Class 7 Arts (Kriti) Chapter 13, Personalities, profiles two legendary Indian dance gurus—Kathak maestro Pandit Shambhu Maharaj of the Lucknow Gharana and Seraikella Chhau master Guru Kedar Nath Sahu.
What Class 7 Art Chapter 13 Covers
Pandit Shambhu Maharaj (Kathak) traces the life of Padma Shri Pandit Shambhu Maharaj of the Lucknow Gharana (uncle and guru of Birju Maharaj), celebrated for his soulful seated bhav batana and abhinaya in thumri.
Guru Kedar Nath Sahu (Seraikella Chhau) chronicles Padma Shri Guru Kedar Nath Sahu, who mastered and globalised the masked martial dance form of Seraikella Chhau (Jharkhand).
Other dancers to research: Activity 13.1 asks you to research and present one more personality: the Bharatanatyam dancer Balasaraswati, Pandit Hazarilal, Keremane Shivarama Hegde of Yakshagana, or the Kalbelia dancer Gulabo Sapera.
Masks of Seraikella Chhau: the chapter shows the masks that set Seraikella Chhau apart, the tradition that Guru Kedar Nath Sahu’s family has practised for generations.
Exercises in Chapter 13
- Activities, Circle Time reflections and end-of-chapter Assessment rubrics.
Read Class 7 Art Chapter 13 Online
More Chapters
- Previous: Chapter 12: Dance, You and Creativity
- Next: Chapter 14: Natya
- Hindi medium: Class 7 Arts Chapter 13 PDF in Hindi (Kriti)
- All Art chapters and the other Class 7 books: Class 7 NCERT books 2026-27
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FAQ
Who was Pandit Shambhu Maharaj and what was his speciality in Kathak?
Pandit Shambhu Maharaj was a legendary guru of the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak, renowned for his expressive ‘bhav batana’ (interpreting a single poetic line in countless emotional ways through abhinaya).
Which dance form was Guru Kedar Nath Sahu famous for?
Guru Kedar Nath Sahu was an acclaimed master and choreographer of Seraikella Chhau, the traditional masked dance form of Jharkhand.
Which gharana did Shambhu Maharaj belong to?
The Lucknow Gharana of Kathak; his forefathers were dancers at the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.