Masl 204

Machine Translated by Google
Visharad Pratham - Theory
1. Evolution of ‘Natya’ as per ‘Bharat’. Purpose and application of

'Natya'.
(source Wikipedia)
Natya is an imitative presentation of the physical and mental conditions of some historical character in the form of a drama
with the help of 4 kinds of Abhinaya (acting), music and dance.
It’s main aim is to evolve Rasa (Sentiments) in the spectators.
Bharat muni compiled the oldest treatise on performing arts called the Natya Shastra, about 2500 years ago. This text consists of 36
chapters with a cumulative total of 6000 poetic verses describing performance arts. The subjects covered by the treatise include
dramatic composition, structure of a play and the construction of a stage to host it, genres of acting, body movements, make up and
costumes, role and goals of an art director, the musical scales, musical instruments and the integration of music with art performance.
The first chapter of the Natya Shastra gives a semi-historical and mostly fictional account of the creation of the work. This is how
Bharat muni narrates the evolution of Natya: At the end of the kÿtayuga and at the on-set
of the Tretÿyuga, people on earth got addicted to base sentiments such as excessive desire, greed, jealousy, and
anger and found their state of happiness mixed with sorrow. So the devas, with Indra leading them, approached Brahma (the deity
of creation) and requested for audio-visual entertainment (ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ)ÿ.
They also requested that this be made accessible to all people from all places. This indeed is the need of all people of all times –
respite from the world which is filled with conflicting emotions.
Brahma then creates a great treatise Natyaveda by combining different theoretical and artistic mediums:
Righteousness, poignancy, fame, and the collection
of instructions. And in the future all the actions

of this world will not be difficult for me. “It will contain good counsel for people in their pursuits of dharma, material needs, and fame. It
will guide the world in the future too in all their endeavours.” The Panna
for the purpose of all weapons and the initiator
of all Shiva crafts. I laugh at the fifth Veda called Natya.
“It will contain the essence of all the ÿÿstras and will be the foundation for all the arts. I shall create Nÿÿyaveda, the fifth Veda
along with the history.” Having thus resolved, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead remembered all the

Vedas. Then he composed the Veda of
Natya composed of four parts of the Vedas. Having thus taken a decision, the deity recalled all the Vedas and created the
Nÿÿyaveda, which is born out of the four Vedas
He took the text from the Agriveda and the song from
the Samas. They also taste the Vedas and the Vedas.
He took the lyrics (ÿÿÿÿÿ) from the ÿgveda, the music (ÿÿÿ) from the Sÿmaveda, the language of gestures (ÿÿÿ ÿÿ) from the
Yajurveda and the aesthetic experience (ÿÿ) from Atharvaveda
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
ÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿ ÿÿ ÿ Nÿÿyaveda, which is closely linked to the Vedas and the Upavedas was thus created by the all-knowing Brahma,
the omniscient Brahma then asks
Indra to instruct the devas to bring the Nÿÿyaÿÿstra into practice. He adds that the Nÿÿyaveda must only be passed
on to those who are skillful, learned, mature, and willing to work hard. These indeed are the qualities which are to be
expected of people who would like to study and practice the Nÿÿyaÿÿstra even to this day. Indra finds the devas
incapable of comprehending, assimilating, and practicing the art and feels that the sages who are well-versed in the
Vedas are the ones who would be capable to do so. Brahma then instructs Bharata in the Nÿÿyaveda and gives the
responsibility to him and his hundred sons to propagate and practice the same. Bharata teaches his sons and assigns
different roles to them.
Bharata created the three dramatic styles (ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ) – the verbal (ÿÿÿÿÿ), the subtle (ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ) and the energetic (ÿÿÿÿÿ)
and informed Brahma of his work. Brahma then suggested that he pick up the graceful style (ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿ-
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ) from the dance of ÿiva, which is made up of aÿgahÿra-s and filled with bhÿva and rasa. As this style could
not be effectively practiced by humans alone, Brahma created apsaras, the celestial damsels from his mind, who were
skillful in embellishing drama and he told them to assist Bharata. He assigned Svÿti and his disciples to
play on musical instruments and gandharvas such as Nÿrada to sing songs. Thus was the art of nÿtya
created out of the existing art forms.
Brahma suggested to Bharata that the Indra-dhvajotsava, the festival in the honor of Indra’s killing of demons, would be
a suitable occasion to put together a performance employing the principles of the Nÿÿyaÿÿstra. Bharata
begins the performance with the ÿÿÿÿÿÿ benediction and devises to portray the popular , an auspicious
episode of the samudra-mathana where the daityas (demons) were subdued by the devas (deities). The
devas, pleased with the performance give rewards to Bharata. Indra gives him his auspicious banner
and Brahma, a kuÿilaka (a curved stick to be used by the vidÿÿaka, the clown). Varuÿa gives him a golden pitcher,
Sÿrya gives him an umbrella, Vÿyu gives him a fan, ÿiva rewards him with success, Viÿÿu rewards him with a lion-seat
and Sarasvatÿ grants him competence for visual arts. The daityas (mainly the vighnas),
who were also audience to the staging of the play by Bharata, took it too realistically and forgetting that it is was merely an
artistic portrayal of a historic event, they disrupted the play. Angered by this, Indra hurled his flag-staff at the daityas and
smashed their assault. Through this episode, Bharata subtly cautions connoisseurs about their responsibility of having a
detached attitude while witnessing a play or any work of art in general. Emotional over- involvement and extrapolation of the
incidents to everyday life will cause harm to both the art and the connoisseurs.
More philosophically, when the bhavas do not get elevated to the level of rasa in a connoisseur’s mind due to his lack
of maturity, art cannot be enjoyed.
(Purpose) Natya Shastra is also notable for its aesthetic "Rasa" theory, which asserts that
entertainment is a desired effect of performance arts but not the primary goal, and that the primary
goal is to transport the individual in the audience into another parallel reality, full of wonder, where he
experiences the essence of his own consciousness, and reflects on spiritual and moral questions.
Natya Shastra assert that arts and music are spiritual, with the power to guide one to moksha, through
empowering the concentration of mind for the liberation of the Self (soul, Atman). These arts are offered
as alternate paths (marga or yoga), in strength similar to the knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads.
Various medieval scholars, such as the 12th-century Mitaksara and Apararka, cite Natyashastra and
Bharata in linking arts to spirituality, while the text itself asserts that beautiful songs are sacred and
performance arts are holy.
The goal of performance arts, states Natyashastra is ultimately to let the spectator experience his
own consciousness, then evaluate and feel the spiritual values innate in him, and rise to a higher level
of consciousness. The playwright, the actors and the director (conductor) all aim to transport the
spectator to an aesthetic experience within him to eternal universals, to emancipate him from the
mundane to creative freedom within.
(Application) As is the case with most Indian Shastras, Bharata’s Nÿÿyaÿÿstra is a descriptive work on
the art forms which existed during Bharat muni’s times. The art-forms were neither ‘created’ by
Bharata nor does he prescribe a set of rules which need to be followed for all times and places. He even
suggests in that the art forms must dynamically adapt to the tastes of people of different places and at
different times. This is evident in the several deÿi art forms which have evolved with regional
variations based on the mÿrga set by Bharata.
2. Definition of Nav-Ras.
(source chapter-13, book- kathak dance syllabi-1)
When we hear some melodious music or see some attractive dance or drama we get an inner pleasure. This
pleasure is known as “Rasa”. Generally, the word “Sentiment” is used in English to signify Rasa, though it
doesn’t have the same meaning. Actually, the place “Beauty” holds in western aesthetics, is the same position
Rasa possesses in Indian aesthetics!
Ultimate aim of any dramatic pursuit (dance, drama, orchestra of instruments and or/vocal singing, etc.)
is to evoke Rasa in spectators.
Ancient scholars have discussed 9 Rasas, commonly known as the Nav-Ras:
1. Shringar Rasa (Erotic Sentiment)

When the permanent mood of love (Rati) becomes very strong with the help of other moods and shines brightly
then it is called Shringar Rasa. Actual meaning of the word “Shringa” is sexual desire. This rasa rises in the mind
of highest type of people (Ucchh koti prandi).
There are 2 stages of Shringar Rasa:
a) Sanyoga or Sambhoga Shringara: signifying the union with the beloved b) Viyoga
or Vipralambha Shringara: signifying the separation from the beloved.
2. Hasya Rasa (Comic Sentiment)

Where the permanent mood of laughter gets strength from irrelevant talks and other’s behavior of a jester there
lies Hasya Rasa.
It is of 2 kinds: Self centered (Atmastha) and in others (Paranishtha).
This comic sentiment can relate to high, middle and low characters, thus it is said to be of 3 kinds.
It can have 6 varieties: Smita (Gentle Smile) and Hasita (Gentle Laugh) are proclaimed by the wise as
existing in the high characters, Vihasita (Laughter) and Upahasita (Ridicule) in the middle character and in the
low character Apahasita (Vulgar Laughter) and Atihasita (Excessive
Laughter)
3. Karuna Rasa (Pathetic Sentiment)

The extremity of sorrows produce Karuna Rasa.
4. Raudra Rasa (Furious Sentiment)

When the permanent mood of anger is powerfully expressed then arises the Raudra Rasa. Demons and
human beings are equally resorts of it.
5. Veera Rasa (Heroic Sentiment)

When the permanent mood of Energy (Utsaha) is fully developed it turns into Veera Rasa. This Veera
Rasa exists only among people of high characters.
6. Bhayanaka Rasa (Fearful Sentiment)

When the permanent mood of fear becomes strong with the perplexity of sense organs it is called
Bhayanaka Rasa.
7. Beebhatsa Rasa (Odious Sentiment)

Where the feelings of disgust and fatigue are powerful there is Beebhatsa Rasa.
8. Adbhuta Rasa (Marvellous Sentiment)

When the permanent mood called Astonishment (Vismaya) becomes stronger it results in
Adbhuta Rasa.
9. Shanta Rasa (Tranquil Sentiment)

Free from distinctions such as love, anger, etc. when permanent mood of detachment (Nirveda) or
Quietude (Shama) becomes stronger it turns into Shanta Rasa.
3. Four types of Nayak Bhed – Dheeroddhatta, Dhirodaatta,

Dheer-lalit and Dheer-Prashant.
Nayak-nayika bheds represent the most dramatic part of Indian Kavya Shastra. To completely personify
a role, delving into the personality of a character is very essential for an actor. And to accomplish this a
study of Nayak-Nayika bhed is considered very important for people interested in dramatics. However,
this study is equally important for students of Kathak, as it represents the third part of the dance part
(Kavya Shastra).
There are 4 types of Nayak Bhed based on the nature of Nayak (hero):
1. You are a Dhirodatta
A Dhirodaatta is one who is bereft of defects like egotism, is laborious, is of serious nature, is
courageous, is helpful, strong-willed, self-respecting and is not affected extremely by happiness and
sadness. Shri Ramchandra is a prime example of Dhirodaatta Nayak, as he was un-moved to be placed
on exile on the day of his coronation!
2. Deerodhatta
An elusive, agile, self-centered, proud, self-assertive Nayak is known as the Dheerodhatta Nayak.
Ravan, Kans, etc. are prime examples of Dheerodhatta nayaks.
3. Lengthy
Self-contained, happy, relaxed, festive, soft-hearted nayak, who enjoys music and dance is a Dheerlalit
nayak. Shri Krishna is an example of Dheerlalit Nayak, as he used to enjoy raas-leela with the gopis.
4. Dheer-Prashant
A self-respecting, thankful, intelligent, learned, devoted nayak is a Dheer-Prashant nayak. Sudama
(Shri Krishna’s childhood friend) is an example of Dheer-Prashant nayak, as despite being very poor
and not provide for his family, he kept his composure and dignity.
4. Knowledge of four Nayikas from Ashta-Nayikas, namely –

Abhisarika, Khandita, Vipralabddha & Proshit-Patika.
Nayak-nayika bheds represent the most dramatic part of Indian Kavya Shastra. To completely personify
a role, delving into the personality of a character is very essential for an actor. And to accomplish this a
study of Nayak-Nayika bhed is considered very important for people interested in dramatics. However,
this study is equally important for students of Kathak, as it represents the third part of the dance part
(Kavya Shastra).
There are 8 types of Nayika Bheds based on the situation a Nayika could be in:
1. Abhisarika
The im-modest nayika overcome by carnal desires and not concerned about her dis-reputation, who invites
her beloved for a clandestine meeting is an Abhisarika Nayika. It can also be divided into Mugdha etc. 8
categories.
f) Shuklabhisarika: The Abhisarika who adorns white clothes and jewelry on a Full-moon night and
goes to meet her beloved
g) Krishnabhisarika: The Abhisarika who adorns dark (black/blue) clothes and jewelry on a No-
moon night and goes to meet her beloved
h) Divabhisarika: The Abhisarika who adorns bright clothes and jewelry during the day and goes to meet
her beloved
2. Khandita
The rageful nayika who is broken by the absence of her beloved the entire night and his arrival during the
early hours of the next morning is a Khandita Nayika. It can also be divided into Mugdha etc. 5 categories.
3. Vipralabdha
The miserly and sad nayika who doesn’t find her beloved at the decided meeting point at the designated
time is a Vipralabddha Nayika. It can also be divided into Mugdha etc. 5 categories.
4. Proshit-Patika
The nayika overwhelmed by the separation from her beloved (who has left for abroad) and no longer
interested in dressing up and adorning herself with fine clothes and jewelry is
Proshit-Patika nayika. This is further divided into 5 categories:
a) Mugdha
b) Madhya
c) Prodha
d) Parkiya
e) Samanya Proshit-Patika
5. Knowledge of Matsya, Kurma, Warah, and Narsimha Avatar from

Dashawtar; the stories and Mudras of these Avatars.
(source wikipedia(story), page #154 syllabus-II (mudra))
Dashawtar refers to the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation. Vishnu is said to
descend in form of an avatar to restore cosmic order. The word Dashavatara derives
from daÿa, meaning 'ten', and avatar (avatÿra), roughly equivalent to 'incarnation'.
These are Matsya, Kurma, Warah, Narsimha, Vamana, Parshurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama, Kalki.
All avatars have appeared except Kalki, who will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga.
Matsya, the fish. Vishnu takes the form of a fish to save Manu from the deluge (Pralaya), after which
he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant and animal, gathered in a
massive cyclone.
Mudra: Matsyavatar is depicted by matsya hastak (When the right palm is placed over the back of left
palm, both palm being in Ardhachandra hasta.) at the shoulder level.
Kurma, the giant tortoise. When the devas and asuras were churning the Ocean of milk in order to get
Amrita, the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as the churning staff started to
sink and Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain.
Mudra: Kurmavatar is depicted by Kurma hastak (While the hands are in chakra hasta, bend all the
fingers (except the thumb and the little fingers) and hold the palms tight.) at the shoulder level.
Varah, the boar. He appeared to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth, or Prithvi, and
carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean(much like in ether theory) in the story.
The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the
former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its
place in the universe.
Mudra: Varahavatar is depicted with the use of varaha hand gesture (When both hands in Mrigashirsha
hasta and the right palm is placed over the left palm, we get the Varaha hasta.) at the stomach level and
then placing the hands on the hips.
Narsimha, the half-man/half-lion. The rakshasa (Demon) Hiranyakashipu, the elder brother of
Hiranyaksha, was granted a powerful boon from Brahma that he could not be killed by man or animal,
inside or outside a room, during day or night, neither on ground nor in air, with a weapon that is either
living or inanimate. Hiranyakashipu persecuted everyone for their religious beliefs including his son
who was a Vishnu follower. Vishnu descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation, with the body of a
man and head and claws of a lion. He disemboweled Hiranyakashipu at the courtyard threshold of his
house, at dusk, with his claws, while he lay on his thighs. Narasimha thus destroyed the evil demon and
brought an end to the persecution of human beings including his devotee Prahlada, according to the
Hindu mythology.
Mudra: Narsimhavatar is depicted when Simhamukha hasta (When the middle finger and the ring finger
press against the thumb, while the other fingers are held straight we get the Simhamukha Hasta.) is held
in the left hand and Tripataka hasta (all the fingers are held straight and close together like the stop sign
except for the ring finger which is bent.) in the right hand.
6. Definition and knowledge of the 10 Pran of Taal.

(source Page 259-270, syllabus-II)
Taal means meter or time-measure. As the practice of time-measurement by clapping of hands is deeply rooted in
Indian classical dance and music forms, the word taal can be considered to be a derivative of the root: “tal” (palm of
the hand).
As taal is signified by the vibrations and according to wave-theory all the energies in the universe
are defined by the vibrations, it is often said that the word “taal” was derived from Shiv-Shakti energies:
Takara Shankr:Prokto Lakara: Parvatarvi Smtri

| The combination of Shivashakti is
called rhythm|| ie When Shiva said “ta” (tandav) and Parvati said “la” (laasya), the word “taal” was formed.
Medieval Shastras like Sangeet Ratnakar have defined 10 basic elements of taal, that are known as the 10 pran of taal:
Black Path Kriyargani Planet Caste Art Rhythm: |
Yati Prastarakascheti Tala Prana|: Dasha Smtra ||
1. Weight
In music, the time spent in singing, dancing and playing musical instruments is known as kaal.
According to Acharya Shangdev, a taal cognizant kaal prevails during clapping.
The various measurements defined by various scholars are as follows: 8 kshand
= 1 lava
8 lava = 1 kashta
8 kashta = 1 nimesh
8 nimesh = 1 kala
And so on and so forth
2. Marg
The common meaning of Marg is pathway or channel. Marg can be defined as the time-
measurement of a taal’s behavior. According to Natya Shastra there are 3 types of Margs: a) chitra: consists of 2
Matras of a kala b) vartik: consists of 4
Matras of a kala c) dakshin: consists of 8
Matras of a kala However, various other granthas
mention even more types of Margs.
Deshi Padhti also defines an action for each matra, which are known as “Deshi Kriya”, e.g.: Saprini’s (2nd Matra)
action is extending the hand towards right, Krishna’s (3rd Matra) action is extending the hand towards left,
Padyini’s (4th Matra) action is extending the hand downwards, etc.
3. Kriya
These can be of 2 types:
a) Sa-Shabt Kriya: druva (snapping the fingers), shampa (left hand stroke), taal (right hand
stroke), sanippat (both hand stroke).
b) Nih-Shabt Kriya: aavap (raising the hand upwards and crunching the fingers), niskram
(lowering the palm and spreading the fingers), vikshep ( palm facing upward and fingers are spread
towards left), pravesh (lowered palm and crunched fingers).
In Hindustani music Taali and Khaali define the Sa-shabt and Nih-shabt kriya respectively.
4. The
The certified measure used to count the period of the taal is called ang. Each and every taal is composed
of these angs.
Name Dimension Symbol
hurry ¼ (1) in
wire ½ (2) O
drut-viram ¾ (3) friends
laghu 1 (4) |
laghu-break 1¼ (5) in|
teacher 2 (8) s
cork 3 (12) ‘s
+
brother 4 (6)
In deshi sangeet each matra is composed of 4 or 6 laghu angs.

According to above concept Teen-taal (16 matra) can be defined/represented as 4-8-4 : laghu-
guru-laghu (|-s-|)
5. Beans
Grah means to receive or to grab,i.e. The point at which the bandish grabs the taal is called the Grah. It
has 2 distinctions:
a) Sam Grah: When the bandish and taal both start together at the Sam, it’s called Sam Grah. In
present day North Indian Classical (Hindustani) music, when the bandish’s final sam and taal’s sam
comes together in the same point in time.
b) Visham Grah: When the bandish and taal don’t start together it’s called Visham Grah. It has further
2 classifications:
(i) Ateet Grah: Ateet means past. When the bandish or the song starts before the taal. In
present day North Indian Classical (Hindustani) music, when the bandish’s final sam comes a little after
the taal’s sam but before the 2nd matra.
(ii) Anagat Grah: Anagat means future or that hasn’t started yet. When taal starts before the
bandish or song. In present day North Indian Classical (Hindustani) music, when the bandish’s final
sam comes a little before the taal’s sam but after the last matra of last cycle.
6. Teak
The meaning of word “Jati” is appearance and/or behavior that aides in categorizations of entity into
various classes. Hence, when the tempo of a taal changes with the change in Matras (increase/decrease)
in a vibhaag of the taal, it is called “Jati”.
Originally, per Natya Sashtra there were 2 Jatis:
a) Chatustra: taal is called “ChachChataputam” (guru, guru, laghu, plut ss|'s) and is composed of 4
matras.
b) Trayastra: taal is called “Chaachaputam” (guru, laghu, laghu, guru s||s) and is composed of groups
of 3 matras.
New Jatis have been formed recently:
c) Mishra: e.g. Shatpitaputrkam taal (‘s|sss|’s) and is composed of 12 matras, that can be
divided into groups of 3 or 4 (hence the name Mishra meaning mixed)
4 and 3 matras can also be combined together to form a 7 (4+3) matra taal.
d) Khand: The meaning of word “Khand” is fragment or fraction. When a fraction of 4 matras was
used, another jati of 5 (3+2 (fraction of 4)) matras was formed. The shastra don’t encourage
½ matras, hence fraction of 3 matras should not be used.
e) Sankirna: The english translation of the the word “Sankirna” is narrow. Hence the jati that tries
to narrow down 9 (2+3+4) matras, is called Sankirna jati.
Chatustra jati can be compared to the Brahmin varn, Trayastra to Kshtriya varn, Khand to
Vaishya varn, Mishra to Shudra varn and Sankirna to Sankar varn (of the Aryan Division of
Hindu society).
The original definition of Jati has been extended in both northern and southern India.
(i) Bol Jati: Chatustra (dhagatita tagatita kradhakita gheghetita), Tistra (dhatrak dheketa), Khand (dhaS-
dhikita dhina-dhakita), Mishra (dhagina-dhagetita tagin-tagetita), Sankirna
(dhita-dhatita-dhadhatita).
(ii) Laya Jati: Chatustra (dhagatita tagatita dhagatita tagatita), Tistra (dhagati tataga titadha gatita),
Khand (dhagatitata gatitadhaga titatagata), Mishra (dhagatitagatagati taghagatitataga), Sankirna
(dhagatitatagatitadha gatitatagatatadhaga).
7. Differentiate
In Sangeet Shastra, the word kala has had multiple meanings and usages. However, here it is used to
specify a time-measure or quantity. Sangeet Ratnakar has defined 8 kalas: Dhruva, Saprini, Krishna,
Padyini, Visarjita, Vikshiptika, Pataka and Patita.
8. Laya
Laya means the Rhythm. The speed or tempo of the time passing in the action of singing,
dancing or playing a musical instrument is called Laya. These are of 3 kinds:
a) Vilambit Laya: or slow tempo
b) Madhya Laya: or medium tempo
c) Druta Laya: or fast tempo
9. Yati
Laya’s regulatory law/structure is known as “Yati”. It has 5 categories:
a) Sama Yati: When the same laya is used in the beginning, middle and end.
b) Strotovaha Yati: Resembling a river’s flow: Vilambit, madhya and druta laya are used in the
beginning, middle and end respectively.
c) Mridanga Yati:
(i) Druta laya in the beginning and end and Vilambit laya in the middle.
(ii) Druta laya in the beginning and end and Madhya laya in the middle.
(iii) Madhya laya in the beginning and end and Vilambit laya in the middle.
d) Pipeelika Yati: It means “ant”. It is opposite of Mridanga.
(i) Vilambit laya in the beginning and end and Druta laya in the middle.
(ii) Madhya laya in the beginning and end and Druta laya in the middle.
(iii) Vilambit laya in the beginning and end and Madhya laya in the middle.
e) Gopuksha Yati: Opposite of Strotovaha Yati, resembling a cow's tail, Druta, madhya and
Vilambit laya are used in the beginning, middle and end.
10. Prastaar
A taal has many components. The sum total of the time-measure of all the components gives the time-
measure of the taal as a whole. Keeping the taal’s time-measure constant, when the various taal
components are rearranged, it is known as “Prastaar”. E.g. Laya-baant, palta, etc.
7. Information of Bharatnatyam, Manipuri and Kathakali dance

styles, their traditional costumes, jewelry and accompanying
instruments.
Bharatnatyam
Bharatnatyam is a major genre of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. The term
Bharatanatyam is a compound of two words, Bharata and Natyam. The term Bharata
in Bharatanatyam, in the Hindu tradition, is believed to have named after the famous performance
art sage to whom the ancient Natya Shastra is attributed. There is another belief that the word
Bharata is a mnemonic, consisting of "bha"–"ra"–"ta". According to this belief, bha stands for
bhava (feelings, emotions), ra stands for raga (melody, framework for musical notes), and ta
stands for tala (rhythm). The term Natya is a Sanskrit word for "dance". The
compound word Bharatanatyam thus connotes a dance which harmoniously expresses "bhava, raga
and tala". In its history, Bharatanatyam has also been called Sadir.
Traditionally, Bharatanatyam has been a solo dance that was performed exclusively by women, and it
expressed South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of Shaivism, but also of
Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Bharatanatyam's existence by 2nd century CE is noted in the ancient Tamil
epic Silappatikaram, while temple sculptures of 6th to 9th century CE suggest
it was a well refined performance art by mid 1st millennium CE. Bharatanatyam may be the oldest
classical dance tradition of India.
Bharatanatyam style is noted for its fixed upper torso, legs bent or knees flexed out combined with
spectacular footwork, a sophisticated vocabulary of sign language based on gestures of hands, eyes and
face muscles. The dance has traditionally been a form of an interpretive narration of mythical legends and
spiritual ideas from the Hindu texts. The performance repertoire of Bharatanatyam, like other classical
dances, includes nrita (pure dance), nritya (solo expressive dance) and natya (group dramatic dance).
Bharatanatyam remained exclusive to Hindu temples through the 19th century, was banned by the
colonial British government in 1910, the Indian community protested against the ban and expanded it
outside the temples in the 20th century. Modern stage productions of
Bharatanatyam have incorporated technical performances, pure dance based on non-religious ideas
and fusion themes.
Repertoire
Bharatanatyam is traditionally a team performance art that consists of a female solo dancer,
accompanied by musicians and one or more singers. The theory behind the musical notes,
vocal performance and the dance movement trace back to the ancient Natya Shastra, and many
Sanskrit and Tamil texts such as the Abhinaya Darpana. In modern adaptations, Bharatanatyam dance
troupes may involve many dancers which play specific characters of a story, creatively choreographed to
ease the interpretation and expand the experience by the audience.
The accompanying music to Bharatanatyam is in the Carnatic style of South India, as is the recitation
and chanting. The vocalist is called the nattuvanar t,ypically also the conductor of the entire
performance, who may be the guru of the dancer and may also be playing cymbals or one
of the musical instruments. The recited verses and text in Bharatanatyam are in Tamil, Telugu,
Kannada and Sanskrit.
Instruments
The instruments used include the mridangam (double-sided drum), nadaswaram (long type of oboe
made from a black wood), nattuvangam (cymbals), the flute, violin and veena.
Costume and Jewelry

The attires of a Bharatanatyam dancer resembles a Tamil Hindu's bridal dress. It consists of a tailor
fitted brilliantly colored Sari, with a special pleated cloth stitched that falls in front and opens like a
hand fan when she flexes her knees or performs footwork. The Sari is worn in a special way,
wrapping the back and body contour tightly, past one shoulder and its end then held by a jewelry belt
at the waist.
She is typically adorned with jewelry, outlining her head or hair, on ear, nose and neck. Her face has
conventional makeup, eyes lined and ringed by collyrium which help viewers see her eye expressions.
To her ankles, she wraps one or more leather anklets [ Ghungroos ]. Her hair is tied up in the traditional
way, often braided in with fragrant flowers (veni or gajra).
The fingers and feet outlines may be partially colored red with kumkum powder, a costume
tradition that helps the audience more easily view her hand gestures.
Manipuri
Manipuri dance, also known as Jagoi, is one of the major Indian classical dance forms, named after
the region of its origin – Manipur, a state in northeastern India. It is particularly known for its Hindu
Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna
called Raslila. However, the dance is also performed to themes related to Shaivism, Shaktism and
regional deities such as Umang Lai during Lai Haraoba.
The roots of Manipuri dance, as with all classical Indian dances, is the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text
Natyashastra, with influences and the culture fusion between various local folk dance forms.
According to the traditional legend, the indigenous people of the Manipur valley were the dance-
experts revered as Gandharvas in the Hindu epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata), suggesting a dance
tradition has existed in Manipur since antiquity. With evidence of Vishnu
temples in the medieval era, the dance arts have been passed down verbally from generation to
generation as an oral tradition. The first reliably dated written texts describing the art of Manipuri dance
are from the early 18th-century.
Manipuri dance is a religious art and its aim is the expression of spiritual values. Aspects of this
performance art is celebrated during Hindu festivals and major rites of passage such as weddings
among the Manipuri people, particularly in the ethnic majority of Meitei people. The dance drama
choreography shares the plays and stories of 'Vaishnavite Padavalis', that also inspired the major
Gaudiya Vaishnava-related performance arts found in Assam and West Bengal.
Repertoire
The Manipuri dance is a team performance, with its own unique costumes, aesthetics, conventions and
repertoire. The Manipuri dance drama is, for most part, marked by a performance that is graceful, fluid,
sinuous with greater emphasis on hand and upper body gestures. The dance features rounded soft
sensuous movements of women, and occasional fast movements by male characters. Unlike other
classical Indian dances with religious themes, the Manipuri dance artists do not wear anklet bells and
the footwork is subdued and gentle in the Manipuri style. The stage movements is part of a composite
movement of the whole body. Chali or Chari is the basic dance movement in Manipuri Ras dances.
The repertoire and underlying play depends on the season. The dances are celebrated on full moon
nights, three times in autumn (August through November) and once again in spring (March or April).
The Vasant Ras is timed with the Hindu festival of colors called Holi, while others are timed with
post-harvest festivals of Diwali and others.
The plays and songs recited during the dance performance center around the love and frolics between
Radha and Krishna, in the presence of Gopis. here is a composition and dance sequence for each Gopi,
and the words have two layers of meanings, one literal and other spiritual. The longest piece of the play
focuses on Radha and Krishna. The dancer playing Krishna expresses emotions, while the body
language and hand gestures of the Gopi display their feelings such as longing, dejection or cheer. In
other plays, the Manipuri dancers are more forceful, acrobatic and their costumes adjust to the need of
the dance. Dozens of boys
synchronously dance the Gopa Ras, where they enact the chores of daily life such as feeding the
cows.
Instruments
The musical accompaniment for Manipuri dance comes from a percussion instrument called the Pung
(a barrel drum), a singer, small kartals (cymbals), sembong, harmonium, a stringed instrument
called the pena and wind instrument such as a flute.
The drummers are male artistes and, after learning to play the pung, students train to dance with it
while drumming. This dance is celebrated, states Massey, with the dancer wearing white turbans,
white dhotis, a folded shawl over the left shoulder, and the drum strap worn over the right shoulder.
It is known as Pung cholom, and the dancer plays the drum and performs the dance jumps and other
movements.
Another dance called Kartal cholom, is similar to Pung cholom, but the dancers carry and dance to
the rhythm created with cymbals. This is a group dance, where dancers form a circle, move in the same
direction while making music and dancing to the rhythm. Women dance too as groups, such as in the
Manipuri dance called Mandilla cholom, and these usually go with devotional songs and playing
colorful tassels-string tied cymbals where one side represents
Krishna and the other Radha. Shaiva (tandava) dances are choreographed as Duff cholom and Dhol cholom.
Costume and Jewelry

The classical Manipuri dance features unique costumes. The women characters are dressed like a
Manipuri bride, in Potloi costumes, of which the most notable is the Kumil. A Kumil is an
elaborately decorated barrel shaped long skirt stiffened at the bottom and close to the top. The
decorations on the barrel include gold and silver embroidery, small pieces of mirrors, and border prints
of lotus, Kwaklei orchid, and other items in nature. The Kumil may be an adaptation of Fanek (or
Phanek) – a tighter sarong-like wear which is used in more vigorous dances and by male characters.
The Kumil is bordered at the top with undulating gauzy translucent top skirt shaped like an open
flower, and tied in Trikasta or three places around the waist (front, back and one side) with spiritual
symbolism of the ancient Hindu texts. The upper
body is dressed in a velvet blouse, the head covered in a white translucent veil, to symbolically mark elusiveness The
dancers do not wear bells on ankles as in other classical Indian dances, but like them
Manipuri dance artists do adorn the face, neck, waist, hands and legs with round jewelry ornaments
or flower garlands that flow with the dress symmetry. The symmetrical translucent
dress, states Reginald Massey, makes "the dancers appear to float on the stage, as if from another
world".
The male characters dress in a dhoti (also called dhotra or dhora) – a brilliantly colored broadcloth
pleated, wrapped and tied at waist and allowing complete freedom of movement for
the legs. The Krishna character wears a peacock feather containing crown, with a feathery
attachment at the back.
Kathakali
Kathakali is one of the major forms of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one
distinguished by the elaborately colorful make-up, costumes and facemasks that the traditionally male
actor-dancers wear. Kathakali primarily developed as a Hindu performance art in the Malayalam-
speaking southwestern region of India (Kerala).
The term Kathakali is derived from Katha (Sanskrit: "ÿÿÿ") which means "story, or
a conversation, or a traditional tale", and Kali (from Kala, "ÿÿÿ") which means "performance and
art".
Kathakali's roots are unclear. The fully developed style of Kathakali originated around the 17th
century, but its roots are in the temple and folk arts (such as Kutiyattam and religious drama of the
southwestern Indian peninsula), which are traceable to at least the 1st millennium CE. A Kathakali
performance, like all classical dance arts of India, synthesizes music,
vocal performers, choreography and hand and facial gestures together to express ideas.
However, Kathakali differs in that it also incorporates movements from ancient Indian martial
arts and athletic traditions of South India. Kathakali also differs in that the structure and details of its art form
developed in the courts and theatres of Hindu principalities, unlike other classical Indian
dances which primarily developed in Hindu temples and monastic schools.
The traditional themes of the Kathakali are folk mythologies, religious legends and spiritual ideas
from the Hindu epics and the Puranas. The vocal performance has traditionally been performed in
Sanskritised Malayalam. In modern compositions, Indian Kathakali troupes have included women
artists, as well as adapted Western stories and plays such as those by Shakespeare and from
Christianity.
Repertoire
Kathakali is structured around plays called Attakatha (literally, "enacted story”), written
in Sanskritized Malayalam. These plays are written in a particular format that helps identify the
"action" and the "dialogue" parts of the performance. The Shloka part is the metrical verse,
written in third person – often entirely in Sanskrit - describing the action part
of the choreography. The Pada part contains the dialogue part. These Attakatha
texts grant considerable flexibility to the actors to improvise. Historically, all these plays were derived
from Hindu texts such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana. A
Kathakali repertoire is an operatic performance where an ancient story is playfully dramatized.
Traditionally, a Kathakali performance is long, starting at dusk and continuing through dawn,
with interludes and breaks for the performers and audience. Some plays continued over several nights,
starting at dusk everyday. The stage with seating typically in open grounds outside a temple, but in
some places, special theatres called Kuttampalam built inside the temple compounds have been in
use.
The stage is mostly bare, or with a few drama-related items. One item, called a Kalivilakku (kali
meaning dance; vilakku meaning lamp), can be traced back to Kuttiyattam. In both traditions, the
performance happens in the front of a huge Kalivilakku with its thick wick sunk in coconut oil, burning
with a yellow light. Traditionally, before the advent of electricity, this special large lamp
provided light during the night. As the play progressed, the actor-dancers would gather around this
lamp so that audience could see what they are expressing.
The performance involves actor-dancers in the front, supported by musicians in the background stage
on right (audience's left) and with vocalists in the front of the stage (historically so they could be heard
by the audience before the age of microphone and speakers).
Instruments
The play is in the form of verses that are metered and lyrical, sung by vocalists whose voice has been
trained to various melodies (raga), music and synchronized with the dance-acting on the stage. The
vocalists not only deliver the lines, but help set the context and express the inner state of the character
by modulating their voice. For example, anger is expressed by the use of sharp high voice and pleading
is expressed by the use of a tired tone.
Music is central to a Kathakali performance. It sets the mood and triggers emotions resonant with
the nature of the scene. It also sets the rhythm to which the actor-dancers perform the choreography
and scenes.
Many musical instruments are used in Kathakali. Three major drums found are Maddalam
(barrel shaped), Centa (cylindrical drum played with curved sticks) and Itaykka (Idakka,
hourglass shaped drum with muted and melodious notes played when female characters perform).
Costume and Jewelry

Of all classical Indian dances, Kathakali has the most elaborate costuming consisting of head dresses,
face masks and vividly painted faces. It typically takes several evening hours to prepare a Kathakali
troupe to get ready for a play.
The makeup follows an accepted code, that helps the audience easily identify the archetypical
characters such as gods, goddesses, demons, demonesses, saints, animals and characters of a story.
Seven basic makeup types are used in Kathakali, namely Pachcha (green), Pazhuppu (ripe),
Kathi(knife), Kari, Thaadi, Minukku and Teppu. These vary with the styles and
the predominant colours made from rice paste and vegetable colors that are applied on the face.
Pachcha (green) with lips painted brilliant coral red portrays noble characters and sages such as
Krishna, Shiva, etc. and philosopher-kings.
Tati (red) is the code for someone with an evil streak such as Ravana, Dushasana and Hiranyakashipu.
Some characters have green face (representing heroic or excellences as a warrior) with red dots or lines
on their cheeks or red colored mustache or red streaked beard (representing evil inner nature), while
others have full face and beard colored red, the latter implying excessively evil characters. Kari (black)
is the code for forest dwellers, hunters, and middle ground character. Demonesses and treacherous
characters are also painted black but with streaks or patches of red.
Yellow is the code for monks, mendicants and women. Minukka (radiant, shining) with a warm
yellow, orange or saffron typifies noble, virtuous feminine characters such as Sita, Panchali and
Mohini. Men who act the roles of women also add a false top knot to their left and decorate it in a style
common to the region. Vella Thadi (white beard) represents a divine being, someone
with virtuous inner state and consciousness such as Hanuman. Teppu are for special characters found in
Hindu mythologies, such as Garuda, Jatayu and Hamsa who act as messengers or carriers, but do not fit
the other categories. Face masks and headgear is added to accentuate
the inner nature of the characters. The garments colors have a similar community accepted code of
silent communication.
The character types, states Zarrilli, reflect the Guÿa theory of personalities in the ancient Samkhya school
of Hindu philosophy. There are three Guÿas, according to this philosophy, that have always been and
continue to be present in all things and beings in the world. These three Guÿas are sattva (goodness,
constructive, harmonious, virtuous), rajas (passion, aimless action, dynamic, egoistic), and tamas
(darkness, destructive, chaotic, viciousness). All of these three gunas (good, evil, active) are present in
everyone and everything, it is the proportion that is different, according to Hindu worldview. The
interplay of these gunas defines the character of someone or something, and the costumes and face
coloring in Kathakali often combines the various color codes to give complexity and depth to the actor-
dancers
8. Write notations of Aamad, Bedum Tihai, Farmaishi Paran,

Chakradar Paran, Tipalli and Kavit in each of the following
Taals: Teental, Zhaptal and Dhamar.
Name Definition Teental Zhaptal Dhamartal
16 matra, 10 matra, 14 matra,

4 vibhaag, 4 vibhaag, 4 vibhaag,
3 taali, 1 khaali 3 taali, 1 khaali 3 taali, 1 khaali
Aimad Aamad is a ta thei tata thei tata thei tata thei aa ta thei tata thei aa thei
persian word thei tata-thei thei- thei tata thei S tata thei
which means ta thei-ta thei thei | ta thei ta thei thei tathei ta thei
advent or thei thei tat tat ta S thei thei tat tat ta thei thei | tat tat taa
coming. This aa | thei tata thei tat | tram theithei tata taa
piece is aa-thei tata-thei thei ta thei ta thei tram theithei tata taa
danced after thei-ta thei-ta thei thei thei tat tat ta | tram theithei tata | yes
Thata and is thei thei tat tat ta S tat
composed of tat 1 | tat 2 thei ta thei ta thei
natwari bols tat 3 tat 4 thei thei tat tat | ta
tat 5 tat 6
tat 7 tat 8 tat
9 | dha
Bedum When a small tathei theitat aathei

titkat gadigan dha
Tihai 1 titkat gadigan dha- theitat
rhythmic piece
is repeated 1-2-3 ta dha takit digit takit digit two
thrice and 1-2-3-4 5 titkat gadigan dha | takit
ends on sam 1-2-3-4 5-6 7 titkat gadigan digit takit digit two | takit
it’s called dha-ta dha digit
Tihai. A tihai titkat gadigan dha takit digit dha tathei
without any 1-2-3-4 titkat gadigan dha-
rest in 5-6 7-8 9 1 ta | it theitat aathei theitat
between the 1-2-3 1-2-3-4 5 takit
repetition of 3 digit takit digit dha | takit
pieces of the digit
Tihai phrase is 1-2-3-4 | takit digit two takit digit
called Bedam 5-6 7 1-2-3-4 takit
Tihai. 5-6 7-8 9 1 1-2-3 1-2-3-4 5 1-2-3-4 5-6 7 1-2-3-4 5-6di7g-it8tw| 9o tathei theitat
aathei theitat | takit

digit
takit digit
two
takit digit takit digit two takit
digit
takit digit | for him
Pharmaishi
A rhythmic dhage tit tage tit kirdha dhage tit tage tit kirdha dhit-dhit trak-dhit tagan dhit-ta
Parents
composition tit nage tit takit tagin tit nage tit titkat gadigan dhit-dhit ta dhit-dhit
consisting of the tage tit tit kat | dha titkat gadigan dha trak-dhit tagan dhit-ta dhit-dhit
Pakhawaj gadi gan | dha tit kat gadi titkat gadigan dha dhage ta tit-kat gadi-gan | dha
syllables is gan dha tit kat gadi gan dha tit tage | tit kirdha tit S tit-kat gadi-gan dha S tit-kat
called a dhage tit tage tit kirdha | tit nage tit titkat gadigan gadi-gan dha S dhit-dhit trak-
Paran. When the nage tit dha titkat gadigan | dha dhit tagan dhit-ta | dhit-dhit
first palla of the takit tagin tage tit tit kat titkat gadigan dha dhage ta dhit-dhit trak-dhit tagan dhit-
tihai section gadi gan dha tit kat tit tage tit kirdha tit | nage ta dhit-dhit ta tit-kat gadi-
of the 1st palla of gadi gan | dha tit kat gadi tit titat gadigan dha tittat gan dha S tit-kat gadi-gan |
paran ends gan dha dhage tit tag tit gadigan dha tittat gadigan | dha S tit-kat gadi-gan
on the sam, the kirdha tit nage tit takit it dha S dhit-dhit trak-dhit tagan
2nd palla of the tagin | tage tit tit kat dhit-ta dhit-dhit ta dhit- dhit
tihai section of gadi gan dha tit kat gadi trak-dhit | tagan dhit-ta
the 2nd gan dha tit kat gadi gan | dhit-dhit ta tit-kat gadi-gan dha S
palla of paran dha tit-kat gadi-gan dha
ends on sam S tit-kat gadi-gan | dha

and the 3rd palla
of the tihai
section of the 3rd
palla of paran ends
on sam it’s called
Farmaishi
chakradar
parents
dhit-dhit trak-dhit
Chakradar dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak
A rhythmic tagan dhitta dhage-tit dhage-tit tage-
Parents end-kit is kirdha-tit is
composition ta-is kit-tak is dhit-dhit ta tit tage-tit dhage-tit
consisting of the nagin-is nagin is-ta is titkat gadigan dha titkat tage-tit kirdha-tit nage-
Pakhawaj nagin-is nagin is-ta | gadigan dha titkat tit takit dha-na-dha
is | peace-is peace is- is dhinna kat dha takit |
syllables is gadigan dha kat-dha
is-is
called a S dhi-dhi-nak kat-dha dhit-dhit trak- dha-na-dha dhinna
Paran. dhi-dhi-nak dhum-kit dha dhit tagan | dhitta dhit- kat dha takit dha-na-
kirdha-tit dha ta-dha kit- dha dhinna kat dha
When a paran is dhit ta titkat
tak nagin-dha nagin |
repeated gadigan dha S dhage-tit dhage-tit
is-ta is nagin-is nagin
thrice and is-ta is nagin-is titkat gadigan dha titkat tage-tit tage-tit | dhage-
finishes on sam nagin is-ta is-is S dhi- | gadigan dha tit tage-tit
dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak end-
it is called
kit
Chakradar ÿÿ | kirdha-tit dha
parents
ta-dha kit-tak nagin-dha kat-dha kat-dha kirdha-tit nage-tit
nagin dha-ta dha dhit-dhit trak-dhit takit dha-na-dha
nagin-dha nagin dha-ta
dha nagin-dha nagin dha- tagan dhitta dhinna kat dha
ta dha-ta | is dhit-dhit ta | takit dha-na-dha
titkat gadigan dha titkat dhinna kat dha |
gadigan dha titkat takit dha-na-dha
gadigan dha kat- dha | dhinna kat dha S
kat-dha dhage-tit dhage-tit
tage-tit tage-tit
dhage-tit tage-tit
kirdha-tit nage-tit |
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat dha
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat dha
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat | dha
Tipalli
A composition Ti ta ka ta ga di ga na Ta Ki Ta Dhi Gi Ta Ki
consisting of the dha tita kata gadi Ta Dhi | gi ta is takita
same set of gana dha tita- blood takita blood is
syllables, that kata gadi-gana | dha takita-blood
are set on 3 takit-blood | is
different the source
layas.
Kavitt
Kavitt is a She is crownless and dimi ki dimi ki dim gan-gan ganpati
poetic damr oo ba je she | gajmukh nandan git-
composition set her mouth is esh ga ang gidh git-gidh git- gidh
to some tal full. mo or mukut ardh ang vira je uu ma thun-thun tat-tat thei
with some pit am bar so he ra | The blood on my jai-jag vandan
dance man and mand head is the vakra tunda | daani daata
syllables madhu rai musu ke trish of the dam. oo li krit vigna-haran
affixed to it. madho. da ye nac he shubh-karan
The meaning is madho da madho da shiv sham sham dhagin-dhage
interpreted by madho da madho da sham 1 | 2 dhum-kit thurang dhum-kit
various gestures, shiv sham sham thurang gadi-gan
while laya is madho da madho da sham 1 2 dha-gadi gan-dha gadi-
marked by the shiv sham sham | gan | dha dhum- kit
feet. Though madho da madho da sham thurang gadi-
abhinaya is gan dha-gadi gan-
evident in dha gadi-gan dha
these dhum-kit thurang gadi-gan
compositions, it dha-gadi gan-dha
is classed under gadi-gan | dha
Nritta or
pure dance because of the

predominance of rhythmic part
9. Essays:
a) Importance of Guru-Shishya Parampara(tradition).
“Guru” in sanskrit is teacher, “Shishya” is student and and “parampara” means "an uninterrupted
succession". It is the lineage of passing knowledge from a succession of gurus to students through oral
tradition.
The relationship between a Guru and his Shishya is the most celebrated in Hindu culture. In the Guru
Shishya tradition, a student approaches a Guru in his chosen area of expertise, and requests to be
granted admission, also known as “Shishyvruthi”. Once Guru accepts the Shishya, he will go through a
formal initiation ceremony, where the Guru accepts the Shishya and takes the responsibility of his
spiritual well being and progress in life known as “Gandabandhan” and the Shishya then starts living
with the Guru. Here the main aim is to impart the knowledge of Indian tradition that cannot otherwise
be gained by merely reading books. Evolving from the era of the great Indian seers, the tradition
signifies the complete emotional, intellectual and spiritual surrender of the ardent shishya to the Guru.
After the Shishya completes his part of training, if the Guru feels he is ready to graduate to the real
world; then he conducts a test and invites Gurus from other Gurukuls and experts in the field. This is
formally known as “Ashtavadhanam”,i.e. “Arangetram” in Bharatanatyam, shyamrang in kathak. Upon
passing this test, the Shishya is proclaimed as an expert and promoted as “vidwan” in his field. In return
the Shishya or Shishya will show his respect by presenting a token of respect to the Guru for the
knowledge he imparted in kind, which is also known as “Guru-dakshina”.
In the early oral traditions of the Upanishads, the guru–shishya relationship had evolved into a
fundamental component of Hinduism. The term "Upanishad" derives from the Sanskrit words
"upa" (near), "ni" (down) and "ÿad" (to sit) — so it means "sitting down near" a spiritual teacher to
receive instruction. The relationship between Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita
portion of the Mahabharata, and between Rama and Hanuman in the Ramayana, are examples. In the
Upanishads, gurus and disciples appear in a variety of settings. Sometimes the sages were women, and
the instructions may be sought by kings.
Music is bound by four parameters. The first is Shastra or science, which tells what to do and what not
to do. The second is Tantra or technique which tells us how to do it. The third is Vidya or education or
matter, which tells us about the various Gharanas, their compositions etc. The fourth is Kalaa or
aesthetics. The Shastra is explained, the Tantra is taught, Vidya is imparted and Kalaa is developed
through Sanskaras. This is the oral tradition or the guru-shishya consultant.
Knowledge cannot be imparted without experience, experience cannot be gained without
practice or saadhana, practice cannot be achieved without sanskar and sanskar are
imparted by the guru only.
Sanskaras can be gained by being attached to the guru and listening and absorbing from him
carefully.
Importance: (i) Free
education (ii)
Individual teaching (iii) Self-
control and Self-descipline (iv) Widespread
education of women (v) Self realization (vi) Vocational
education (besides
spiritual): All round development of students (vii) Promotion of social efficiency and welfare (viii) Preservation and promotion of
culture
Though we don’t find the Guru Shishya tradition in most of the fields, it’s still alive in the field of art, specifically performing arts like Dance and
Music.
b) Merits of a good disciples and his duties towards his Guru. ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ | ÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ || The Guru was at
the centre of everything at the Gurukuls. Not only

was he the mentor, but he was the Supreme Being, whose status was as revered as that of the Almighty. He took complete responsibility of the Shishya,
while the Shishya fully devoted himself in the service of the Guru, imbibing whatever knowledge he could, from him. The relationship between the
Guru and the Shishya was completely spiritual without being professional.
There is a variation in the level of authority that may be granted to the guru and the duties of a Shishya toward him. For example in Bhakti ((Sanskrit =
Devotion) means surrender to God or Guru) Yoga, the disciple should be truly devoted to the Guru and think of the Guru as an Avatar of God. And it is
believed that in doing so, some form of spiritual merit (moksha) will be gained by the disciple. While, in the ego- destroying principle of prapatti
(Sanskrit, "Throwing oneself down"), the level of the submission of the will of the shishya to the will of God or the guru is sometimes extreme, and is
often coupled with an attitude of personal helplessness, self-effacement and resignation. This Prapatti Principle does teach deep humility and self-
effacement, admission of sin and weakness, strict and unconditional adherence to
all of the commands of the guru to the Shishya, but, sometimes the authority of the guru can extend to all aspects of the shishya’s life,
including sexuality, livelihood, social life, etc.
There are many merits of a good student or disciple: (i) Preservation and
promotion of culture: the learnings are passed from Guru to Shishya and so on and will continue to be passed if the students are good. (ii)
Reputation (Vikhayati) of Guru increases. (iii) Student can lead a good life through his
learnings (Vocational Training). (iv) Student can attain spiritual
enlightenment. (v) Student can achieve Moksha. (vi) State of society as a whole improves:
Vidya dadati vi niyam, vi neyat ati patratam | Deservingness is as

wealth as wealth and th e essence of righteousness ||
,
1. Evolution of Ras; definitions of Sthayi Bhav, Bhav, Vibhav,

Anubhav and Vyabhichari Bhav.
The theory of bhava and rasa was introduced by Natyashastra (Bharata Muni), where the Gods declare
that drama is the 'Fifth Veda' because it is suitable for the degenerate age as the best form of religious
instruction. It had a profound effect on most of the traditional art forms of India. Bhava means an
emotional state or mood, portrayed by the dancer-actor. Rasa, “taste” or
“essence”, refers to the sentiment that the bhava, manifested by the actor, should evoke in the
audience.
When one hears some melodious music or see some attractive dance or drama, one gets an inner
pleasure. This pleasure is known as “Rasa”. Ultimate aim of any dramatic pursuite is to evoke Rasa
in spectators. This is produced by “Bhavas” or emotional moods.
The first wave of thought evoked through any sensory action is called “Bhava” and is derived from
the Sanskrti root “Boo (Bhav)” meaning “to be”. It has been explained in 2 ways:
(i) as these to be, it is their nature that’s why these are called Bhava
(ii) As they express or make to feel that’s why these are known as Bhava.
Bhava is limited to the mind only, but when the reaction is displayed on the face, it’s called “Hava” and
when it is expressed through the whole body, it’s called “Hela”. E.g. on seeing a beloved person, the
wave of pleasure/happiness that arises in the mind is the Bhava, a smile on the face is the Hawa and
when one runs to hug or embrase them it’s Hela.
According to old scholars, when the hearts of spectators are full of the feelings of pleasure, sorrow, etc.
that are being expressed in a play or poetry by the characters, this unionness of the feelings of the
spectators and dramatic characters is called Bhava.
Permanent Bhav
Sthayi Bhav is the permanent emotion that can’t be easily hidden with a friendly or opposite emotion.
In psychology these are known as natural instincts of human beings. E.g. Anger always resides in
Human mind, but is not visible all the time. On seeing an enemy, when it comes to the forefront and
becomes the prime emotion, it turns into “Roudra Rasa”. There are 9 Sthayi Bhavas:
(i) Rati (love)
(ii) Hasya (laughter)
(iii) Shoka (sorrow)
(iv) Krodh (anger)
(v) Utsah (energy)
(vi) Bhaya (fear)
(vii) Jugupsa (disgust)
(viii) Vismaya (astonishment)
(ix) Nirveda (detachment)
Vibhava
A person, place or thing that makes one feel any Rasa is called “Vibhava”. It is the determinant or cause of
Rasa. It’s of 2 types: (i)
Alamban Vibhava: Alamban means reliance. Thus, the heros, heroins, and other characters with whose
support Rasa-Bhava arises are called Alamban Vibhava (ii)
Uddipan Vibhava: Atmosphere and other things like the moon, river-banks, air-waves, etc. which cause
excitement are called Uddipan Vibhava
Anubhava
Anu means after, thus the moods that arise after the permanent (Sthayi) mood are called Anubhava. An
eye-brow movement, tear, look, etc. brings into the notice of the spectator that the feeling of love has
been evoked and that’s why these Anubhavas are considered to be the consequence or result of Rasa-
Bhava.
There are 8 Sattvika Bhava (Temperamental States) under Anubhavas:
(i) Stambha (stupefaction)
(ii) Sveda (perspiration)
(iii) Romancha (Horripilation)
(iv) Swara-bhanga (change of voice)
(v) Vepathu (Trembling) )
(vi) Vaivarnya (change of color)
(vii) Ashru (tears)
(viii) Pralaya (unconsciousness)
Sanchari Bhava
Sanchari or “Vyabhichari” Bhava or Transitory moods are the supporting and nourishing moods that
appear for some time in the process of any permanent mood (Sthayi bhava). These are 33 in number, e.g.,
Nirveda (detachment), shanka (apprehension), chinta (anxiety), harsha (joy), mrityu (death), nidra (sleep),
etc.
When these Vibhavas, Anubhavas and Sanchari Bhavas meet together and strengthen the Sthayi Bhava
then that Sthayi Bhava converts into Rasa, which are of 9 kinds: Shringar, Hasya, Karuna, Roudra,
Veera, Bhayanaka, Beebhatsa, Adbhuta, Shanta.
2. Knowledge of the following words or concepts traditionally

used in Kathak:
a. Tipalli
A composition consisting of the same set of syllables, that are set on 3 different layers. An example
of tipalli in teen-taal is:
ti ta ka ta ga di ga na dha tita kata is down tita-kata is down-gana | is the source
b. poetry
Kavitt is a poetic composition set to some tal with some dance syllables affixed to it. The meaning is
interpreted by various gestures, while laya is marked by the feet. Though abhinaya is evident in these
compositions, it is classed under Nritta or pure dance because of the predominance of rhythmic part. An
example of kavit in Zhaptaal is:
dimi ki dimi ki dim damr oo ba je
she | esh ga ang ardh ang vira je uu
ma ra | ma har sur sang ra je le trish
ul damr | oo li ye nac he shiv sham
sham sham 1 | 2
shiv sham sham sham 1 2
shiv sham sham | sham
c. Farmaishi Paran
A rhythmic composition consisting of the Pakhawaj syllables is called a Paran. When the first palla of the
tihai section of the 1st palla of paran ends on the sam, the 2nd palla of the tihai section of the 2nd palla of
paran ends on sam and the 3rd palla of the tihai section of the 3rd
palla of paran ends on sam it's called Farmaishi paran. An example of Farmaishi Paran in teen-taal
is:
dhage tit tage tit kirdha tit nage tit takit tagin tage tit
tit kat gadi gan | dha tit kat gadi gan dha tit kat gadi gan dha dhage tit tage tit kirdha | tit nage tit takit tagin
tage tit
tit kat gadi gan dha tit kat gadi gan | dha tit kat gadi gan dha dhage tit tage tit kirdha tit nage tit takit tagin |
tage tit
tit kat gadi gan dha tit kat gadi gan dha tit kat gadi gan | dha
d. Kamali Paran
Kamali Paran is a kind of Farmaishi Paran. The word Kamali is derived from “kamaal” meaning amazing,
thus a paran that induces amazament in the audience is called a Kamali Paran. When the tihayi section of a
chakradar paran has 3 dha together, such that 1st dha comes on the sam of 1st palla, 2nd dha comes on the
sam of 2nd palla and 3rd dha comes on the sam of 3rd palla.
An example of Kamali Paran in teen-talk is:
gadi gana nage tita | taki father's dhe |
ta SS taka thunga | ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira kitataka |

dha dha dha taka | thunga ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira | kita-
taka dha dha dha | dha S gadi gana |
ta-tira kita-taka dha dha | dha S gadi gana |
nage tita taki tata | kaS dheS taS SS |
taka thunga taStira kitataka | taStira kitataka dha dha | dha
taka thunga taStira | kitataka ta-tira kitataka dha | dha dha
taka thunga | ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira kita-taka | dha dha dha
S | gadi gana nage tita |
taki tata ka dhe | ta SS taka thunga |
ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira kita-taka | dha dha dha taka |
thunga ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira | kita-taka dha dha dha |
taka thunga ta-tira kita-taka | ta-tira kita-taka dha dha | dha
e. Bedum Tihai
When a small rhythmic piece is repeated three times and ends on one it is called Tihai. A tihai
without any rest in between the repetition of 3 pieces of the Tihai phrase is called Bedam Tihai. An
example of Bedum Tihai in
taking is: titkat gadigan
dha titkat gadigan dha-ta
dha
titkat gadigan dha | titkat
down is-ta is titkat
down is titkat down is-ta | is the source
f. Tribhang
Tribhang is the name of Natwar Shri Krishna’s special mudra in which he stands with a bent knee,
waist and neck.
After defeating Kalia-Naag, when Shri Krishna danced on it’s hood, it came to be known as
Tribhangi Nritya. It can be noticed from the various gestures and poses of Kathak that all the
stationary poses are governed by the Tribhang Mudra.
According to “Sangeet Kaladhar” Tribhangi is the 3rd Bhed besides Tandav and Lasya.
People have associated the Tribhang mudra with calm and composure and one that creates an
atmosphere of peace (similar to what Shri Krishna exuberated after defeating Kalia-Naag)
g. Sudang
Sudhang is formed by the combination of 2 words: “Su” meaning “good” and “dhang” meaning “way
or modus”. Hence the word Sudhang can be defined as the “good or correct way or form”. When the
components of the dance was correctly operated, it is known as Sudhang.
h. Lang-dant
Lang is a feminine noun word in Hindi, meaning connection, appliance, skillful temperament. In
kathak, when a component beautifully merges into another component’s structure, it is called Lang.
Dant can be translated to control and enforcement. In kathak, the component exuberating agility,
intelligence and happiness is known as Dant.
These 2 words are often used together and mean competition. When kathak dancer competes with the
percussionist, it is known as Lang-dant.
In Brij-bhasha “hora-hori” or “horan” is used to imply the same meaning as “lang-dant”.
i. Anulom-Pratilom
When an action is performed con-naturally it is called Anulom or just Lom. And when an action is
performed as the reverse of it’s natural form it is called Pratilom. When a dancer moves forward it can
be called Anulom and then when he reverses and moves backward it can be
called Pratilom. Also, stomping the foot is considered Anulom, while raising the foot in the air is
considered Pratilom.
j. Bhramari
Bhramari means “Spinning”. Abhinaya Darpan mentions 7 types of Bhramari:
(i) Utplutabhramari: With Samapaada Sthanaka, jump & turn around
(ii) Chakrabhramari: Hold tripataka hasta in both the hands and turn around while dragging the legs
on the floor
(iii) Garudabhramari: Keep one of the knees on the ground, stretch the other leg and turn
around
(iv) Ekapaadabhramari: Stand on one leg and turn around with the other
(v) Kunchitabhramari: Jump and turn around folding the legs up
(vi) Aakaashabhramari: Jump , spread the legs apart and turn around
(vii) Angabhramari: Keep the legs 12 inch apart and turn the body around
k. Nyas-Vinyas.
Nyas means “to keep”, e.g. “Pad-Nyas” would mean to lift the foot and keep it at a special
position/state. The opposite of this would be Vinyas, e.g., in this situation “Pad-Vinyas” would mean
to remove the foot from it’s special position/state and keep it back at it’s default position/state. The
“Vi” preceding the word “Nyas” in “Vinyas” has 2 meanings:
a) special
b) opposite
Hence, when taken in a) “special” context, the word “Vinyas” could also mean the same thing as the
word “Nyas”!
So, when Nyas-Vinyas are used together, Vinyas would mean the “opposite” of Nyas. But, when
considered by itself, Vinyas would mean “special” and “Pad-Vinyas” in this case would mean to keep
the foot at a special position/state.
3. Definitions of the following types of Indian Classical vocal

compositions used in Kathak:
a. Asthapadi
Refers to the Sanskrit hymns of the Geetha Govinda, composed by Jayadeva in the 12th Century.
The ashtapadis, which describe the beauty of Lord Krishna and the love between Krishna and the
gopis, are considered a masterpiece in esoteric spirituality and the theme of 'Divine romance'. The
literal meaning of ashtapathi is 'eight-steps', refers to the fact that each hymn is made of eight
couplets (eight sets of two lines). It is also the source of the word ashtÿpada, an Indian board game,
the forerunner of chess.
The lyrical poetry of the Geetha Govinda is divided into twelve chapters, each of which is sub-
divided into twenty four divisions called Prabandha. The Prabandhas contain couplets grouped
into eights, called ashtapadis.
Although the original tunes of the ashtapadis were lost in history, they remain popular and are widely
sung in a variety of tunes, and used in classical dance performances, across India.
b. Dhrupad
Verses sung deeply and with gravity. Dhamars are verses describing various aspects of Lord Krishna
in a sprightly manner. These compositions are based on hymns in praise of the Lord while also
narrating, at times, a sequential event.
Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music. It is the oldest of the three major vocal styles
associated with Hindustani classical music and the most closely related to the South Indian Carnatic
tradition. It is a Sanskrit name, derived from the words dhruva (immovable, permanent) and pad
(verse), a combination that means "pillar". The roots of Dhrupad are ancient, and it is discussed in the
Hindu Sanskrit text Natyashastra (~200 BCE – 200 CE).
The term denotes both the verse form of the poetry and the style in which it is sung. It is spiritual,
heroic, thoughtful, virtuous, embedding moral wisdom or solemn form of song-music combination.
Thematic matter ranges from the religious and spiritual (mostly in praise of Hindu deities) to royal
panegyrics, musicology and romance.
A Dhrupad has at least four stanzas, called Sathayi (or Asthayi), Antara, Sancari and Abhoga.
c. Thumri
Romantic verses that centre around incidents from the life of Lord Krishna and his relationship with
Radha and the gopis.
It is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb
thumakna, which means "to walk with dancing steps so as to make the ankle-bells tinkle." The form
is, thus, connected with dance, dramatic gestures, mild eroticism, evocative love poetry and folk songs
of Uttar Pradesh, though there are regional variations.
The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The
lyrics are usually in Uttar Pradesh dialects of Hindi called Awadhi and Brij Bhasha. Thumri is
characterized by its sensuality, and by a greater flexibility with the raag.
Thumrÿ is also used as a generic name for some other, even lighter, forms such as Dadra, Hori, Kajari,
Saavan, Jhoola, and Chaiti, even though each of them has its own structure and content
— either lyrical or musical or both.
The first mention of Thumri goes back to the 19th century, with a link to the classical dance form
Kathak. This was the bandish ki thumri or bol-baant and it evolved mostly in Lucknow in
the court of nawab Wajid Ali Shah. According to historical records, a new version of thumri arose in the
late 19th century, which was independent of dance, and much more slow-paced. This form was called
bol-banav and it evolved in Varanasi.
d. Chaturang
Chaturang is a type of composition in Hindustani classical music. The word basically means 4 colors,
and it incorporates four different styles
• Bol - poetry set to the selected raaga •
Sargam - singing note passages using note names •
Tarana - nonsense syllables set to a brisk laya • Trivat /
tabla bols - tabla or pakhavaj bols set to tune
Chaturang is usually sung at a fast pace. It is predominantly a Gwalior gharana style.
e. Tirwat
Tirwat is also a music composition in Hindustani classical music sung on drut laya. melodic use of
pakhawaj and tabla bols, eg tit-kat gadi-gan dha dhage-na dha dhage-na dha dhage-na dha
f. Descendants
It is a type of vocal music composition in Hindustani classical wherein certain words are used to
convey an ode or a hymn. The compositions are rendered at a medium (madhya) or fast (drut) pace
(laya) in a straight form. It was invented by Amir Khusro (1253-1325 CE). In tarana the hindi words
like nom, tom, naa, dir, tadani, etc. are used. In modern times, the tarana composition is usually used to
create an anthem style of music of celebration, hymn or ode.
Tarana was also used by Sikh tenth Guru Gobind Singh in his compositions.
The structure consists of a main melody, usually short, repeated many times, with variation and
elaboration at the performer's discretion. There is a second, contrasting melody, usually with higher
notes, which is introduced once before returning to the main melody. The tarana may include few Urdu
sheirs or a Persian couplet, and may use syllables from musical sounds;
singers might recite full compositions (e.g. tihais, gats, tukdas, nazm) within the body of the
tarana.
g. It said
Verses that are sung at the onset of spring, showing an array of moods with Krishna and Radha as the
pivotal theme.
These are a semi-classical songs sung in the Hindu calendar month of Chait. These songs are rendered
during the Holy month of Sri Rama Navami in March/April. It falls under light classical form of
Hindustani classical music. The songs typically has the name of Lord Rama. These are traditionally
sung in the villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh: around Banaras, Mirzapur,
Mathura, Allahabad and the Bhojpur regions of Bihar. Girija Devi is among the popular singers of
Chaiti.
h. Learn
Verses sung during monsoon to celebrate the arrival of rains after the parched summer months. Kajri
derived from the Hindi word Kajra, or Kohl, is a genre of semi-classical singing, popular in Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar. It is often used to describe the longing of a maiden for her lover as the black
monsoon cloud come hanging in the summer skies, and the style is notably sung during the rainy
season.
i. Hori
Verses that centre round the play of colours during the festival of Holi, featuring Krishna and Radha as
the central figures. This is a must in a Kathak’s repertoire for the month of Phalgun. Hori is a genre of
semi-classical singing, popular in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It can be adorned with a Bhairavi, Thumri
etc.
4. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's and Raigadh Maharaj Chakradhar

Sinha’s contribution to Kathak.
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh, holding the position
for 9 years, from 13 February 1847 to 11 February 1856. His kingdom,
long protected by the British under treaty, was eventually annexed bloodlessly on 11
February 1856, two days before the ninth anniversary of his coronation. The Nawab was exiled
to Garden Reach in Metiabruz, then a suburb of Kolkata, where he lived out the rest of his life
on a generous pension. He was a poet, playwright, dancer and
great patron of the arts. He is widely credited with the revival of Kathak as a major form
of classical Indian dance.
Wajid Ali Shah was born in Lucknow, Oudh on 30 July 1822. was most unfortunate to have
ascended the throne of Oudh at a time when the British East India Company was determined to
grab the coveted throne of prosperous Awadh. In different circumstances perhaps, he might have
succeeded as a ruler because he had many qualities that make a good administrator. He was
generous, kind and compassionate towards his subjects, besides being one of the most
magnanimous and passionate patrons of fine arts in the Indian tradition. When he ascended the
throne, he took keen interest in the administration of justice, introduced reforms, and reorganised
the military. Wajid Ali Shah was widely regarded as a debauched and detached ruler.
A large number of composers who thrived under the lavish patronage of the Nawab rulers of
Lucknow enriched the light classical form of thumri; most prominent among these was Wajid
Ali Shah. He was not only a munificent patron of music, dance, drama, and poetry, but was
himself a gifted composer. He had received vocal training under great Ustads like Basit
Khan, Pyar Khan and Jafar Khan (all of whom were the direct descendants of Mian
Tansen and were the sons of the famous tanseni Chajju Khan).
Bahadur Hussain Khan/Zia-ud-Daulah was the favorite musician of Wajid Ali Shah. Bahadur
Hussain Khan was the son of the famous Sufi saint Jeevan Shah of Jhansi and
descendant of Tansen's son-in-law Naubat Khan. Although Wajid Ali Shah's pen-name was
"Qaisar", he used the pseudonym "Akhtarpiya" for his numerous compositions.
Under this pen name, he wrote over forty works – poems, prose and thumris.
Diwan-i-Akhtar, Husn-i-Akhtar contain his ghazals. He is said to have composed many
new ragas and named them Jogi, Juhi, Shah-Pasand, etc. Popular belief has it that the
light classical form, thumri was created by Wajid Ali Shah. However, James Kippen argued
that evidence suggests thumri had almost certainly already
become an independent vocal form somewhat influenced by khayal by 1800, becoming
extremely popular and pervasive in the time of Wajid Ali Shah. Wajid Ali wrote and performed
ghazals, and the modern day style of ghazals were certainly evolved by
his innovative ideas and experimentations in ghazals.
Together with music, dance in Lucknow developed strongly and became a pre-eminent art under
the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah. In the ancient times Kathak being the part of the temple ritual,
was performed at temples. With the change of time the Kathak performers in search of better
prospects and rich patronage left the temple and entered into royal courts. Transformation was
inevitable. The dance started adapting itself to the demands of the court, but it was under the
artistic guidance and patronage of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, that Kathak achieved greater
dimensions. He gave a definite form, made it more artistic, and gave to it an aesthetic touch, he
enriched it with rasa and bhava, and he added literature to it, lent it sensuality, and furnished it
with grandeur and splendor to its presentation.
Wajid Ali Shah started two distinct forms one is Rahas and the other one is called Raas. He
himself choreographed a dance based on the moves of Kathak called, Rahas, that he danced
himself with the ladies of his court. For him Rahas was a dramatic form of
theatre including acting, dancing, and music and with different scenes the whole setting and
locale changes. On the other hand Raas was purely a religious form.
Kathak dance attained new heights of popularity and glory under his expert guidance and
lavish patronage. Thakur Prasadji was his Kathak guru, and the unforgettable Kalka-Binda
brothers performed in his court. What with the grand pageantry of the
Rahas, Jogiya Jashan, Dance dramas, and Kathak performances, Lucknow became the magnetic
cultural centre where the most reputed musicians, dancers and poets of the time flourished. The
greatest musicians, dancers and instrumentalists of the time enjoyed his munificent patronage
and hospitality. It was at his reign that Lucknow Gharana came into existence. It was in this
period that the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak attained maturity, through the efforts of the
stalwarts like Thakur Prasadji and others.
The Lucknow style of Kathak dance is characterized by graceful movements, elegance and
natural poise with dance. Abhinaya, concern for movement shape and creative
improvisations are the hallmarks of this style. He not only made Kathak as the official court
dance, but using it in performances of rahas made it popular among the people. Wajid Ali
Shah's book entitled Bani gives details of 36 types of Rahas all set in Kathak style (with
colourful names like Mor-Chchatr, Ghunghat, Salami, Mor Pankhi and Mujra), and
gives exhaustive notes about the costumes, jewellery, and stage- craft.
Many have regarded Wajid Ali Shah as "the first playwright of the Hindustani theatre",
because his "Radha Kanhaiyya Ka Qissa" staged in the Rahas Manzil was the first play of its
kind. It featured the Goddess Radha, Lord Krishna, several sakhis, and a Vidushaka-like
character named "Ramchera". Songs, dances, mime, and drama were all delightfully
synthesised in these Rahas performances. He dramatised many other poems such as Darya-i-
Tashsq, Afsane-i-Isbaq, and Bhahar-i-Ulfat. It is said that
Amanat's Inder Sabha was inspired by these dance-dramas, written, produced and
staged by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
His bhairavi thumri Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaay pitomises the pain and agony of
the poet king himself when he was exiled from his beloved Lucknow.
The Nawab died at Metiabruz, Calcutta on September 21, 1887.
Raja Chakradhar Singh Bahadur was the Raja of Raigarh and Chief of Bargarh
ruled by Gond dynasty. He was the ruler of Princely state of Raigarh from 1924 till his
death in 1947.
He was born on 19th August 1905 to Raja Bhup Deo Singh (who died in 1917). He of
completed his education from Rajkumar College, Raipu[r4. ] He succeeded to throne Raigrah
upon death of his elder brother, Raja Natwar Singh in 1924.
He was a great patron of Indian arts, classical dance, music and invited to his capital music and
dance-experts from different parts of the country. His contribution has been important in the
development of the classical form of Kathak. During the reign of Raja Chakradhar Singh,
experts of both the gharanas, namely, Jaipur and Lucknow gained prominent positions and
were patronised by him. Even experts from Benaras gharna were in his court. The Raigarh
Gharana of Kathak was established by him during his reign, which produced many luminaries,
dancers, singers and musicians due to his patronage and philanthropy. Among the noted
Kathak exponents to have served his court were Pandit Jaggannath Prasad of Jaipur
Gharana and Guru Kalaka Prasad and his sons of Lucknow Gharana. He invented a
new dance form by mixing different dance forms, which led to foundation of Raigarh Gharana.
Raigarh Gharana thus founded by Raja Chakradhar Singh, although the youngest of all
gharanas, has its own compositions of thumris, ghazals, todas and bols which are unique in
themselves.
Chakradhar Singh was himself a great exponent of tabla and pakhawaj. He too was a dancer
and musician and his patronage extended to all dancers irrespective of their gharana. His name
is often taken with Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh as a patron of classical Indian dance and music,
especially with respect to Kathak dance and Hindustani classical music. Among the dancers
and musicians to have performed or served his court were Pandit Makhan Lal Chaturvedi, Dr.
Ramkumar Verma, Pandit Mahaveer Prasad Dwivedi, Pandit Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi. Even
Sanskrit language writers like
Pandit Sadashiv Das, Pandit Sharda Prasad, Pandit Kashi Dutt Jha served him, through them he
translated a lot of music and dance literature in Sanskrit.
In 1938, Chakradhar Singh headed the first All India Music Conference held at Allahbad. In this
conference Chakradhar Singh went with his team of 60 artists. In 1939, the conference
organised a welcome party for Viceroy of India, where Kathak dancer Karthik Kalyan presented
the dance and was assisted by Chakradhar Singh, who played Tabla. He was given title of
Sangit Samrat by the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow at this conference. In 1943 conference at
Khairagarh, he again played tabla for the dance performance of Kalyan Das.
He had a very good knowledge of Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and Oriya and has written
several books on Indian traditional music like: Nartan Sarawasya, Mayachakra,
Mrignayani, Raag Ratna Mnajusha, etc.
Raja Chakaradhar Singh died on 7 October 1947 just after independence of India. After his
death, Lalit Kumar Singh, his son succeeded him to the throne of Raigarh and ruled briefly
before the Raigarh State was merged into Union of India on 14 December 1947. There is a
music academy established after him, as his memorial at Raigarh.
Chakradhar Singh patronized Brahmins during his rule like many Raj Gonds, but also did not
give up his tribal identity and roots. His legacy and history has been appropriated by Brahmin
musicians and a festival is organized on his birth anniversary in Raigarh, during Ganesh
Chaturthi. Each year it is jointly organized by Chakradhar Lalit Kala Kendra and Ustad Allaudin
Khan Sangeet Academy, with the cooperation of the district administration. While the literature
and arts endeavors of Raja are much celebrated, there is never an iota of mention about his
ancestry to Gond tribe. A scholar tribal king,
he championed in arts, literature, taught and contributed significantly to ‘Indian’ classical
music and dance.
5. Write notations of Aamad, Tihai, Toda, Chakradar Paran and Kavit

in the following Taal: Raas Taal (13 Matra), Dhamaar (14 Matra),
Gajazhampa (15) & Pancham Sawari (15 Matra).
Name
Raas Language A donkey Gajazhampa Pancham Ride
(compositions same as
Pancham Sawari)
Definition Matra-13,
Matra-14, Matra-15, Vibhag-4, Matra-15, Vibhag-4,
Division-13,
Vibhag-4, Tali-3, Tali-3, Khali-1 (9th Tali-3, Khali-1 (8th
Tali-8, Khali-5 (2nd,
Khali-1 (8th matra) matra) matra)
5th, 9th, 11th, 13th
matra)
Half dhin | trak | dhi | na ka dhi ta dhi ta | is dha dhin naka taka | dha dhi na dhi-dhi | kat dhi-
| tu | na | ka | ta | S | ga ti ta | of ta ta S dhin naka taka | tin naka dhi na-dhi dhi-na | ta-ka tu-
dhage | nadha |I taka | tita kata gadi na tir-kit tu-na | kat-ta dhi-
| trak | dhin | gin gana | dha dhi na-dhi dhi-na | dhi
| dhin
Aamad ta thei ta thei ta-thei tata-

ta thei tata thei aa thei ta can tat S aa can tat S can S ta can tat S aa can tat S
thei thei-ta-thei ta-
tata thei can S can S can S can S can S
thei thei-thei tat ta tat-
thei ta-thei ta thei tat | tat ta S ta S tat | tat ta S ta S
thei thei-tat | ta S aa
thei thei | tat tat ta tram tat tat ta S ta S tat tat ta S ta S
thei aa thei aa-
thei tata-thei thei-thei tat-tat ta tram tat tat ta tirkit | is the source tat tat ta tirkit | is the source
thei-thei tat-tat ta
thei-ta-thei ta-thei
tram thei-thei tat-tat | ta
thei-thei tat ta |
tat-thei thei-tat ta
thei-thei tat-tat ta |
tata-thei-thei tat-tat ta
tata-thei-thei tat-
tat ta
tata-thei-thei tat-tat | ta
Tihai ta-thei thei-tat ta-thei thei-tat aa-thei ta-thei thei-tat aa-thei ta-thei thei-tat aa-thei
aa-thei thei-tat takit thei-tat takit digit thei-tat takit digit takit thei-tat ta-thei thei-tat
digit takit digit dha ta- takit digit two S ta- digit two SS ta-thei thei- aa-thei thei-tat thei SS ta-
thei thei-tat thei thei-tat aa-thei tat aa-thei thei-tat | takit thei thei-tat aa-thei
aa-thei thei-tat | takit thei-tat | takit digit takit digit takit digit dha thei-tat | ta-thei thei-tat aa-
digit takit digit dha ta- digit dha S ta- SS ta-thei thei-tat aa-thei thei thei-tat thei SS ta-thei
thei thei-tat aa- thei thei-tat aa-thei thei- thei-tat takit digit takit thei-tat aa-thei thei-tat
thei thei-tat takit tat takit digit digit | for him ta-thei thei-tat
digit takit digit | for takit digit | for him aa-thei thei-tat | thei
him
All tat tat tram can tigda tat tat thei S tigda tat-tat thei ta thei ta thei ta tat-tat thei ta thei ta thei ta
tigdig can S tigdig thei S tigda thei thei
tat tat tram can tigda | tigdig thei tigda tigdig tigda-tidgdig thei tigda-tidgdig thei
tigdig thei S thei | tigda tigdig thei S tigda-tidgdig thei tigda-tidgdig thei
tigda tigdig can tat tat thei S tigda tigda-tidgdig thei ta-thei | ta tigda-tidgdig thei ta-thei | ta
ta-thei tigdig thei S tigda thei ta thei ta-thei tata- thei ta thei ta-thei tata-
tigda tigdig can- tigdig | thei tigda thei thei- thei thei-
thei tigdig thei tigda tigdig ta-thei ta-thei thei- ta-thei ta-thei thei-thei tat-tat
tigda tigdig | can thei S tat tat thei S thei tat-tat thei ta- thei ta-thei
tigda tigdig | thei S thei ta-thei thei-thei tat- ta-thei thei-thei tat-tat | thei ta-
tigda tigdig thei tigda tat | thei ta- thei
tigdig thei tigda tigdig thei ta-thei thei-thei tat- ta-thei thei-thei tat-tat thei tata-
thei ta thei ta | thei tat thei tata- thei
thei tata-thei tata-thei S tata-thei tata-thei S tata-thei
tata-thei tata-thei
tata-thei tata-thei tata-thei S| tata-thei tata-thei S | tata-thei
tata-thei
dhi-dhi-nak dhage-tit dhage-tit dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak

Chakrad dhum-kit dha kir-dha-tita dhum-kit dha kir-dha-tita
dhi-dhi-nak dhum-kit tage-tit tage-tit
ar Paran dha kir-dha-tita dha dhage-tit tage-tit dha ta-dha kit-taka dha ta-dha kit-taka
ta-dha kit-taka nagin is- kirdha-tit nage-tit nagin is nagin-is ta nagin is nagin is nagin-is ta nagin is
nagin is-is nagin | takit dha-na-dha nagin-is | ta nagin is nagin-is | ta nagin is
dha-nagin dhinna kat dha nagin-is 1 2 dhi-dhi-nak dhi- nagin-is 1 2 dhi-dhi-nak dhi-
dha-ta dha-ta dha S takit | dha-na-dha dhi-nak end-kit is kir-is- dhi-nak end-kit is kir-is-
dhi-dhi-nak dhinna kat dha tita is ta-is kit-taka tita is ta-is kit-taka
dhi-dhi-nak takit dha-na-dha
end-kit dha kir-dha-tita dhinna kat dha S nagin | is peace-is ta peace is nagin | is peace-is ta peace is
dha dhage-tit dhage-tit peace-is ta peace is peace-is ta peace is
ta-dha kit-taka | tage-tit tage-tit | peace-is 1 2 dhi-dhi-nak peace-is 1 2 dhi-dhi-nak
nagin dha-nagin dhage-tit tage-tit dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak
dha-ta dha nagin kirdha-tit nage-tit dhum-kit | dha kir-dha-tita dhum-kit | dha kir-dha-tita
dha-nagin dha-ta takit dha-na-dha dha ta-dha kit-taka dha ta-dha kit-taka
dha-ta dha S dhinna kat dha nagin is nagin-is ta nagin is nagin is nagin-is ta nagin is
dhi-dhi-nak takit dha-na-dha nagin-is ta nagin is | nagin- nagin-is ta nagin is | nagin-
dhi-dhi-nak end-kit | is dhinna kat dha | is the nagin is the nagin
kir-dha-tita is ta-dha kit- takit dha-na-dha
taka nagin is-nagin is- dhinna kat dha S
ta is nagin is-nagin dhage-tit dhage-tit
is-ta is-ta | is tage-tit tage-tit
dhage-tit tage-tit
kirdha-tit nage-tit |
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat dha
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat dha
takit dha-na-dha
dhinna kat | dha
she esh mukut ban si gan-gan ganpati dimi kids miki dim dam dimi kids miki dim dam roo
Kavit mukh baa je kam al gajmukh mandal roo baa je dhagra dung baa je dhagra dung ding dang
nay an kund | al git-gidh git-gidh ding dang taka dhigit tana | taka dhigit tana | dha
jhala ke mo or git-gidh thun-thun dha see sh gang ard hang vee ra
mukut pit am bar so tat-tat thei jai-jag see sh gang ard hang vee je takit dhigit takit dhigit dha
he man nd | mand vandan vakra tunda | ra je takit dhigit takit dha-ti | dha uma
madhu rai mus ke daani daata krit dhigit dha dha-ti | dha uma ra ma har sur sang saa je dhit- la
tigda tiddig thei vigna-haran ra ma har sur sang ng-dh it-lang
tigda tigdig thei

shubh-karan saa je dhit-la ng-dh gadigan tho gadigan | tho gadigan
tigda tigdig | thei
dhagin-dhage it-lang gadigan tho tho
dhum-kit thurang gadigan | tho gadigan tho dhar tris hul dam roo liye na che
dhum-kit thurang dhar tris hul dam roo liye na shiv cha m-cha m-ch | am
gadi-gan dha-gadi gan- che dha-ti dha
dha gadi-gan | dha shiv cha m-cha m-ch | am shiv cha m-cha m-ch am
dhum-kit thurang gadi- dha-ti dha dha-ti dha
gan dha-gadi gan-dha shiv cha m-cha m-ch am shiv cha m-cha m-ch am |
gadi-gan dha dhum-kit dha-ti dha dha-ti-dha
thurang shiv cha m-cha m-ch am |
gadi-gan dha-gadi dha-ti-dha
gan-dha gadi-gan |
dha
6. Life Stories of
a. Nataraj Gopi Krishna
Nataraj Gopi Krishnaji was an exponent of the Benares Gharana style of Kathak.
He was born in Calcutta on 22nd August 1935, into a family of Kathak dancers. His maternal
grandfather Pandit Sukhdev Maharaj was a teacher of Kathak and his aunt Sitara Devi was a Kathak
dancer who has performed around the world. When he was 11 years old, Gopi Krishna began training
under his grandfather. He also learned from Shambhu Maharaj. In addition to Kathak, Gopi Krishna
learned Bharatanatyam from Mahalingam Pillai and Govind Raj Pillai. He incorporated many elements
of Kathakali and Bharatanatyam in his dance.
Despite suffering from chronic asthma he continued to expand his dance repertoire, receiving the title
of "Nataraj" (King of Dancers) at the All Bengal Music Conference at the age of 15.
In 1952, 17-year-old Gopi Krishna became one of the youngest choreographers in Hindi film history
when he was hired to choreograph dances for Madhubala in Saqi. In 1955, he appeared in his first film
Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje. The film was successful and helped to revitalize public interest in
classical dance. He also choreographed many films like Grahasti (1963), Dastaan, Mehbooba,
Umrao Jaan, Naache Mayuri (1986) and The Perfect Murder. During the 1960s and 70s, he
toured India's border posts, entertaining soldiers with Sunil Dutt's Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe. Gopi
Krishna later established the Nateshwar Bhavan dance academy and the Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir.
In 1975 the Indian government awarded him India's
fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri. He set a world record for the longest continuous Kathak
dance at 9 hours and 20 minutes. He also appeared in a small role in the legendary TV series
Mahabharat.
On 18 February 1994 Krishna had a massive heart attack in his Bombay home and died later that night.
He is survived by his daughter Shampa Sonthalia through his wife Savitri (who is also a Kathak dancer).
Shampa Sonthalia was born in 1980 and became a choreographer and dancer as well, placing as the
winner in the 5th and 7th season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.
b. Sitara Devi
Sitara Devi was an eminent Indian dancer of the classical Kathak style of dancing. Rabindranath Tagore
described her as Nritya Samragni (meaning the empress of dance), after watching
her performance when she was just 16 years old.
Sitara Devi was born in Kolkata on the Dhanteras, 8 November 1920, the eve of the Indian festival of
Dipavali. Being born around Dipavali, she was named Dhanalakshmi, an epithet of goddess Lakshmi
who is worshiped especially during Dipawali. She could return to live with her parents' only when she
was eight.
She was born in a Brahmin family, originally from Varanasi, and later settled in Kolkata. Her father,
Sukhadev Maharaj, a Vaishanavite scholar of Sanskrit, earned his livelihood by teaching and performing
kathak dances in different parts of India. Her mother was Matsya Kumari, who held a relationship with
the royal family of Nepal. Sukhadev Maharaj, while serving in the royal court of Nepal had studied
Sanskrit and had done an in-depth study of the Bharatanatyashastra; he also practised and performed
kathak dancing in which he excelled. Kathak became a source of his living, as also a passion, which he
passed on to his daughters, Alaknanda, Tara, and Dhanno; and his sons, Chaube and Pande.
She had met Rabindranath Tagore, and was encouraged by him to revive the lost Indian performing
arts (like kathak), after that he passed away, and ensure elevation of them to a dignified status.
Sukhadev Maharaj decided to realise this goal by contributing to reforming the kathak style of
dancing. At that time, kathak was being performed by nautch girls or boys, and girls of decent families
were not expected to learn this style of dancing. He decided to give religious input to the content,
which was quite different from the content used by the nautch girls. Moreover, he decided to teach this
form of dancing to his daughters and sons. Elders of his community were scandalised, and Sukhadev
Maharaj was virtually excommunicated.
Maharaj and his family members had to face the ire of the community members, and his daughters
were called prostitutes. This did not deter him in his determination. Maharaj changed his residence, and
came to another area of Varanasi. He established a school to teach children including his own daughters
and sons dancing.
Like the tradition of the time, Devi was to be married when she was a small girl of eight, and her child
bridegroom's family wanted to solemnise the marriage. However, she resisted, and wanted to be in a
school. At her insistence, the marriage did not take place, and she was admitted into the Kamachhagarh
High School. While at this school, a dance drama based on the mythological story of Savitri and
Satyavan was to be enacted in a cultural program to be conducted by the students of the school. The
school was searching amongst the students for someone to do a dance sequence embedded in the dance
drama. Devi prevailed upon her teacher by showing her an impromptu dance performance. The
performance clinched the role for her and she was also assigned the task to teach the dance to her co-
performers in the sequence. After the dance drama, a local newspaper named the Aaj reported about the
cultural program emphasising that a little girl had enchanted the audience by her dance performance.
Her father saw the news,
and this changed his perception about his girl with the "twisted mouth". She was re-christened as
Sitara, and she was entrusted into the charge of her elder sister, Tara (mother of famous kathak
dancer, Natraj Gopi Krishna) for imparting her dancing lessons. Incidentally,
By the time Devi had turned ten, she was giving solo performances, mostly during the fifteen-
minute recess during movies in a cinema of her father's friend. Her commitment to
learning dance left her with very little time, and she did not continue her schooling. By the time she was
eleven, her family shifted to Bombay. Soon after reaching Bombay, Devi gave a kathak performance in
Atiya Begum Palace before a select audience, which included Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu and
Sir Cowasji Jehangir. She impressed Tagore who wanted her to give a special performance in Tata
Palace of the Tata Group. There the eleven-year-old dancing damsel studied kathak, with all its nuances,
for three hours. Tagore called her to felicitate her in the traditional Indian style of giving her a shawl and
a gift of Rs. 50 as a token of her appreciation.
Her debut was at Jehangir Hall (Mumbai), then the centre of metro’s cultural life. When she was a
twelve-year-old girl, Devi was recruited by Niranjan Sharma, a filmmaker and a dance director, and she
gave dance sequences in some Hindi movies including her debut in Usha Haran 1940, Nagina 1951,
Roti, Vatan 1938, Anjali 1957. In Mother India 1957, she performed a Holi dance dressed as a boy,
and this was her last dance in any movie. She stopped performing dances in movies, as they were
adversely affecting her study in the classical dance, kathak.
She gave performances in several parts of India, and in several other countries, including at the Royal
Albert Hall, London in 1967; and at the Carnegie Hall, New York in 1976.
Devi received a number of awards, including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1969) and the Padma
Shree (1973), Kalidas Samman (1995) and Nritya Nipuna. She refused to accept the Padma Bhushan
award, declaring, "it is an insult, not an honor," and as a report from the Press Trust of India quoted her
saying: "is this government not aware of my contribution to Kathak? I will not accept any award less
than Bharat Ratna."
Although her forte was kathak, she was also an accomplished dancer in many other styles of dancing
including Bharatanatyam and many forms of folk dances of India. She also learned the Russian ballet,
and other dances of the western world.
She taught kathak dancing to Bollywood celebrities such as Madhubala, Rekha, Mal. a
Sinha, and Kajol.
She died on 25 November 2014, at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai, after a prolonged illness. She is
survived by her two children: Ranjit Barot (Indian film score composer, music director, music
arranger, drummer, singer and a longtime associate of A. R. Rahman), Jayanti Mala
c. Pandit Durgalal
Pandit Durga Lal was a renowned Kathak dancer of the Jaipur Gharana. He was born on 1948 in
Mahendragarh, Rajasthan. Along with being a Kathak dancer he was also a singer and would play Pakhvaj.
His initiation into the world of art was through Hindustani Classical Music, which he learned from his father
Pt. Omkar Lalji. He later received the training of Pakhawaj from Pt. Purushottam of Nathdwara, and
acquired proficiency in playing the Pakhawaj as well as the Tabla. In the beginning, Durgalalji started
learning Kathak from his own brother. Later both brothers secured a scholarship to study Kathak at
Bharatiya Kala Kendra from Pt. Sunder Prasadji.
Both the brothers stayed in a tiny place where they could barely stand properly. But that did not
deter Pt. Durgalalji from practicing for hours and hours. As he once said, I
”
I would not be where
am without my brother who pushed me to work hard and taught me to live a disciplined life." Devilalji
took great pleasure and pride in Durgalalji´s progress and achievements. In his early twenties, Durgalalji
´s succeeded in becoming a famous dancer and then started performing in all the great Sammelans in
India as well as abroad. Both the brothers used to perform together.
Their performances used to bring the house down with thundering applause.
Pt. Durga Lal’s known for playing the title main role in the 1989 dance drama Ghanashyam; the
music of which was composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and was produced by Birmingham Opera
Company.
He also taught Kathak at the National Institute of Kathak Dance (Kathak Kendra), New Delhi.
Durgalalji´s constant advise to his disciples was "Don´t become parrots. Feel the movement,
make it your own and do it, so that the dance is your statement and not an imitation of your Guru."
For his contributions to the field of Kathak form of dance he was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth
highest civilian award, by Government of India. He had also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Award for the year 1984.
Devi Lal's wife Gitanjali Lal is also a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner (2007).
Both brothers died at an early age. Basant Panchami of 1990 has been engraved on the minds of the art
world, for it was on that fateful day that Pt. Durgalalji, at the peak of his career at the age of forty-two,
succumbed to a massive cardiac arrest. It occurred shortly after a marathon performance in Lucknow for the
UP Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Kathak Mahotsav. The Jaipur Gharana of
Kathak was deprived of its beacon light.
After Durga Lal's death on 21st January 1990, his children and other art fraternity members have been
organising an annual festival called Pandit Durga Lal Memorial Festival. He has two
children, elder daughter Nupur and younger son Mohit. Nupur is Kathak performer and vocalist and Mohit
is a percussionist. His disciples include renowned dancers Uma Dogra, Jayant
Kastuar and Mangala Bhatt amongst others. Nighat Chaodhry is Pandit Lal's notable student in
Pakistan. In memory of Lal, Dogra has arranged the "Pandit Durga Lal Samaroh" for more than 15
years as of 2005. She has also made a documentary Nirvana Through Dance on him.
Mangala Bhatt through her dance school Aakruti Kathak Kendra organizes "Antarang" every year in
memory of Pt.Durga Lal.
d. Guru Sundarlal Gangani.

Although often referred to as the ‘Kathak Samrat’ of Baroda, late legendary Sundarlal Gangani was
arguably, another ‘maharaja’ of Kathak. The multi-dimensional exponent of the Jaipur gharana was a
guru-performer, poet, composer, musician, percussionist par excellence – all harmoniously blended
into one. Born in 1929 in Churu district of Rajasthan, but based in Gujarat, he has the rare distinction
of being honoured by the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi
Award and Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi Award besides the coveted Central Sangeet Natak
Akadermi Award.
Guru Sunderlal Gangani received training in Kathak dance from Shri Shivanarayan and Shri Gauri
Shanker. He also received training in Tabla under his uncle Shri Hazarilal Gangani. He is also an
accomplished flute player.
Sundarlal, the intelligent poet-composer, has succeeded in incorporating the word ‘sundar’ (beauty) in
most of his compositions and he has been the creator of the immensely popular “Sundar Kahat
Kathak Katha” that we often come across in Kathak concerts. The number Ek
Brahma Urr Dhari Sundar was wizardry of words from this pioneering composer. It was the story
of numbers from 1 to 16 and each with a philosophical interpretation like Ek Brahma, Do Nayan,
Pancha Tatwa, Sapta Rishi, Ashta Nayika, Nava rasa, Shola Singara.
He has served the cause of kathak both in individual and institutional capacities. He has been at coveted
posts of principal of guru Shri Gourishankarji’s dance academy in Mumbai and the performing arts
faculty of MS University, Vadodara.
He started teaching the dance in 1951 at the M.S. University of Baroda and retired from the University
in 1989 as a Reader in the Dance Department. He has created several compositions in the form of
Parans, Kavits, Bhajans and Thumris, and has choreographed dance-dramas for his students. Shovana
Narayan, Rajendra Gangani, sons Harish and Jagdish Gangani are some of their (brother: Guru
Kundanlal Gangani’s) serious disciples. His disciples are now teaching Kathak dance at various
universities in India and abroad.
He created many compositions in honour of his ishta devta Ram and Hanuman. No wonder, he
breathed his last on a Tuesday, a day considered to be Hanuman day in north and west India. He passed
away on auspicious kartik poornima, on December 17, 2013, in his home town of Baroda. His two
sons, Harish and Jagdish gained employment as hailing from traditional
gharana family at the same faculty and continue to teach at the Performing Arts Faculty, MSU,
Baroda.
Shri Sunderlal Gangani received several honors including the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in
1981 and the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995. Shri Sunderlal
Gangani was bestowed with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sur Singar Samman for his
contribution to Kathak dance.
7. Essay writing:
a. Raas and Kathak
The Raas-lila is part of the traditional story of Krishna described in Hindu scriptures such as the
Bhagavata Purana and literature such as the Gita Govinda, where he dances with Radha and her sakhis.
The Indian classical dance of Kathak evolved from the Raslila of Braj.
The term, rasa meaning "aesthetics" and lila meaning "act," "play" or "dance" is a concept from
Hinduism, which roughly translates to "play (lila) of aesthetics (rasa)," or more broadly as "Dance of
Divine Love".
The rasa lila takes place one night when the Gopis of Vrindavana, upon hearing the sound of Krishna's
flute, sneak away from their households and families to the forest to dance with Krishna throughout the
night, which Krishna supernaturally stretches to the length of one Night of Brahma, a Hindu unit of time
lasting approximately 4.32 billion years. In the Krishna Bhakti traditions, the rasa-lila is considered to
be one of the highest and most esoteric of Krishna's pastimes. In these traditions, romantic love between
human beings in the material world is seen as merely a diminished, illusionary reflection of the soul’s
original, ecstatic spiritual love for Krishna, God, in the spiritual world.
Rasa lila has been a popular theme in Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Meitei, and Kuchipudi items.
Rasa Lila is a popular form of folk theatre in the regions of Mathura, Vrindavana in Uttar Pradesh,
especially during the festivals of Krishna Janmashtami and Holi, and amongst various followers of
Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the region.
Though the Brij-raas form of dance is prevalent in the Brij region since centuries, but the need for
restoration and resurgence of Raas in the middle ages was required and Acharya Vallabh dedicated all
his knowledge and passion in this task and achieved the goal to the best of his artistic ability. Everyone
knows that Acharya Vallabh originally hails from the Kathak family/school at Rajasthan, and Ganesh
Paran is one of his very famous works. It is believed that the king of Aamer (Jaipur) Maharaja Maan
Singh had himself appointed Acharya Vallabh, an exponent of the Rajasthan Kathak school, to teach
traditional dance to the Brahmin children of the region of Brij, and posted him at Vrindavan.
Broadly speaking, one needs to know of at least two main things in order to learn and understand any
form of knowledge. Firstly, its structure and second, its content. It is because of these reasons that
Kathak and Raas are inter-related and enjoying symbiotic existence. As illustrated earlier, both these art
forms were in close touch with each other during the Middle Ages. Therefore they were able to
influence each other and coincidently there was constant exchange of artistic resources. Content was
one thing very similar to both art forms and so was the cultural objective. For both the dance forms, the
language, dialect and the audience community were also more or less similar. Both dance forms give
significance to Krishna Leela
and devotional mood in their content. Many couplets, poems, thumri, etc. bear close
resemblance.
Kathak primarily has two components, ‘Taal’ and ‘Bhaav’. All creations are presented within the realm
of these two components.Similarly Brij Raas leela is also made up of two components.
The first is called the ‘Raas’ in which Radha and Krishna dance along with a group of 'gopi’. An
interesting point of note here is that the standards used in Kathak are the same as that used in this
prologue part of Brij Raasleela. The same standards which were instrumental in forming the skeleton of
Kathak, the ‘Tatkaar’, the same standards such as the soundsm thai, -tat, coupled with mixed syllables
for Raasdhari dance practice. Without perfecting this practice, no Raas or Kathak dancer can call
himself/ herself to be a good dancer. Dhamaartal is used in Kathak dance form to dance and similarly
the prologue part of Raas, the dancers dance to Dhamaartaal. Apart from this, many other syllables
used in Kathak form are also repeated in Raas, like, TatTat, Thu Thu, Tigdha Dig Dig Thai. Both Raas
and Kathak make use of the rhythmic syllables Takit Dhikit, Dhillaang, Tadim, Dik Tak, Deem and
others. During the dance performance, in Raas, all actors make use of the Arala Hast Mudra, which is
also often used in Kathak performances. Apart from the syllables, there is similarity in rhythm and
beats between Raas and Kathak. Different dance troupes, put on different styles of Raas performance.
Some
perform the whole dance in Ghamaar Taal, while some use a combination of Ghamaar and Teen Taal
and synch their dance steps on all syllables. In Raas, one can also spot Dugun,Chowgun rhythm and just
like Kathak, the main tempo rises gradually. Raas also uses the ‘Thai Tat Tat Tha, Thai Tat Tat Tha,
Thai Tat Tat Tha’ syllables frequently, the syllables which are prominently used in Kathak. Whichever
Raas troupe may present the performance; these syllables are used without fail. Each character, in each
performance, uses this trio (tihaai) of syllables to mark and end of the performance.
Another similarity between Kathak and Raas is the art of taking Chakkar- revolving in a circular motion
while on one’s knees. Among the actors, when the character of Lord Krishna presents his dance, then
he rests on his knees and spins around the stage, which is the ending act of Leela. This is indeed a
pleasurable sight. It seems as if the Kathak artists have sought inspiration from these Raas performers
and experiment with the art of knee-chakkars in Kathak.
Apart from this, Todey, Paran, Vandana, Ganesh Paran and Stuti and other elements of Kathak also
feature in Raas.
Looking from perspective of acting via expressions, there are again many similarities. Kathak dance
presentations begin with a Dev Stuti (veneration to god) , and similarly Raas performances begin with
a Mangalacharan (prayer of goodwill), normally iterated in Sanskrit, in which veneration to the Guru
and Lord Krishna is performed.
On the literal front, Sanskrit is used extensively in both Kathak and Raas, by the experts. In olden days,
Raas performances used texts from Sanskrit directly. In the 15th century, Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya
began the practice of using Brij Bhaasha instead of Sanskrit in Raasleela performance.
In terms of expression, Raas performances incorporate all forms-Angik, Vachik, Saatvik and
Aaharya almost in a ritualistic manner.
b. Relevance and importance of Thumri in Kathak.

Thumrÿ is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the
Hindi verb thumakna, which means "to walk with dancing steps so as to make the ankle-bells tinkle."
The form is, thus, connected with dance, dramatic gestures, mild eroticism, evocative love poetry and
folk songs. The lyrics are in Awadhi and Brij Bhasha (dialects of Hindi).
The exact origins of thumri are not very clear, given that there are no historical references to such a
form until the 15th century. The first mention of Thumri goes back to the 19th century,
with a link to the classical dance form Kathak. This was the bandish ki thumri or bol-baant and it
evolved mostly in Lucknow in the court of nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Sadiq Ali Khan (1810-1900) of the
qawwal bachhe gharana, is said by others to be the inventor of Thumri. He was certainly a seminal
figure in the development of the art of Thumri singing, as virtually every prominent Thumri singer of
the following generation was his student. According to historical records, a new version of thumri arose
in the late 19th century, which was independent of dance, and much more slow-paced. This form was
called bol-banav and it evolved in Varanasi.
Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra distinguishes 3 types of presentation: Natya (drama), Nrtya
(interpretative dance), Nrtta (pure, abstract dance). Nrtya could be either the virile and strong
Tandava, or the feminine and sweet Lasya. Lasya was a solo female dance, accompanied by female
singers and an ensemble including Veena, Flute and Pakhavaj. The dancer would generally describe
through movements and gestures, the lover, or the heroine’s complaints about him, as in modern
thumri. The talas used were of 8 or 6 beats, corresponding to the modern Kaharva and Dadra Talas,
which are frequently used in thumri.
In the 18th century, Kathak became extremely popular in Lucknow, paralleling the rise of thumri in
that city. Throughout the evolution of kathak, thumri and its forebears were used as song to accompany
the interpretative portions. Hence, both kathak and thumri evolved hand-in-hand under the same
aesthetic theories. Both were deeply imbued with Vaishnavism, specializing in the portrayal of the
tribulations and amorous joys of Radha and Krishna: Krishna’s impudent teasing and holi playing, and
Radha’s passionate longing. The founder of the Lucknow gharana of kathak, Sri Ishvari Prasad Mitra,
was a fervent Krishna devotee and according to legend, was
guided to create and perfect kathak by the image of Krishna appearing and dancing before him in his
dreams.
Both kathak and thumri developed in the Brij region, which was also the center of the
Krishna-Bhakti cult.
8. Merits and demerits of a Dancer.

Dance embodies one of our most primal relationships to the universe. It is pre-verbal, beginning before words
can be formed. It is innate in children before they possess command over language and is evoked when thoughts
or emotions are too powerful for words to contain.
Humans (and many other life forms) move to achieve mobility, they move to express a thought or feeling, and they
move because it is joyful and feels wonderful. When there movements become consciously structured and is
performed with awareness for its own sake, it becomes dance.
Dance is a natural method for learning and a basic form of cultural expression. Children learn movement patterns as
readily as they learn language. Just as all societies create forms of visual representation or organize sounds into
music, all cultures organize movement and rhythm into one or more forms of dance.
Merits:
(a) Physical Benefits: Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most
other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic
memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total
body fitness. (b) Emotional Maturity: Dance
promotes psychological health and maturity. It provides the opportunity to express the dancer’s emotions and
become aware of themselves and others through creative movement. © Social Awareness: Dance fosters
social encounter, interaction, and cooperation. The dancer learns to communicate ideas to others through the real and
immediate mode of body movement. Dancers have to work in groups and quickly
learn to work within a group dynamic.
As the ongoing and sometimes challenging process of cooperation evolves, dancers learn to understand themselves in
relation to others.
(d) Cognitive Development: Dancers create movement spontaneously when presented with movement ideas or
problems that can be solved with a movement response. Movement provides the cognitive
loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution.
A good Dancer definitely has the ability to communicate and in fact transfer his emotions and state of being to the
surroundings. Thus it is very important for the Dancer to be in the right state of mind. In fact, they should be
Dhirodhaatt (un-moved by the things happening in their life) and impartial. As Bharat Muni mentioned in Natya
Shastra, the audience’s state of mind and interpretation also matters. There
are numerous examples of this, one being mentioned in the very first chapter of Natya Shastra, where Bharat Muni’s
performance was considered partial by the Daityas who were enraged by it. Another one, Pt Shambhu Maharaj being
accused of obscenity while performing the famous Thumri, “Kahe Maika
Chedat Kanahiya”. Panditji said, the thumri is not between Krishna and gopis, but between Yashoda (Krishna’s
adoptive mother) and Krishna, who is being annoyed by the young Krishna when he hinders her regular chores.
Saying this, he performed the thumri again and everyone in the audience were awestruck by how the meaning of
same performance changes based on the dancers’ and their audience’s
thought process. Thus a dancer should be always calm and composed under any circumstances. (S)He
definitely has the ability to control and direct the masses! This is both the Merit and the Demerit of a
dancer!

Masl 204

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Masl 204

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Masl 204

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Machine Translated by Google

Visharad Pratham - Theory

1. Evolution of ‘Natya’ as per ‘Bharat’. Purpose and application of

Righteousness, poignancy, fame, and the collection

of instructions. And in the future all the actions

along with the history.” Having thus resolved, the Supreme

Personality of Godhead remembered all the

1. Shringar Rasa (Erotic Sentiment)

2. Hasya Rasa (Comic Sentiment)

3. Karuna Rasa (Pathetic Sentiment)

4. Raudra Rasa (Furious Sentiment)

5. Veera Rasa (Heroic Sentiment)

6. Bhayanaka Rasa (Fearful Sentiment)

7. Beebhatsa Rasa (Odious Sentiment)

8. Adbhuta Rasa (Marvellous Sentiment)

9. Shanta Rasa (Tranquil Sentiment)

3. Four types of Nayak Bhed – Dheeroddhatta, Dhirodaatta,

1. You are a Dhirodatta

4. Knowledge of four Nayikas from Ashta-Nayikas, namely –

5. Knowledge of Matsya, Kurma, Warah, and Narsimha Avatar from

6. Definition and knowledge of the 10 Pran of Taal.

Takara Shankr:Prokto Lakara: Parvatarvi Smtri

Yati Prastarakascheti Tala Prana|: Dasha Smtra ||

Name Dimension Symbol

drut-viram ¾ (3) friends

laghu-break 1¼ (5) in|

In deshi sangeet each matra is composed of 4 or 6 laghu angs.

7. Information of Bharatnatyam, Manipuri and Kathakali dance

Costume and Jewelry

Costume and Jewelry

Costume and Jewelry

8. Write notations of Aamad, Bedum Tihai, Farmaishi Paran,

Name Definition Teental Zhaptal Dhamartal

16 matra, 10 matra, 14 matra,

Bedum When a small tathei theitat aathei

aathei theitat | takit

ends on sam S tit-kat gadi-gan | dha

pure dance because of the

Importance: (i) Free

Individual teaching (iii) Self-

control and Self-descipline (iv) Widespread

education of women (v) Self realization (vi) Vocational

ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ || The Guru was at

the centre of everything at the Gurukuls. Not only

effacement, admission of sin and weakness, strict and unconditional adherence to

including sexuality, livelihood, social life, etc.

learnings (Vocational Training). (iv) Student can attain spiritual

Vidya dadati vi niyam, vi neyat ati patratam | Deservingness is as

1. Evolution of Ras; definitions of Sthayi Bhav, Bhav, Vibhav,

2. Knowledge of the following words or concepts traditionally

ta SS taka thunga | ta-tira kita-taka ta-tira kitataka |

3. Definitions of the following types of Indian Classical vocal

4. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's and Raigadh Maharaj Chakradhar

5. Write notations of Aamad, Tihai, Toda, Chakradar Paran and Kavit

Aamad ta thei ta thei ta-thei tata-

dhi-dhi-nak dhage-tit dhage-tit dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak dhi-dhi-nak

tigda tigdig thei