A North Indian Classical Dance Form: Lucknow Kathak

Journal for the Anthropological Study of Human Movement, Spring 2003 by Lalli, Gina

4 Students begin learning Kathak beats and rhythms by counting the measures on their fingers as described. The trital measure is usually the first one taught because it is easier that the 7, 10, and 12 beat measures. The beats are always counted with the right hand, never with the left.

5 The abstract figures include chanchal, that, amaad, tukra, paran (or torah), paramelu, gat and tatkar. The story-telling figures include kavita, thumri, slokam, vandana, ashtapadi and gat bhav.

6 The Holi Festival is celebrated en the full Moon of March welcoming the beginning of spring and the re-enacting of the play between Radha and Krishna. During this Festival, people throw bright-colored powders at one another and (nowadays) spray each other with paint-filled water guns.

7 The languages used in the dance-songs are usually the older languages of Brij Bhashya, Mailthili and Avadhi.

8 This refers to a group of devastating clouds that appear at the end of an aeon to deluge the universe.

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