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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Form of Hindu traditional discourse}}<br />
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{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}<br />
[[File:Sant Bhadragiri Achyuta Das.jpg|thumb|right|Bhadragiri Achyuta Das performing Harikatha in [[Kannada]].]]<br />
'''''Harikatha''''' ([[Kannada]]: ಹರಿಕಥೆ : ''Harikathe''; [[Telugu language|Telugu]]: హరికథ : ''Harikatha;'' [[Marathi language|Marathi]]: हरीपाठ '': Haripatha'', {{lit|story of [[Vishnu|Hari]]}}), also known as '''''Harikatha Kaalakshepam''''' in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Malayalam]]({{lit|spending time to listen to Hari's story}}), is a form of [[Hinduism|Hindu]] traditional discourse in which the storyteller explores a traditional theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indian [[Indian epic poetry|epic]]. The person telling the story through songs, music and narration is called a ''Haridasa''.<br />
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Harikatha is a composite art form composed of storytelling, poetry, music, drama, dance, and philosophy most prevalent in [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]] and ancient [[Tamil Nadu]]. Any Hindu religious theme may be the subject for the ''Harikatha''. At its peak ''Harikatha'' was a popular medium of entertainment, which helped transmit cultural, educational and religious values to the masses. The main aim of ''Harikatha'' is to imbue truth and righteousness in the minds of people and sow the seeds of devotion in them. Another of the aims is to educate them about knowledge of ''[[Ātman (Hinduism)|Ātman]]'' (the self) through stories and show them the path of liberation.<br />
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==Hindu mythology ==<br />
{{Music of India}}<br />
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In [[Hindu mythology]], the first Harikatha singer was sage [[Narada]] who sang for [[Vishnu]], other prominent singers were [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] and [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] twin sons of [[Rama]], who sang the ''[[Ramayana]]'' in his court at [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]].<ref name=si>[[#hi|Singh, p. 2118]]</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
This is an ancient form that took current form during the Bhakti movement in around 12th century. Many famous Haridasa are [[Purandaradasa]], [[Kanakadasa]].<br />
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The Telugu form of Harikatha originated in [[Coastal Andhra]] during the 19th century.<ref>{{cite book|author=Thoomati Donappa|title=Telugu Harikatha Sarvasvam|oclc=13505520}}</ref> Harikatha Kalakshepam is most prevalent in [[Andhra Pradesh|Andhra]] even now along with [[Burra katha]]. [[Haridasu]]s going round villages singing devotional songs is an age-old tradition during Dhanurmaasam preceding [[Sankranti]] festival. [[Ajjada Adibhatla Narayana Dasu]] was the originator of the Telugu Harikatha tradition, and with his Kavyas and Prabandhas has made it a special art form.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}<br />
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==Style==<br />
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''Harikatha'' involves the narration of a story, intermingled with various songs relating to the story. Usually, the narration involves numerous sub-plots and anecdotes, which are used to emphasize various aspects of the main story. The main storyteller is usually assisted by one or more co-signers, who elaborate the songs and a [[Mridangam]] accompanist. The storyteller uses a pair of [[cymbal]]s to keep the beat.<br />
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==Famous exponents==<br />
{{More citations needed|date=December 2008}}<br />
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Following Krishna Bhagavatar, other great exponents of this art form such as Pandit Lakshmanachar, Tirupazhanam Panchapakesa Bhagavatar, Mangudi Chidambara Bhagavatar, [[Muthiah Bhagavatar]], Tiruvaiyyar Annasami Bhagavatar, Embar Srirangachariyar, Konnoor Sitarama Shastry, Sulamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Sulamangalam Soundararaja Bhagavatar, [[Ajjada Adibhatla Narayana Dasu]], [[Embar Vijayaraghavachariar]], Saraswati Bai and Padmasini Bai popularized the ''Harikatha'' tradition.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}<br />
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[[Saraswati Bai]] was a pioneering woman Harikatha exponent. She broke the monopoly of [[Brahmin]] men over this art form. This was attested by [[F. G. Natesa Iyer]] (in 1939) who said: "Saraswati Bai is a pioneer, and today, as a result of her sacrifices. Brahmins and non-Brahmins walk freely over the once forbidden ground. C. Saraswati Bai has achieved this miracle."<ref>{{cite news | author =Deepa Ganesh | title =She paved the way | quote =Sriram V. records F.G. Natesa Iyer (in 1939) as saying: “Saraswati Bai is a pioneer, and today, as a result of her sacrifices…. Brahmins and non-Brahmins walk freely over the once forbidden ground. C. Saraswati Bai has achieved this miracle.” | newspaper =The Hindu | date = 12 February 2015| url =http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/she-paved-the-way/article6887087.ece |access-date= 2015-09-29}}</ref><br />
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Recent practitioners of Harikatha include Veeragandham Venkata Subbarao, Kota Sachchidananda Sastri, [[Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavatar]], Banni Bai, Mysore Sreekantha Shastry, Kamala Murthy, Muppavarapu Simhachala Sastry, [[Embar Vijayaraghavachariar]], Kalyanapuram Aravamudachariar, [[Vishaka hari]], [[Gururajulu Naidu]] and [[T. S. Balakrishna Sastrigal|T S Balakrishna Sastry]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}<br />
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Paruthiyur Krishna Sastri started out as a Harikatha exponent and then changed to Pravachan style.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} One of the best harikatha renderings is on the life of saint Tyagaraja by Mullukutla Sadasiva Sastry from Tenali.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
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* [[Burra katha]]<br />
* [[Carnatic music]]<br />
* [[Katha - The Art Of Story Telling In India]]<br />
* [[Kirtan]]<br />
* [[Oggu Katha]]<br />
* [[Pravachan]]<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==References==<br />
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* {{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, Volume 3|last=Singh |first=N.K.|year=1997 |publisher=Anmol Publications|isbn=81-7488-168-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t3PkHaW0f78C&q=Harikatha&pg=PA2118 |ref=hi }}<br />
* {{cite book|title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent|last=Arnold|first=Alison|chapter= Kassebaum, Gayathri Rajapur.‘Karnatak raga’|publisher=Taylor & Francis|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&q=Harikatha&pg=PA106|year=2000|location=[[New York City|New York]] & [[London]]|isbn=0-8240-4946-2|ref=Arnold2000}}<br />
* ''Harikatha: its origins and development'', by Kalaimamani B. M. Sundaram. Publisher Vidwan R.K. Srikantan Trust, 2001.<br />
* {{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Devraj To Jyoti), Volume 2 |last=Datta|first=Amaresh|year=2006|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=81-260-1194-7 |pages= 1551–1553 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&q=Harikatha&pg=PA1553 |ref=Hari }}<br />
* ''Harikatha : [[Samarth Ramdas]]' Contribution to the Art of Spiritual Story-Telling'' by Meera Grimes. Indica Books, 2008. {{ISBN|81-86569-76-6}}.<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[http://www.carnatica.net/harikatha-main.htm Article on Harikatha]<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041231044501/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/12/31/stories/2004123103001200.htm Art of rendering Harikatha] at ''[[The Hindu]]''<br />
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[[Category:Indian styles of music]]<br />
[[Category:Hindu music]]<br />
[[Category:Culture of Maharashtra]]<br />
[[Category:Performing arts in Karnataka]]<br />
[[Category:Culture of Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Hindu traditions]]<br />
[[Category:Performing arts in India]]<br />
[[Category:Storytelling]]</div>KARTIK