---
title: "Kathak Gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras | Model Diplomat"
description: "Kathak gharanas are the three main lineages of North Indian classical dance, crucial for understanding its diverse styles in UPSC and cultural studies."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/kathak-gharanas"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Kathak gharanas are the three principal hereditary stylistic lineages of the North Indian classical dance Kathak, centred at Lucknow, Jaipur, and Banaras.
- What is the principal distinction between the Lucknow and Jaipur gharanas?
- Who are the founders attributed to each Kathak gharana?
- How does a gharana differ from a regional folk form?
- Why is Kathak significant within India's composite cultural heritage?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In January 2022 the Government of India accorded national mourning to Pandit Birju Maharaj of the Lucknow gharana, the most celebrated Kathak exponent of his generation, on his death in New Delhi.

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