Ramlal Bareth

Ramlal Bareth is a Kathak dancer and, according to his citation, the only surviving dancer of the royal court of Raigarh ^[2]. He has worked to establish the Raigarh style as a recognised gharana of Kathak. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2024 in the field of art, from Chhattisgarh ^[1].

At the Raigarh court

He was born on 6 March 1936 ^[2]. His father, Kartikram, was a leading exponent of the Raigarh style, and Bareth learned from him, from Maharaja Chakradhar Singh and from Jailal Maharaj ^[2]. Living at the Raigarh court, he studied Kathak, tabla and vocal music ^[2].

Teacher

From 1956 to 1980 he worked as an artist for the social welfare department, and in that time founded the Chakradhar Sangeet Vidyalaya in Raigarh ^[2]. From 1981 to 2011 he was guru at the Chakradhar Nritya Kendra in Bhopal, set up by the Madhya Pradesh government, where he trained hundreds of students ^[2]. He was also a reader in dance at Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh ^[2].

Bareth has composed and choreographed many pieces, and co-wrote his father’s book Raigarh mein Kathak ^[2]. His students now perform and teach the Raigarh style around the world ^[2]. He lives in Bilaspur, where he still teaches advanced students ^[2].

He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1996 and Chhattisgarh’s Chakradhar Samman in 2006 ^[2].