Kathak: Indian Classical Dance

            Kathak is accompanied by vocals and/or instruments. As it was originally an extremely “religious dance, Kathak was performed to Vedic chhands and chants, and later to religious”. The accompaniment is usually one singer and two musicians. “One musician gives the rhythm, and other the melody.” (India’s Kathak Dance Past, Present, Future). There are several choice of instruments that accompany a Kathak dancing on the stage. These instruments are Bansuri, Dilruba, Esraj, Ghungharu, Harmonium, Pakhawaj, Santur/Santoor, Sarangi, Sarod, Sitar, Swarmandal, Table, and Tanpura. The percussion instrument is normally “a long drum called the pakhawaj which is struck by the hands at both ends, or a pair of smaller upright drums struck also by both hands, known as the table”. Although table is the name of the right drum and the left drum is called banya, table has transformed to refer to the pair of drums as a whole. The sarangi provides the melody and it is a “stringed instrument played with a bow”. The vocalist only accompanies for certain repertoire items as the dancer performs to instrumental as well. Sometimes, the dancer is also the singer.