Harikatha (Kannada: ಹರಿಕಥೆ :Harikathe;Telugu: హరికథ :Harikatha;Marathi: हरीपाठ: Haripatha,lit. 'story ofHari'), also known asHarikatha Kaalakshepam inTelugu,Tamil andMalayalam(lit. 'spending time to listen to Hari's story'), is a form ofHindu traditional discourse in which the storyteller explores a traditional theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indianepic. The person telling the story through songs, music and narration is called aHaridasa.
Harikatha is a composite art form composed of storytelling, poetry, music, drama, dance, and philosophy most prevalent inAndhra Pradesh,Telangana,Maharashtra,Karnataka,Kerala and ancientTamil Nadu. Any Hindu religious theme may be the subject for theHarikatha. At its peakHarikatha was a popular medium of entertainment, which helped transmit cultural, educational and religious values to the masses. The main aim ofHarikatha 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 ofĀtman (the self) through stories and show them the path of liberation.
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InHindu mythology, the first Harikatha singer was sageNarada who sang forVishnu, other prominent singers wereLava andKusha twin sons ofRama, who sang theRamayana in his court atAyodhya.[1]
This is an ancient form that took current form during the Bhakti movement in around 12th century. Many famous Haridasa arePurandaradasa,Kanakadasa.
The Telugu form of Harikatha originated inCoastal Andhra during the 19th century.[2] Harikatha Kalakshepam is most prevalent inAndhra even now along withBurra katha.Haridasus going round villages singing devotional songs is an age-old tradition during Dhanurmaasam precedingSankranti 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]
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 aMridangam accompanist. The storyteller uses a pair ofcymbals to keep the beat.
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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 theHarikatha tradition.[citation needed]
Saraswati Bai was a pioneering woman Harikatha exponent. She broke the monopoly ofBrahmin men over this art form. This was attested byF. 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."[3]
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 andT S Balakrishna Sastry.[citation needed]
Paruthiyur Krishna Sastri started out as a Harikatha exponent and then changed to Pravachan style.[citation needed] One of the best harikatha renderings is on the life of saint Tyagaraja by Mullukutla Sadasiva Sastry from Tenali.[citation needed]
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."