Instruments Used in Kathak

This dance form origin from the groups of poets of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or story tellers. These poets, performing in village squares and temple courtyards, mostly specialized in recounting mythological and moral tales from the scriptures. They use to perform those stories with hand gestures and facial expressions. It was a high class theatre, using instrumental and vocal music along with stylized gestures, to telling the stories. In the time of Mughal culture, Kathak became a sophisticated chamber art and taking care by art loving rulers, the practitioners of Kathak worked at refining its dramatic and rhythmic footworks, delighting elite audiences with their mastery over rhythm and the stylized mime.
The technique of Kathak is easy to understand by fast rhythmic footwork set to complex time cycles. The footwork is matched by the accompanying percussion instruments such as tabla and pakhawaj, and the dancer and percussionists.

Tabla

The name “TABLA” seems to have been derived from the Arabian Drum called “TABLA” It is believed that the Sufi Saint Ameer Khusrau had evolved this instrument by dividing the PPAKHAWAJ, an ancient percussion instrument into two pieces. The two parts of the tabla are called Dayan and Bayan. Tabla is played with finger tips and with open palms and it can reproduce all the intricate rhythmic patterns of the voice and instrument. Tabla and pakhwaj are the instruments of the Heart chakra, the Anahata.

Pakhwaj

Pakhwaj is an antique instrument also known as Mridang.  This instrument was very popular in the middle ages when it used to accompany Dhrupad singers.  It’s contemporary name is thought to have been derived from a Awaj, which was a type of drum used during the Moghul period..Pakhwaj is also made of a hollow log that has a cylinder shape and which slightly stretches in the hand.  The portions on the two sides are covered with leather.  The dimensions of the circles are different.  The empty portion on the right side is slightly smaller.  The leather is tied using leather belts stretched lengthwise along the Pakhwaj.  Cylinder shaped wooden blocks are inserted within the wall of the Pakhwaj and between the belts in order to adjust the sound. 

Harmonium

Despite the fact that the harmonium is mainly an instrument of western music, it has been accepted by Indian music just like other instruments.  Harmoniums are mostly used to accompany light and non-light classical music.  However some musicians prefer to use this instrument in Khayal singing as well.  Musicians have always debated whether this instrument should be used to accompany music because of its constant tone.  Harmonium players in India have become experts of this instrument and have created techniques that help the harmonium conform with Indian music.


Sarangi
The Sarangi is the most suitable instrument to accompany a vocalist because this instrument is most similar to the human voice.  It can create every technique of sound. The Sarangi is made out of a single wooden log as big as 70 cm.  The inner portion of this log is hollow and is covered with leather.  The hollow portion contains four tuning screws.  Strings made out of animal intestines are used in place of steel strings. 

Evolution of Kathak

The technique is built by the use of an intricate system of foot-work. Pure dance  is all important where complex rhythmic patterns are created through the use of the flat feet and the control of sound of the ankle bells worn by the dancer. As in Bharatnatyam, Odissi and Manipuri, Kathak also builds its pure dance sequences by combining units of movement. The cadences are called differently by the names tukra, tora, and parana, all indicative of the nature of rhythmic patterns used and the percussion instrument accompanying the dance. The dancer commences with a sequence called That where soft gliding movements of the neck, eyebrows and the wrists, are introduced. This is followed by a conventional formal entry known as the Amad  and theSalami .

The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Oudh. He established the Lucknow gharana with its strong accent on bhava, the expression of moods and emotions. The Jaipur gharana known for its layakari or rhythmic virtuosity and the Benaras gharana are other prominent schools of Kathak dance. The technique of movement in Kathak is unique to it. 

The weight of the body is equally distributed along the horizontal and vertical axis. The full foot contact is of prime importance where only the toe or the ball of the foot are used, their function is limited. There are no deflections and no use of sharp bends or curves of the upper or lower part of the body. Torso movements emerge from the change of the shoulder line rather than through the manipulations of the backbone or upper chest and lower waist muscles. In the basic stance, the dancer stands straight, holds one hand at a level higher than the head and the other is extended out on the level of the shoulder.

The weight of the body is equally distributed along the horizontal and vertical axis. The full foot contact is of prime importance where only the toe or the ball of the foot are used, their function is limited. There are no deflections and no use of sharp bends or curves of the upper or lower part of the body. Torso movements emerge from the change of the shoulder line rather than through the manipulations of the backbone or upper chest and lower waist muscles. In the basic stance, the dancer stands straight, holds one hand at a level higher than the head and the other is extended out on the level of the shoulder.

In the mime portions (nritya or abhinaya), words are not used in simple numbers called the gata, which is performed in a lyrical manner to gentle rhythm. These are short narrative pieces which portray a brief episode from Krishna's life. A poetic line set to music is interpreted with gestures in other numbers, such as the tumri, bhajan, dadra - all lyrical musical compositions. 

In these sections, there is a word to word or line to line synchronisation in the same fashion as in Bharatnatyam or Odissi. Both in nritta and the abhinaya there is immense scope for improvisation of presenting variations on a theme. The interpretative and the abstract dance techniques are interwoven into each other, and the dancer's greatness lies in his capacity for improvisation on the melodic and metric line on the one hand and the poetic line on the other. Today, Kathak has emerged as a distinct dance form. Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture, it represents a unique synthesis of Hindu and Muslim genius in art. Further, Kathak is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani or the North Indian music. Both of them have had a parallel growth, each feeding and sustaining the other.

Gharanas of Kathak

The word 'Gharana' literally means 'House' and it implies the house of the teacher. It is linked to the very ancient concept of the Guru-Shishya-Parampara. 

 

Lucknow Gharana
This gharana of Kathak actually developed in the courts of the Nawab of Oudh in Luknow, 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, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj were all famed for the naturalness of and innovativeness of their abhinaya.

Jaipur Gharana
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 Pakhawaj, such as, Parans.

 Banaras Gharana

The Banaras Gharana was developed by Janakiprasad. It is characterized by the exclusive use of the Natwari or Dance bols, which are different from the tabla and the Pakhawaj 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.

Raigarh Gharana
It was established by the Maharaja Chakradhar Singh in the princely state of Raigarh in Chhatisgarh in the early 20th century. The Maharaja invited many luminaries of Kathak to his court, including, Kalka Prasad ,the father of Acchan, Lacchu and Shambhu Maharaj, and his sons, and Pandit Jailal from 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.

Rhythm Scape

Kathak can be divided into nritta and abhinayaon the one hand and tandava and lasya on the other. Nritta and abhinaya are applicable to the movements in the dance style. Tandava and lasya have to do with the type of numerics which are played on the tabla or executed by the feet. Kathak is unique for its Footworks and Circles. It is for both male and female.

Kathak is usually danced with the following-

1. Slokas (Sanskrit / Hindi) and Bhajans (devotional songs for Hindu Gods and Goddesses). Please see the Lyrics of Bhajans.
2. Classical and Light Classical Songs e.g. Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Hori.
3. Film songs preferably based on Ragas
4. Darbari and Ghazals (mainly Urdu) - songs based on love, admiration, infatuation, seperation etc. For examples of Ghazals, you may see Ghazals of Mirza Ghalib. You may consult the English-Urdu Dictionary.
5. Pure Classical type e.g. Paran, Tukda, Gat Nikas, Jugalbandi (a friendly competition), Sawal-Jawab (footwork with tabla or pakhawaj) and demonstration of different Beats. You may consult Taalmala.
6. Tarana based on different Ragas.
Please scroll below to see the definitions and links related to kathak.
7. Songs written by Ravindra Nath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bengali)
8. Folk Dances from different states of India e.g. Bhangra, Dandia, Garba, Machua, Chhau etc. and also gypsy dance. They have a unique style but they can be blended with kathak.
9. Dance Dramas (mainly Hindi) example, topics chosen from the epic Mahabharata which was composed by Vyas Deva and describes the story of Vedic era. The other great composition is the epic called Ramayana written by Valmiki. It describes the story of Rama (a representative of God Vishnu), the king of Ayodhya. Rama's wife Sita was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Sri Lanka. Rama fought a war against Ravana and defeated him. Ramayana presents the ideology of king Rama and his love for his country ; Shakuntala, Krishnaleela etc.
10. Any musical (classical) composition e.g. Sitar, Sarod, Violin, Sarengi, Israj, Dilruba (String instruments), Sehnai, Flute (Wind instruments) and Tabla, Pakhawaj, Naal, Dholak (Percussion instruments) based on an ancient (as #9) or modern theme (preferably on India).
11. Kathak (specially footwork) can be blended with Tap dancing

Basic Footwork: Right and Left feet are stamped as follows using Keharwa (An eight count beat). Please see Taalmala for details. Click here to see Kathak bells.

1	2	3	4
Ta	Thei	Thei	Ta	Bol/Phrase
Right	Left	Right	Left

5	6	7	8
Aa	Thei	Thei	Ta
Left	Right	Left	Right

Types of Circles: Static, Dynamic, Sitting circles.

Navras: Nine Sentiments (expression / acting)
1. Shant - Quiet
2. Veer - Hero
3. Krodh - Anger
4. Adbhut - Surprise
5. Vibhastsya - Disgust
6. Karun - Pathos
7. Hasya - Comedy
8. Bhaye - Fear
9. Shringar - Beauty

Hand Gestures:
Asanjukta Hasta Mudra (Single Handed Gestures)
Sanjukta Hasta Mudra (Combined Handed Gestures)

Gat Nikas: A composition describing the movement of a bird (e.g. peacock, swan), animal (e.g. elephant, lion), a human charactor or Hindu Gods and Goddesses and is usually performed with the beats of a percussion instrument accompanied by string instruments e.g. Sarengi, Sitar, Swarmandal etc. Gat Nikas, commonly called Gat Vab, is named as follows.

Parvati Gat - movement of Hindu Goddess Parvati (Goddess of strength)
Stri Gat - movement of a lady
Mayur Gat - movement of a peacock
Gajagamini Gat - movement of an elephant
There are many other Gats e.g. Ghunghat (veil), Holi (festival of colors), Lahenga (a Hindu dress or costume), Selami (a Muslim way of salutation to the audience) etc. There are variations in eye, neck, feet movements.

Amad - It means arrival or appearance on the stage. The Tukda following the Hindu way of greeting the audience by doing Namaste is called Amad.
Selami - At the beginning of kathak dance, the way of salutation to the audience according to the Muslim culture is called Selami.

Tukda - The Bol / Phrase having one or more Avartan (one cycle depending on beats). Please see Taalmala .

Paran - Bols / Phrases receited with the rhythm of Pakhawaj (a percussion instrument). It can be of many kinds, e.g. Bol Paran, Jati Paran, Ghungru (bells) Paran, Pakshi (bird) Paran. Also Ganesh Paran, Kali Paran, Lakhsmi Paran (by the name of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses) etc.

Tarana - It is usually sung after Chota Kheyal (consult Ragmala). It is composed of meaningless words or phrases e.g. 'Tana Dere Na Dim', 'Na Der Dani Ni', 'Tom Tana Na', 'Udanita Nana Der Der' etc. Tarana composition is the hardest one in kathak. It needs a clear conception in everything e.g. footwork, beat theory, circles, tukda, paran etc. It is usually accompanied with Tabla and can be performed in any Raga. It is fast and rhythmic, hence easily enchants the audience.