Question

Give a detailed description of Kathak, a popular classical dance form in North India

Answer 1

Hint: The Kathak tradition is traceable to 400BCE, and the textual research reflects that as a classical dance form Kathak started in Benaras( Varanasi) and then migrated to other parts of India like present-day Punjab, Bihar, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir

Complete answer: During the Bhakti movement the Kathak artists expressed themes around Divine Krishna and his lover Radha and the legends such as Bhagavad Gita. During Mughal era “Kathak '' was an aristocratic form of entertainment, provided by low-income families. Whereas, under British Raj along with other classical dance forms Kathak too declined. In order to reclaim culture and history in Independent India, Kathak was revived.

The term “Kathak” means story and is derived from the Sanskrit word “Katha”, and the performers of Kathak are known as Kathakars which means “storytellers”.A Kathak performance can be performed by an individual or can be duo or team. Since Kathak involves both Hindu and Muslim cultural elements, the dancers make use of the hand gestures ( mudra) and facial expressions to invoke Hindu gods and goddesses, the devotional expressions are replaced salutation( salami) in a Muslim performance.
The dance form involves foot movements adorned with Ghungroo ( small bells or musical anklets), the story is told through gestures, eye movements, neck movements, the bends and turns. The eye movements work as a medium of communication of story from the performer to the viewer. There are three Gharanas ( distinct forms) named after cities where the sub-traditions developed- Jaipur Gharana is famous for their footwork, Lucknow and Banaras style emphasizing on expressions and gestures.

Note: As a dance form, Kathak has survived from generation to generation as an oral tradition or through practice. It is recognized as one of the six classical dance-form of India.