In Bharatnatyam dance endless stories are depicted through pure dance and emoting by male and female characters. The male lead is the Nayak or the hero who can have various shades to his character. Nayika, the female lead, is also presented in her many moods and hues. Before we go into the details of Nayak […]
Tala means cyclic rhythms of beats. According to some scholars, it is derived from ‘ta’ (referring to Shiva’s Tandava aspect) and ‘la’ (referring to Pallavi Lasya). The union of these two or of the right and left hands produce tala. The smallest unit measured in tala is one akshara kala. There are mainly three angas […]
The South Indian Talam System has primarily Seven Talams. These are as follows: Ada Talam Dhruva Talam Eka Talam Jumpa Talam Matya Talam Rupaka Talam Triputa All of these talams consist of different parts or angas, which can be a few or all combinations of Laghu, Dhrutam and Anudhrutam. The Laghu is expressed with a […]
In India, Classical dance is broad term used to refer to a group of dance form which can trace their origin to the Natya Shastra, the ancient text for theatre and drama. Classical dance forms are well developed in terms of their technique, grammar and execution and are formally taught or learnt through the Guru-Shishya tradition through […]
From Thanjavur came the great Kandappa Pillai in the late 20th Century, with a lineage to boast of. Guru Kandappa Pillai was himself the inheritor of a great tradition. For over six generations, the family were nattuvanars and dance teachers. Kandappa’s great great great Grandfather Gangamuthu must have been a contemporary of Papamamal. Two generations […]
The Shanta Rasa, one of the nine rasas, is the state of peacefulness or tranquillity. It is marked by is the feeling of calmness, quietness and peacefulness. Its Sthayi Bhava is Sama, ie, state of freedom from everything be it worldly desires or actions. Its foundation is patience, service-mindedness, philosophical knowledge, self- control, pure spirits […]
The History of dancing can be categorised broadly into three periods: The initial pre- historic period where references of dance in some form can be traced to ancient cave paintings, engravings, older civilisations, Vedic references in Upanishads, Puranas, Bramhana, epics etc. The period starting from the 2nd century B.C. through 9th Century A.D., wherein we get references […]
The Natyasastra is probably one of the earliest and most exhaustive treatises on Indian Dramaturgy. The book dates back to the 7th or 8th Century AD. Its authorship is traditionally ascribed to Bharata, but it is attributed to Lord Bramha who originally created it for the celestial immortals ruled by Indra. The lore behind the […]
In Kannada, Alaripu literally means the blossoming of a flower- “Alar” meaning flower and “ippu” meaning lowering or bringing down. It suggests the blossoming of both dance and dancer in the presence of an audience. Alarippu is the first item in a Bharatnatyam recital. It is an invocatory dance performed at the beginning of the recital, like […]
Bhava is something which conveys the meaning intended, through words, physical gestures and facial expressions. It is the expression of the mental state which is the essential ingredient in Bharatnatyam dance. Bhava is that which leads to the result. The creation of expression by mode of vachika, angika and sattvika aspects is bhava. In dance, it indicates the emotional condition […]