Brief History

Kathak is one of the six major classical dance forms of India. The word ‘Kathak’ originates from the word ‘katha’ or story. Kathak was the dance of the storytellers who travelled across ancient Northern India telling the stories of Gods and Goddesses using rhythmic hand and feet movements, facial expressions, and graceful, fluid body gestures. The dancers’ feet were adorned with tinkling bells and moved in sync to express their emotions. The tradition was quite like early Greek theatre. The legends were from Indian mythology and the epics: specially from the life of Lord Krishna. He was considered the epitome of all human emotions. Colorful as his life was, Kathak the dance too became colorful, full of zest, spirit, and energy.

The roots of this dance can be traced back to the ‘Natya Shastra’ written by the famous guru Bharat Muni in between 500 BCE and 500 CE. He talks in detail about the finesse of hand movements, gestures, and postures used in Indian classical dance. The ‘Natya Shastra’ also talks about the Tandava dance of Lord Shiva. This was the dance of destruction and then creation symbolizing the victory of good over evil. Kathak is supposed to have originated in Banaras or Varanasi and then spread to Jaipur, Lucknow, and other regions of North India.