BHARATANATYAM

“Bharata Natya” is undoubtedly the mirror of Indian Classical Dance. It is developed with the rich cultural heritage of India in a systematic and scientific way. Bharata Natya is the empire built by the South Indians mainly the Tamil, Telugu and Kannada people. It is essentially the art of South India.  The Scientific dance styles of Bharatha are based on the techniques incorporated in the Natya Shastra of Bharatamuni. This Natya Shastra, which depicts the continuity of our ancient art, is said to be more than 5000 years old.

Aungikam bhuvanam yasa vachikam sarva vagmayam Auharyam charndra tharadi tham vande sathvikam Natesham (Sivam)

Bharatham

In Natya Sastra of Bharatamuni, the word “Bharata” was used to denote an actor. Some later writers explained that the three letters in the word bha-ra-ta denote bhava-raga and tala respectively; so a combination of these three is known as ‘Bharatam’. In course of time this word Bharatam became synonymous with the word Nrtyam and there are some manuscripts, called Bharatams in the Saraswati Mahal library, Tanjore, like Kohalabharatam and Arjunabharatam. In Andhra, the word ‘Bharatam” acquire a unique meaning. While Nrtyam is prati -pada -artha abhinayam,  Bharatam is elaborate abhinayam for almost each word. A danseuse conversant with both Sastra and Sampradaya used to perform abhinayam for a song for many hours. The verses 56 and 57 of A.D. explain the uniqueness of the performance of Bharatam by the Andhra danseuses of yester years: they were experts in both dance and music and they used to sing the song themselves, while dancing.

Origin of Natya

 People at the beginning of Tretayuga were leading a mixed life of misery and joy subjecting themselves to the elemental passions of lust, greed rancor etc.  This appalled the Lokapalas i.e. the rulers of the universe like Indra, whose duty is to inculcate into the people, the sprit of adhering to the righteous way of life. So Indra and other gods approached Brahama, the creator of the universe and requested him to create a Kridaniyakam in the form of a fifth Veda, pleasing to the eye as well as the ear, instructive and enjoyable to all the sections of people since some of them were denied the privilege of learning the four Vedas. Brahma conceded to the request and went into meditation recollecting the four Vedas for creating the fifth Veda. He took pathya i.e. word or speech from Rgvea, gana i.e. music from Samaveda, Abhinayam i.e. histrionic expression from Yajurveda and rasa from Atharvana Veda.

The kridaniyakam created by Brahma is called Natya. Natya means production of a play on the stage, based on stories drawn from history and mythology. So Natya Sastra contains rules and regulations for writing a play as well as producing it on the stage i.e. it gives instructions to both the playwright and the actor. Brahma taught Nttya Sastra to Bharatamuni as desired by Indra. Bharata in turn taught his hundred disciples who wee endowed with the faculties of reception, retention, absorption and expression. He also taught them the methods of play-production and employed them to play various bhumikas i.e. roles suitable to them. He at first was able to employ only three Vrttis i.e. modes of expression in the production viz. Speech proper, virile expression, and emotional expression: with this he was not satisfied. Then he approached Brahma with a request for the creation of fourth Vrtti viz. Kaisiki i.e. graceful or delicate expression Brahma created twenty-four Apsarasas to play the Kisiki Vrtti. He also entrusted vocal music to sage Narada and Gandharwas and instrumental music to sage Swati and his disciples. Thus the divine Ntya Brndam (troupe) was formed. This Brindam produced its first play, written by Brahma Himself entitled: Asuraparajayam” in the open air at the time of the festival of Indras flag. The demons were furious and disturbed the play. Then the play was produced successfully in a closed theatre, built on the spot by the divine architect, Viswakarma.

After Brahma pacified the demons by explaining the nature of Natya, The presentation was enjoyed by all. This is the story in brief contained in the first chapter of N.S. Later, the divine troupe, Along with Brahma, went to Kailiasa, the abode of Lord Siva and presented two plays. While witnessing the two plays Lord Siva, thought of his own Nrtta i.e. pure dance. He then suggested that Nrtta be incorporated in the Purwaranga of play- production so that the meanings of the songs rendered could be clear to the audience. Then saint Tandu ordained by Lord Siva, taught Nrtta to Bharata, comprising of Karanas, Angaharas, and Recakas. This nrtta was called Tandava, after saint Tandu, since it was first explained by him. This is the story in brief, contained in Chapter four o N.S. 

Highly please with Nttya, the gods and demons began to respect the disciples of Bharata. The Bharatas became proud and arrogant and began to insult the high and low indiscriminately with their Prahasanas (farces). Finally, they were cursed by the sages. Bharatta intervened and sent his disciples to the earth during the reign of emperor Nahusha: through them Natya was established on the earth: then the curse ended and the Bharatas regained entry into heaven this is the story, in brief in the last i.e. 36th chapter of N.S.

Dance

Dance is dignified art in India. Eminent men and woman have practiced it. Gods and Goddesses are represented in dancing poses. Nataraja is the king of dancers Kali, Krishna and Ganapati are represented in danncing poses. Tirujnanasambandar, one of the authors of the Tevarm is also represented in a dancing pose. Works like Bharata’s Natya sastra and Sarangadeva’s Sangita ratnakara deal with the subject of dance at length. That the practice of dance conducted to the graceful development of the human personality was recognized even in early times. By the practice of dance, not only chaste expressiveness results.  But the human body acquires boundless grace. The angularities sometimes disappear. Dance was regarded as a good accomplishment in both men and women. 

Just as sacred music is earlier than Secular music; sacred dance is earlier than Secular dance. Dances to please the deities are described in Bharata’s Natya sastra. Any thing like a pure dance concert, with an emphasis on the art side of this heritage of ours is a thing of later development. 

Tandava was the masculine dance and Lasya the feminine dance. The initial syllables of these two words gave the word Tala. Nritta was dance proper. Nritya comprised nritta and abhinaya(gestre).

Different parts of India have developed different types and styles of dances. The Tamil epic Silappadikaram gives a vivid description of the dances of those days, the instruments used as accompaniments, the qualification of the performers and details relating to the art dance folk dance individual dance and group dance. Many Rajahs and Zamindars maintained in their samasthanas regular dance parties and thus encouraged the art. During the art two centuries South India witnessed a number of dance experts who not only systematized the art of dance, but also composed many compositions for use in dance concerts. Suryanarayana Sastri , Krishna Sastri, the Tanjore quartette, Mahadeva Annavi, Merattur Venkatarama Sastri ,Nadamangalam Sarasvathi Tiruvenkatachari, Muvvalur Sabapati Ayyar and Cheyyur Chengalvaraya Sastri are some of the prominent composers of dance music. 

        We shall take up the musical forms pertaining to dance music in the order in which the figure in a modern dances recital: Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Sabdam, Padavarnam, kirtanam, Padam, Javali, Ashtapadi, Tillana, Sloka,viruttam,padyam.