Theatrical and Ritual Boundaries (original) (raw)
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Issues in Dance Reconstruction: Karaṇas as Dance Texts in a Cross-Cultural Context
Dance Research Journal, 2004
The Ndtyasdstra is a Sanskrit work on drama, dance, and music of uncertain date, which has acquired the status of Ur-tcxt of Indian classical dance. 1 It was in the twentieth century, through the modernization process of bharatanatyam, that the Ndtyasdstra and its related texts came to be regarded as setting out the grammar of Indian dance classicism (Coorlawala 1994; Meduri 1996; O'Shea 2001). Chapter 4 of the Ndtyasdstra deals specifically with dance, here distinct from acting, and describes the 108 dance units-karanas-of the tdndava dance of Siva and their combinations, dance phrases named ahgahdras (NS 1988-89, 4, w. 1-245). This particular chapter of the Ndtyasdstra has attracted attention ever since Naidu, Naidu, and Pantulu published its translation into English, Tdndavalaksanam, in 1936. Since then there have been other translations of the Ndtyasdstra, among which the two volumes by Manmohan Ghosh, in 1951 and 1956 respectively, and different interpretations of the karanas of chapter 4. Readings have drawn on the iconography of the karanas as found at the temples at Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, and Chidambaram in southern India. The karana reliefs on the walls of Kumbakonam and Chidambaram have been identified by inscriptions found on each karana slab, that give the Sanskrit name of the karana as recorded in the Ndtyasdstra.
Performing Arts as seen in the KuṭṭanīmataKāvyam of Dāmodaragupta
Mahratta Vol I Issue I, 2022
Kashmir is known for its great contribution to Sanskrit literature. Given the scholastic tradition associated with the Nāṭyaśāstra, Kashmir was also one of the significant centres of performing arts. These pieces of exquisite letters contain enormous information about the facets related to the culture of the valley. Kuṭṭanimata, a poem written by Dāmodaraguptain in the late 8th century AD is one of them. The objective of this paper is to understand the performing arts of Kashmir as mirrored in the Kuṭṭanimata.
Female Dancers in Ancient Tamil Tradition Rise and Fall – From 200 BC to 300 AD
Shanlax International Journal of Tamil Research
The history of origin and development of dance and music tradition of Tamils in the ancient period can be traced merely from Cangam literature-Ettuthokai and Patthuppattu . The period of this literature is considered from 200 BC to later period of 300 AD or early part of the 4th century AD. There is no other evidences excavated about the ancient dancers from archeological sources. K.A Neelakanda Sastry, historian of Tamil Nadu used Ettuthokai and Pattuppattu as a significant source to write the ancient history of Tamil Nadu, as evidences for the history because of non availability of archeological evidences at that time. Ancient Dance tradition of Tamils was originated from the indigenous dance tradition of Tamils, lived in Kurinji (hill Countryand nearby lands) Mullai (pastoral region) Marutham (rivarbanks) Neithal (Coastal Area) and Palai (desert).Cangam literature shows that the tribal people of these lands performed ritual dances . These performances are the roots to the origin ...
Genesis of Dance and Song in Nāṭyaśāstra -A Brief Approach
Lokaprajna, 2021
Dance is the most natural and universal action, by which we can unite ourselves with the creation and the Creator. It is not limited to humans only; all nature is associated with dance. Peacock is a prime example of this. Indian classical dance forms, are of the most ancient forms still surviving. Ācārya Bharata has a legendary contribution behind all this. In his text, he explained how different elements are added in dance and their requirements in stage. In new era of course it has some things changed but the basic elements still appear in many forms. An attempt is being made in this article to give a brief account of dance.
Dancing Architecture: The parallel evolution of Bharatanatyam and South Indian Architecture, 2011
In her book, "Indian Classical dance", Kapila Vatsyayan describes dance as the highest order of spiritual discipline, the enactment of which is symbolic of a ritual sacrifice of one's being to a transcendental order. The Natya-Shashtra, a treatise on drama and dance, reveals the status of the performing arts as equal to prayer and sacrificial rites in the pursuit of moksha, the release form cycles of rebirth. Both dance and dancer function as a vehicle for divine invocation and are mirrored in the architectural surroundings. To investigate this connection between dance and place, it is imperative to understand the mythical origins of architecture and temple dance. the Hindu philosophy of the cosmic man and its religious relationship with the Dravidian architecture of Tamil Nadu is the starting point of the discussion of a south Indian aesthetic. The Vastu-purusha mandala is a philosophical diagram that provides a foundation for Hindu aesthetics, linking physical distance, religious position and universal scale in both time and space. Used as an architectural diagram, it becomes a mediator between the human body and the cosmos. The temple, as a setting for dance performances, and constructed based on the mandala, shares this quality of immersing its participants into a multi-sensory spatial experience. However, while the link between architecture and dance culture was explicit up to the 18th century, it is less compelling in the context of modern south Indian architecture. With an increasingly unstable political landscape during the 20th century, architectural growth in south India during this period is almost stagnant. Unfortunately, this creates a break in the continuity and comparative evolution of dance and architecture, leading to the fragmentation and abstraction of dance in its modern form. South Indian dance has since transformed into a prominent cultural symbol and various incarnations of the dancer have become the isolated yet important link, between tradition and modernity. As an evolving living embodiment of contemporary culture and identity, her transformation from Devadasi, to an icon of nationalism, to a choreographer of 'high art' provides the foundation for the reintegration of architecture in the cultural fabric. The culmination of this research aims to reinstate the importance of architecture as a cultural nexus in order to restring a fragmented dance, community and cultural identity.
Mihi & Mano Publications, 2022
The people of Vijayanagara times, as heirs to a rich heritage of music and dance, were very fond of both the arts music and dance which formed a separable part of their every day life and activity. Music in particular was the regular activity of their day to day life. Particularly among the rural people, during festivals, functions and social gatherings musical entertainment formed an important feature.
Koitoor_Bhil-Meena /Lambada /Banjara /Meghwal Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=493438504196167&set=a.298706387002714&type=3&theater&ifg=1 Itihāsa. Mohenjodaro dancing girls' posture is ಕರಣ (Kannada) rebus: करण m. writer,scribe; a class whose occupation is writing, accounts https://tinyurl.com/yatjsetx Indian dance (nritta, नृत्त) traditions have roots in the aesthetics of Natyashastra. The text defines the basic dance unit to be a karana, which is a specific combination of the hands and feet integrated with specific body posture and gait (sthana and chari respectively). Chapter 4 describes 108 karanas as the building blocks to the art of dance. The text states the various movements of major and minor limbs with facial states as means of articulating ideas and expressing emotions. Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe (2005). Approaches to Acting: Past and Present. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 6–7. Katherine Young; Arvind Sharma (2004). Her Voice, Her Faith: Women Speak on World Religions. Westview Press. pp. 20–21 Sunil Kothari; Avinash Pasricha (2001). Kuchipudi. Abhinav Publications, pp. 117–118. Nina Mirnig; Peter-Daniel Szanto; Michael Williams (2013). Puspika: Tracing Ancient India Through Texts and Traditions: Contributions to Current Research in Indology Volume I. Oxbow, pp. 186–187; pp.174-177 Ananda Lal (2004). The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre. Oxford University Press, pp. 95–99. See: Full text translation at https://ia800607.us.archive.org/34/items/NatyaShastra/natya\_shastra\_translation\_volume\_1\_-\_bharat\_muni.pdf https://archive.org/stream/NatyaShastra/natya\_shastra\_translation\_volume\_1\_-\_bharat\_muni#page/n87/mode/2up The Natyashastra influenced other arts in ancient and medieval India. The dancing Shiva sculpture in Badami cave temples (6th–7th century CE), for example, illustrates its dance movements and Lalatatilakam pose (Archana Verma (2011). Performance and Culture: Narrative, Image and Enactment in India. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 10–12). Gaṇeśa in a dance-step. karibha, ibha 'elephant' rebus; karba, ib 'iron'. karaṇa 'dance step, dance posture' rebus: karaṇa 'scribe'. meṭṭu 'step' meḍ iron, मेधा, धन, मेधः' yajna. This is an addendum to: Itihāsa. Deepa Lakṣmi, Uṣā Mohenjodaro cire perdue bronze sculptures, dance-step, lamp-holder girls, signify Indus Script khāra-bhāṭi 'blacksmith's smelter’; meṭṭu 'step' meḍ iron, मेधा, धन, मेधः' yajna https://tinyurl.com/yaf3vsuc Bhirrana potsherd. Dance posture I suggest the cire perdue dancing girls of Mohenjo-daro signify the profession of writing. Hence the dancing postures of the girls signify a scribe. Hieroglyph: ಕರಣ rhythm, dramatic actin, dancing posture (Kannada)Rebus: करण m. writer , scribe; a class whose occupation is writing, accounts (Monier-Williams) Rebus: करण m. writer , scribe; m. a man of a mixed class (the son of an outcast क्षत्रिय Mn. x , 22 ; or the son of a शूद्र woman by a वैश्य Ya1jn5. i , 92 ; or the son of a वैश्य woman by a क्षत्रिय MBh. i , 2446 ; 4521 ; the occupation of this class is writing , accounts &c ); n. the special business of any tribe or caste (Monier-Williams) கரணகளேபரம் karaṇa-kaḷēparam, n. < karaṇa +. The physical body with its sensory organs; பொறிகளும் சரீரமும். கரணகளே பரங்களை யிழந்து (அஷ்டாதச. முமுட்சுப். வ்யா. அவ.). கரணம் karaṇam, n. < karaṇa. A variety in dramatic action, a kind of dancing; கூத்து விகற்பம்.கரணமிட்டுத் தன்மை பேசி (தேவா. 56, 3). 8. Somer-sault, tumbling heels over head; caper; தழைகீழாகப் பாய் கை. கரணம்போடுகிறான். 9. Instrument; கருவி. (திவா.) 10. Implement, means, material, instrument; உபகரணம். அதனுக்குரியவாய பல்கரணமுந் தருதி (கந்தபு. குமாரபுரி. 65). 11. Number; எண். (பிங்.) 12. (Astron.) One of the five elements of the pañcāṅkam, a division of time, 11 in number, viz., பவம், பாலவம், கௌலவம், தைதுலம், கரசை, வணிசை, பத்திரை, சகுனி,சதுஷ்பாதம், நாகவம், கிமித்துக்கினம், the eleven karaṇas being computed to be equal to 30 tithis of a lunar month according to a special calculation; பஞ்சாங்க உறுப்புக்களில் ஒன்று. (விதான. பஞ்சாங்க. 29.) 13. Title-deed, document (R.F.); சாஸனம். 14. Accountant, karnam; கணக்கன். (S.I.I. i, 65.)
Yoga and the Traditional Physical Practices of South Asia: Influence, Entanglement and Confrontation, Eds. Daniela Bevilacqua and Mark Singleton. Journal of Yoga Studies (Special Issue), 2023
n the Nāṭyaśāstra, two main types of physical practices are described in some detail: the so-called "bodily acting" (āṅgikābhinaya) and dance (nṛtta). Although their building blocks are to a large extent common, their purpose appears to be different: while bodily acting is used for dramatic mimesis, dance is said to produce beauty and to be auspicious. Peculiar to the technique of dance are the one hundred and eight karaṇas, complex dance movements that require great coordination, balance and flexibility. Sculptural representations of the karaṇas in the mediaeval temples of South India and in Central Java, as well as some interpretations by contemporary dancers, have elicited comparisons with yogic āsanas, notwithstanding the fact that the karaṇas were first and foremost codified in the context of Sanskrit theatre. More generally, the overlap between dance and yoga-related concepts and practices in antiquity has not been studied in depth. In this chapter, I investigate the connection of dance with the pūrvaraṅga, the preliminary rite that precedes the performance of a play, in order to highlight the connection of some of the physical practices described in the Nāṭyaśāstra's chapter on dance with ideas of mental cultivation, ritual, and devotion. This connection is particularly evident in the case of the piṇḍībandhas, a set of movements of difficult interpretation that present ideological affinities with practices described in early religious sources, especially, but not exclusively, those of Śaiva affiliation. Finally, I argue that this interface between drama and ritual points to a shared ground for practices and beliefs connected with the body in ancient India.