SSC
Who is regarded as the founder of the Banaras gharana of Kathak?
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Answer: Option D — Janaki Prasad
Detailed Solution
Explanation
According to tradition, the Banaras gharana of Kathak was founded by Janaki Prasad, a Kathak dancer of the 19th century, who developed a distinct style of Kathak in Varanasi (Banaras), one of the oldest and most important cultural centres of India.
Banaras has always been a great centre of music and dance, and it has its own gharanas of vocal music, tabla and Kathak. The Banaras gharana of Kathak is known for its balance between nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (expression). Its dancers use the floor space in a distinctive way, and the gharana is known for its natwari bols (rhythmic syllables), its emphasis on graceful movements and its relatively restrained use of chakkars (spins), compared with other gharanas. It also has a strong devotional element, linked with the temples and the Krishna traditions of Banaras. The famous Kathak dancer Sitara Devi came from a family of the Banaras tradition: her father, Sukhdev Maharaj, was a Kathak dancer and Sanskrit scholar who trained her and her sisters, Alaknanda and Tara, in dance. Other dancers associated with the Banaras gharana include Gopi Krishna, a famous film choreographer and dancer, who was Sitara Devi's nephew.
Kathak has four main gharanas. The Lucknow gharana, founded by Ishwari Prasad, is known for grace and expression. The Jaipur gharana, founded by Bhanu Ji, is known for powerful footwork and rhythm. The Banaras gharana, founded by Janaki Prasad, is known for its balance of the two. The Raigarh gharana developed under the patronage of Raja Chakradhar Singh of Raigarh.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ishwari Prasad is regarded as the founder of the Lucknow gharana.
- ✗Bhanu Ji is regarded as the founder of the Jaipur gharana.
- ✗Kalka Prasad was a great master of the Lucknow gharana in the 19th century, the father of Achhan, Lachhu and Shambhu Maharaj.
💡 Exam tip
Learn the founders of the four Kathak gharanas: Lucknow (Ishwari Prasad), Jaipur (Bhanu Ji), Banaras (Janaki Prasad) and Raigarh (Raja Chakradhar Singh).💬 Discussions on this question
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Indian Dance Forms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian Dance Forms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Indian dance forms are one of the most frequently tested areas of static GK. This topic covers the eight classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya), the folk and tribal dances of every state, and related terms such as mudra, abhinaya, lasya and tandava. Most questions ask which state a dance belongs to, which community performs it, or which feature identifies a classical style. Learn the classical dances with their state and one signature feature each, such as the face make-up of Kathakali or the brass plate of Kuchipudi. For folk dances, group them state by state, since exams often list three or four dances and ask for the common state. Watch for dances shared by more than one state, such as Chhau, which has three styles. Practise the Indian dance forms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.