As part of the Relearning the Nautch archive, we spoke with Shweta Satish Kushwah, a Kathak practitioner, teacher, and postgraduate student of dance, about her artistic journey, her understanding of Kathak history, and the role of tradition within contemporary practice. The conversation moved between personal experience and historical reflection, offering insight into how a younger generation of dancers encounters both the inherited narratives and the contested histories of the form.
Shweta's relationship with Kathak is rooted in long-term commitment. Having begun training as a child, she described dance not simply as an extracurricular activity or profession, but as the central organizing force of her life. Her academic path has mirrored this commitment. After completing her undergraduate studies in dance, she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in the field, while also teaching and running her own Kathak classes.
Throughout the conversation, she repeatedly returned to the idea that Kathak has shaped not only her career but also her sense of self. For her, dance functions simultaneously as discipline, education, profession, and spiritual practice.
A significant part of Shweta's artistic identity is connected to her current guru, Dr. Suchitra Harmalkar, whom she described with immense admiration. As a disciple of Pandit Kartik Ram, the celebrated court dancer of Raigarh, Dr. Harmalkar represents a pedagogical lineage that remains deeply influential within contemporary Kathak.
When speaking about her guru, Shweta emphasized inspiration rather than technical inheritance. Her responses focused on the experience of witnessing her teacher dance, the motivation she draws from that example, and the importance of carrying forward the values embedded within the guru-shishya relationship. The interview therefore reveals how lineage is often experienced not only through repertoire and composition, but also through admiration, aspiration, and embodied example.
One of the most revealing sections of the conversation concerned Kathak's courtly history and the role of tawaifs. Rather than distancing herself from this history, Shweta spoke about it openly and without discomfort. Much of her understanding emerged through formal study, particularly during preparations for Visharad examinations and university-level dance education.
She described the tawaif era as an important and productive period within Kathak's development, even referring to it as a kind of golden age for the form. In her view, many elements that contemporary practitioners take for granted—bandishes, stylistic refinement, terminology, and aesthetic sensibilities—flourished during this period. Her responses suggest a willingness to acknowledge the historical significance of tawaifs while continuing to understand their contributions primarily through an artistic lens.
At the same time, her reflections reveal a perspective commonly encountered within contemporary Kathak discourse. While acknowledging that tawaifs were often viewed through social prejudice, she consistently emphasized the purity of the art itself. The movement of Kathak from temples to courts and kothas, she argued, did not fundamentally alter the nature of the dance.
This distinction between social context and artistic essence is particularly notable. For Shweta, the location of performance may have changed, but the art remained constant. Her interpretation therefore foregrounds continuity rather than rupture, preservation rather than transformation.
A similar perspective emerged when discussing questions of restriction and expression. When asked whether certain emotions or movements associated with courtly culture have become difficult to perform in contemporary contexts, she largely rejected the premise that Kathak has lost expressive possibilities. Instead, she emphasized the adaptability and continuity of the form across different historical periods.
The conversation also highlighted the ways in which historical figures continue to occupy a meaningful place within practitioners' understanding of tradition. While discussing the courtly era, Shweta referenced artists such as Jaddan Bai and Gauhar Jaan as important cultural figures whose artistic achievements deserve recognition beyond the social stereotypes often attached to them.
Although her comments did not constitute a detailed historical analysis, they reflected an awareness that many of the women associated with courtly performance traditions were accomplished artists whose contributions continue to shape contemporary practice.
Perhaps the most personal moment of the interview emerged in its closing reflections. When asked how she would describe herself as a Kathak dancer, Shweta moved away from history and lineage altogether and spoke instead about faith.
For her, Kathak has become a pathway toward spirituality. Through dance she has developed a stronger relationship with God and a deeper appreciation for values such as discipline, sincerity, obedience, and respect. These reflections reveal a dimension of Kathak that remains central for many practitioners: the understanding of dance not merely as performance, but as a means of personal and ethical cultivation.
Taken together, Shweta's responses offer a valuable glimpse into the worldview of a young Kathak practitioner negotiating multiple inheritances at once. She belongs to a generation that encounters Kathak through institutional education, historical study, guru-disciple transmission, public performance, and digital visibility simultaneously. Her reflections illustrate how these different modes of learning intersect in contemporary practice.
Rather than approaching Kathak primarily through critique or revision, Shweta's responses are characterized by reverence—for her guru, for the form, for its history, and for the values she believes it imparts. In documenting these perspectives, the interview provides insight into how tradition continues to be understood, taught, and lived by a new generation of dancers.
RTN: Before we delve into the interview, would you tell us about your journey as a Kathak dancer?
Shweta Satish Kushwah: For sure. Hello, myself Shweta and I am currently 21 years old. It has been 17 years since I started learning Kathak. Kathak has now become an integral part of my life.
At one point I realized that I had never devoted myself to studies the way I devoted myself to dance. Everything I am doing in my career today depends upon dance. I completed my graduation in Dance and I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Dance as well.
During this journey I trained under two gurus, and currently I am learning from Dr. Suchitra Harmalkar ji, an exponent of the Raigarh Gharana, in Indore. Over the years I have won many prizes and recognitions. At present, I have also taken an initiative to run my own Kathak classes through which I hope to promote Kathak among the younger generation.
RTN: Would you like to tell us about your guru? Since you are pursuing a Master's degree in Dance, you must also have a substantial understanding of Kathak's history and the ways it changed across different eras.
Shweta Satish Kushwah: Yes.
My Guru Maa is Dr. Suchitra Harmalkar. She is an inspiration for Kathak dancers. She was the first and senior-most disciple of Pandit Kartik Ram ji, who served as a court dancer under Raja Chakradhar Singh ji.
Her method of teaching dance is beyond words. Whenever she performs, it feels as if a goddess herself is dancing. She has been a great source of inspiration and motivation for me, and I always aspire to perform with even a fraction of the grace she possesses.
Currently she serves as the Head of the Dance Department at Government Maharani Lakshmi Bai Girls P.G. College and also runs her own institution in Indore, Kartik Kala Academy, named in honour of her guru.
RTN: Since Suchitra ji has a relatively direct connection to the courtly traditions associated with Raigarh, are there any compositions, movements, or practices preserved by your guru that are rare or not commonly performed today?
Shweta Satish Kushwah: That's a very good question.
Most of what I learned about the history of Kathak and the histories of the gharanas came through my studies, especially while preparing for my Visharad examinations. Through the Sankshipt Itihas of Kathak and other texts, I learned about the Lucknow Gharana, the Mughal period, the Nawabs, the British era, and also about the tawaifs.
I do not speak about the tawaifs with hesitation. In fact, I believe they are often misunderstood. We can learn a great deal from that period. It is part of our history, and in many ways it can be considered a golden period for Kathak.
From that era emerged many bandishes, gharana traditions, forms of nazakat, and even important terms such as salami, amad, and influences of Persian language and culture. So for me there is no hesitation in acknowledging that history.
The tawaifs were among the most accomplished women of their time. They possessed immense artistic talent and made important contributions to Kathak.
RTN: Since courtly culture played such an important role in shaping modern Kathak, do you think there are certain emotions or movements that are restricted today or not openly performed before audiences?
Shweta Satish Kushwah: I do not think there are emotions or movements that are restricted today.
In the modern era there are many emotions and movement vocabularies that continue to be presented by gurus and performers. Of course, when women performed before Nawabs and largely male audiences, their performances may have been viewed through a different perspective.
However, I do not think the art itself should be blamed for that.
The art was pure then, just as it is pure now. Before the Mughal and Nawabi periods, many of these performances took place in temples. Later they were performed in courts, salons, and the spaces associated with tawaif culture. The location changed, but the art itself remained the same.
Even Thumri, which today is one of the most important vehicles for expressing bhava in Kathak, flourished during that period. Artists such as Jaddan Bai and Gauhar Jaan contributed immensely to the artistic culture of the era. They may have been viewed differently by society, but they were among the greatest artists of their time.
The tawaifs were often perceived primarily as entertainers for male audiences, but that perspective overlooks their artistic accomplishments. They were highly skilled practitioners whose contributions continue to shape Kathak and Hindustani music today.
RTN: Thank you. My final question is: Is there a quote, thought, or message you would like to leave for readers about yourself as a Kathak dancer?
Shweta Satish Kushwah: For me, Kathak is my life.
Through Kathak I have become closer to God. In today's world, it is through dance that I have come to understand spirituality, discipline, sincerity, obedience, and respect more deeply.
Dance teaches balance in life and contributes to the development of one's personality. As a dancer, I feel that Kathak has shaped me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I can confidently say that dance has made my life better. If I am doing Kathak, if I am practicing a classical dance form, then I believe I am moving in the right direction in both my life and my career.
Kathak has given me purpose, confidence, and a way of understanding myself. For that reason, it will always remain an inseparable part of who I am.
Note: A transcript of this interview was added to the Relearning the Nautch archive at a later date. The interview itself was conducted earlier through text messages and voice notes, and was subsequently transcribed for archival purposes.