Just a little correction about Kathak. It originated much before and was a form of dance that involved story telling through eye, hand or other body movements.
"Origin of Kathak
The term Kathak is derived from the Vedic Sanskrit word ‘Katha’ which means "story", and Kathakar which means "the one who tells a story". Wandering Kathakars or the traveling bards conveyed tales, inspired by our ancient epics and mythologies, through dance, songs, and music.
Kathak performers exhibit stories through graceful hand movements, extensive footwork, flexible body movements, and most importantly intense facial expressions capable of evoking a range of emotions. Kathak evolved during the Bhakti movement and incorporated stories revolving around the Hindu deity Krishna and his childhood.
History of Kathak
Kathak in the Era of the Bhakti Movement
Kathak evolved as an expression of devotion towards Lord Krishna. Studies suggest that Kathak originated in Varanasi and this dance form traveled through Lucknow, Jaipur, and other parts of North and North West India.
The Lucknow tradition of Kathak believes that Lord Krishna appeared in the dream of his devotee, named Ishwari. He instructed her to develop dance as a form of worship, in her dream. Ishwari developed Kathak as a dance form and through her descendants preserved the learning and development, yielding the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak.
Kathak in the Bhakti movement era revolved around the theme which portrayed the immortal love between Radha, Krishna, and the milkmaids (Gopis).
Kathak in the Mughal Era
The invasion of the Mughals influenced the Kathak dance form significantly and gave it a new impetus. The emperors were patrons of Kathak dance and actively promoted the dance form in their royal courts. Kathak became a source of sophisticated entertainment and was redefined to lay more stress on the dance's graceful, expressive, and sensuous aspects.
Influenced by the Mughal culture Kathak performances incorporate Urdu Ghazals and commonly used instruments brought during the Mughal period even today. This makes it the only Indian classical dance form to carry Persian elements"
https://www.ipassio.com/wiki/dance/indian-classical-dance/kathak
Edited by NathuPaapi - 2 years ago
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