Kathak is an esteemed classical dance form, rich in history and culture, that originates from India. The name ‘Kathak’ is derived from ‘katha,’ a word that translates to ‘story.’ This is suggestive of the narrative nature of this dance form. Mainly practiced in Northern India, Kathak evolved through different cultural influences over centuries. The style and performance of Kathak are distinctive and closely related to North Indian or Hindustani music.
The Evolution of Kathak
Tracing the roots of Kathak takes us back to its humble beginnings as a temple or village performance. Dancers would recount stories from ancient scriptures. It began evolving into a separate dance form around the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, fueled by the spread of the Bhakti Movement.
There was a tradition of enacting the legends of Radha-Krishna in folk plays known as rasa lila. These performances combined folk dance with the rudimentary gestures of Kathak storytellers. Under Mughal emperors and their nobility, Kathak was performed in royal courts, where it grew into its current form with its unique style.
The last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, was a significant patron of Kathak. Under his patronage, Kathak blossomed into a significant art form.
Dance Style of Kathak
Kathak is traditionally a solo dance performance. The dancer frequently pauses during the recital to recite verses, which are then expressed through movement. Emphasis is put on footwork rather than body movements. Skillful control is required to perform the straight-legged movements to the rhythm of ankle-bells worn by the dancers.
Notable Kathak dancers include Birju Maharaj and Sitara Devi, who have contributed significantly to promoting and preserving this classical dance form.
| Dancers | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Birju Maharaj | Preservation and promotion of Kathak. |
| Sitara Devi | Proliferated Kathak within India and internationally. |
The Bhakti Movement
The Bhakti movement, which greatly influenced the development of Kathak, originated in Tamil Nadu between the seventh and ninth centuries. This religious movement manifested in the emotional poems of the Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) and Alvars (devotees of Vishnu).
These saints viewed religion as a warm, loving bond between the worshiped deity and the worshiper, rather than a sterile formal practice. They wrote in local languages like Tamil and Telugu, enabling them to connect with a wider audience.
The Bhakti movement gradually shifted from the South to the North of India. The use of local languages made the ideology of the Bhakti movement more accessible. Saints composed verses in local languages and translated Sanskrit works into these languages to reach a broader audience. Notable examples include Jnanadeva who wrote in Marathi, Kabir, Surdas, and Tulsidas in Hindi, Shankaradeva popularizing Assamese, Chaitanya and Chandidas spreading their message in Bengali, and Mirabai writing in both Hindi and Rajasthani.
Kathak is a vibrant and historic dance form tied to the heritage and culture of India, with a rich story stemming from its roots in the Bhakti movement to the royal courts of Mughal emperors. Its unique style, narrative nature, and ties to Hindustani music make it an enduring treasure of Indian classical dance.
