist is the dhoti, usually

tied in the Bengali style, which is with many pleats and a fan finish to one of the ends

(although it is not unknown for dancers to tie the garment more simply). There is the option

of wearing a men's bandi too. For Islamic compositions, the costume is kurta-churidar.

The kurta can be a simple one, or again, adapted for dance to incorporate wider flare, but is

usually at least knee-length. Men may also wear an angarkha; particularly older variety

costumes include the small peaked cap too.

Figure 32 Different Styles of Men's Kathak Costume


There is no specification in costume or make-ups in

Kathak. These elements have become much

customized and contemporised as well. The artist

wears clothes as per their wish and also keeping in

mind the backdrop of the stage, the occasion and the

compositions. The traditional followers of the

Natyashastras aharya abhinaya exist no more now.

As we know Bollywood is the biggest common

platform of arts and artists and Kathak being one of

the most popular classical Indian dance form, is also a

part of Bollywood Industry to a huge extent. The

exploitation of Kathak is reflected very clearly in

bollywood songs and dances. They are not only ruining

the traditional essence of the art form in terms of

costume, make ups and character depiction but also

creating a misconception regarding the same.

2.4.3 Compositions

Kathak survived mostly in Rasleelas. During British rule the paintings of Mrs. Belnos and

Solvyns titled as Nautch are a big evidence of the costumes worn in Kathak. Kathak as

divided into 16 sections: Bhadohi- Mirzapur district, Mathapati- Matha, Manvari,

Bhunsaina, Gonraha- Gonda, Usari, Nandik, Rajaipur, Notepur, Naikan, Jangali, Mangali

(Azamgarh & Gorakhpur). The Kathak dancers were same as Brahmins; the only difference

between them was that the Kathakars cannot take Dana (endowment) like Brahmins. Due

to belief of Prostitution (created by Britishers) and their linkages to Dancers- the dance form

was after some time at the verge of vanishing but at the same time foreign Dancers came to

India and the dance form was being encouraged with the appreciation. Madam Menaka (A

famous Dancer) introduced innovation with the help of Shantiniketan and made Kathak

more presentable on the stage.

Kathak is composed by two parts, Tala and Gatha. Tala is a part of footwork and is the most

important element of Kathak. We have mens tala and womens tala. It is said that mans

tala originated from god Shiva and womens tala originated from Parvatis movements

(Tandava and Lasya). Gatha is a gesture. Various meanings are expressed through different

mudras as in other Indian Dance forms.

Mostly the Kathak Dance Themes are related to Lord Krishna. For example, a dance of

depicting the childhood pranks of Krishna, A sprang dance in which Krishna plays merrily

Figure 33 Pandit Anuj Mishra in Mughal character


with milkmaids (Gopis), and (it is very lovely dance expressing the picking of flowers, the

flying of a kite or playing in water.)

A dance of young Krishnas love or a dance of Krishna who dallies with Gopis in Vrindavan

woods in the moonlit night and plays a flute leaning to a tree, or some romantic stories of

his beloved Radha. Some themes are about Lord Shiva and Parvati, and some are about

Shiva and Rakshasa, or other new themes appearing one after the other.

The compositions of Kathak were known as Kathanak. Some of the famous Kathanak are:

Ahilya Uddhaar Parvati Mangal Putna Vadh Bhasmasur Vadh Bheelni (Shabri) Bhakti Madan Dahan Maharas Makhan Chori (Ukhal Bandhan) Madhavanal Kaam kandala Mareech Vadh Meera Giridhar Raam Leela Rukmini Parinaya Udvav Leela Usha Anirudhh Urvashi Kaliya Daman Krishna Leela Ganga Vataran Gaj aur Graah Geet Govind Govardhan Leela Tripurasur Vadh Dashavtar Daan Leela Draupadi Cheer haran Panghat Leela Lakshman Shakti Vaaman Avatar Vishwamitra- Menaka Shiv Tandava Sati anusuya Sudaama Leela Surdaas

2.4.4 Krishna Customs in Kathak

Lord Krishnas romantic love for Radha symbolised mans love for God. Always depicted as

an engaging young man of dark complexion and as such represented a major concession by

the fair skinned Aryans to the original dark skinned inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent.

Art of medieval India was dominated by Krishna theme. Krishna legends became a

permanent feature of Kathak repertoire. In Mahabharata, Arjun appears as a disciple of Lord

Krishna and there we come to know his major teachings that are about Duty. The episodes

of his teachings were excellent subjects for poetry, music and dance which in Vaishnavism

were important mode of worship.


The Natyashastra describes ras and rasak as secondary forms of drama, but today the

meaning is more specific and refers to the Ras which Krishna danced with the Gopis of

Vrindavan.

Krishna as a young man was so attractive that all the Gopis were in love with him and longed

for him constantly. Krishna, seeing that their love was sincere, promised each one that he

would fulfil her desire by dancing with her by moonlight. One night, when the moon was

full, the silvery notes of Krishnas flute echoed through the forest. Each Gopi left her home

for the banks of the Yamuna, drawn by the irresistible call of the flute. Here Krishna awaited

them. He projected himself in such a way that each Gopi had a Krishna as a partner. They

formed a big circle and the dance began. So, enchanting was the dance that even the gods

and goddesses were envious and wished they too could join in. The dance lasted for six

months, yet when the Gopis returned home they found that their husbands and families did

not even know they had been away.

There are five chapters in the

Bhagwad Puraana devoted to a

description of the Ras. The Rasleela is

found as a folk-drama in many parts

of India, but the Rasleela of Braj

deserves special mention. It was here

in the home of Krishna legends, that

it was first enacted in its present

form and has been danced in an

unbroken tradition since the

sixteenth century. The stage

techniques employed in Rasleelas are

very simple. The stage, on the same

level as the audience, is quite bare

except for a small square platform on

which there are two seats, for Radha

and Krishna. The only curtain used is

held up by two men when a special

dramatic effect is required, such as

before the jhankis or tableaux or

sometimes before the introduction of

a character. Jhankis puncture the

whole dance-drama and are an

important feature of it. They have

retained their authenticity and look

like sixteenth century miniatures

brought to life.

Figure 34 Pandit Anuj Mishra as Krishna & Neha Singh as Radha


The Rasleela may be divided into three distinct parts, the prologue or nitya ras, the Sangeet

or didactic piece and finally the leela or play proper. The dance drama has a traditional

opening with Radha and Krishna seen seated. First the chorus sets the mood by singing

devotional songs. The Gopis then offer a puja and invite Radha and Krishna to join the dance

in the ras mandal which is the actual dance area. They form a circle and the ras begins.

The nitya ras introduces the chief characters but its main interest lies in its dance content. It

is the only part of the dance-drama where stylized dance movements and interesting

rhythmic pieces called parmuls, are used. These have a strong affinity with the Kathak style

of the story tellers of the North Indian temples. There are special parmuls for the

introduction of each character. This function of the parmuls can be compared with that of

the pravesar Nritya of sattra ras, which has similar dance pieces with distinctive bols for

Radha, Krishna and the Gopis. Parmuls are danced at speed and have fast pirouettes. The

nitya ras also contains short dance pieces rather like the gaths of Kathak, and even

incorporate graceful chaals and eyebrow movements. The interesting choreography of the

nitya ras makes a colourful and exciting opening to the Rasleela.

The Sangeet which comes next contains a sermon and devotional songs and poems sung by

the chorus, since, for vaishnavites, the arts were a means of devotion and were used by

them to teach people the traditions and practices of their religion, it was not unusual to find

direct instruction such as sermons and expositions, sandwiched between acts in dance

dramas. The Sangeet also served to remind people of the religious aspects of the Radha-

Krishna legends.

The third and last part of dance drama is the leela or main play. For this one story is chosen

from the great wealth of Vaishnavite mythology. The selected story is then danced from

beginning to end in one long sequence, without breaks or divisions into acts.

This part of the Rasleela is entirely in the folk tradition. The gestures and abhinaya are a

part of everyday language, used and known instinctively by the villagers. There is no single

pattern of presentation the characters may recite or sing their lines, and the chorus may

repeat them. Sometimes the lines are explained in prose as they are being recited. The

recitations are punctuated by short dances which include gaths, and by jhankis. Although

the dancers appear to vary their styles a great deal they do, nevertheless, follow the chosen,

carefully planned patterned of presentation. Much of the tradition of sixteenth century

Vaishnavism has been preserved in the Rasleelas.

The numerous Radha Krishna miniatures show the same structure of presentation and the

same costumes as are worn today, namely ghaghara, choli and dupatta for women and

dhoti for men. Even the language has a sixteenth century flavour, and the similes used give

an insight into the social conditions of those times.


There is much speculation as to whether the Rasleela, which is a folk art, has borrowed from

the classical style of north India. Certainly there are many points of similarity between the

two, but these may have arisen because both deal with the same Vaishnavite themes,

although Kathak is by no means restricted to these. Bhava in the mime of the Rasleela, like

that of Kathak, is natural although not as developed.

2.5 Comparative studies of Kathak

Kathak and Rasleela

If we talk about the

similarities of Kathak

and Rasleela, both have

emerged from the same

geographical area i.e.

North India. Bhava in

Rasleela is not much

developed. It shares

much Vaishnavite poetry

which incorporated

dance bols and was

intended to be

expressed through

singing as well as

dancing. Kavita torah

(Kathak) and Kavita

(Rasleela) with dance bols are examples of this. Both the dances were at peak at the same

time. Certain elements like gaths from Kathak permeated into the Rasleela through the

influence of the professional Kathak dancers, so numerous and popular at that time. Until

comparatively recently, the rasleela was performed mostly in temple courtyards, and this

sustained its religious character. The dance itself is far from the austere solemnity

associated with religion in western thinking. People enjoyed the Rasleela. Through music,

poetry and dance they brought the happiness of their own lives to their worship, but the

religious experience was, nonetheless, profound. The dance is no longer confined to the

temples, but has not in any way lost its religious significance.

During the festivals of vasant, holi and janmashtami, the fairs of Vrindavan and Mathura

resound to the rhythms of the mridang and the streets are crowded with pilgrims and

Figure 35 Painting depicting Raas leela


visitors. The temples, decorated with buntings and marigolds, are filled with the heavy

perfume of incense and the rhythmic chanting of Sanskrit hymns. The intermittent call of

the conch shell penetrates the noise and bustle to remind the happy crowd that this is

essentially a religious festival. These festivals would not complete without performances of

rasleela in the ras mandals, dance enclosures, and the open spaces around the town.

Meanwhile, the quiet glades and mango groves, so favoured for love trysts, pulsate with the

fullness of life and the voice of the koel echoes to the throb of the distant drums.

Kathak and Bharatnatyam

Kathak is a traditional dance that although started at

the same time when Bharatnatyam and therefore has

lots of similarities between them. Also, both the dance

forms were women central, but if we talk about

dissimilarities, there are many which make it two very

different Indian classical dance forms. Due to the

impact and interference of various cultures and

traditions, Kathak is not depended to any particular

textual source or book while if we see the techniques

of Bharatnatyam, it is completely emerged from Bharat

Munis Natyashastra and also depends upon various

instructions written in Sangeetratnaakar by

Shaangadeva. Earlier there were various names of

Kathak like natwari nritya, dhrupadnritya etc while

Bharatnatyam was known as Daasiattam in earlier

period. As Guru-shishya Parampara played a major

role in Kathak, although it does not continues the

same way till today but holds a strong position in the history of Kathak, Gurus were known

as Nritya-Guru or dance gurus, while in Bharatnatyam they were known as Nattuvan. The

performance of Kathak has few elements in sequence like that, aamad, bol, tode-tukde,

paran-kavit, gat bhaav and tatkaar. The sequence of Bharatnatyam consists of Allarippu,

Jaatiswaram, shabdam, varnam, padam and tillana. Dance form with emotions and

expressions is performed on a technique named thumri which is in braj language and

Bharatnatyam is done in Tamil or Telugu language. Tarana of Kathak is very similar to tillana

of Bharatnatyam; the elements in both are very similar to each other.

If we see the costume of the two, Kathak has a simple costume majorly ghaghara or lehenga

but these days people also wear anarkali suits and sarees; but in Bharatnatyam the costume

is very different from Kathak. They wear vibrant coloured costume with sarees made of silk.

Kathak is a north Indian dance based on Hindustani music of North India and uses the music

instruments like Harmonium, Baasuri, sitar, sarangi, tabla and pakhwaaj while

Figure 36 An Artist performing Bharatnatyam


Bharatnatyam which is based on South Indian Carnatic music. There are a number of

musicians and instrumentalist who provide the musical accompaniment. Typically there is

one or more vocalist, a person reciting the dance syllables, and a mridangam. Additionally,

one usually finds violin, vina (saraswati vina), or venu (bamboo flute). There is also a

thallam (manjira) which is usually played by the person reciting the dance syllables. The

overall style of the Bharat Natyam musical accompaniment is not unlike other Carnatic

performances. Kathak has two styles of dancing namely Temple and court style and it

established in courts during Mughal era. Kathak once used to be purely a spiritual dance

form but Bharatnatyam was and is still focused on spiritual and religious elements.

Bharatnatyam is a proper temple dance and had never compromised with the same. Being a

temple dance it comprises of the compositions made on Dev stuti i.e. prayer dances

dedicated to Gods and Goddesses and includes tough dance movements and techniques but

Kathak has a majority of compositions based on Krishna rasleela that is romantic and the

dance movements and techniques are soft and gentle. Kathak compositions were done by

people like Surdaas, Tulsidaas, Meerabai etc based on Braj language and thumris which

requires more foot work but the dancers have a freedom of body movements.

Bharatnatyam has the strictness to follow movements and techniques as per the written

textual sources and the major compositions were done by people like Swati Tirunal and

Purandardaam who focused them to religious narrations. Lastly, the priority in

Bharatnatyam dance form is the acting and the body movements unlike Kathak which

focuses on the Ghoonghru and foot work and is the most experimental dance form of all.

Kathak and Folk Dances

Folk tradition is region based tradition inspired by its own area and their customs. They have

various costumes and make ups for their communities like Dhobis, Jatav, Kahaar, Kanjar,

Gadariya, Kumhar Kori, Barua, Ahir, Bediya, Banjaras, Nat and dhadhi etc. Folk tradition can

laos be seen in minor communities and tribes which may be their only medium of

entertainment. Kathak has not much differentiation in their costumes and make ups as they

have three major gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras and the dressing is according to

them only. With respect to their gharanas, Kathak has its own style, emotion and expression

which they convey through that, aamad, padant, gat nikas and tode-tukde. Each of them is

unique in itself. Folk tradition have very simple rhythm and measures like Kaharava, daadra

etc while Kathak has tough and complicated rhythms.

If we concentrate on the compositions of the two dances we see a major difference in them.

When folk tradition has traditional folk stories to narrate, Kathak presents the creation and

composition of Literature and poems. In folk dances, which is presented in a group has a

single rasa in one composition unlike the navarasas used in Kathak which was earlier a solo

dance because of being in the court but these days due to choreographies it may or may not

be presented in a group. There are no rhythmic measures in the folk dances or padhant but


in Kathak- padhant is as important as dancing. There are no stages in folk tradition, the

artists perform on the ground itself but a Kathak performance requires proper stage and

special arrangements of sounds and lights are done. Where folk dances are replications of

our ancient traditional heritage, in Kathak we can see the extreme Mughal influence clearly.

Figure 37 Folk Dances of India


2.6 Textual Sources of Kathak

The interest in a virtually rediscovered heritage of classical dancing in India in the early

twentieth century tells us that the art of dancing attracted not only scholars but also

performing artists. This led to an eager search for the historical sources of the art form and

this effort corresponded with the larger need of the nineteenth century Indian renaissance

to authenticate its national identity by finding roots in a glorious past. A new born faith in

the richness of the tradition was nourished by the fact that numerous treatises on dance

and drama have come down to us from the classical age. These were written between the

second and seventeenth century CE, the earliest being the Natyashastra, attributed to

Bharata Muni. These works have exerted a profound influence on modern studies in

classical Indian dancing. In particular, in their quest for the roots of the tradition, both

scholars and artists have tried to establish a direct relationship between all the classical

styles and the Natyashastra.

The enthusiastic interest in the reconstruction of the history of dancing highlighted what

was seen as the unbroken continuity of a tradition. While there is no doubt that the

tradition was indeed continuous, we must not think of it as an unchanging one. Any critical

comparison of the technique of present day classical Indian dancing with the art described

in Bharatas Natyashastra shows art forms that significantly differ in details of techniques as

well as in broader aesthetic direction. How did this come about? Our only way to trace the

evolution of dancing lies through the rich corpus of Sanskrit manuals on dancing and

discussions in musicological literature in general

the eversion of kathak.pdf

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