Uttar Pradesh artists

Uttar Pradesh has given India a classical dance, great musicians from Varanasi and Lucknow, and crafts known all over the world.

Music

Varanasi is one of India's great centres of music: Ustad Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on its ghats, Pandit Ravi Shankar was born there and Girija Devi was the queen of thumri. Begum Akhtar, the best-known singer of ghazals, was born in Faizabad.

Kathak

Kathak grew in the courts of Lucknow and the temples of Varanasi, and the Lucknow and Banaras gharanas are two of its main schools. Pandit Birju Maharaj of the Lucknow gharana taught and performed it for over sixty years.

Theatre and crafts

The Ramlila, the staging of the Ramayana at Dussehra, especially at Ramnagar near Varanasi, is on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Lucknow is famous for chikankari embroidery, Varanasi for its silk saris, and Moradabad for brassware.

Sources

• Uttar Pradesh Tourism: Government of Uttar Pradesh
• Sangeet Natak Akademi: India's national academy of music, dance and drama (Ministry of Culture)
• Padma Awards: the official list of Padma award winners (Government of India)
• Indian Culture: the Ministry of Culture's portal on India's arts, crafts and heritage