Indian Dance

                                                                                                            

Intro

Based on the generous concept of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam"(The world is one family) India has a great cultural heritage. This has accommodated and integrated many communities and their ways of life from time to time. Human settlement in India had begun from early Stone age and so far it has been the homeland of many communities who have contributed to its rich cultural heritage.
India harboured a great civilisation, popularly known as the Indus Valley Civilisation. Further, India produced a universally respected compendium (collection) of knowledge in the form of Vedas, Upanishads and great epics. It provided a suitable atmosphere for a number of religion and religious ideas to flourish, different languages to develope. Thus Indian culture in ancient, medieval and modern times always exhibited an underlying unity.

"Dancing Girl" in Mahenjo-daro

A bronze "Dancing girl" figurine from Mohenjo-daro, a broken torso from Harappa are the evidence of a promonant trait of dance in ancient indian civilisation. The idea of drama or dance as a 'loka-charita', an art form portraying the social system is prevalent in many great Sanskrit plays. The Rig-Veda  describes Indra, the chief god of the Hindu pantheon of lower deities, as a deity fond of singing and dancing . From the very start the ritualistic tradition of worship through dance has deepen its root into the daily life and belief and being modified in every turn where society made their own changes, mirrors the traditional indian culture. People throng to obtain the physical, psychological and religious experiences they gain from such performances  by being a dedicated participent. Similarly, such performances are partly historical, partly invented usually with some mythological ingredients. Usually,religious lore and mythology dominated the dance forms from the ancient start.



Indian Dances... Manuals...

Unity in diversity has left a prominant trait in Indian Dance forms. Though they born and reared up having different socio- cultural impact Indian dance forms are mainly rooted in sacred Hindu musical theatre styles whose theory can be traced back to the "Natya Shastra" by Sage Bharata. Natya Shastra, which was introduced about 2nd Century BCE, is sometimes refferred to as the "Fifth Veda". It is based upon the much older Gandharva Veda( Appendix to Sama Veda). Sage Tandu taught dance movements - Caris (Foot and leg position), Mandalas (Circular movements) , Karanas (Movements of hands) and Angaharas (Dance postures) to Bharata muni who made them the part of training of the dancers.

Another significant ingredient of Indian Classical Dance is Nandikeshvara's "Abhinaya Darpana" which was introduced in 2nd century A.D.. These two manuals present the principal of dance. Each dance form is a system of structures at different levels. Later SarangaDeva in his "Sangeetaratnakara" introduced the concept of paddhati (Style) and the movements.

Indian Classical Dance 

Indian Dance comprises of two catagories. Margi and Desi. Margi is the standard, formal tradition and Desi is folk, variable tradition. But the term "Classical" (Sanskrit: "Shastriya") was introduced by Sangeet Natak Akademi to denote the Natya Shastra-based performing art styles. 

Another classification of dance mainly in nature. "Tandava" stands for the vigorous expression and actions and feelings regardless whether the dance is performed by men or wemen. "Lasya", on the other hand, stands for the elements of gace and softness and gentle emotions. Lasya is mainly associated with women as Parvati, Lord Siva's consort, taught it to Usha, Sage Bana's daughter who then passed on the art form to the women of India.





Indian Classical Dance comprises of two main components, the technical aspect, called "Nritta" and the emotional aspect, called "Abhinaya". In nritta part body moves without any meaning to convey. It stands for only the rhythemic movements and steps. Abhinaya uses a combination of codified  hand gestures and facial expressions. It is the expression of various emotions and moods through the face angas(limbs), upa-angas (Sub-limbs) and the Hasthas (Hand gestures). Mudras are the ritualistic gestures which indicate getures in dancing and in acting. A mudra is very artistic representation by holding hands and fingures that conveys a perticuler meaning. Mudras are basically fingurre-postures. And the combination of Nritta and Abhinaya is Nritya or Dance, that includes  body movement together to portray the emotions or "rasa" and "bhava".

Sage Bharata in NatyaShastra compared the rasa in dance to the spices in food. the Natyashastra states that "Rasas arises from bhavas when they are imbued with the quality of samanya( Universality)". Both rasa and bhava are conveyed through abhinaya or dramatic expression- angika (guestures of the body), Vachika (Verbal), aharya ( Costume and make up) and sattvika (physical manifestations of mental and emotional states).Sage Bharata devided the basic human feelings in various situation in eight "sthayi bhavas" ( feelings or stable sentiments)... i. Rati - erotic longing,  ii. Hasya - laughter,  iii. Krodha - anger,  iv. Shoka- pain arising from separation,  v. Utsaha - energetic enterprise, a strong desire to know,  vi. Bhaya - fear,  vii.  Vibhatsa - aversion or loathing,  viii. Adbhuta - childlike surprise.
Indian Dances like the different feathers decorated in a crown. their look, presentation may varies but are stitched through same thread...