{"id":3809,"date":"2018-05-12T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-12T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kathak.pl\/kathak\/?p=3809"},"modified":"2021-09-16T22:57:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T22:57:00","slug":"roots-of-kathak-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kathak.pl\/kathak\/roots-of-kathak-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Roots of kathak dance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A court or temple dance? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why is the kathak dance, despite the fact that it comes from royal courts, considered a religious dance? Where did the tradition of dancing mythological stories come from? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is, the history of the kathak dance, the kind that is passed on to adepts of this art (non-Indologues or researchers). What I learned from the kathak dance theory lessons taught by the then director of the Kathak Kendra Institute in New Delhi – Dr. Chetna Joshi <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathakkas- a community of musicians and dancers. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"kathakkas\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kathak – literally means „to tell”, kathakkas – musicians and dancers from generation to generation, dealing with arts and crafts – formed a community that popularized mythological stories of hinduism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundation myth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Sanskrit, the word kathak is synonymous with Kaushilav. It is believed that the hermit Valmiki wrote the Ramayana and taught Lava and Kusha, the sons of Rama, to her musical narrative. They first introduced Ramayana at the court of King Rama. From them, those who adapted the tradition of storytelling of Ramayana with gestures and music were given the name Kushilavas, and then Kathakkas. Traditions referenced in the theme of kathak dance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bhakti movement – promoting the worship of god Vishnu and Krishna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    The beginning of the kathak dance (or more precisely – dances characterized by certain common features, which at the end of the nineteenth century was classified as one style and was given the name – Kathak) is believed to refer to the Vaishnavita movement – followers of Vishnu and his avatar – Krishna, in the period of Bhakti – i.e. a time especially focused on devotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The cult of the god Vishnu developed in southern India as early as the 6th-7th centuries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Vaishnavis – itinerant poets, praised god and passed on mythological stories through singing and dancing, performed to the words of poetry. The Bhakti movement reached the north of India in the 12th century and especially flourished at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. To this day, the most appreciated are the philosopher and thinker and the ascetic Vallabchacharya, the founder of Pushto Marg and many spiritual centers where the followers of Krishna, poets offered their work as a gift to their beloved deity. To this day, we know the names of 8 poets associated with him: the so-called ashtachaap: Kumban, Sur, Krishna, Paramanand, Govind, Chtswami, Chaturbhuj and Nand with the same surname-Das. To this day, the repertoire of kathak dance includes compositions based on their poetry, such as „paad”, which lovingly describes little Krishna, or the song collection „Sursagar” (Sur Dasa) – „sea of \u200b\u200bmelodies”. Created in one of the Hindi dialects – Brij bhasha, which helped popularize poetry among a wider audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Then, in the 16th century, the poet Tulsidas was created, who, among other things, translated Ramayana into a dialect, and created compositions still presented by kathaku dancers. Tulsidas also believed that being freed from the wheel of birth and death through faith is possible for everyone, so it is important to spread the faith in a way that is accessible and understandable to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Raas Lila – Kryshna’s mystical dance with the gopis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      • \"raas_lila\"<\/figure><\/li>
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        Another tradition very closely related to the repertoire of kathak dance developed in the 15th century, namely – Raas Lila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Raas Lila takes place one night when the Vrindavan gophers, hearing the sound of Krishna’s flute, sneak out of their homes and families to dance together with Krishna. There is one Krishna, the gopis, they surround him in a circle in a dance procession, but to each of them it seems that Krishna is only dancing with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        According to the faith professing Krishna, this is one of the most esoteric ideas. Romantic love between people in the material world is seen as an illusory reflection of the pattern of the soul striving for union with the higher self. Gopis – shepherds are understood as many shadows of oneself, each of which strives to unite with the pre-matter or universal love that is symbolized by Krishna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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