Alhamra Arts Council Hosts Kathak Festival for Maharaj Ghulam Hussain

Alhamra Arts Council Announces First Kathak Festival

The Alhamra Arts Council has announced its inaugural “Kathak Festival” to honor Maharaj Ghulam Hussain, also known as Maharaj Kathak and Baba Maharaj. The event is set for May 7-8 and will feature performances by artists from across Pakistan.

The festival announcement came via Instagram, where organizers shared details about in-depth panel discussions and interactive workshops titled “Thaat” and “Abhinaya,” led by senior artists.

Kathak, derived from the Sanskrit word “Katha” meaning “story”, was one of the eight major forms of dance during the pre-partition era. Originating from Northern India, it is characterized by footwork, expressive storytelling, facial expressions, and pirouettes.

Maharaj Ghulam Hussain dedicated his life to nurturing and preserving Kathak in Lahore after partition through performance, teaching, and discipline. His efforts laid the foundation for generations of Kathak practitioners in Pakistan.

The festival aims to celebrate Kathak’s cultural traditions while bridging its sacred roots with contemporary aesthetics. For Lahoris, it serves as an invitation to engage with tradition’s rhythm.

Organizers have invited Kathak artists from across the country to apply and present their work, opening submissions for emerging talent. Selected participants include Kanza Bano, Timsal Fatima, Hammad Rasheed, Nighat Chaudhry, Jessica Zakria Iqbal, and Adnan Jahangir.

The festival is partnering with Naqshepaa, a platform dedicated to heritage, art, and film rooted in identity and culture. Through this collaboration, the event seeks to bridge past and present, document histories, and support contemporary artists.