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CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA

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Indian Classical Dances

Historical divine roots of Indian Classical Dances

• Natya Shastra written by Bharata Muni is said to be the first book

dedicated to dance. It is considered as the fifth Veda, called the Natya

Veda.

• It describes in detail the techniques, postures, emotions, ornaments,

stage and even the audience.

• All contemporary classical dance forms are considered to be influenced

by it in some way or another.

• Natya is an amalgamation of dance, drama and music which included

Pathya (words) from Rig Veda, Abhinaya (gestures) from Yajur Veda,

Geet (music) from Sam Veda and Rasa (emotions) from Atharva Veda.

• The pictorial description of community dancing which has been found

at Bhimbetka and the sculpture of Bronze dancing girls of the Harappan

civilization highlights the importance of dance as means of social

entertainment in every civilization.

• Different ruling dynasties depicted the dancing forms in different eras

with the help of sculptures. Fine example is the Bronze Sculpture of

Natraja of Chola Period.

Aspects of Dance according to different books and treatise

According to Natya Shastra, there are two aspect of dance they are:

• Lasya: It denotes grace, bhava, rasa and abhinaya. Lasya is symbolic to

the feminine features of dance as an art form.

• Tandava: It has more emphasis on rhythm and movement and is

symbolic to the male aspects of dance.

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Abhinaya Darpan

• Abhinaya Darpan is a famous treatise on dance which was

Nandikeshwara. According to it an act has been broken into three basic

elements namely,

• The Nritta, which refers to the basic dance steps, performed

rhythmically but devoid of any expression or mood.

• The Natya which means dramatic representations or the story that is

elaborated through the dance recital. And

• The Nritya which refers to the sentiment and the emotions evoked

through dance, which includes the mime and the different methods of

expression including mudras in the dance.

Different types of Rasas

Rasas or emotions which are expressed through dance. There are nine different

types of Rasas according to which different types of expressions are expressed.

They are:

• Shringaar: Love

• Roudra: Anger

• Bibhatsa: Disgust

• Veera: Heroism

• Shaant: Peace and Tranquility

• Hassya: Laughter and comedy

• Karuna: Tragedy

• Bhayanak: Horror

• Adbhuta: Wonder



Mudras: Rasas or moods and expressions are emoted through the use of

mudras which is a combination of hand gestures and body postures. There are

a total of 108 fundamental mudras. Combination of these Mudras is used to

depict a particular emotion.

Dance forms in different regions of India

Bharatnatyam

Region: Tamil Nadu

• Bharat Natyam is the oldest among all

classical dance forms. The origins of this

dance form can be traced back to ‘Sadir’

which was a form of solo dance performed by

temple dancers or ‘devadasis’ in Tamil

Nadu due to which it is also called

‘Dashiattam’.

Important features of Bharatnatyam

• Alarippu: It includes basic dance postures which are accompanied with

rhythmic syllables. This form is mainly meant to seek the blessings of

God.

• Jatiswaram: It is the Nritta component and is devoid of expressions, it

includes the different poses and movements.

• Shabdam: It is the dramatic element with expressed words, which

includes the abhinaya in the song and praises of the glory of God.

• Varnam: It is the Nritya component which is a combination of dance

and emotions. It is made synchronous with tala and raga in order to

express the story.

• Padam: It reflects abhinaya (expression) of the spiritual message by

the artist. During it, music becomes light and dance becomes emotional.



• Jawali: These are short love-lyrics which are performed at a faster

tempo.

• Thillana – It is the concluding stage of the performance which comprises

pure dance (Nritta) with exuberant movement and intricate rhythmic

variations.

Other Aspects

• The four Thanjavur teachers who devised expressions and acts of dance

are known as the ‘Tanjore quartet’. They are Chiniah, Ponniah,

Vadivelu and Shivanandam.

• Bharatnatyam is also known as Tanjore natyam and ‘fire dance’ due

to the manifestation of fire in the human body which appears like a

dancing flame.

• Equal emphasis is given on both the Tandava and Lasya aspects with

major emphasis on ‘mudras’.

• ‘Kataka Mukha Hasta’ is one of the principle mudras in which the

three fingers are joined to symbolise ‘Om’.

• Famous proponents of this dance are Yamini Krishnamurthy, Lakshmi

Viswanathan, Padma Subramaniam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai,

etc.

• Rukmini Devi Arundale is another famous proponent of Bharatnatyam,

who is remembered for giving global recognition to the dance.



Kuchipudi

Region: Andhra Pradesh

• Kuchupudi was originally performed

by Kusselavas, who were a group of

actors going from village to village

for performance and livelihood.

• Siddhendra Yogi formalized and

systematized the tradition of dance

in the 17th century and authored

‘Bhama Kalapam’ along with

many other plays.

• It started to be performed at

temples by Vaishnavite saints having the central theme of stories of

Bhagavat purana and thus dancers were called Bhagavathalus.

• The dance form was patronized by the Vijayanagar and Golconda rulers.

• Most of the Kuchipudi recitals are based on stories of Bhagwata purana

but have a secular theme performed by solo dancers too. Shringaara ras

dominates this form of dance.

• It is a dance-drama performance as the dancer acts as a singer as well.

• Both Lasya and Tandava elements are important in the Kuchipudi dance

form.

Solo elements of Kuchipudi

• Manduka shabdam: It tells the story of a frog

• Tarangam: The dancer performs with his/her feet on the edges of a

brass plate and balancing a pot of water on the head or a set of diyas.

• Jala Chitra Nrityam: The dancer draws pictures on the floor with his

or her toes while dancing.



• A Kuchipudi recital is generally accompanied with Carnatic music which

is accompanied by music of Violin and Mridangam.

• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Radha Reddy and Raja

Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Indrani Rehman etc.

Kathakali

Region: Kerala

• Temple dance-drama form of

Ramanattam and Krishnattam narrating

episodes from Ramayana and

Mahabharata later amalgamated to form

Kathakali.

• It derived its name from the words

‘Katha’ meaning story and ‘Kali’

meaning drama. It is closely related to

Koodiyattam and is a combination of

music, dance and drama. It is an allmale

troupe performance.

Importance of makeup and colour

• In Kathakali, very elaborate facial make up and a head gear is used for

different characters. Colours play an important role in this form of dance

in which different colours have their own significance with Green

indicating nobility, divinity and virtue.

• Red beside the nose indicates royalty while black colour is used to

indicate evil and wickedness. Yellow colour is used for saints and

women while a completely Red painted face indicates evil. White beard

signifies beings with higher consciousness and divinity.



Description of music and recitals

• Most Kathakali recitals are a representation of the conflict between good

and evil which draws its themes from the stories narrated in the epics

and the puranas.

• It is also called as the ‘ballad of the east’. The language used for

Kathakali songs is a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit.

• Music conveys the entire drama to the viewers which are having different

compositions of music to give depth to the drama.

Description of movement of body parts

• Kathakali is representation of the rasas through movements of eye and

eyebrows and it is the medium through which the story is conveyed.

• Facial expressions called ‘Navarasas’ or nine different postures which

convey the different emotions. Extensive hand gestures are also used.

• Kathakali is generally performed in open air theatres covered with coarse

mats or temple premises.

• A brass lamp is used for lighting.

• Chhenda and Maddala mark the beginning and end of a Kathakali recital.

Kathakali symbolises the element of sky or ether.

• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Guru Kunchu Kurup, Gopi

Nath, Kottakal Sivaraman, Rita Ganguly etc.



Mohiniattam

Region: Kerala

• Mohiniattam is a solo

dance performance by

women performed in

Kerala. It combines the

grace and elegance of

Bharatnatyam with the

vigour of Kathakali.

• Mohiniattam narrates the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu. It has

its own Nritta and Nritya aspects like that of other classical dances and

hence it is distinct form of dance.

• The Lasya aspect (beauty and grace) dominates this dance form hence it

is mainly performed by female dancers. It is accompanied by music and

songs.

• Costume is of special importance in this form with white and off-white

being the principal colours and presence of gold coloured brocade

designs.

• There is no elaborate facial make-up like other classical dance forms

of south India.

• The dancer wears a ‘Ghungroo’ on her ankles.

• ‘Atavakul or Atavus’ is the collection of forty basic dance

movements in this form of dance. ● Cymbals, veena, drums, flute, etc.

are used for performance.

• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Sunanda Nair,

Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Madhuri Amma, Jayaprabha Menon

etc.



Odissi

• Odissi dance is one of the oldest forms

of dance which derives its name from

the ‘Odra nritya’ mentioned in

Natya Shastra.

• The caves of Udayagiri-Khandagiri

have the earliest examples of

depictions of this form of dance.

• It was patronised by the Jain king Kheravela and primarily practiced by

the ‘maharis’ in his court and temples, which declined after the advent

of Vaishnavism.

• Young boys were recruited and dressed as females to perform this dance

in temples and were called ‘Gotipuas’.

• It uses Mudras and postures similar to Bharatnatyam to express

emotions. The tribhanga posture is innate to Odissi dance form which is

also the ‘Chowk’ posture with hands spread out depicting

masculinity.

• The dancers in Odissi create intricate geometrical shapes and patterns

with her body, hence, it is known as ‘mobile sculpture’.

Important elements of Odissi dance

• Mangalacharan or the beginning in which a flower is offered to mother

earth.

• Batu nritya comprises the dance which has the Tribhanga and the

Chowk postures.

• Pallavi includes the facial expressions and the representation of the

song.

• Tharijham consists of pure dance before the Conclusion

• Moksha includes joyous movements which signifies liberation.



• Trikhanda majura is another way of concluding, in which the performer

takes leave from the gods, the audience and the stage.

Other Aspects

• Odissi dance is accompanied by Hindustani classical music and

instruments which are Manjira (Cymbals), Pakhawaj (Drums), Sitar,

Flute, etc.

• The dance form symbolizes the element of water. The lyrics of Gita

Govinda which was written by Jayadeva, is used along with compositions

of some local poets.

• Famous proponents of this dance form are Guru Pankaj Charan Das,

Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh, Sharon Lowen (USA),

Myrla Barvie (Argentina).

• Odissi gained international acclaim due to the efforts of dancers such as

Charles Fabri and Indrani Rehman.

Manipuri

• Manipuri dance form has its mythological origin to the celestial dance

of Shiva and Parvati in the valleys of Manipur along with the local

‘Gandharvas’.

• However, later after the advent of Vaishnavism in the 15th century,

Krishna became the central theme of this dance form.

• It is performed by females

• Rabindranth Tagore revived this dance form when he introduced it in

Santiniketan.



Features Of Manipuri Dance

• Manipuri dance is unique in its emphasis on devotion. The faces of

dancers are covered with a thin veil hence facial expression is of lesser

importance while hand gestures and gentle movement of feet are

important.

• The dance incorporates both Tandava and Lasya with more emphasis on

the latter.

• The females wear unique long skirts. The focus is mainly on slow and

gracious movements of hand and knee positions.

• Naga Bandha mudra, in which the body is connected through curves in

the shape of ‘8’ is an important posture in Manipuri dance form.

• Ras Leela is a recurring theme of the Manipuri dance recital. Flute,

Khartals (wood clapper), dhols are instruments used to accompany music.

• Compositions of Jayadeva and Chandidas are used extensively. Thang-

Ta and Sankirtana are also influenced by Manipuri dance.

• Famous proponents of this form of dance are Jhaveri sisters-Nayana,

Suverna, Ranjana and Darshana, Guru Bipin Singha etc.



Kathak

Region: Uttar Pradesh

• Kathak originated from the Ras Leela of

Brajbhoomi in the state of Uttar

Pradesh. It derived its name from the

‘Kathika’ or the story-tellers who recited verses from the epics, with

gestures and music.

• It was influenced by Persian costumes and styles of dancing and

degenerated during the Mughal era. This dance form is characterized by

the use of intricate footworks and pirouettes.

Important elements of a Kathak

• Ananda : It is the introductory item through which the dancer enters the

stage.

• Thaat: It comprises soft and varied movements.

• Todas and Tukdas: They are small pieces of fast rhythm.

• Jugalbandi : It is the main attraction of kathak recital which shows a

competitive play between the dancer and the table player.

• Padhant: It is a special feature in which the dancer recites complicated

bols and demonstrates them.

• Tarana: It comprises of pure rhythmic movements before the end.

• Kramalaya: It is the concluding piece comprising intricate and fast

footwork.

• Gat bhaav: It is dance without any music or chanting which is used to

outline different mythological episodes.

• Kathak is accompanied with dhrupad music. Taranas, thumris and

ghazals were introduced during the Mughal period.

• Famous proponents of this dance form are Birju Maharaj, Lacchu

Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Damayanti Joshi etc.



Sattriya

Region: Assam

• Sattriya dance form was

introduced by the

Vaishnava saint

Shankaradeva in the 15th

century A.D in Assam.

• It derives its name from the

Vaishnava monasteries

known as ‘Sattras’,.

Although introduced much

later in Assam, it finds

mention in the ancient text

‘Natya Shastra’. ● It is

inspired by the Bhakti

Movement.

Features of Sattriya dance

• It is an amalgamation of various dance forms prevalent in Assam such

as Ojapali and Devdasi.

• It narrates mythological stories of Vishnu.

• It includes Nritta, Nritya and Natya and performed in groups by male

monks known as ‘Bhokots’ as part of their daily rituals or on festivals.

• Khol (drum), Cymbals (Manjira) and flute are the major accompanying

instruments of this dance form. The songs which are compositions of

Shankaradeva called ‘Borgeets’ are used for recitals.

• There is great emphasis on rhythmic syllables with dance postures and

the footwork. It combines both Lasya and Tandava elements.



• Costumes worn by male dancers are Dhoti, and ‘Paguri’ (turban) while

females wear traditional Assamese jewellery, ‘Ghuri’ and ‘Chador’

made in Pat silk. Waist cloth is worn by both men and women in this form.

Depiction of dance through sculpture

The Bronze Statue of Natraj (Chola Period)

• The sculpture of Nataraja in the

Tandava dance posture is the earliest

known Nataraja sculpture, which has

been excavated at Ravana phadi cave

at Aihole.

• It was made during the early Chalukya

rule, the sculpture reached its peak

under the Cholas.

• The upper left hand of Natraja holds

the eternal fire representing the

destruction. Destruction is the precursor and inevitable counterpart of

creation.

• The lower right hand is raised in the gesture of abhay mudra signifying

benediction and reassuring the devotee to not be afraid.

• The lower left hand points towards the upraised foot and indicates the

path of salvation.

• Shiva is dancing on the figure of a small dwarf which symbolises

ignorance and the ego of an individual.

• The flowing locks of Shiva represent the flow of river Ganges.

• One ear of Shiva has a male earring while the other has female which

represents the fusion of male and female and is often referred to as

ardhanarishwar.



• A snake is twisted around the arm of Shiva which symbolises the

kundalini power, which resides in the human spine in dormant stage.

One can attain true consciousness after it arises.

• He is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing lights which symbolises the

vast unending cycles of time.

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