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Lucknow, capital of India’s Uttar Pradesh State is famous for its highly-evolved collection of ragas inspired by famous poets and literary figures of the Mughal rule of India. The Gharana, for which Lucknow is also famous, originated in the royal courts of the Nawabs of Oudh and was the inspiration for Kathak, the classical dance of Lucknow and all of north India today.
The word 'Kathak' means 'one who tells a story' and, since times long past, castes of story-tellers interpreted scenes from the lives of the gods and the epic tales of India in dance.
Thus, drawn to the palaces of Lucknow these epic dancers were teachers as well as entertainers and, during the reign of Asaf ud Daula, from 1775 to 1797, made the city the center of their art. Dances of Lucknow are popular. Lucknow dances are famous till today. |
Although the Kathak dance of Lucknow is considered to be the most important form of dance to have been handed down the centuries, Lucknow, considered by dancers to be India’s spiritual heart, became something of a crucible for different forms of dance as different factions vied for the attention of the Nawabs, from serious classical dancers to the dancing girls that entertained at most social functions.
Kathak dance of Lucknow is distinguished from other forms of dance by the combination of elegant swirling movements and lightning-fast pirouettes with the way a dancer will suddenly stop in a frozen statuesque pose or create a tremendous stamping of the feet. From the most obvious gesture to the most subtle - every emotion is fully explored in this form of dance.
Legend has it that, in the mid-nineteenth century, a pakhawaji drummer, named Kodau Singh, challenged Durga Prasadji, an elderly dancer, of whose pension from the King he was jealous, to a duel. If the drummer won, he would receive the pension in place of the dancer. If he lost, the drummer would forfeit his hands.
The dancer's pension had been granted to him as a reward for teaching the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah to dance and was used to support his family. Durga Prasadji agreed to allow his talented son, Bindadin Maharaj, aged 7, to compete in his place, persuaded by the boy's argument that it was his future that hung in the balance.
The boy began to practice rhythmic footwork endlessly, ignoring all else, preparing himself for the dance contest which would be staged at the Lucknow palace.
After a month, it was time for the showdown. Bindadin began to dance at a very fast tempo but the drummer kept up with his every move and for twelve solid hours they danced and drummed, neither willing to let the other win. The King and his court might have become restless but nobody could take their eyes off the action.
Suddenly, the boy doubled the speed of his steps unexpectedly and, for the next four hours, kept up this redoubled pace, his feet appearing as a blur to all the onlookers until, at last, the exhausted drummer missed a beat and the duel was over!
When the King asked the elderly Durga Prasadji what reward he would like for winning, the old man said he wanted nothing, except that Kodau Singh might be allowed to keep his hands.
The dancer's wish was granted but the drummer was so embarrassed that he went into hiding and nearly starved himself to death, s badly had his pride been wounded. Thus, it was believed across India, that Lucknow’s Kathak dance develop the sudden bursts of double-time steps that distinguish it from any other, or that's what they say, anyway...
Dances in Lucknow are very popular. Dance in Lucknow is a very important part of the culture. Lucknow dances are thus really popular. |
