Hinduism - What Is A Katha Or Kathas?


 (“conversation”) Recitation and explication of a religious text are the foundations of this kind of public religious presentation.

The Ramcharitmanas, a rendition of the epic Ramayana penned by the poet saint Tulsidas, are most often linked with Katha, although it may also be used to explain other holy works.

Kathas may be presented in a variety of ways: the speaker can go through huge sections of the text, provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on a tiny segment of the text, choose passages from the text to exemplify a certain subject, or provide a wholly spontaneous and free-floating explanation.

Attending such concerts is not only aesthetically pleasant for listeners, but it is also seen as a type of satsang or religious fellowship.

These meetings were (and continue to be) one of the most important methods for illiterate people to remember huge portions of these core books.

For further detail, check Philip Lutgendorf's 1991 book The Life of a Text. 


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