Founder of Jaipur Gharana was Bhanuji. who received training in Tandava dance from some saint. Bhanuji’s son was Maluji. Maluji’s sons were Laluji and Kanuji, who were traditionally trained in Shiv Tandava. Kanuji went to Vrindavan and received training in Lasya and honed his skills in other styles. Kanuji had two sons: Gidhaji and Shejaji. Gidhaji had five sons, one of whom was Dulhaji. Dulhaji had two sons: Hanuman Prasad and Hariprasad. The pair of Hanuman Prasad and Hariprasad was known as ‘Devpari’. Both of them were appointed in ‘Gunijan Khana’ of Jaipur Court. Hariprasadji was famous for Akashchari and Hanuman Prasad for Lasya Natya.
Hanuman Prasad had three sons: Mohanlal, Chiranjilal and Narayan Prasad. Narayan Prasad wrote ‘Asankhya Kavitt’ and Bhajans which are sung with respect in Jaipur Gharana. Narayan Prasad’s sons Charan Girdhar Chand and Tej Prakash Tulsi maintained the tradition of their Gharana and are imparting training to a large number of disciples in this style of Kathak. Tej Prakash Tulsi expired some time before.
Many relatives of Hanuman Prasad and Hariprasad were also dancers viz., Shyamlal, Chunnilal, and Durgaprasad Govardhan etc. Jaipur Gharana has a number of branches out of which Shri Jailal and Shri Sunder Prasad both sons of Shri Chunnilal are particularly famous. Shri Jailal had one son Shri Ram Gopal who lived in Calcutta and trained disciples there. JailaFs daughter Jaikumari also achieved fame in Kathak dance.
The dancers of this Gharana were mostly engaged in the courts of the Hindu Kings. Because of this, many old traditions of Kathak dance are still safe with this Gharana. In this Gharana, footwork on difficult Layakaris and Bols are paid special attention but not the movements of hands. However, purity (Satvikta) of Bhav is maintained.
