A close-knit baithak revisits Kathak’s journey

Under the grand arches of Amiruddaula Public Library, the rhythmic echo of ghungroos set the stage for an intimate cultural baithak titled Virasat, celebrating the history and evolution of Kathak. The evening, anchored by Kathak dancer Pranika Bhatt, brought together dancers, kathak patrons, historians and art enthusiasts. Among those present were Ravi Bhatt, Prof Jaikrishna Agarwal, former Dean and College of Arts, Devika, a transgender classical dancer and Amrit Sinha, a well-known Bharatnatyam dancer and choreographer, all gathered together to engage with the history of the art form.The performance was led by Guru Purnima Pandey, a Kathak exponent and former Vice-Chancellor of Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. It followed a lecture-demonstration format, where the guru’s narration was complemented by her two trained Kathak students, Vallary Pathak and Krishna Sharma. The session opened with a Ganesh Vandana, followed by compositions exploring different types of Kathak. Amrit Sinha shared, “I believe more gurus should come forward to organise and attend such baithaks so that support from patrons keeps the conversation going in our city which has such a deep rooted history with the art form,” he said.— Amina Ashraf