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    Dance Theory

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    useful for dance students..especially bharatnatyam for exams

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    useful for dance students..especially bharatnatyam for exams

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    Dance Theory

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    shriganesharamaa007
    useful for dance students..especially bharatnatyam for exams

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    Abhinaya Chaturvidha - The Quartet of histrionics J 1 Indian classical dance terminology, 1 other aspect which comes besides Nrita) known as ‘*Nritya.’ Scholars have ident Nritya with the following definition; ‘HoT eprah ge qoute’ — ‘Rasabhdv vyanjanddi yu nrityamitiryate’, which means, the Nei es of the dance that depicts emot comp aesthetics, expressions, and representation verbal flourishes, All the three qualiti associated with Abhinaya, or histrionies, So, le understand the meaning of Abhinaya and how it manifested in classical dance form: Looking at the etymology of the Sanskrit Abhinaya, the word is made up of two component ‘Abhi’ —a prefix meaning ‘towards’ an¢ ‘Naya’ a root verb meaning 'to lead! or ‘to ca Literally, Abhinaya means to take or to le Something towards something, In the contex! of performing art of dance, it means (0 audience to the meaning or carry the me" towards the audience. Scholar types of Abhinaya » Angika-perta ¥ Vichika-sp ing to bodily movemer ch, conveyed by th intended meaning through intonation raja’ ~ Body language, Using the various Ue a as like limbs, walks, bends, stretches etc » ‘Chestakrit” using the previous two types @ rhythmic footwork, and, » “Nritta’—Itis intriguing and thought provoking that sage Bharata has included pure rhythmic dance as the fourth type of physical acting. Similar to the Hindustani classical music, Where meaningless verbiage and solf-less Aap can also express the mood for the Raga oF melody, pure dance without any lyrical interpretation can also create a variety of moods in a recital. This is probably the reason he included Nritta as one of the four types of expressions. ‘The authors of Natyasastra have written an elaborate analysis about the use and movements of ‘Anga (the main body parts), Pratyaiiga (secondary body parts), and Upatiga (tertiary body parts) in dance and the variety of emotive meanings that can be expressed through these movements. Their in- depth study is very useful to a dancer or an actor. However it is not necessary for an average audience to study the deeper meanings. If they ‘see’ and ‘listen’ to the expressive dance with a sharpened intellect, open and un-prejudiced mind, there is no doubt that an audience member would Musical interpretation of lyrics ong with the te able to grasp and fathom the meaning inten bythe dancerand choreographer. ‘The seeds of Vachika expres embedded in the Afigika expressions in Vachika is the use of voice pronunci animation to convey the intended meaning to create a related mood. This prime of expression in drama and plays is manifes in dance in an entirely by the Afigika expressions. The main difference between the V today’s drama and ancient traditional dance (except rare exceptions like the Kuchipud the literature that is interpreted in di form, which for dance it takes the poetic form addition, rather than descriptive poe verse is preferred. Such a poem lends inspire the creativity of the dancer and imagination of the audience. Its elaborate also needs to be appropriate for representation. One more quality of a verse important when considering it for a dance innate lyrical and rhythmic construct To further clarify the meaning histrionics, let us consider an example This is a Marathi verse written 150 yea king of Thanjavur, Sarfoji Bhosale. contemporary dance style a hin! 42 / Nrityatmika > erarnret ate1(a1) are | Hariha kapati motha (tha) pahi| aon rene aT ATA | karund majavaree tyala nahi \\ aff an qanfereenz | karishee ka tuugdchi khatpat | gett gf ara 3 11 puralimazi asha utkat || waftugr, afar, Haharipaha, sakhiye, wen ae ae eal mala khed bahu det\ eh, serra, warett a Faroe, alo,jaladich, mandshi na shinavi, manag wah aera ‘yaparivaduni pajuni saralaich\ wht aah, art aroft | aishisajani, yachi karani || Hari (My Lord) isso deceitful, justsee! He does not bestow his mercy on me. Please, do not take unnecessary efforts He fulfilled all my desires Dearfriend, My beloved gives mea lot of grief... T’'dretum soon, donot worry He said so, and just disappeared (Not considering my situation) Looko friend! How cruel are his deeds. AS one reads the first couple of lines of this composition named *Varpa’, one can easily visualize a *Kalahdntarita’ Nayika, who agonizes due to the separation from her beloved because of a misunderstanding or quarrel, yearning for him and ing her heart outtoa dear friend. When choreographing a representation of such aheroine with reference to this verse, thereisa lot of scope for creativity and imagination: Who is this beloved of hers? What was his deceitful act? When exactly does he act cruelly by being not ‘merciful to her? In what way does he show his mercy for others? When beseeching the friend not to take unnecessary efforts, are there ways to show how the friend is trying to make an effort? Why is this unnecessary? When the heroine says “he has fulfilled my desires,” what were those intense desires? How did he fulfill them? How is he good at “sweet talks"? How does his ‘sweet nothings’ melt her? How is he successful later on in giving her misery? In this way, various rich, romantic interpretations are made possible because of this simple verse. In dance histrionics, these explanations are depicted without words, through hhand gestures and the emotional gist is conveyed through eyes, facial expressions and body movements. 4G) Abhinaya chaturvicha - The Quartet of histrionies/43° Oe Each line of this verse is repeated many times using relevant melodic compositions, which are presented using diverse interpretational expressions. In such a delivery, even the music becomes a part of Vachika. Musical composition and its emotive rendering for a dance recital are equally as important as the diction and voice modulation fora drama enactment. Asa result, fora dance recital, an excellent vocal support ofan able singer is extremely important for enhancing the creation of emotive ambiance. In summary, the Angika and Vachika expressions in the classical dance form are more or less like the elaborations made by a learned preacher (Kirtanakar). Preachers take a topic or essential theme and then discuss it using examples from their studies, experiences and some well- known stories. In dance expressions, the words and stories of preachers are replaced by hand gestures, facial expressions, body language and relevant footwork. Afier having elaborated on Aigika and ichika until this point in the chapter, let us tur our attention to Aharya expressions. Aharya is comprised of makeup, costumes, stage décor and its use for conveying the meaning. Of the three, make up and costumes are used differently in various Indian Classical dance forms. One can divide their use into two pans. | storytelling dance-drama style of Kathakali, map, characters participate. When presenti from the Ramayana and Mahabha characters utilize wonderful costumes a up that are relevant to the storyline. In Kuchip style, the make-up is suitable for the char being played. Even in the Rasa-Leela prese of Manipuri, the character of Krishna relevant costume. While in traditionally sol styles of BharataNatyam, Kathak, Odiss Mohini Attam, the costume of the dancer is relev an: to the dance style rather than the chi portrayed on stage. Suitable aspects of Al the dancer are—just enough jewelry suitable stage recital, sufficient facial and eye make- enhance the expressions on brightly lit stage, an¢ graceful costume that provides freedom for specific movements pertaining to that dan. The costume is not changed to match the characte being portrayed, but the body-movement gestural characterization become extrer important. As a result, the histrionics i styles is more challenging to the intelle: imagination of the choreographer, artist theaudience. Another aspect of Ahirya is the st decoration. However, none of the Indian Classic Dance forms utilize any type of props, sce! these “ 44 / Nrityatmiks > y Ahfrya-shown through backdrop, stage decoration, costumes, make up embellish- ‘ments, etc. y satvika — psychophysical expressions sponta- neously generated through keen involvement in the subject matter resulting in Stambha (freeze), Romaicha (horripilation), Sveda (sweat), etc. The goal of histrionics in dance is to convey the meaning -much like its goal in other dramatic arts like plays, movies etc. However, the employment of the afore mentioned four kinds of Abhinaya is unique to the Indian classical dance form. As such, to get the aesthetic ation of Abhinaya, it is important to understand the use of this device in dance forms. First, let us consider the Aagika with respect to dance. “Rngika” means to use the body movements and gestures to express emotions. For example, to express a bashful character, ‘a dancer's body language might include: the slow batting of her eyelashes, lowering of the head, sliding back a little, picking at the ground ‘with her toe, busying her hands by playing with Clothes or something else, etc. Such trifling are used for acting in dramas or lp. However, for dance, similar gestures in conjunction with the music- with the BS, melody and rhythms. ‘Abhinaya Chaturvidha - The Quart eee aspet of acting or expressions in ‘ana fo use specific symbolic hand ’ of the hand movements that accompany regular conversation. The author of ‘Abhinaya Darpana” has described the technique of precise dance expression with this verse Aveda (aitta) srrerearranta, eearebsrarta | aerate steerer aren eararererea || - “Asyen (angen) dlambayet gitam, hastenartham pradarshayet \ chakshurbhyam darshayet bhavam, padabhyam talamdacharet \\" In other words, facial and bodily movement should express the song, literal meaning needs to be expressed by the hand gestures and their movements, eyes should express the intended meaning, and at the same time, the foot movements ‘and footwork should match the compatible elaborate rhythmic structure! In short, in the medium of dance, the acting or expressions are also to be ‘danced.’ Once the appreciative audience accepts its entertainment value as imaginative expression, they will be able to enjoy the storyline too. In Natyasistra, Sage Bharata has described four types of physical acting using body movements: > ‘Mukhaja’ — Facial expressions using ¢y¢s, heeks, lips, chin lances, eyelids, eyebrows, fet of histrionics / 42 » create the ambiance for the story being presented through dance. Instead, the gestural movements create the semblance of the atmosphere implied by the subject matter or the incident being micah Forexample: “qed AAG TTTHA: ATA: | pater rent mefafe groregerst|1"” “asante vasantikusumsukumaraihi avayavaihe I Bhramanti kantare bahuvita Krishnanusaranam” means, “Radha, whose body is as delicate as the spring flowers, was eamestly following Krishna through the thick forest...”. When choreographing this verse, the dancer can depict the spring season by expressing blooms everywhere, a gentle wind flowing over tender flowers which spread intoxicating fragrance, cooing of love-birds, joyous ambiance etc. through the body movements, hand gestures and facial expressions. Alternately, to present the idea that “Krishna flirted with Radha when she went to the riverto fetch water,” the dancer can show the river ‘with hand movements, walk across the stage with a hand over her head as if holding a pot filled with ‘water. Inreality, she does not have apot asa stage prop; there is no curtain painted with a scene of river or another character playing Krishna. Using ‘mere Angika expressions to convey the presen of animaginary thing or character is the special! of ‘ ‘Abhinaya Chatu! rvidha - The Quartet o — ga histrionics. This is achieved by using ee hand gestures and facial ns to conjure the existence of an imaginary thing, its shape and its ‘feel’. The expressions that can convey this ‘feel’ most acutely are considered the most convincing. In addition to the three parts of histrionics in dance, Angika, Vachika, and Aharya, the scholars describe one more part, ‘Satvika Abhinaya.” Nandikeshwar, author of Abhinayadarpana, defines this with these words: “aifers: afestattafasy fafa: — Sarvikah satvikairbha-vairbhavadnyen vibhavitah. This ‘means: The expressions borne out of the intense concentration of the psyche when it identifies with the subject matter at hand, One might wonder atthe thought process of contemporary scholars that ‘made them think of the extreme intimacy of the Satvika histrionies when considering extemal visible reflections of the emotional status: Angika. Vachika, and Aharya. The answer to thi apparent when one reads the meticulous list of Satvika expressions discussed in Natyasistra and Abhinayadarpana. Scholars have listed eight sftvika responses Stambha: freeze, dazed Sveda: sweat Roménch:horripilation Swarabhanga: cracking of voice fhistrionics /45 5. Vepathu: trembling 6. Vaivariya: discoloration of complection 7. Aéru: tears 8. Pralaya: fainting, loosinge conciousness Now, inthis context, let us see what will be the 'Sitvika’ reactions of ‘fear’. Anika could show fear’ with the widening of the eyes, contraction of the body, faster breathing, and the effort to protect oneself by spreading the hands in front of the chest and avoiding impending danger by sereaming, ete But can artiste artificially ‘act out” the human processes of sweating, trembling, or turning ‘With fear? If the dancer becomes one wit storyline and “feel’s the genuine fear from the of his or her being, these Satvika responses develop instantaneously. In short, Sa Abhinaya evolves from extreme emotion involvement. The dancer who can experience this intense harmony with the en ‘of a developing storyline can be excellent at N Abhinaya~or dance histrionics. ‘ 46 / Nrityatmiks » Wealth of Treatises yr Indian scholars, the thought of the S ‘Science of Art” is not a new concept. Numerous ancient Sanskrit texts about Dramatur; and Music, which were written from the beginning of the Julian calendar until the eighteenth centu focus on this concept. These texts also contained analytical information on dance and are still available today. These treatises give a glimpse of the sophisticated intellectual cultures that have thrived for two millennia. Because of ancient ora! methods of teaching, all such texts are composed in verses. Since it is easy to memorize a verse, poetic form was most likely selected to enhance knowledge retention. The verbal root of the noun ‘Natya’ is "Nrit. meaning “to dance.” The definition of the word ‘Sangit’ is the collective of singing, playing an instrument and dancing. Evidently dance was alsc used in ancient dramatic performances in various degrees to depict the storyline. Even in the BC era ten types of 'Rupaka-s’, different types of dramatic presentations were in vogue. . These presentations comprised all the aspects of Sangit. In later period emerged the tradition of ‘Upariipaka,” ie dance drama providing a different perspective on a g This makes it evident that in those tim: dance, vocal and instrumental music were ei Himultaneously, enriching the emotional fof the performance. To summarize, the ‘a definition of experimental “Total Theater’ vas , practiced and accepted in India Mrenbefore the AD cra. though some texts after the Natyasastra Bharata mention other ancient treatises ik4a,’ ‘Adi Bharatam,’ and ‘Nandi * their texts are not available today. As a ty a, the all-encompassing elaborate {000 verses is considered as the guiding nas “Margi,” or the “path-showing” isigalso referred to as “Bharata Sastr,’ and ‘orauthor first pays his respects to sage then, we see much different music, rama traditions evolving from the and the later treatises have named ‘and their concepts as “Desi,” O° ing the present day well- ‘dance traditions, it is very difficult similarities in the description of en in Natyasastra. Yet, each Indian form claims to have its roots i? a. This is because Natyasastra forough analysis of all fundamental Fdance and drama. In its first chapter, Wealth of TF Sage Bharata has explained th origin of drama, The story of ‘creation of d narrated by Bharata points tothe cit thisnoble performing art People bg oly ike the fifth Veda, the dance devised for entertainment. It sa life of society, and itis like 2 wisdom perta at once an audiovisual poetry to be seen and pondered upon. It is procr Brahma, encompassing the literature, hi lyrics and emotive elements from all ‘was created to eliminate anarchy on is meant not only for scholars, but also for me as an instrument to elevate their le refinement. This story of creation Bharata points to the important aspe classical theatre form. From the Bharata’s descript presented as prelude of drama fand in front of the curtain the importance of presenting opening PT=Y=t France through various ict presentations by mai me Pre elaborate piece of the ree. explaining the of dance an dance, Sage Nat ny perforn Bharata also reatises / 27 melodic expressive ‘entation. He farther twelve types: of Lisyinga, compositions and theit pre Iks of Lasyaprayoga’ including pure dance sequen Htancer. In addition to deseribing “Karand, Consists of basic dance movernents that use VA" parts of the body: he continues f describe “Angahar,’ which consists of patterns of movement sequences, and further on defin ‘Dhruva,’ @ complete dance item along with corresponding examples, He has classified dance performances based on the four characteristics demonstrated in theirpresentation: Kaishiki, containing graceful and melodic pieces p Arbhati, containing bravery, power and describing waror conflicts » Bharati, giving importance to the literature, and verbal acting of the performer > Satvati, presentations containing elaborate sets and costumes This analysis is useful and applicable even for modem presentations. According to Bharata, the affinity towards either of these tendencies is apparent in the audience, depending on time and region. Bharata refers to this as 'Pravrutti' Even today the consideration of this cultural inclination of the audience can influence the success of the performance positively. Sage Bharata has also ‘a solo presentation nces by a female which various conducted extremely effective analysis of fo, types of histrion! In addition, he has narrated gy indepth examination of subjects associated wit, dance like creating emotive delight-Rasa, types of heroine Nayik, and more. Another Sanskrit treatise used consistent a reference for BharataNatyam is Abhinaya Darpan,’ or the ‘mirror of gestures,” authored by Nandikeswar, According to historians, this treatis was written approximately in the 12th or | wintry. It contains only 324 verses and presents very concise scope when compared with Nityadasira, May be due to its compact volume, isa favorite of dancers. Like Natyasastra, this tc also begins with salutation to Lord Shiva. Purthe itbriefly describes the origin of Natya and the fow types of Abhinaya, histrionics. Regarding odily expressions, it just describes Shirobhed (head gestures), Dristibheda (eye movements) Grivabheda (neck movements) and two ty hand gestures, Asarnyukta (executed with sing! hand) and Sarhyukta (executed with combination ‘of both hands). When describing components « dance 'Natana’, the text lists Nritta (pure dance Nritya (interpretative dance), and Natya (dramati performance). Based on these descriptions, one note that performing-art traditions separate musical recitals from dance after the times NatyaSastra. Despite thename, ‘mirror of gestures. i 28 / Nrityatmika ; the elaboration of four types of Abhinaya is cut short to mere 8-10 verses. Any discussion of important topics associated h Abhina’ definition of the term Abhinaya, the elabor: ion of emotive elements, and types of Nayika-s are left out. However, the text presents a superb technical analysis of dance and displays literary skill through: » The salutation to Lord Shiva using four types of Abhinaya, » Characteristics of an excellent audience- Sabhalaksana-, p Important tips for effective dancing- Natyakrama, » Characteristics of ideal dancer, and Patra- Laksana, » Ten essentials ofa dance artiste - Patraprana. While evaluating the merits and flaws, it seems as if the text of Abhinaya Darpana available to us today, is incomplete or is a part of another elaborate treatise. The Saraswati Mahal Library from Tanjavur has published another elaborate text called ‘Bharatarhava,’ authored by Nandikeswara. This treatise contains a detailed analysis of bodily expressions. It also provides information regarding some traditional dance forms. Researchers are not exactly sure who this Nandikeswar was and, moreover, doubt whether the two authors were the same, Another important treatise that is not indetail by dancers is “Sangit Ratndkar,” written by Sharigadeva in the 13th century. Its seventh chapter about dance has 1,678 verses. The first 12 Verses of this chapter are also found in Abhinaya Darpana, though neither author provides an explanation for this, Even researchers do not advance a theory. However, itis important to note that for solo classical dance performers, this chapter from “Sangit Ratnakar” provides holistic analysis that is precise and relevant. ‘Sharngadeva describes finer details of expressions for each and every part of the body. He has also compiled Comprehensive study regarding Margi and Desi traditions. Under the title of “Deshi Lasyafga,” he has prescribed subtle gestures to enhance the grace and beauty of dance. Apart from these, he has elaborated on unique topics like ‘Hastaksetra” (Positions of hand movements in dance) and “Chalak’ (various arm movements incorporating the hand gestures). Significantly, this treatise was commissioned in the 13th century under the rules of ‘Yadava dynasty in Maharashtra. This treasure of treatises, which hold immense knowledge, are available to strengthen the foundation, clarify doubts and improve the understanding of Indian classical dance techniques. They are waiting for the open-minded artistes with an ardent desire to leam from them. In 4 Wealth of Treatises / 29 » NATYADHARMI AND LOKADHARMI The theatrical arts of India have a rich and varied cultural heritage Over the years, the art of drama hs blossomedin myriad way tage Over of drama has blossomed in myriad ways Bross he diferent regions inthe courtty. The rian ats across the ages poured their creativity into their work and diectod inspired masterpieces. As drama progressed, i incorporated the life of th common man, the natural way of living of people into itself, further enriching t m 0 of peopleston a As Kalidasa Naatyam bhinnaruchirjanasya bahudhaa ekamsamaaraadhanam ‘Drama’ is the artform that is universally appealing to people having different tastes, Bgepeer., Fes The Indian theatre has strong cultural roots in Sanskrit, with 2 plethora of eminent dramatists such as 'Mahakavi Kalidasa’, ‘Bhavabhutl,’Bhasa' etc, However, this tradition became obscure in the medieval age due to. repeated foreign invasions. Scores of temples and theaters were destroyed, which caused severe deciine of the dramaticarts. The revival of art began with the birth of the ‘Bhakti Sampradaya’, which rejuvenated the dormant local culture. The okadharmi style of art gained immense and widespread popularity, which by extension led to the restoration of the natyadharmi style of art aswell For instance, inspired by the traditional dance-dramas like the ‘Bhagwatamola' and"Yakshagana’ of South india, Vishnudas Bhave laid 53, History is a witness to the fact the foundation of Marathi theater in 185: that the natyadharmi and lokadharmi styles of art have been mutually supportive through the ages. “The word’dharmi' has Its root in the word dharma’, which means stotake up’ or'to adopt’. In context of dance or drama, ‘dharm means to adopt.a particular style of performance and presentation. the technique of drama into three major inaya. Dharmiis further bifurcated into: Bharatamuni classifies parts, viz, Dharmi, Viti, and Abhi a) Lokadharmi b)Natyadharmi “This classification is based on the subject ofthe perfonmance (247) audience. The types of he style that ents into the performance that fol ined pattern and a systematic instructions the Margi style, © Lokadharmi jc kacharmi can be defined asa ealis tc depiction ofthe way of each People on the stage. Nisa natural portayarof he, ‘ups and downs of everyday ite paabhaavaabhinayopetam naanaa treepurushaashrayom Yadidrusham bhavennaatya lokadharmae tusaasmrutey, ee one The,okadnarm tye of dance and cra s based on realise a, song lifestyle. ase of Performance is one ofits eave cherseornie This ee portrayal of realismis a reflect ‘ofthe people othe region, their way of living, profess: ‘aviour, and traditions. re gmovements in this kind of performance. are simple, straightforward, and easy to unders ne instances are used. Hence, there lokadharmi style of performance, tt instantly with the audience, as ea histor of lokacharmi drama. Everyregion ofthe Tis Ree e of feaInal erature and drama, in toreaes pee nas Renee has been passed by wordotmeut forage eae) rats eecon® 20 integral pat of the le of he renga ae Fadtional dances and folkire have been chersted to fpundreds of years, which is why the lokedharm for thriving today. sn ane course ofthe growth ofthis culture, several region speciic Gieareatenstics have been imbibed, making each form niece eG distinct. 2) The lokachari style ofpertormanceis classitiedintotwotypes, i) lous drama : Religious drama is performed on the ls, Celebrations at the house of worship, devotional itis based on religious subjects or stories from mite furanas. The structure of the drama and its arrangement difers ‘egion to region based on the local culture.and religious beliefs. (248) ‘2r® no technical limitations for the 'S a free form of art which connects 9-9-8? -9-F The tradition various regions of In "Koll dance’ of Maharas! ‘Garba’ of Rajasthan ar heritage, SPP IT? Bett Ct.5 +o of a four types of Abhinaya.. inthal wich lows tho Tho stories used in a Natyadharmi performance are not al ‘realistic Often, the central figures are gods, goddesses or famous. ies and queens from history. These characters are gpa an embodiment of the positive and negative sof mankind , ‘The dialogues in Natyadharm) aro ly 1 form of fro@ ‘verso; day-to-day language is not used. Diction and dialogue dalivery is In accordance with tho standard rules of elocution, The sequence of dialogues Is also in a characteristic manner. For instance, tho int ‘oF @ monologue is whore the charactor onstage talks to himself and thus conveys his thoughts to the audience. In Natyadharml, non-living objects or natural elemen 8, rivers, otc, can be ;porsonified and shown to interact amongst themsolvos or with human beings, ‘The Angika Abhinaya includes gracoful movements with car's latya sod in a highly croative Mangement aro une 1 eral te Ina scone and the foolings of tho iting tho fone ofthe satting, 3. Varnam upto first halr(same learnt before or any other; preferably Nayika varnam) »ory (Written) (Marks 50): 1. Writing Tirmanams in Notation. 2. Detailed information of 8 classical dance styles. 3. Abhinaya- Defination and information of four aspects. 4. Information about: Natyashastra by Bharat Muni and Abhinayadarpana by Nandikeshwara. 5. Explain in short- Tandav-Lasya, Natyadharmi- Lokadharmi, Nritta-Nrutya. 6. Taal -Dashapran. 7. Rasa- Bhava -Abhinaya. . Rangapravesham- Purna on ioe is generally traslated as plotofaplay or e, the main female character inthe Sataeh mi cinema. However, in the context of _lterature as well as the literary Compositions of Indian classical dance, the term Nayika’ has additional implied meaning. Apart from being a main character she is primarily depicted as a women in love. She is always Portrayed in relation to the Nayaka, her man with whom she is in love relationship and even if the song is by her lady companion Sakhi, Nayika remains the ‘Heroine’. Presently Nayikais the most commonly understood thematic content of the classical dance composition which transcends time & space elements due to its omnipresent theme of the all pervading emotion of erotic love. Many of our old Sanskrit texts have identified many nuances of emotions in the characters of Nayika know as Nayika-Bheda. Nayika-bhed or ‘Types of Heroines’ is a detailed analysis that explains the varying world of female emotions. This also appears to be a favorite subject for many painters and poets from the medieval period of Indian Art. For example, the 17th century poet Bhanudatta has provided a fe to make love, although s s have the capability to perceive the importance of true love that is not mply physical. The Saminya Nayika is not scessarily a lowly heroine or a mortal heroine pic of Samanya Nayika’s emotions is not verses of Indian There are cight different categor -s that define the heroine’s state of mind wil regard to love; these are collectively called “Asta the previously di ines, these eight types are not differentkinds of dividuals but, rather, eight different states of mind that one heroine undergoes when she is in we. In order to determine the heroine’s state of must first analyze the state of her relationship with the hero. When she has not met im for a long time, she yearns for him and becomes what is called ‘Virahotkanthita’, When the hero has travelled far in his efforts to achieve a and the heroine has been worrying his well-being, she becomes what is called ka’. Once she gets word of his return, elf in arrival and their intimacy, However, her long wait results in disappointment. When the heroine is angered because the hero has rrived very late, her resulting fury is the satay ind called ‘Khandita’. She quarrels with him, ip heroine tells him to leave, and he Upset with him, she eventually repents for her hanj behavior. In this state, she is considered to have the mindset of ‘Kalahantarita’. After some time passes, hesends a message to her and invites her to meet for a lovely rendezvous. She flourishes and becomes ‘Abhisarika; without being afraid of anyone o¢ anything, she secretly leaves home with unwavering resolve to meet him. But alas! Once again, he breaks his promise. The eager heroine reaches the meeting point, but the hero does not come at all... Now, with the pain and hurt of being deceived and betrayed, she crumbles emotionally. She feels as if the earth has given away under her feet and deprived her of her beloved’s affections- she becomes *Vipralabdha’. Her friends console her, and her heart softens towards him. Now when he comes, he comes whole-heartedly. He behaves completely devoted. Finally, the heroine becom’s “Swadhinpatika’, a state in which the hero listensto her and does whatever she asks of him. Ofall the emotional states of Nayika, this state gives her immense satisfaction and complete joy! Changesit her state of mind continue cyclically — like the continuous cycle of day and night and the changing seasons from spring to winterand back agai. 88 / Nrityatmika ’ ions of the heroine’s state of ¢ various aspects of the female s a poet includes more than in one poem. For instance, let us ie of Virahotkanthita, a heroine 1 her hero from whom she has been is state is found in many lyrics. A an innocent maiden, cannot fit in this rahe gnorant of the fulfillment of true : — the youthful heroine — is ‘i (Adhira), she will not be able to bear the reak down and cry, butif she is ill share her pain with a ‘another’: beauty! In an lettines ine analyzes the classification of GSay dass renees mentioned above are ribed. In actuality, there: /, ‘are many fit Aspects to be explored using one's own expvienee and imagination. Itis also neces: i to adhere to the setting of ae characterizes the heroine. A capable poet tries to illustrate as many aspects of her personality as he can within the limits of the fic verse. A dancer needs to develop and utili it imaginative attitude when inter ri choreographing a verse’s characterization of the : ae ye dancer, the heroine. If this is Se pore ae enthralltheaudience. ' Se mt es ma th cea AS i sone Sled eg Rat esi coe ey ene es ae Seitemnincicwnn Sees carae ae pe Sitio Soe a ee —— a ee por tome met Ste Symone, fhe in marae aes foo Bis py acter pecine pawtacemane ae Amongst hee gh Rash wth ny ANE Me Rs snd Se fietiliiormttn ioants, soshasncadlpa Tinie he sty ay SENS gas coe a ibeme nematic. heer ire ee SSiapactctescns”* etn enon iereifetnmeetcince te neon a eaimretlinaeet! Swe ang eyo race temeoe a, a gine Ope sie iiertatieac: Senet rn Sommers teas Sac gon iectemes Suafinn wlan! Why sete fated Tas rome vee en re rl Pee nes ee Sats elena) mon mnt fleets ipeeren rs, Sacral mons onae ote Aare ll rei Hac gone bomt ei tates co et eiigiacurescae mae a tn ae RLS of eight (motherly love) and Bha seems to be the Sthiyi for all three of them. Or do we identify only the love or Srrgira as a E inct Sthiyis: Rati, Vitsalya, and bhakti? We realize that Anubhiva and Saricaribhvas are same for all these three emotions. Lovers desire their loved one’s company similar to the mother of her child and a devotee of his God. Lovers pine for each other just like the mother for child and the devotee for the God. Each of them is willing to give up life for the other. In these loving relationships, only variance is their object of desire. In Rati Bhakti (devotional love) or Madhura Bhaktt (love devotion) even this difference melts away. When. thinking about ‘love’ as rasa, one also questions, why can’t ever friendly love, patriotism, mercy ete. be identified as Rasa too? Just like an expert cook can use vario"® spices to make any dish a tasty one, why can’t one enhance any emotion t0 maturity and invoke ‘onal delight? ’ ee en these questions is found in «omer (SrifigaraPrakasa) by ‘Abhinavabhoja. . If the poet or performer has a gination, he or she can bring any n to the level of Rasa. 1 find this claim factory, Even in life, some times even notions take complete hold of us for longer duration. Then, why can’t it be reflected om the stage? With this innovative thought of Abhina- vabhdja, we once again reach a very different concept for Srifigira, the king of all Rasas, “THE” Rasa, It is aesthetic delight, exhilarating joy of art; and it closely resembles the rapture in the one's self existent Spirit, ‘Rasovaisaly’ of ‘Bharata! Delight /179 2 ‘ris place — oF the first beat of the Tala cycle ~ js called the *Sam’. A singer, instrumentals arrives at the sum after one or more Tala bes in many different ways- sometimes by izing the beats or by creating off-best eee ening on their liking, practice and pattems tis often the peak of enjoyment for both ae and the audience when the compos swells the audience to be aware of approaching sum after completing complicated rendering of pattems over multiple rhythmic cycles, This concept of giving importance to reaching the sum ofthe Tala in Indian classical music (Hindustani or Camatic) is unique amongst all other rhythmic theories in the world. The roots of this concept seems to have originated from the Indian psyche, the belief of the importance of zero, and the philosophical and spiritual meaning of the phrase “from wholeness to wholeness.” This concept of beginning, duration, and the repetition of Tala is also observed in cyclical processes of nature. Life cycles in nature are parts of kala, which means time or space, Kala is stationary and made of various clements. All living beings on the earth take birth, live and die on the planet is why proverbs hum: is beyond our capability to t-moments of this musicians metaphorically €¥cle of organisms through music in their “Tala or the rhyt of their Tala — y isteners, universally creates immense Joy. AS a result, the Tala chakra represents our firm Conviction in the cyclical concept of creation, ‘Sustenance and destruction. Just as in the game of chess where the movements of all the pawns are pre-defined yet Players create new moves, an artiste must follow the rules of the rhythmic cycle while concurrently Creating spontaneous patterns. Jati is defined by the conglomerate of beats in a complete cycle. There are five types of rhythmic-groups, or Jati, defined in musicology. Groups of four beats are Chatushra ‘Jati; groups of three beats are Tishra; groups of seven, Mishra; groups of five, Khanda: and of nine, are Sankirna. Even the partial divisions within a Jati are pre-defined. Mishra is comprised of a group of three beats and a group of four beats (3+4); Khanda is comprised ofa group of two beats and a group of three beats (2+3); and Sankima is sub-grouped into a group of four beats, a group of two beats, anda third group of three beats (4+2+3).. ‘ Tala : A cyclic rhythm / 37 ay Position in the ‘ition begins: il pulse divisions 0! rts of the rhythmig peli iption of the Composition of 'a given Tala; and incrementing compositions given Tala. nes and comprising beats e Talas are different in _ Carnatic classical music in Indian classical dance ist of the same concepts ten vital characteristics. itiating feature in both natic Classical rhythmic structure of the rhythmic lentified simply by the the Adi-Tala example, rhythmic eVele x 2 Cap | Pinky 5 6 Clap | Wave Clap However, the rhythmic c he phrases played on the percussion instrument, F example, Teenatil—a 16 beat cycle S is con ofthe following phrase pattern: 1 2 3 4 Dba Dhin Dhin Dha x 5 6 7 8 Dha Dhin Dhin Dha 2 9 10 11 12 Dha Tin Tin Ta 2 13 14 15 16 Ta Dhin Dhin Dha 2 troduce the joy of ie theory without the aspects so that he or she is nat idated by any lack of knowledge. It is also 'e possible that ii appreciating classical the world of thythm associated T-repeating rhythmic cycles with dance, Eve reinforce the basic character of Mother Nature. The process of going from “nothingness. to nothingness” and the joy of reaching the sum give one the everlasting gratification of touching the sky, with fect firmly anchored in the warm earth. ze ——— eu ) Ashru — Tears falling from the eyes f h) Pralaya — Falling unconscious The Abhinaya that stems from the expression of these Bhaya, , Sattvika Abhinaya ‘Tandava and Laasya The three parts of classical dance, as defined by Indian elassic:i literature are ‘Nritya’, ‘Nritta’, and ‘Natya’. ‘Nritta’ or pure dance ix farther subdivided into two aspects — “Tandava’ and ‘Laasya’. Tanadav wd Laasya are integral parts of the choreography of every classics | dance style. ; According to legend, when Bharatamunt and his disciples performed | the first two plays, “Tripuradaha’ and ‘Amrutmanthan’ on Mount Kailash in the presence of Lord Shiva, the Lord asked for a dance - to be included. He then taught the dance to Bharatamuni’s disciple ‘Tandu’. 3 Hence, the dance is known as “Tandava’. Meanwhile, Goddess Parvati ~ also performed some graceful swaying movements that complemented Lord Shiva’s movements which were thence known as ‘Laasya’_ A. Tandava The dance of the divine Lord Shiva, which causes the earth to tremble in terror and which is responsible for the birth and the annihilation of the cosmos is the ‘Tandava’, Bharatacharya defines the concept of the Tandava in the following sloka. Veerarase Mahotsaho Purusho Yatra Nrutyati | Raudrabhava Rasotpatisya Tandava iti Smruta Il . ‘The “Tandava’ is the first dance of the world, ned by Lord Shiva. It is characterized by vigorous, forceful movements and is pti performed by the male character. The prominent rasas of the i are ‘Veera’, Raudra’, ‘Bhayanaka’, and ‘Adbhuta’, In addition to ras, ‘Kati Mudras’ such as ‘Abhang’, ‘Tribhang’, ‘Samabhang nd ng’ are used. music and musical instruments used for such a fast and energetic jance are similarly fast-paced. The damru, conch, drums, and metal slates are used to create an atmosphere of urgency and ine tt nole, the Tandava is mystic, wondrous, and awe4 Sapta Tandavas I e of Lord Shiva in seven different forms, perf tions and for different purposes are the ‘Sapta Tand seven signify the creation, existence and destruc gether, th the world a. Ananda Tandava ‘The Tandava performed by Lord Shiva at the moment of the creation world is the ‘Ananda Tandava’. It is that Lord Shiva danced the Tanday joy to grant fearlessness to his devotees. Another interpretation of the Ananda Tandava is that it is the symbolic representation of the consummation of Lord Shiva and Goddess Pafvati. The statue of Lord Nataraja, wi is revered across the world as the God of Dance, depicts Lord Shiva performing the Ananda ‘andava. The original 1e can be seen at the Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu. significance of the posture, gestures and instruments of the statue as follows: The ‘damru’ in the right hand symbolizes creation, The fire or ‘agni’ in the left hand symbolizes destruction. , The third hand is the one that grants strength and fearlessness \<., Abhayhasta’, P ’ The fourth hand ie., the ‘Gajahasta’ shows the path of ‘moksha’ or anarayan Raju Section - 2 ule t 497 freedom from material desires!" The demon Mayyalakkam trampled under the feet of Lord Nataraja, is a representation of the vices of life that should be ground to dust. b, Sambara Tandava When the world faces insurmountable evils and is plagued by immoral and dishonest men, Lord Shiva opens his third eye and destroys all the evil in the world with his ‘Samhara Tandava’. The Samhara Tandava is, also known as the ‘Pralaya Tandava’. This tandava is said to cause extreme destructiom, collapsing mountains, chiurning the oceans, and boiling the rivers. 7 The Samhara Tandava is not only the dance of destruction, it is also the dance of liberation. Exploring the philosophical concept behind the Samhara Tandaya, it is evident that it symbolizes the liberation ofa soial from darkness and ignorance towards freedom of the spirit. c. Tripura Tandava The Tandava danced by Lord Shiva when he slayed Tripurasura is the ‘Tripura Tandava’, Once, three Asuras, Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha, and Vidyunmali built three kingdoms in the three ‘lokas’ of the world. With the might of these three kingdoms, they ruled tyrannically for years. Finally, answering the pleas of the people, Lord Shiva decided to slay them. He took the earth for his chariot, the sun and moon as the wheels, the four Vedas as his four horses, and the Sheshanaga as his reins. With Lord Brahma as the charioteer, Mount Meru as his bow, and Lord Vishnu as his arrow, Lord Shiva rode to destroy the three Asuras, and Once, on the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kailash, in the soft i “¢ the dusk, Lord Shiva performed the Tandava for Goddess i is occasion, Goddess Saraswati played the veena, Lord rhythm, Lord Vishnu played the mridangam, Lost all the other go and godine wenn Tandava ¥ 158 Shakti (energy) is the other half of Lord Shiva and is inseparable from him. Together, they are the root of creation; separate, they cannot exi The ‘Kalika’ ot ‘Shakti Tandava’ is hence significant as it is performed by Shakti, the divine energy. f. Ardhanari Tandava The ‘Ardhanari Tandava’ was petfortned by Lord St unity between ‘Maya’ and ‘Brahma’ or the masculine halves of the self. g. Uma Tandava/ Gauri Tandava This Tandava was performed by Lord Shiva with Goddess Parv: depicts the eternal dance of Shiva and Gauri, represe: : Sattvika Bhavas, Thus, the Sapta Tandavas represent the victory of vice, liberation from the bonds of ignorance, and the creati annihilation of the world. That is why, they have become the b all dance forms in India. va to show and feminine virtue B. Laasya: Sangeet Ratnakar defines ‘Laasya’ as: Laasyate Sukumarinam Gamakadhwanivardhini | The dance performed by the female character, which graceful, and soft in nature, is the ‘Laasya’, Laasya is by characterized by slow, flowing movements, with 4 emphasis on facial expressions and grace. The prominent rasas in Laasya are ‘Shringara’ and ‘Hasya’. There are three main types of Laasya. a. Visham The dance characterized by round or diagonal movements is ‘Visham’, It is known for its statuesque poses/ karands. b. Vikat The dance characterized by circular Priyadarshani Govind 1) Asudbost! = Wa ceacd is cube do ane by, PPG = AEN Coseiey 2 Cots Joxccutsd Soy one Weak Ord one se. G4 fae \nsed in igs J _pasibse SSS sxumioe\_* ©)? ee cal ee cele. 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