Bharata Natyam (Tamil: பரத நாட்டியம்) is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music. It dates back to 1000 B.C.[1] Its inspirations come from the sculptures of the ancient temple of Chidambaram. It was codified and documented as a performing art in the 19th century by four brothers known as the Tanjore Quartet whose musical compositions for dance form the bulk of the Bharata Natya repertoire even today.
Most schools recognize 108 principal adavus, while some styles include over 150. Few professional dancers use more than 60. A combination of adavus is called jathis, which make up the Nritta passages in a Bharata Natyam performance. Unlike the margi Nritta composed of the Karanas, the adavus do not convey any rasa.
The main adavus are:
Tatta Adavu
Natta Adavu
Visharu Adavu
Tatti Metti Adavu
Teermanam Adavu
Sarikal Adavu
Kuditta Metta Adavu
Sutral (Murka) Adavu
Jaati Adavu
Mandi Adavu
Contents
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• 1 Bhedas and eye movements
• 2 Items
• 3 Nava Rasas in Bharatanatyam
• 4 Other aspects
• 5 Ideal qualities of dancers
• 6 Similarities with classical dances
• 7 References
• 8 External links
Bharata natyam dancer | |
| Genre | Classical dance |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
Bhedas and eye movements
Bharata Natyam technique includes many other elements, such as elaborate neck and eye movements.
While Natya Shastra contains the largest number of the movements, and the most detailed descriptions, Abhinaya Darpanam, for instance, has defined only nine head movements, four neck movement and eight eye movements (compared with 36 of Natya Shastra) which are used extensively throughout the dance.
Head movements (Shiro bhedas): Sama, Udhvahita, Adhomukha, Alolita,Dhutam, Kampitam, Paravruttam, Utkshiptam and Parivahitam.
Neck movements (Griva bhedas): Sundari, Tirashchina, Parivartita, Prakampita
Eye movements (Drishti bhedas): Sama, Alolita, Sachi, Pralokita, Nimilite, Ullokita, Anuvritta, Avalokita (who looks down
Items
Thattukuzhi and mannai are baton and plank used to keep rhythm.
A Bharata Natyam performance lasts about two hours and includes six or more of the following parts:
Allarippu - A presentation of the Tala punctuated by simple syllables spoken by the dancer. This really is sort of an invocation to the gods to bless the performance.
Kautuvam - Ancient temple dance item performed in the beginning of the recital, containing rhythmic syllables sung for jathis.
Ganapati Vandana - A traditional opening prayer to the Hindu god Ganesh, who removes obstacles. See also Pushpanjali
. Jatiswaram - An abstract dance where the drums set the beat. Here the dancer displays her versatility in elaborate footwork and graceful movements of the body.
Shabdam - The dancing is accompanied by a poem or song with a devotional or amorous theme.
Varnam - The center piece of the performance. It is the longest section of the dance punctuated with the most complex and difficult movements. Positions of the hands and body tell a story, usually of love and the longing for the lover.
Padam - Probably the most lyrical section where the dancer "speaks" of some aspect of love: devotion to the Supreme Being; or of love of mother for child; or the love of lovers separated and reunited.
Stuti - Hymn in praise of a deity that may contain a feigned mockery, etc. See also Stotra
Koothu - Item containing a lot of dramatic elements.
Javali - Javalis are relatively new, pure abhinaya types of compositions of light and pleasing nature. Like Padams the underlying theme of Javalis is Sringara Rasa depicting the Nayaka-Nayaki bhava.
Thillana - The final section is a pure dance (nritta) when the virtuosity of the music is reflected in the complex footwork and captivating poses of the dancer.
Apart from these items, there are items such as Shlokam, Swarajathi, Krithi etc. The performance concludes with the chanting of a few religious verses as a form of benediction. Certain styles include more advanced items, such as Tharanga Nritham and Suddha Nritham. When a dancer has mastered all the elements of dance, as a coming out performance, he or she generally performs an Arangetram (debut).
Angikam - This is a devotional song on Lord Shiva and an item dance in bharatnatyam. It can be performed in byapti slow motion.
Currently, the sequence of items in most solo performances follow either of the two different margam sets: the Tanjore Quartet margam and the devadasi margam. Before the Tanjore Quartet, the format of a traditional Bharata Natyam performance followed this order:
1. Jaya stuti
2. Sharanu Sharanu
3. Alaru (Alarippu)
4. Sollu
5. Shabdam
6. Varnam
7. Padam
8. Swarajati
9. Abhinaya Padam
10. Thillana
11. Abhinaya Padam
12. Jakkini Padam
13. Geetham
14. Prabandham
15. Triputa
16. Shloka Varnam
17. Kavuthuvam
18. Mangale (Mangalam)
About Varnam:
Varnam literally means colour. Because there are different colours for example: pink, orange, blue, red etc. So, in Varnam we show different bhava of a nayika for example: smile, angry, disappointed, sad etc. Varnam is the centre piece in te recital of Bharatnatyam. It is a very long rachana and can last from 30 minutes up to an hour. There are 2 typrs of Varnam: Taana Varnam and the Pada varnam. Taana Varnam mostly gives importat to music or the song. Pada Varnam gives importance to Tala.
Nava Rasas in Bharatanatyam
A list of the Nava Rasas are given below:
1. Srungara
2. Raudra
3. Veera
4. Hasya
5. Karuna
6. Bibhatsa
7. Adbhuta
8. Bhayanaka
9. Shanta
Other aspects
A male Bharata Natyam performer
Jewelry - Bharata Natyam dancers wear a unique set of jewelry known as "Temple Jewelry" during the performance.
Costume - From the ancient texts and sculptures, one can see that the original costume did not cover most of the dancers' bodies. The medieval times, with the puritanistic drive, caused the devadasis to wear a special, heavy saree that severely restricted the dance movements. There are several varieties of Bharata Natyam costumes, some of which do not restrict the dancer's movements, while the others do. The modern costumes are deeply symbolic, as their purpose is to project the dancer's sukshma sharira (cf.aura), in the material world.
Ankle bells or Salangai - also known as ghungroo.
Thattukazhi and mannai is a wooden block and stick used by the teacher to keep rhythm.
Music - The accompanying music is in the Carnatic style of South India.
Ensemble - Mostly, South Indian instruments are used in the ensemble. These include, the mridangam (drum), nadaswaram (long pipe horn made from a black wood), the flute, violin and veena (stringed instrument traditionally associated with Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of the arts and learning).
Languages - Tamil, Telugu and Kannada are traditionally used in Bharata Natyam.
Ideal qualities of dancers
Bharatnatyam dance performance in Surrey, United Kingdom in 2010.
A professional Bharata Natyam dancer must demonstrate a number of qualities. As Sangitaratnakara puts it, the true dance is connected to the beauty of the body, therefore any other dance is simply a parody (VII.1246).
The Abhinaya Darpana has a sloka that describes Patra Prana Dasha Smrutaha — the ten essentials of the dancer: Javaha (Agility), Sthirathvam (Steadiness), Rekha (graceful lines), Bhramari(balance in pirouettes), Drishti (glance), Shramaha (hard work), Medha (intelligence), Shraddha(devotion), Vacho (good speech), and Geetam (singing ability).
A professional dancer (patra), according to the Abhinayadarpanam (one of the two most authoritative texts on Bharata Natyam), must possess the following qualities. She has to be youthful, slender, beautiful, with large eyes, with well-rounded breasts, self-confident, witty, pleasing, well aware of when to dance and when to stop, able to follow the flow of songs and music, and to dance to the time (thalam), with splendid costumes, and of a happy disposition.[citation needed]
The Natya Shastra states the qualities required of a female dancer narthaki, "Women who have beautiful limbs, are conversant with the sixty-four arts and crafts (kala), are clever, courteous in behaviour, free from female diseases, always bold, free from indolence, inured to hard work, capable of practising various arts and crafts, skilled in dancing and songs, who excel by their beauty, youthfulness, brilliance and other qualities all other women standing by, are known as female dancers.
Similarities with classical dances
1. Kuchipudi – Telugu classical dance
2. Mohiniyattam – Keralan classical dance
3. Odissi – Orissan classical dance
Many other South East Asian dances have much similarities with Bharata Natyam.
References
1. ^ "A Dance Recital of Bharatanatya". SPICMACAY chapter, Cornell university. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
2. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica. (2010).South Asian arts. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
3. ^ Raghuraman, S. (2007). History of Tamizh's Dance. India: Nandini Pathippagam. ASIN B002Q40LNY.
Devi, Ragini (1990). Dance dialects of India. New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.. ISBN 81-208-0674-3.
O'Shea, Janet (2007). At Home in the World: Bharata Natyam on the Global Stage. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 0-8195-6837-6.
Sehgal, Sunil (1999). Encyclopaedia of Hinduism: (H - Q)., Volume 3. New Delhi, India: Sarup & Sons. ISBN 81-7625-064-3.
