Kathak & Classical Music Workshop Inaugurated in Meerut, in Collaboration with UP Sangeet Natak Akademi
Meerut : A unique and vibrant blend of tradition and training came alive on May 23rd with the inauguration of a Kathak and Classical Music Workshop jointly organized by the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lucknow and Shivangi Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Meerut. The workshop is being held at the institute’s head office in Gandhinagar (Garh Road) and its branch at Kuber School on Roorkee Road, running until June 6, 2025.
The opening ceremony began with the traditional lamp-lighting ritual before the idol of Goddess Saraswati, led by institute chairman Rajesh Sharma and director Richa Sharma. Students from various age groups and skill levels have enrolled in the workshop to receive hands-on training in vocal music, instrumental music, and Kathak dance.
Kathak maestro Guru Ruchi Baluni, a distinguished exponent of the Jaipur Gharana, introduced students to the origin, history, and finer nuances of the classical dance form. She elaborated on how Kathak evolved from the storytelling tradition of kathavachaks in the 14th and 15th centuries and eventually grew into an independent dance style.
On the first day, students learned Tatkaar in Teentaal, intricate layakari in vilambit, madhya, and drut tempos, as well as technical elements like palte, hastak, thaat, and salaami.
Parallel sessions in vocal and instrumental music are being conducted at the same venue. Principal and Guru Raja Baluni, along with Tanu Shree Kashyap, are leading the vocal music sessions, focusing on swara (notes), laya (rhythm), and taal (beat cycles) while diving deep into the historical and theoretical aspects of classical singing.
In the Tabla workshop, young maestro of the Ajrada Gharana, Guru Saptak Sharma, is training students in rhythmic cycles, focusing on Kaida and Rela in Teentaal, providing essential exposure to percussion’s mathematical beauty.
Accompanists include Mohammad Anees and Mohammad Farooq on tabla, while Mohammad Faraz Ahmed and Mohammad Shahbaz are providing harmonium support.
The workshop is being coordinated by Richa Sharma, with special assistance from team members Manju Sharma, Ipsa, Gun, Sumedha, Yashasvi, Amisha, and Farha.
This enriching initiative is not just preserving India’s classical heritage but nurturing the next generation of musicians and dancers with structured, immersive training.
