CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA
Indian Culture
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Indian Classical Dances
Historical divine roots of Indian Classical Dances
• Natya Shastra written by Bharata Muni is said to be the first book
dedicated to dance. It is considered as the fifth Veda, called the Natya
Veda.
• It describes in detail the techniques, postures, emotions, ornaments,
stage and even the audience.
• All contemporary classical dance forms are considered to be influenced
by it in some way or another.
• Natya is an amalgamation of dance, drama and music which included
Pathya (words) from Rig Veda, Abhinaya (gestures) from Yajur Veda,
Geet (music) from Sam Veda and Rasa (emotions) from Atharva Veda.
• The pictorial description of community dancing which has been found
at Bhimbetka and the sculpture of Bronze dancing girls of the Harappan
civilization highlights the importance of dance as means of social
entertainment in every civilization.
• Different ruling dynasties depicted the dancing forms in different eras
with the help of sculptures. Fine example is the Bronze Sculpture of
Natraja of Chola Period.
Aspects of Dance according to different books and treatise
According to Natya Shastra, there are two aspect of dance they are:
• Lasya: It denotes grace, bhava, rasa and abhinaya. Lasya is symbolic to
the feminine features of dance as an art form.
• Tandava: It has more emphasis on rhythm and movement and is
symbolic to the male aspects of dance.
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Abhinaya Darpan
• Abhinaya Darpan is a famous treatise on dance which was
Nandikeshwara. According to it an act has been broken into three basic
elements namely,
• The Nritta, which refers to the basic dance steps, performed
rhythmically but devoid of any expression or mood.
• The Natya which means dramatic representations or the story that is
elaborated through the dance recital. And
• The Nritya which refers to the sentiment and the emotions evoked
through dance, which includes the mime and the different methods of
expression including mudras in the dance.
Different types of Rasas
Rasas or emotions which are expressed through dance. There are nine different
types of Rasas according to which different types of expressions are expressed.
They are:
• Shringaar: Love
• Roudra: Anger
• Bibhatsa: Disgust
• Veera: Heroism
• Shaant: Peace and Tranquility
• Hassya: Laughter and comedy
• Karuna: Tragedy
• Bhayanak: Horror
• Adbhuta: Wonder
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Mudras: Rasas or moods and expressions are emoted through the use of
mudras which is a combination of hand gestures and body postures. There are
a total of 108 fundamental mudras. Combination of these Mudras is used to
depict a particular emotion.
Dance forms in different regions of India
Bharatnatyam
Region: Tamil Nadu
• Bharat Natyam is the oldest among all
classical dance forms. The origins of this
dance form can be traced back to ‘Sadir’
which was a form of solo dance performed by
temple dancers or ‘devadasis’ in Tamil
Nadu due to which it is also called
‘Dashiattam’.
Important features of Bharatnatyam
• Alarippu: It includes basic dance postures which are accompanied with
rhythmic syllables. This form is mainly meant to seek the blessings of
God.
• Jatiswaram: It is the Nritta component and is devoid of expressions, it
includes the different poses and movements.
• Shabdam: It is the dramatic element with expressed words, which
includes the abhinaya in the song and praises of the glory of God.
• Varnam: It is the Nritya component which is a combination of dance
and emotions. It is made synchronous with tala and raga in order to
express the story.
• Padam: It reflects abhinaya (expression) of the spiritual message by
the artist. During it, music becomes light and dance becomes emotional.
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• Jawali: These are short love-lyrics which are performed at a faster
tempo.
• Thillana – It is the concluding stage of the performance which comprises
pure dance (Nritta) with exuberant movement and intricate rhythmic
variations.
Other Aspects
• The four Thanjavur teachers who devised expressions and acts of dance
are known as the ‘Tanjore quartet’. They are Chiniah, Ponniah,
Vadivelu and Shivanandam.
• Bharatnatyam is also known as Tanjore natyam and ‘fire dance’ due
to the manifestation of fire in the human body which appears like a
dancing flame.
• Equal emphasis is given on both the Tandava and Lasya aspects with
major emphasis on ‘mudras’.
• ‘Kataka Mukha Hasta’ is one of the principle mudras in which the
three fingers are joined to symbolise ‘Om’.
• Famous proponents of this dance are Yamini Krishnamurthy, Lakshmi
Viswanathan, Padma Subramaniam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai,
etc.
• Rukmini Devi Arundale is another famous proponent of Bharatnatyam,
who is remembered for giving global recognition to the dance.
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Kuchipudi
Region: Andhra Pradesh
• Kuchupudi was originally performed
by Kusselavas, who were a group of
actors going from village to village
for performance and livelihood.
• Siddhendra Yogi formalized and
systematized the tradition of dance
in the 17th century and authored
‘Bhama Kalapam’ along with
many other plays.
• It started to be performed at
temples by Vaishnavite saints having the central theme of stories of
Bhagavat purana and thus dancers were called Bhagavathalus.
• The dance form was patronized by the Vijayanagar and Golconda rulers.
• Most of the Kuchipudi recitals are based on stories of Bhagwata purana
but have a secular theme performed by solo dancers too. Shringaara ras
dominates this form of dance.
• It is a dance-drama performance as the dancer acts as a singer as well.
• Both Lasya and Tandava elements are important in the Kuchipudi dance
form.
Solo elements of Kuchipudi
• Manduka shabdam: It tells the story of a frog
• Tarangam: The dancer performs with his/her feet on the edges of a
brass plate and balancing a pot of water on the head or a set of diyas.
• Jala Chitra Nrityam: The dancer draws pictures on the floor with his
or her toes while dancing.
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• A Kuchipudi recital is generally accompanied with Carnatic music which
is accompanied by music of Violin and Mridangam.
• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Radha Reddy and Raja
Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Indrani Rehman etc.
Kathakali
Region: Kerala
• Temple dance-drama form of
Ramanattam and Krishnattam narrating
episodes from Ramayana and
Mahabharata later amalgamated to form
Kathakali.
• It derived its name from the words
‘Katha’ meaning story and ‘Kali’
meaning drama. It is closely related to
Koodiyattam and is a combination of
music, dance and drama. It is an allmale
troupe performance.
Importance of makeup and colour
• In Kathakali, very elaborate facial make up and a head gear is used for
different characters. Colours play an important role in this form of dance
in which different colours have their own significance with Green
indicating nobility, divinity and virtue.
• Red beside the nose indicates royalty while black colour is used to
indicate evil and wickedness. Yellow colour is used for saints and
women while a completely Red painted face indicates evil. White beard
signifies beings with higher consciousness and divinity.
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Description of music and recitals
• Most Kathakali recitals are a representation of the conflict between good
and evil which draws its themes from the stories narrated in the epics
and the puranas.
• It is also called as the ‘ballad of the east’. The language used for
Kathakali songs is a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit.
• Music conveys the entire drama to the viewers which are having different
compositions of music to give depth to the drama.
Description of movement of body parts
• Kathakali is representation of the rasas through movements of eye and
eyebrows and it is the medium through which the story is conveyed.
• Facial expressions called ‘Navarasas’ or nine different postures which
convey the different emotions. Extensive hand gestures are also used.
• Kathakali is generally performed in open air theatres covered with coarse
mats or temple premises.
• A brass lamp is used for lighting.
• Chhenda and Maddala mark the beginning and end of a Kathakali recital.
Kathakali symbolises the element of sky or ether.
• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Guru Kunchu Kurup, Gopi
Nath, Kottakal Sivaraman, Rita Ganguly etc.
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Mohiniattam
Region: Kerala
• Mohiniattam is a solo
dance performance by
women performed in
Kerala. It combines the
grace and elegance of
Bharatnatyam with the
vigour of Kathakali.
• Mohiniattam narrates the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu. It has
its own Nritta and Nritya aspects like that of other classical dances and
hence it is distinct form of dance.
• The Lasya aspect (beauty and grace) dominates this dance form hence it
is mainly performed by female dancers. It is accompanied by music and
songs.
• Costume is of special importance in this form with white and off-white
being the principal colours and presence of gold coloured brocade
designs.
• There is no elaborate facial make-up like other classical dance forms
of south India.
• The dancer wears a ‘Ghungroo’ on her ankles.
• ‘Atavakul or Atavus’ is the collection of forty basic dance
movements in this form of dance. ● Cymbals, veena, drums, flute, etc.
are used for performance.
• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Sunanda Nair,
Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Madhuri Amma, Jayaprabha Menon
etc.
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Odissi
• Odissi dance is one of the oldest forms
of dance which derives its name from
the ‘Odra nritya’ mentioned in
Natya Shastra.
• The caves of Udayagiri-Khandagiri
have the earliest examples of
depictions of this form of dance.
• It was patronised by the Jain king Kheravela and primarily practiced by
the ‘maharis’ in his court and temples, which declined after the advent
of Vaishnavism.
• Young boys were recruited and dressed as females to perform this dance
in temples and were called ‘Gotipuas’.
• It uses Mudras and postures similar to Bharatnatyam to express
emotions. The tribhanga posture is innate to Odissi dance form which is
also the ‘Chowk’ posture with hands spread out depicting
masculinity.
• The dancers in Odissi create intricate geometrical shapes and patterns
with her body, hence, it is known as ‘mobile sculpture’.
Important elements of Odissi dance
• Mangalacharan or the beginning in which a flower is offered to mother
earth.
• Batu nritya comprises the dance which has the Tribhanga and the
Chowk postures.
• Pallavi includes the facial expressions and the representation of the
song.
• Tharijham consists of pure dance before the Conclusion
• Moksha includes joyous movements which signifies liberation.
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• Trikhanda majura is another way of concluding, in which the performer
takes leave from the gods, the audience and the stage.
Other Aspects
• Odissi dance is accompanied by Hindustani classical music and
instruments which are Manjira (Cymbals), Pakhawaj (Drums), Sitar,
Flute, etc.
• The dance form symbolizes the element of water. The lyrics of Gita
Govinda which was written by Jayadeva, is used along with compositions
of some local poets.
• Famous proponents of this dance form are Guru Pankaj Charan Das,
Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh, Sharon Lowen (USA),
Myrla Barvie (Argentina).
• Odissi gained international acclaim due to the efforts of dancers such as
Charles Fabri and Indrani Rehman.
Manipuri
• Manipuri dance form has its mythological origin to the celestial dance
of Shiva and Parvati in the valleys of Manipur along with the local
‘Gandharvas’.
• However, later after the advent of Vaishnavism in the 15th century,
Krishna became the central theme of this dance form.
• It is performed by females
• Rabindranth Tagore revived this dance form when he introduced it in
Santiniketan.
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Features Of Manipuri Dance
• Manipuri dance is unique in its emphasis on devotion. The faces of
dancers are covered with a thin veil hence facial expression is of lesser
importance while hand gestures and gentle movement of feet are
important.
• The dance incorporates both Tandava and Lasya with more emphasis on
the latter.
• The females wear unique long skirts. The focus is mainly on slow and
gracious movements of hand and knee positions.
• Naga Bandha mudra, in which the body is connected through curves in
the shape of ‘8’ is an important posture in Manipuri dance form.
• Ras Leela is a recurring theme of the Manipuri dance recital. Flute,
Khartals (wood clapper), dhols are instruments used to accompany music.
• Compositions of Jayadeva and Chandidas are used extensively. Thang-
Ta and Sankirtana are also influenced by Manipuri dance.
• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Jhaveri sisters-Nayana,
Suverna, Ranjana and Darshana, Guru Bipin Singha etc.
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Kathak
Region: Uttar Pradesh
• Kathak originated from the Ras Leela of
Brajbhoomi in the state of Uttar
Pradesh. It derived its name from the
‘Kathika’ or the story-tellers who recited verses from the epics, with
gestures and music.
• It was influenced by Persian costumes and styles of dancing and
degenerated during the Mughal era. This dance form is characterized by
the use of intricate footworks and pirouettes.
Important elements of a Kathak
• Ananda : It is the introductory item through which the dancer enters the
stage.
• Thaat: It comprises soft and varied movements.
• Todas and Tukdas: They are small pieces of fast rhythm.
• Jugalbandi : It is the main attraction of kathak recital which shows a
competitive play between the dancer and the table player.
• Padhant: It is a special feature in which the dancer recites complicated
bols and demonstrates them.
• Tarana: It comprises of pure rhythmic movements before the end.
• Kramalaya: It is the concluding piece comprising intricate and fast
footwork.
• Gat bhaav: It is dance without any music or chanting which is used to
outline different mythological episodes.
• Kathak is accompanied with dhrupad music. Taranas, thumris and
ghazals were introduced during the Mughal period.
• Famous proponents of this dance form are Birju Maharaj, Lacchu
Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Damayanti Joshi etc.
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Sattriya
Region: Assam
• Sattriya dance form was
introduced by the
Vaishnava saint
Shankaradeva in the 15th
century A.D in Assam.
• It derives its name from the
Vaishnava monasteries
known as ‘Sattras’,.
Although introduced much
later in Assam, it finds
mention in the ancient text
‘Natya Shastra’. ● It is
inspired by the Bhakti
Movement.
Features of Sattriya dance
• It is an amalgamation of various dance forms prevalent in Assam such
as Ojapali and Devdasi.
• It narrates mythological stories of Vishnu.
• It includes Nritta, Nritya and Natya and performed in groups by male
monks known as ‘Bhokots’ as part of their daily rituals or on festivals.
• Khol (drum), Cymbals (Manjira) and flute are the major accompanying
instruments of this dance form. The songs which are compositions of
Shankaradeva called ‘Borgeets’ are used for recitals.
• There is great emphasis on rhythmic syllables with dance postures and
the footwork. It combines both Lasya and Tandava elements.
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• Costumes worn by male dancers are Dhoti, and ‘Paguri’ (turban) while
females wear traditional Assamese jewellery, ‘Ghuri’ and ‘Chador’
made in Pat silk. Waist cloth is worn by both men and women in this form.
Depiction of dance through sculpture
The Bronze Statue of Natraj (Chola Period)
• The sculpture of Nataraja in the
Tandava dance posture is the earliest
known Nataraja sculpture, which has
been excavated at Ravana phadi cave
at Aihole.
• It was made during the early Chalukya
rule, the sculpture reached its peak
under the Cholas.
• The upper left hand of Natraja holds
the eternal fire representing the
destruction. Destruction is the precursor and inevitable counterpart of
creation.
• The lower right hand is raised in the gesture of abhay mudra signifying
benediction and reassuring the devotee to not be afraid.
• The lower left hand points towards the upraised foot and indicates the
path of salvation.
• Shiva is dancing on the figure of a small dwarf which symbolises
ignorance and the ego of an individual.
• The flowing locks of Shiva represent the flow of river Ganges.
• One ear of Shiva has a male earring while the other has female which
represents the fusion of male and female and is often referred to as
ardhanarishwar.
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• A snake is twisted around the arm of Shiva which symbolises the
kundalini power, which resides in the human spine in dormant stage.
One can attain true consciousness after it arises.
• He is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing lights which symbolises the
vast unending cycles of time.
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