|
||
|
Music Dance Theatre Literature
|
Classical Dance Forms of India
The genesis of the contemporary styles of classical dances can be traced to the period between 1300-1400 A.D. India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country. Each form represents the culture and ethos of a particular region or a group of people.
|
|
| Bharatnatyam - Tamil Nadu | Manipuri - Manipur | |
| Kathak - Uttar Pradesh | Mohiniyattam - Kerala | |
| Kathakali - Kerala | Odissi - Orissa | |
| Kuchipudi - Andhra Pradesh | ||
|
But,
with typically human resilience, this situation reversed itself over time.
This was primarily done by Chinniah, Ponniah, Vadivelu and Sivanandam,
known as the Tanjore Quartet, talented brothers who in the 19th century 'organised'
the structure of the dance form (sadir or nautch) itself into what is
called Bharata Natyam today - with adavus (or basic steps), combined in
choreographed sequences into jatis; these made up part of a more complex
string of movements in conjunction with passages of abhinaya to form a
cohesive unit of presentation, set to music, rhythmic syllables and
lyrics. The brothers also contributed greatly to the repertoire of dance
songs - both music and poetry.
Dancers themselves also helped re-establish the purity of Bharata Natyam, the dance of Bharat, or India, as it is sometimes given meaning. Rukmini Devi Arundale, Balasaraswati and Uday Shankar were instrumental in showing people that dance was 'respectable', beautiful, almost divine. A
typical Bharata Natyam performance includes
Ganapati
Vandana - a traditional opening prayer to the Elephant God, remover of
obstacles
|
||
|
Kuchipudi
Traditionally,
Kuchipudi was danced only by men. Krishna is generally the central figure
of any presentation, most often in drama form. Humour also plays a
prominent role and there is always a comic character in every performance.
It is believed that the style is, in fact, the most closely related to the
original Natya Shastra.
The
Kuchipudi performance could include
Rangapuja
- the equivalent of an alarippu, with the directions, the stage, the
audience and the teachers and elders propitiated But the highlight of a typical Kuchipudi performance is the Tarangam, where the dancer stands on the edge of a brass plate, balances a pot of water on her head and/or lighted diyas in her hands and moves through complex jatis.
|
||
|
Odissi
In
its use of the basic movements of the head, hands and body, the style is
very similar to Bharata Natyam. But Odissi in itself is sinuous and
sensuous, a form full of curves and softness rather than firm, decisive
configurations. The body does not stand straight and rigid; instead, it
bends into the tribhangi, at the neck, the hip and the knees.
The
central character of most traditional Odissi repertoires is Lord Krishna,
as Jagannatha, the most popular deity of the region. In fact, the puja
platform usually includes a figure of the Lord - unformed, crudely
painted, with large round eyes - from the temple at Puri. Much of the
lyrical, abhinaya portion of a performance tells stories from Jayadeva's
Geet Govinda in the form of ashtapadis. These tend to be highly erotic,
with graphic descriptions of the love-play between Radha and Krishna, the
dancer generally taking on the heroine's role.
The
Odissi dancer generally wears the weaves traditional to the region - eleborate
ikat - with silver instead of gold and stone-set jewellery. A typical
performance includes the Mangalacharan (elaborate prayer routine) and ends
with Moksha, or the surrender of the dancer to the divine. |
||
| Kathakali | ||
|
It
is thought that the comparative isolation of Kerala has fostered the deep
belief that makes its indigenous performing arts so unique - and so
profoundly influenced by religion and local spiritual beliefs. From the
6th century or so, new religions were introduced to the area, with
Jainism, Buddhism and Brahminism colouring existing ways of thought and
rituals. Temple construction gained in popularity at this time; the
courtyards and halls of these holy structures were ideal arenas (or
koothambalams) for performances. New languages, too, increased the scope
of the art forms, and gave dancers new material to work with and interpret
in their own special style.
Kathakali
shows its primitive roots perhaps more than any other style. As all the
other forms of dance from the state - except perhaps for Mohiniattam - it
is extremely dramatic, more aharyabhinaya, with the use of elaborate stage
sets, costumes, masks and dialogue. The gestures are exaggerated, almost
grotesque, and non-professional dancers often get so carried away by their
characterisations that they go into a trance and begin to believe they ARE
their characters - the audience, too, may be similarly influenced.
The
performance may last all night long, set in a village clearing, lit by
flaming torches, the eyes of the onlookers glittering in the firelight,
beliefs closer to their primitive roots than in any other setting. The
dancers start their make-up hours earlier, the masks not tied on plates of
papier mache, but a special gesso painstakingly built up layer by delicate
layer. There are stereotypes: the hero has a green face, the villain a
black one; the good guys always win, the bad guys die a ghastly, gory,
graphic death; the hero gets the heroine and everyone who lives, lives
happily ever after.
Traditionally,
the Kathakali performance centres around the life and adventures of Lord
Rama and is sung-recited-expounded in Sanskrit, now often with Malayalam
adding local flavour to poetry derived from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata
and the Puranas. The musicians follow the character they are focussing on
around the stage with sometimes hilarious traffic snarls. And Kathakali
has also gone global, with performances of The Ilead, Medea and other
dramatic works, translated into chaste Sanskrit or Malayalam.
|
||
|
Kathak
Kathak
is far more rigid than any other style of classical Indian dance, with a
strong emphasis on footwork and rhythm. Dancers wear tight-fitting
churidars under angarkhas, achkans or kurtas, with long strings of bells
wound firmly around the ankles. It is these that demonstrate the true
virtuosity of the artiste - it is said that the maestro, Birju Maharaj is
able to control his ghungroos so that just one of the cluster will ring,
to the rhythm set by his mind and feet!
The
excitement in a typical Kathak performance is the jugalbandi, the
interactive, competitive give-and-take dialogue played out between dancer
and tabla player. Each leads and then follows, in a game of challenge.
Much of the recital is ex tempore because of this, inspiration yielding to
schedules, and the best Kathak presentations can continue well into the
night, as long as the dancer can stand and interpret taals and recite bols.
|
||
| Manipuri | ||
|
In
Manipuri, the distinction between the lasya, or feminine, and tandava, or
masculine modes of movement is marked. The former is soft, subtle, the
feet barely moving, the arms curving into delicate patterns in the air;
the latter is vigorous, strong, energetic, with leaps, bounds and circular
jumps that make a recital more vibrant and interesting.
According
to the legends of the Meitei tribes, people of the state, when the Creator
gathered the Earth together into a unit, it was lumpy. The seven
Lainoorahs danced on this newly formed sphere, pressing gently with their
feet to make it firm and smooth. This is the origin of Meitei Jagoi. To
this day, when Manipuri people dance, they do not stamp vigorously but
press their feet gently and delicately on the ground. The original myths
and stories are still practiced by the cultist Maibis, or Meitei
priestesses in the form (Maibi) that is the root of Manipuri.
Manipuri
dancers generally tell the stories of Krishnas deeds, or leelas, with a
climax that shows the Blue God dancing with his female companions. The
music is very Oriental, with wailing, shrill tones and nasal notes
coloring the voice of the singer. |
||
|
Mohiniattam
Originally
promoted extensively by the local Raja, Swati Tirunal, Mohiniattam, too,
gradually degraded to become nautch. However, it underwent the revival,
which gave it respectability, with the inspiration and support of the
Malayalam poet, Vallathol, who founded the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930.
The first dance teacher at the institution, Kalamandalam Kalyaniamma, did
much to resuscitate the ancient style. The modern Mohiniattam dancer is generally dressed in the unbleached white sari typical of Kerala, with gold jewellery and hair knotted high on the side of the head. She 'sits' with her feet apart and knees bent as she dances, swaying with the grace of a walking elephant, as the classical description says. She dances her love - earthly, but with a divine connotation - for the Lord, Vishnu or in his avatar of Krishna, with slow, graceful, rounded movements that lack the force of Bharata Natyam and the rigidity of Kathak, but are akin to Odissi in their sensuous, flowing dynamics. The basic format of the traditional Mohiniattam repertoire is similar to that of Bharata Natyam, progressing through Cholkettu, Jathiswaram, Varnam, Padam and Thillana. |
||
| back to top | ||
The
story of Siddhendra Yogi is the story of Kuchipudi. Once upon a time in
the 13th century, a young man called Siddhappa was on his way across the
river for his wedding when his boat capsized. On the verge of drowning, he
prayed for his life - which he pledged to God thereafter. As a yogi, he
wrote a drama in praise of Lord Krishna, to be performed by male dancers
in a style which had its roots in the Bhagavata Mela Natakam. A group
performed in this style at the court of a local nawab, and were given the
village of Kuchelapuram or Kuchipudi in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh,
from which the dance form gets its name, as a gift. 
The
form of dance practiced by the Maharis, or temple dancers of Orissa is
described in exquisitely carved stone on the walls of temples in the
state. It is with the help of these and the text of the Abhinaya Chandrika
that Odissi was revived and revitalized in the 1950s in India.
From
the coastal strip that is Kerala come perhaps the most dramatic and
spiritual dance forms of India - Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Krishna Attam,
Thiruvathirakkali, Thullal, Theyyam, Chakyar Koothu, Koodiyattam and
Padayani. In addition, the martial art of Kalaripayattu - incorporated
into much modern dance and almost a dance style in its inherent grace and
feeling - also derives from this region.
The
dance form perhaps most familiar to Hindi film audiences is Kathak,
generally presented in an attenuated, often bastardized version. According
to old records, Kathak was once very similar to the other styles of dance,
amply demonstrating the relationship between all the styles derived from
the Natya Shastra. Ostensibly North Indian in provenance, it was heavily
influenced by the movements, costumes and manners of Persia and the Muslim
invaders of the sub-continent. It gradually became the favorite
entertainment of the Moghul courts, and went through the same evolution
from being 'respectable' to the practice of courtesans or tawaifs. 
From
the northeastern state of Manipur, Manipuri dances are essentially folk
forms, which primarily use the arms and upper body to communicate. The
dancers, mostly women, wear rigidly framed cylindrical skirts, which are
ornately embellished, or else the simple, more modern lungi traditional to
that part of India.
Now
performed exclusively by women, Mohiniattam, or the dance of the
enchantress Mohini, is a style of dance from Kerala, which is said to
predate Kathakali. Traditionally performed in the temple courtyard by the
devadasis, the dance form was given its name by Vaishnavites, for whom a
favourite story was that of Vishnu disguising himself as Mohini, in order
to gull the asuras of their fair share of the amrit churned up from the
oceans.