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Definitions
1. Laya:
‘Laya’ means speed, rhythm or tempo. Laya is a continuous
movement in space of time. Music and Dance without laya will
be as a body without bones. There are 3 types of laya:
Maintaining constant speed in the beats of a rhythm cycle is
known as Laya .
Vilambit laya: It is a very slow tempo. Half of Madhya Laya
Madhya laya: It is neither too slow nor too fast. It has a
medium tempo.
Drut laya: It is a very fast speed. Drut laya is double of
Madhya laya. While doing kramalaya (क्रमलय) through
footwork, we do aadi, barabar, Dugun Chaugun.
Aadi laya: While dancing, the dancer chooses a particular
laya. It is played through lehra and theka. This is a rhythm
cycle. The half speed of this tempo is called Aadi laya.
Barabar laya: When the laya shown through the stamping
of the feet is same as that of the chosen rhythm cycle, it is
called Barabar laya.
Dugun: It means double speed. Two beats into one or
double of the basic rhythm cycle.
Chaugun: It means the fourth speed. Four beats in one or
four times the speed of the basic rhythm cycle.

2. Sam
The first beat of Taal is called “Sam”. Usually the Aavartan starts
from Sam and ends on Sam. When the dancer finally ends the
composition on Sam, it is a peak of happiness for him. Each
time a composition ends on sam in a beautiful manner.

3. Maatra
The scale by which Laya is measured is called Maatra. Every Taal
has a set number of maatras. We show maatras with our hands
by clapping, using our fingers or by showing kaal. E.g. Tritaal-
16 maatras (beats), Jhaptaal- 10 maatras (beats).
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4. Taali
Taali means clap. There are certain divisions of maatras in every
Taal. The first beat of some divisions (KhanDas) is shown with a
clap except for the first beat of a specific khanDa which is the
kaal.

5. Kaal/Khaali
The first beat of a specific khanDa, shown just by the right
palm, is called khaali or kaal. Usually, the second half of a taal
begins with Kaal. This kaal is shown by the palm of the right
hand and not by clapping.

6. Gatanikaas
Gatanikaas is a special aspect of Kathak. It is performed in fast
tempo (Drut laya). The three important units in Gatanikaas are-
Palta, nikaas, and chaal. After taking Palta and doing nikaas, the
dancer takes a specific pose and he shows graceful movements
of the body by walking. Precise movement of eyes is important
in Gatanikaas. E.g Ghunghat , Matki, Baasuri.

7. Tatkaar
Tatkaar is a special aspect of Kathak.
Tatkaar means footwork. The dance syllables produced from
stamping of the feet (soles) are called Tatkar. This is
complemented by stamping of the heels , toes and sides of the
feet. Unique & distinctive compositions are presented through
tatkaar. The main syllables of tatkaar are: Ta Thai Thai
Tat Aa Thai Thai Tat.
e.g. BaaT

8. Toda
Toda is a composition based on the basic Kathak syllables- Ta,
Thai, Tat and some syllables based on them like ‘Tigadiga’,
‘thunga’, etc. The composition of a Toda lasts for more than one
Aavartan.and ends with Tihai.
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9. GatapalaTa
GatapalaTa or PalaTa is a spin (turning around yourself) taken
from right side with your right hand and from left side with your
left hand. Every Gatanikaas or Gatabhaav starts with a
Gatapalta. It is done in half the speed of the rhythm cycle and
involves graceful turning of the wrist.

10.Baant
Baant is one the several types of tatkaar in Kathak dance.
‘Baant’ literally means ‘to divide’. In a particular Taal, the beats
are divided in specific parts which are then presented through
the footwork .This is known as baanT.

11.Tihai
Tihai is a composition which includes a set of syllables (bols)
repeated thrice. It ends on a ‘Sam’. Generally a composition
concludes with a Tihai.

12.Vibhaag
Vibhaag means Division. Every taal has a specific number of
beats. These beats are structured into specific divisions. Hence,
we can say that Vibhaag determines the structure of the taal.
Eg. 1) Tritaal ( 16 beats ) is divided into 4 Vibhaag ( Khanda )
of 4 beats of each.
2) Jhaptaal ( 10 beats ) is divided into 4 divisions (vibhaag/
Khanda) of 2,3,2,3 beats.

Symbols used for denoting Taal:

Sam × Kaal Ο

Maatra Numbers KhanDa l

Yati
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Taal Information

Tritaal:
Maatras- 16,
KhanDa- 4 (of 4 maatras each),
Sam- 1 (on the 1st maatra),
Kaal- 1 (on the 9th maatra),
Taalis- 3 (on the 1st, 5th, and 13th maatra)

THEKA Dha Dhin Dhin Dha

Dha Dhin Dhin Dha

Dha Tin Tin Ta

Ta Dhin Dhin Dha

Dha

Keherva:
Maatras- 8,
Khandas- 2 (of 4 maatras each),
Sam- 1 (on the 1st maatra),
Kaal- 1 (on the 5th maatra),
Taalis- 1 (on the 1st maatra)

THEKA Dhaa Gi Na Ti

Na Ka Dhi Na

Dha
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Dadra:
Maatras- 6,
Khandas- 2 (of 3 maatras each),
Sam- 1 (on the 1st maatra),
Kaal- 1 (on the 4th maatra),
Taalis- 1 (on the 1st maatra)

THEKA Dhaa Dhi Naa

Dhaa Tu Naa

Dhaa

Jhaptaal:
Maatras- 10,
Khandas- 4 (of 2,3,2,3 maatras each),
Sam- 1 (on the 1st maatra),
Kaal- 1 (on the 6th maatra),
Taalis- 1 (on the 8st maatra)

THEKA Dhi Naa | Dhi Dhi Naa |

Ti Naa | Dhi Dhi Naa |

Dhi
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Names of the present Kathak Gurus: (any 5)

1.Pandit Birju Maharaj ( Lucknow gharana )

2.Guru.Mrs. Maneesha Sathe ( Banaras Gharana )
3.Guri. Shri. Rajendra Gangani ( Jaipur Gharana )
4.Mrs. Shama Bhate (Lucknow Gharana )
5.Guru. Uma Dogra (Lucknow Gharana)

Introduction of Kathak dance:

Kathak is one of the seven Indian Classical Dance styles.
It is a north-Indian dance form.
Kathak originated in the ‘Ayodhya Naathdwara’ temples. The
word ‘Kathak’ comes from the word ‘Katha – a story’. Hence
‘Kathak’ is the ‘art of story telling’.
Accompaniment: Tabla, Pakhaawaj, Harmonium, Flute,
Sarangi.

Drapery.. 1) Ghagra -Choli- Dupatta

2) Chudidaar, Angarkhaa, Jacket, Dupatta, Topi

Kathak has 3 schools or Gharanas:

Lucknow Gharana
Jaipur Gharana
Banaras Gharana

Some of the characteristics of Kathak dance are

the chakris or the pirouettes/turns
the tatkaar or the footwork