NDA (I) 2022 General Ability Test · Question 141 of 150

Correct — C, Lucknow. Pandit Birju Maharaj was the foremost exponent of the Lucknow (Kalka-Bindadin) gharana of Kathak, the family lineage founded by his ancestors Kalka Prasad and the brothers Bindadin and Kalka. Known for expressive, graceful abhinaya (facial and emotive expression) rather than pure footwork acrobatics, this gharana is the one he led; he died in January 2022.

• (a)Jaipur — The Jaipur gharana of Kathak is a separate lineage noted for vigorous footwork and rhythmic (layakari) work, not the one Birju Maharaj belonged to.
• (b)Raigarh — The Raigarh gharana, patronised by the princely state of Raigarh, is a distinct twentieth-century school and not Birju Maharaj's lineage.
• (d)Banaras — The Banaras (Janakiprasad) gharana is another recognised Kathak school, but Birju Maharaj was the doyen of Lucknow, not Banaras.

Kathak is one of India's eight classical dance forms and the principal classical dance of North India. It is organised into gharanas — hereditary schools each with its own stylistic emphasis. The three most cited are Lucknow (grace and expression), Jaipur (footwork and rhythm) and Banaras; Raigarh is a later school. Pandit Birju Maharaj personified the Lucknow gharana.

A current-affairs obituary question tied to a name most aspirants know. The reliable anchor is that the Kalka-Bindadin family — Birju Maharaj's own lineage — belongs to Lucknow, so if you recall the family or the 'grace and abhinaya' emphasis, the gharana falls out at once.

• Pandit Birju Maharaj (1938-2022) belonged to the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Kathak.
• The Lucknow gharana is known for expressive abhinaya and graceful movement.
• Kathak is one of the classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
• The Jaipur gharana emphasises brisk footwork and rhythmic patterns, a contrast to Lucknow's style.

• Confusing the Jaipur (footwork) and Lucknow (expression) gharanas of Kathak.
• Assuming any famous North Indian dancer belongs to whichever gharana you remember first.

As a person-and-tradition current-affairs item linking a noted artist's death to their gharana or dance form.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Kathak, with its Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras gharanas, is the classical dance chiefly associated with which region of India?

  • (a)North India
  • (b)Tamil Nadu
  • (c)Odisha
  • (d)Kerala

  Answer(a) North India — Kathak is North India's principal classical dance form.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which Kathak gharana is best known for its emphasis on intricate, brisk footwork and rhythmic layakari?

  • (a)Lucknow
  • (b)Jaipur
  • (c)Raigarh
  • (d)Banaras

  Answer(b) Jaipur — noted for vigorous footwork, in contrast to Lucknow's expressive style.