Karana 11 & 12

11. Katicchinham(Split Waist)

Paryayassa: Katischinnabahvo: sirasipallavau
Puna: punaschaKaranamkatichinhamthuthadbhaved

The movement involves moving the hips from side to side with the hands held above the head in Pallava Mudra. This Karana involves the movement being repeated for at least two to four times.
Its usage is generally recommended for the depiction of wonder.

12. Ardharechita(Half Whirl)

Apaviddha: kara: soochyapadaschaivanikuttiha:
Sannathamyatraparscam cha thadbhavedardharechitham

This Karana involves the free movement of the hands in Soochimukha Hasta. The feet are moved up and down alternatively and kept on the side in the Sannatapose.
The usual suggestion is to use this Karana for the representation of an improper attitude of a fool.

Rasa, Bhava, Vibhava, Anubhav, Sanchari And Sthayi Bhava

ABHINAYA TECHNIQUES IN BHARATA’S NATYASHASTRA The Natyashastra of Bharata consists of thirty – six chapters, out of which chapters 6 and 7 relate to “rasas” (sentiments) and “bhavas” (emotions), 8 to 14 discuss Angigaabhinaya, 15 to 22 deal with Vachikaabhinaya and chapter 23 talks of Ahaaryaabhinaya. The Sanskrit word “rasa” fundamentally means ‘taste’ or ‘flavour’ […]

February 21, 2024

The Natyasastra

The art of Music and Dance, which was well developed during Vedic age itself, has been systematized by Bharata in his Natyashastra. He condensed and codified the necessary laws which govern music, dance and drama. Not only these three but all that are essential to the authors and actors like the knowledge of grammar, prosody, […]

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Musical and Choreographical Analysis of Guru K J Govindarajan’s Hindolam Tillana

This research study by Ms. Rashmi Khanna was published in the UGC approved journal STOM in its 2024 special issue.

February 6, 2024

Banis or Styles in Bharatnatyam

All the different styles of Bharatnatyam stem from the Natya Sastra and follow the prescribed pattern of the Sadir Katcheri evolved in the 18th century starting with the Alaripu and concluding with the Tillana. The differences, if any, are very slight and purely regional in flavour depend upon the environmental conditioning of that particular area […]

January 24, 2024

Abhinaya Darpanam

“Abhinaya Darpanam” is a Sanskrit treatise dedicated to Indian classical dances, offering a comprehensive exploration of dance movements and expressions. The entire text is composed in a poetic form known as ‘padya,’ primarily employing meters such as ‘Anushtupa chhand,’ ‘Sragdhara,’ and ‘Shardulvikridit.’ This format facilitates the method of ‘memorizing and recitation’ for knowledge acquisition, aligning […]

January 15, 2024

The Importance of Dance in Kalidasa’s Works

Kalidasa, the renowned poet-dramatist of ancient India, left a lasting mark on the association between literature and dance. His many works offer exquisite insights into the art of dance, aligning perfectly with the principles of the Natyashastra. This introduction unveils Kalidasa’s deep understanding of dance, weaving together the elaborate relationship between his literary brilliance and […]

November 30, 2023

Hasta Lakshana Deepika

Hasta Lakshana Deepika is a text exploring the hand gestures used in dancing. The words “Hasta Lakshana Deepika” mean ‘The Lamp which shows the purpose of Hand Gestures’. Koodiyaatam, Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Kerala Natanam follow this as the manual of gestures or ‘mudras’. The Kerala tradition’s hand gestures are recognized to be from the scripture […]

November 20, 2023

Dance Therapy

By Rashmi Khanna (Collaborative Practice- Dance Movement Therapy) Theoretical dance in education or TDIE is the art and science of teaching dance to students with innovative teaching methods. It helps create ‘Temenos’, a Greek word meaning ‘sacred space’ where anything can happen and children can learn, respond, create, perform and appreciate dance. TDIE understands the […]

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Samanya Abhinaya And Chitrabhinaya

The term ‘Abhinaya’ is usually interpreted as ‘acting’. According to Bharata, in the Natyasastra, this is incorrect, for ‘Abhi’ means ‘towards’ and ‘ni’ means ‘to carry’. This denotes the meaning of the play or act which is carried towards the audience. Therefore, the words (vachika), with physical gestures (angika) to suit the emotion (sattva), along […]

November 9, 2023

Bhanudatta’s “Rasamanjari”- An exploration of the Nayikas and Nayakas

Bhanudatta is the most famous Sanskrit poet – certainly the most famous Sanskrit poet of early modern India. Bhanudatta was from Vidéha (today’s Northern Bihar), a member of the highly learned Máithili Brahmin community, and the son of a poet named Ganéshvara (or Ganapati). No other Sanskrit poet exercised anything remotely approaching Bhanudatta’s influence on […]

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Rukmini Devi Arundale’s Transformative Journey: Elevating Bharatnatyam to New Horizons

When Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai accepted Rukmini Devi Arundale as a disciple, despite his reservations, even he did not realise what an epoch-making decision he had taken. Rukmini Devi’s thrust lay in integrating dance with education. In 1936, the International Academy of Arts, which later became Kalakshetra, was established to rejuvenate the priceless art traditions […]

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Cultural Significance of Indian Mythology in Dance

Indian culture is a tapestry woven with threads of ancient traditions, rich history, and vibrant mythology. Among the many art forms that celebrate this cultural heritage, dance stands out as a captivating medium. Indian mythology, a treasure trove of stories, gods, and goddesses, plays a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of traditional Indian dance […]

June 6, 2023

Vrittis

Vrittis mean to ‘behave’ or the ‘wielding’ of various emotions and sentiments, as discussed in chapter twenty two of the classical text “Natya Shastra”. Hence, essentially Vrittis are modes of expression. In the context of drama, the use of a specific type of vritti includes different styles of theatrical presentation, the perfect execution of actions, […]

March 5, 2023

Nritta, Nritya and Natya

Based on the mode of performance and usage, dance can be broadly classified under three main heads such as Nritta, Nritya and Natya. Nritta: Nritta means pure dance, a presentation of rhythm through graceful movement of the body. It always reflects the mood, Bhava and Rasa underlying the compositions sung for dance. It is important […]

February 7, 2023

Dasha Tala Pranas

Introduction “hastadvayasya sanyoge viyogecaapi vartate vyaaptimaan yo dashapraanaihi sa kaalastaalasajnakaha” Process of union and separation of the two hands in accordance with the 10 elements of musical time is called taala. Taala is any rhythmic beat or strike that measures musical time. This rhythmic beat is not arbitrary but in fact it is governed by […]

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