Over a cup of tea with Pandit Ayodhya Sharan Mishra, we learnt that he was the son of the late Pandit Sheetla Prasad Mishra, a well-known Kathak from Raebareli, who had performed at the Sri Raj Gopal temple every year throughout his life. On the death of his father, the temple authorities had approached him to continue the temple custom. Not wanting the family tradition to end, he had agreed. He was passionately committed to performing in Ayodhya during Sawan Jhoola. He also rendered sewa at the temples in Raebareli and Varanasi during Janmashtami and other festivals. He said doing nritya sewa in a temple before the deities was an experience like no other, and that he would like to do it as long as he could. 

He learnt to perform nritya sewa from his grandfather and father. The family, he said, had a large collection of sacred texts and verses. He emphasised that the ladies of the family did not perform. He mentioned that the audience during his father’s time was very different. Then, the audience understood and appreciated classical music and dance whereas now the audience just wanted to be entertained, he said. When asked if his art was respected, he replied that he, a Kathak Brahmin, still commanded respect in the towns and villages.

We requested him to sing verses from certain episodes of the Ramayana, thinking that he would perhaps fumble, as it would be unrehearsed. To our surprise, he immediately and effortlessly began to sing and also started giving an interpretation. We got the impression that he had not learnt an art; he was the art. He broke into musical verse with every breath, his eyes captured every emotion and his body responded to every sentiment. He was a true Kathak. We understood why the art (music, verse and dance) is called Kathak and why the people practising the art are also called Kathak.

In urban presentations, Kapila Vatsyayan has said: “The aesthetic enjoyment of the classical dance is considerably hampered today by the wide gap between the dancer and the spectator1”. Most urban contemporary artistes are comfortable with pre-rehearsed items and perhaps have limited knowledge of sahitya (literature).

The dancer on the proscenium stage aims to please, to provide enjoyment and showcase his/her skill. In the temple, a Kathak who is immersed in sahitya, understands its depth, aims to explain the message of the saints; he does not seek applause. He innovates and interacts with the devotees without missing a beat. It made us understand why the Kathaks in these areas were such a special community, distinct from the urban artistes who perform the Kathak dance. It was like seeing the last of a species. It was an emotional moment for us.

The Kathaks that we met were skilled in singing, playing musical instruments, dance and were steeped in kavya or religious text. In a temple, the most important aspect of the sewa, is the kavya or the verse or the word, or the pada or the shabd. A Kathak has to memorise a huge amount of text and also understand its literal meaning and philosophical interpretations. Elaboration and interpretation of the text is done by interweaving padas of various saints. This brings out the common message of all saints and at the same time showcases the depth and breadth of the knowledge and understanding of the Kathak. To be able to express the text, he has to be able to sing. All the Kathaks that we saw were excellent vocalists.

To embellish their explanations, they performed abhinaya to the kavya, which was interspersed with short rhythmic patterns. Hence the Kathak was able to exhibit mastery over sahitya, abhinaya, and also showcase his rhythmic prowess. Hein describes this by saying that the Kathak sang “an extended song uttered in words and at the same time illustrated and explained by imitative and symbolic gestures that provided a visual commentary on the text—like the illumination of a manuscript.” 2

The temple presentations were bhavpradhan (rich in expressions). Meaning that the Kathaks tried to evoke emotion in the audience by creating dramatic scenes with abhinaya. This enabled the audience to empathise with what was happening and experience the same emotion as the performer. We saw the Kathaks draw citraabhinaya (draw pictures with expressions and movements) as identified by Bharata in his Natyashastra. Abhinavagupta, in his Abhinavbharati, calls it nrityakavya i.e., poetry delineated through dance or poetry in motion.

More than a decade earlier, we had seen the performance of the late Pandit Sheetala Prasad in Delhi. He was a traditional temple Kathak. His performance was described by Pandit Munna Shukla3: “Sheetala ji would explain the shabdartha (literal meaning), bhavartha (referential and allegorical meaning), and goodartha (hidden meaning) of a verse. He would expand and improvise on each line of the baramasa and move from one chaupayi to the other in a seamless manner.”

Pandit Birju Maharaj affirmed that this was the method of sewa in temples.

What was remarkable was the ability of the Kathak Lok to engage all members of the audience. In all the temples we saw the audience—men, women and children—glued to the performance, watching for hours, completely absorbed. We all laughed and cried as they effortlessly involved us in the much-loved emotional tales. This was India at the grassroots. This was why year after year after year we watch the Ramlila during Dussehra, and the Ram Jhoola during Sawan.

Kathak sewa and Kathak dance

Even as the temple Kathak does his sewa, he uses all the technical features of the Kathak dance. As we watched the Kathaks perform at the temples, we knew we were looking at the roots and the purpose of Kathak dance. There is no doubt that what the Kathaks were performing at the temple was the original Kathak dance.

Here we must say once again that the purpose of the performance in the temple was to explain the verse or kavya, whereas the proscenium stage Kathak dance aims to entertain. The latter comprises physical skill, rhythmic wizardry, fast moving footwork, endless chakkars and awe-inspiring tatkar, elaborate costumes, lights and music. Whereas in the temple the whole emphasis is on kavya, which is embellished with music and dance. The Kathak is not showcasing his skill, he is explaining the verse and evoking emotions.

That this tradition continues till today is testimony to the fact that the tradition of delineating religious texts with music and dance by the Kathak Lok is very much a living tradition. Actually, seeing a Kathak doing katha in a temple, explaining the message of the saints to the people, is an experience like no other. How beautifully music and dance enhance the message. It would be tragic if this tradition dies out.

Witnessing the temple sewa in Ayodhya moved us to the core. It was much more than we had expected. It also brought home to us the stark fact that this tradition was in danger of dying out. The Kathaks were not earning much from the temples. They were doing it because it was their dharma, and it was what their forefathers had done. But when had it started, what was the basis of this tradition?

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This is an excerpt from Kathak Lok: Temple, Tradition and History by Shovana Narayan and Geetika Kalha. No part of this excerpt may be quoted or reproduced without prior written consent from its publisher, Vitasta Publishing.