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Personalities – Class 7 Arts Chapter 13 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 7ArtsChapter 13NCERT book: Kriti - Arts Class 7

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 13 of the NCERT Class 7 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 13: Personalities (Dance and Movement)

Introduction

This short chapter introduces two great dancers who kept their traditions alive and taught many students: Shambhu Maharaj of Kathak and Kedar Nath Sahu of Seraikella Chhau.

Shambhu Maharaj — Kathak, Lucknow Gharana

  • A scion of the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak, from a family of traditional Kathak dancers.
  • His forefathers were gurus and dancers at the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh.
  • His father was the famous Kalka Prasad, and his uncle Binda Deen, who consolidated the Lucknow Gharana. He trained under Binda Deen.
  • He made his debut in Lucknow in 1926 at the All India Music Conference, then performed as a soloist and with his elder brothers Acchan and Lacchu Maharaj.
  • He moved to Delhi in 1955 and taught Kathak at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, establishing the Lucknow Gharana in Delhi.
  • He was famous for abhinaya and bhav batana, performed in the court style of sitting and enacting.
  • He taught his nephew, the famous Birju Maharaj, and many other Kathak dancers. His sons Ram Mohan and Kishan Mohan are also dancers and gurus.
  • Awards: Padma Shri (1958) and Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1967).

    • Kedar Nath Sahu — Seraikella Chhau

  • One of the leading exponents of Seraikella Chhau.
  • From a traditional family of Chhau dancers of the Kanasari community, whose main occupation was making household utensils.
  • He learnt from his father and grandfather from a very early age, in the Guru-Shishya Parampara, where the art was passed on orally.
  • He performed in the troupe of Kumar Bijoy Pratap Singh Deo, and later formed his own troupe with his disciples.
  • Awards: Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1981) and Padma Shri (2005). His performances were acclaimed in India and abroad.
  • Notable students: Shashadhar Acharya, Gopal Prasad Dubey and Sharon Lowen.
  • Seraikella Chhau is known for its masks.

    • Activity 13.1

    Research and write about one of these personalities, and present it to the class as a project: Balasaraswati, Pandit Hazarilal, Keremane Shivarama Hegde (spelt "Keermane Shivaram Hedge" in the book) or Gulabo Sapera.

    Key Terms

  • Gharana — a school/lineage of a performing art (घराना)
  • Scion — a descendant of a notable family (वंशज)
  • Guru-Shishya Parampara — teacher-student tradition (गुरु-शिष्य परंपरा)
  • Abhinaya — expressive acting (अभिनय)
  • Exponent — a leading performer of an art (प्रतिपादक / कलाकार)

    • Connect to Your Life

    Find a dancer or artist from your own region. Who taught them, and whom have they taught?

    Common Mistakes

  • Mixing up the award years: Shambhu Maharaj got the Padma Shri in 1958; Kedar Nath Sahu got it in 2005.
  • Calling Birju Maharaj Shambhu Maharaj's son — he was his nephew.

    • Let's Reflect

    What qualities helped these two artists pass on their traditions?

    💡 Key Learning Points

    • ✓Shambhu Maharaj belonged to the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak and trained under his uncle Binda Deen
    • ✓He debuted in 1926, moved to Delhi in 1955 and taught at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra
    • ✓He taught his nephew Birju Maharaj and received the Padma Shri (1958) and Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1967)
    • ✓Kedar Nath Sahu was a leading exponent of Seraikella Chhau, learning in the Guru-Shishya Parampara
    • ✓Kedar Nath Sahu received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1981) and Padma Shri (2005)

    👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

    • →Make a family tree of the Lucknow Gharana: Binda Deen, Kalka Prasad, Acchan, Lacchu and Shambhu Maharaj, Birju Maharaj
    • →Show short clips of Kathak abhinaya and Seraikella Chhau masks
    • →Build a timeline of both dancers' key dates and awards
    • →Discuss how the Guru-Shishya Parampara passed art on orally
    • →Help students choose a personality for Activity 13.1 and plan their research
    • →Let students present projects creatively — poster, talk, or short performance

    📋 Assessment Questions

    1. Can the student state Shambhu Maharaj's gharana, guru and famous student?
    2. Can the student give Kedar Nath Sahu's dance form and his two awards with years?
    3. Can the student explain the Guru-Shishya Parampara?
    4. Did the student research and present one personality from Activity 13.1?

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    Keep learning

    All chapters in Kriti - Arts Class 7

    1. 1. Understanding Emotions
    2. 2. Say More without Speech — Mime
    3. 3. Let’s Design — Stage Technicals 2
    4. 4. Story of India’s Storytelling Tradition
    5. 5. Making Music
    6. 6. Music, Emotions and Creativity
    7. 7. Ragas and Talas/Taal
    8. 8. The Music of the People
    9. 9. Performance
    10. 10. Dance and Sculpture
    11. 11. Dance Vocabulary and Techniques
    12. 12. Dance, You and Creativity
    13. 13. Personalities
    14. 14. Natya
    15. 15. Objects in Icons and Symbols
    16. 16. Nature’s Palette
    17. 17. How You Feel
    18. 18. Textiles and Traditions
    19. 19. The Art of Calligraphy
    20. 20. Integration of All Art Forms — Sculptures Come Alive!