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Editor’s leTter A
long with being a design student,I am an Indian classical dancer ever since Bharatanatyam caught hold of me in my second grade of school. In these 12 years I have not only learnt how to ‘dance’ but also to express myself better in terms of communication, emotions and creativity. It accelerated my sence of understanding and maturity in general. Indian classical dance forms are usually based on story-telling in which many stories are based on the times of gods and mythology with their own perspectives through which they teach us to look at life differently. Expressed through one of the very basic elements of any Indian classical dance form is called ‘Hasta’; hand gesture. From getting looked down upon to reaching overseas and spreading the very essence of our culture and tradition, Indian classical dance forms have had a long and fruitful journey. In this issue of our dance magazine, we focus on one such much popular classical dance form of India called ‘Bharatanatyam’, throwing light at various essential topics of the dance form in present day. We can have a look at how this dance form got it’s name, how it has evolved through centuries and the very honorable personalities who took a stand, making some lifechangning decisions to preserve and carry forward this dance form. From a glance of this dance form in ancient temple scupltures to present day’s divas who have given Bharaanatyam a more beautiful face and their take on the whole process of learning this art, this issue is a subtle mixture of the very basics for the non-dancers and the recent hot-topics, updates and point of discussions for the professionals. Kudos to the whole team in the name of this dance form as we proudly present to you the 1st issue of our quarterly magazine. Looking forward to welcome you in the next quarter as well!
Sai Date
Editorial director (datesaee@gmail.com)
contents
01 04 12 21 24 28
SAMAH by Dr Janaki Rangarajan unique Dance performance of Mystic Poetry
role of natyashastra & temples birth of bharatanatyam and the dance form’s inculcateion in indian arcitecture
Great personalities dance journies of rukmini devi arundale and balasaraswati
evolution of Bharatanatyam from ekaharya lasyanga to bharatanatyam, how the dance form has evolved over the years
Archaic Beauty: Temple Jewelery careful crafting of vital gems in silver and gold
Challenges in staging a bharatanatyam arangetram 5 most common challenges to face
34 37 40 45 51 53
How standardization and authority kills beauty and creativity authority of guru-shishya relation
busting the most common myth can bharatanatyam tell painful stories of rape and immigration?
behind the camera the setup, idea, art of collaboration and execution through a photographer’s eyes
suspending reality through bharatanatyam soumya d. rao speaks on the workdance balance and how she handles it
eye opener trans women who are paragons of classical dance- bharatanatyam
today’s dancing divas how rukmini vijaykumar and ketki shenolikar are making bharatanatyam accessible to all
SAMAH by Dr Janaki Rangarajan SAMAH is the Dance of Mystic Poetry. For many centuries, two intertwined streams of thoughts have flourished giving rise to ecstatic poems that highlight the mad desire to live (and perhaps die) for a divine bond beyond worldly constraints. Voices that echo an unquenchable love for the divine and sometimes where the love itself becomes divine. Transcending religion, language, social or economic status, these poems demonstrate an emotional restlessness and bring out intimate expressions of self. In these current turbulent times of sectarian violence all over the world, Samah explores the intense and beautiful poetic works of Sufi poets such as Rumi, Khusrow, Kabir and Bulleh Shah as well as Bhakti poets such as Surdas, Vidyapati, Andal and Adi Sankara. These poems of different shades and hues talk eloquently of the mystery of human existence and its relation to the supreme power of the universe as well as the unconditional love through which the desire for the ultimate union is expressed. The beautiful words of these great poets are set to captivating music and performed by virtuosos of singing, flute and mridangam. -By Shruti Sinha
Photo: Vidhi Patel
July 9 2022 | HASTA | 1
Bharatnatyam & Temple Architecture: A Fascinating Cosmic Relation
Bha
from “Bhava”, meaning Emotion, Ra from “Raga”, meaning Music or Melody, and Tha from “Thala”, meaning Rhythm. Bharatnatyam directly translates to the Dance that conveys emotion, music, and rhythm, elements that also define Architecture. Originated as a temple dance by the devadasis, also known as “Servants of God”. They enjoyed a high status in society and received a great deal of respect. This dance form flourished especially under the Pallava and Chola Kings, and it was during this period that many temples were constructed. According to Hindu Culture, a temple wasn’t just a place of worship, but also a center for intellectual and artistic people life, serving as a community center. Dravidian Architecture had a major boost during the Chola Period. As part of the victories and successes of rulers, Art, Architecture, and Artists were respected and considered at a high value in the society. Many temples, mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and their various avatars were built during this period. These temples had a Natamandapa, pillared dance halls for purpose of recitals and performance. The surface of almost every architectural element was illustrated with mythological tales of gods, portrayed along with elegant temple dancers.
Role of natyashastra & temples
Natyashastra, said to have been written by Sage Bharata, has 37 chapters and is postures had up to 2000 years old. This book on classical dance is the most prestigious book ever written in any language. While the first half of this book deals with Rasa, the second half classification. deals with prose and includes a chapter on Architecture. The standing Natyashastra deals with theatre as a celebrationposture of life and is a testament to the joy of divine worship. The 3 aspects which a bhanga and are also the building blocks for performing arts (Nrittya) are: are five basic Nritta – Technical Aspect, Natya – Expressional Aspect, Geetam Natyashastra and Vadyam – Musical Aspect. Nritta is a technical aspectthe thatsame deals mentioned with the bodily gestures of a dancer. Shilpa Shastra (Science of Artsand posture for dancers, and Crafts) mentions four basic Bharatnatyam postures of the in architecture of idols the human temples – Sthanaka (standing), Asana (seated),created Shayanaby(reclining) etc. these Bharatanatyam 4
and elegant The dancer in space along the line
further
dance named there styles. has dance the body postures moves or
Photo: Adam Jones
Bharatnatyam is characterized by a linear form of the body and linear spatial patterns, making the classical dance form extremely dynamic. While Nritta studies the human body and gestures, Natya studies human emotions and personalities. Moreover, the Natyashastra also covers the theory about vocal music and instrumental music.As mentioned earlier, the second half of the Natyashastra deals with Architecture and explains in detail of various spaces required for classical dance. One such space is the playhouse or theatre. These theatres are moderate in size and resembled the Athenian theatre in certain ways. They
could accommodate around 15000 people. Three main playhouses were described in the Natyashastra – Oblong, Square, and Triangular. These spaces gave away 9 different varieties of playhouses depending on the size of the theatre – Large, Medium, and Small. These nine types were measured in terms of dandas and gave 18 different dimensions. The theatre was divided into 3 rooms – the tiring room (Nepathya), the stage (Rangapitha or Rangasirsa), and the auditorium (Rangamandala).
July 9 2022 | HASTA | 5
Konark Sun Temple It is a translator that ties together the various facets of Hindu philosophy and culture. The physical exterior and structural iconography are linked to the human body, architecture, and classical dance together on a spiritual and cosmic level. They reiterate the rhythmic momentum. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the cosmic dancer, and hence, is itself a dedication to the classical dance form, Bharatnatyam. Lord Shiva is worshipped in different forms, and here he is worshipped through space. Unlike most places, instead of a Shiva Lingam, Lord Shiva is seen performing the Ananda Tandavam, which is also known as the cosmic dance of bliss. Housing nine gateways, with four of them
Brihadeeshwara Temple
Photo: Naveen Raj Dhanapal on Unsplash
having Gopurams, each with seven levels, positioned facing the four cardinal directions. The main hall of the temple is the Nritta Sabha, and the carvings of this room depict legendary figures prominent in classical dance music and stories. This temple is famous for portraying the 108 Bharatnatyam poses as depicted in the Natyashastra.
Largest of the South Indian Temples and an extraordinary example of a fully realized Dravidian Architecture is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Out of the 108 dance postures in Natyashastra, 81 are carved on the upper storey wall of the aditala. It was in 1956, the 81 sculptures depicting the different Bharatnatyam poses from Natyashastra were discovered in the first tier of the 66m tall structure, and these sculptures serve as a symbol of the Chola architecture. Many important and prestigious dance festivals have been held here. Photo: Ramakrishnan Nataraj
Shore Temple Along with Bharatnatyam, other prominent dance forms, including Kuchipudi, Kathak, Mohiniyattam, and Kathakali, are also performed against this amazing backdrop of Pallava Rock Sculptures. Mahabalipuram Dance Festival is a popular dance festival and is set against this elegant backdrop. This temple was built during the reign of Narasimhavarman II and faces east towards the sea. The temple houses 3 shrines, of which east and west are dedicated to Lord Shiva and the middle one to Lord Vishnu. Photo: Ragu Clicks
Konark Sun Temple Konark Dance Festival, the biggest dance festival in Odisha, is held in December and is set against the backdrop of the Sun Temple, Konark. Every inch of the Salamander or the dancing hall of this shrine is covered with fine artistic designs of ancient times and includes sculptures
in Odissi dance poses. This five-day dance festival starts off with Odissi and Kathak, which are the traditional dance performances in Odisha.
July 9 2022 | HASTA | 7
Sarangapani Temple Vishnu descended to earth as Aravamudhan in a chariot drawn by horses and elephants from his abode Vaikuntam.He stayed in the nearby Someswaran Temple to convince Lakshmi to marry him and the couple eventually got married. The name Sarangapani (“one who has the bow in his hand”) derives from the Sanskrit word Sarangam meaning bow of Vishnu and pani meaning hand. Out of the five Vishnu temples associated with the Mahamaham festival, which happens once in 12 years in Kumbakonam, the Sarangapani Temple is the largest Vishnu temple and has the tallest temple tower in town. The rajagopuram (the main gateway) has eleven tiers and has a height of 173 ft (53 m). The Potramarai tank, the temple tank, is located opposite to the western entrance of the temple. The Rajagopuram or the main gateway has figures depicting various religious stories. Out of the 108 karanas in Bharatnatyam, a few are sculpted around the walls of the temple. Conclusion is, lassical Dance, like Architecture, is an exploration of space. For a dancer, the element of time is defined by space, and a dancer describes the three-dimensional space around themselves through the various movements and Bharatanatyam postures. -By Seethal Sunil
Photo: Abhijit Kar Gupta
The Ras mancha The Ras Mancha, with its pyramid-shaped roof, raised on a laterite plinth, is set amidst a lush and manicured lawn. The temple, built in 1587, largely celebrates Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna, which was the presiding deity of the Malla Kings back then. Bir Hambir worshipped Madan Mohan in Bishnupur and the temple was built during his reign. The temple has 108 arched gateways and the pillars that support these structures are beautifully carved with intricate details depicting dancers and musicians. Out of the 108 Bharatnatyam poses in Natyashastra, the pillars are embellished with 64 Bharatnatyam poses. The Ras festival is an important festival carried out in this temple and is associated with Lord Krishna and his eternal love Devi Radha. 10 | HASTA | July 9 2022
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Rukmini Devi Arundale Her life was the epitome of Indian cultural traditions and heritage. Indeed Rukmini Devi Arundale was one of the leading best exponents of Indian classical dances. Throughout her long illustrious life she toiled at refurbishing the tarnished façades of classical dances (especially Bharatanatyam), and showcased their renewed splendour before the entire world. More than three decades after her death she remains immortalised in the sphere of performing arts.
Great personalities 12 | HASTA | July 9 2022
She was born on 29th February 1904 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, into a Tamil Brahmin family with seven siblings. The father Neelakanta Sastri, though an engineer by profession, was a Sanskrit scholar and a historian as well. Since her mother Seshammal was a music enthusiast, Rukmini Devi was exposed to dance, music, and culture within the precincts of her home. Nilakanta Sastri was very closely associated with Theosophical Society based in Madras (now Chennai). Quite naturally, she was influenced by liberal, humanistic ideas of the society. Besides the influence of her father, another individual who greatly impacted her ideology and thoughts was none other than Dr. Annie Besant, the British co-founder and president of the Society. Little did Rukmini Devi know that the Theosophical Society would eventually become the fundamental truth of her life.The first signs became palpable when in the year 1920, aged barely 16, she stunned her family and society by tying the knot with 42 year old Dr George Arundale, a British Theosophist and Dr Besant’s Man Friday. Their conjugal life was by and large peaceful. Arundale eventually became his youthful spouse’s mentor, friend philosopher, and guide. Soon there came another milestone in Rukmini Devi’s life. In 1928, she met the world renowned Russian dancer Anna Pavlova who had visited Bombay in connection with a performance. Thereafter they travelled on the same ship to Australia. A lifelong friendship was forged during this voyage. Motivated by Pavlova, Rukmini Devi took up ballet dancing seriously under the tutelage of the Finnish maestro Cleo Nordi. However later Pavlova urged Rukmini Devi to try and discover her roots – he traditional dance forms of her native land.Rukmini Devi resolved to erase the stigma and social stereotypes connected with the dance. She realised that to do so, certain innovations and renovation would be required. Plunging headlong into action, she infused motley hues and designs into dancers’ costumes, introduced violin paying, stage lights , props, customized jewellery and majestic statues of Nataraja (King of Dance, who is equal to Lord Shiva) which were worshipped by the dancers before their recitals commenced.
In 1935 her first public appearance coincided with the Diamond Jubilee Convention of the Theosophical Society. She was the first non-devdasi to perform in public! In 1935 the Arundales’ brainchild Kalakshetra was born. Situated in the vicinity of Chennai, and modelled on the Gurukul system of ancient India the establishment comprised a high school, a senior secondary school, and an s academy for music and dance. Its salient feature was having open-air classrooms – thus ushering in an eco-friendly ambience where everyone could enjoy proximity with nature. -By Ruchira Ghosh
Rukmini Devi was an embodiment of kindness and compassions for all living creatures that she came across in her day to day life. She played a major role in getting the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act passed in 1952. She spearheaded the establishment of the Animal Welfare Board of India in 1962. For more than three decades she remained the Vicepresident of the International Vegetarian Union. She was conferred the Prani Mitra award in 1968 for her contributions as an animal rights activist.
Did you know?
14 | HASTA | July 9 2022
In 1977, Morarji Desai offered to nominate Rukmini Devi Arundale for the post of President of India, which she turned down.
Balasaraswati: Empress of bharatanatyam
Whenever Balasaraswati, also known as Tanjore Balasaraswati, appeared on the stage for her renditions of Bharatanatyam, the spectators were virtually electrified. Her body and every fibre of her being was always perfectly synchronised with the rhythm and music. Balasaraswati was possibly the greatest exponent of this dance form in the post-independent India. She was instrumental in showcasing Bharatanatyam beyond the frontiers of India, and in the process garnered worldwide recognition as well as popularity. Nicknamed ‘Little Bird’ by her friends, Balasaraswati was born on May 13, 1918 in Chennai Tamil Nadu. Her family traces its roots to T. Papammal who was a famous dancer in the court of the Tanjore royals, aeons ago. Her mother Jayamal was a renowned singer while her grandmother Veena Dhanammal was a veena virtuoso.
16
As was the prevalent norm in southern parts of India those days, it was generations after generations of devadasis who pursued full time vocal classical music and classical dance as well.The usual venues were precincts of Hindu temples. The common householders abhorred the very idea of music and dance as full time professions. Since Balasaraswati’s matrilineal family had close links with devadasis all her family members were opposed her desire to adopt dance as her profession. Despite the brickbats and criticism the young girl continued to practice undaunted. Eventually as luck would have it, her grandmother Dhanammal recognised her talents and got her enrolled for training under a maestro named Kandappa Pillai. Thus enthused, Balasaraswati immersed herself deeply into Bharatanatyam, attempting to achieve perfection at each and every step. She would put in extra hours to her practice – waking up early and going to bed late. She worked hard to master the basic dance movements (adavus). Alongside she continued to receive guidance from Gauri Ammal and Chinnaya Naidu.
Great personalities July 9 2022 | HASTA | 17
Naidu taught her slokas (chants &hymns) and abhinaya. In addition, she was groomed by Kuchipudi Vedantam Lakshminarasimha Sastri. She also practised Carnatic music with her mother when she had spare time. Incidentally in the later years of her life, Balasaraswati sang for her daughter Lakshmi Knight’s dance recitals. Even as she progressed in her career, Balasaraswati along with her family faced hostilities from the conservative upper classes of society who found the idea of a woman appearing/ performing in public revolting. Her mother was in fact hauled over the coals for allowing her daughter to carve out a dancing career. But the family stood their ground. About this time Uday Shankar took Balasaraswati under his wing and
“
Her delicate and beautiful art is timeless and knows no frontiers.” 18 | HASTA | July 9 2022
determined to hone her innate talent. Slowly her fame began to spread across the country. This was also the time for her overseas voyage. She participated in the East-West Music Encounter Conference in Tokyo in 1961. Next, she went to the United States in 1962 in order to participate in the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. There she rubbed shoulders with globally acclaimed dancers like Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis among others and ended up getting rave reviews from the American media. -By Ruchira Ghosh
Evolution of Bharatanatyam From Ekaharya Lasyanga to Bharatanatyam, how the form has evolved over the centuries Although there is no evidence of a linear evolution of Bharatanatyam over the last 2,000 years, Tamil and Sanskrit texts confirm its ancient roots. Scholars Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan and late Dr. V. Raghavan have traced the dance style to Ekaharya Lasyanga, a solo performance depicting themes of love and relationships, mentioned in the Sanskrit text Natyasastra (2BC-2AD). To the traditional sculptural motifs of a tree, woman, yaksha and yakshini, etc, dance was introduced. Reliefs of Bharhut, Sanchi, Amravati, Nagarjunakonda, Ellora, etc. and mural paintings in Bagh Caves, Ajanta, Ellora, Sitanavasal, etc, present yakshas and yakshinis in dance poses alongside dance scenes and orchestras. Sanskrit literature of the classical period, kavyas, natakas, epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, too featured dance. Little before and during the second period, Dr. Kapila says that Sanskrit influenced the intellectual and artistic life of people across the country. It is interesting how an authoritative commentary on the Natyasastra written in Kashmir by Abhinavagupta (9th-10thC) reached all over India, just as karanas from the Natyasastra were found carved in the 11th c Brihadeeswara temple in the South.As dance spread to different parts of the country, regional influences were added and Desi Lasyangas evolved. Dr. Raghavan made a comparative study of the Sadir repertoire and the contemporary Bharatanatyam repertoire, the margam, formalised by the Brothers.
regional influence From the early 19th Century the first three — Pushpanjali, Mukhacaali, Suddha-Yati nrtta, made up the familiar invocatory rituals, Melaprapti, now out of practice; Alarippu may be traced to the first Desi Lasyanga, Caali, mentioned in the Sangita Ratnaakara , and to Pushpanjali, Sabhavandana and Mukhacaali. The next, Jatisvara, was a descendant of RagangaYatinrtta, a combination of raga and yati, denoting tala. The third, Sabda or Salamu, originally sung in Khambodi raga in praise of a deity or hero, maybe considered a NorthSouth link, just like the Tillana. Tholkappiam is a book on Tamil grammar that presents koothu (dance) as a specialoccasion community activity and analyses emotions in Aham (love) literature with concepts of abhinaya theory such as ashta rasa, eight basic emotions, as also natyadharmi and lokadharmi, stylised and realistic presentation. In other texts such as Panchamarabu (approx 9 C), words like Natyam, denoting dance with music and poetry, nrittam, 108 karanams, sounds used in Koothu, ‘Ta, Ti, Tho, Ki, Ikk’ (followed today in dance and percussion), the basic stances, pada bhedas (foot movements), hand gestures (kais), nine basic emotions (navarasas), and the movements for the
emotions, the dance arena (aranga illakkanam) and the stick used to keep time measure (pirambu illakkanam), are mentioned. There was however a break in continuity in the art form in the 19th century. Dr. Kapila rues that the invaluable oral family tradition of the masters, known as Sampradayas, across different styles of classical Indian dance, were not recognised by the British system of education and those who were schooled during the 19 C were isolated from the art traditions of the country. July 9 2022 | HASTA | 21
oral tradition Then came the ban on temple dancing in the Madras Presidency in 1910. She says, ‘Temple dancing was forbidden but the devotees of the art continued to practise it in the seclusion of their homes. Apparently, the art had died by the 20th century and what could be seen of it was only a diluted, almost degenerate form of what was known as Nautch in the North and Sadir in the South... ‘From the 1920s, revivalist E. Krishna Iyer, Kalyani Daughters, Kum. Bharati and others brought awareness to the tradition. With patriotism as a backdrop, the social stigma connected to the art form reduced. Devadasis, the traditional repositories, came out to present their art, and chief among them was the legendary T. Balasaraswathi. Young dance masters from temple towns of the South came to Madras and trained girls from non-devadasi communities, ushering a new cultural order. What of the dance style itself? Lakshmi Viswanathan sums up the re-named Bharatanatyam, “It was not the ritual dance of the temple. Rather it was a smart re-invention of the court dance of the nineteenth century, structured by the nattuvanars who had come to live in Madras.” -By Rupa Srikanth
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Ta ri ki ta
Pune | Mumbai | Chennai | Kolkata | Indore | Delhi | Jaipur | Udaipur |
Archaic Beauty: A Temple Jewelery
sudden wave of inspiration forced me to visit a centre for performing arts- I suddenly wanted to be a Bharatanatyam dancer. However, my spirits got a reality check as I gaped at little girls practicing intently, some of whose palms were reddened with big red dots. They must have been at it for years! Their dainty feet could barely keep up to the intense beating of the instrument, but the glint in their eyes stole my heart. And so did the beautiful ornaments they amazingly carried around with them! One must associate the origin of these beauties with primeval artistry, passed down from mother to daughter, to be preserved forever as masterpieces. The jewellery was orginially designed for gods and goddesses at the temples, hence, the name. The Devadasis adorned them when they danced in those temples. Be it the bride-to-be dressed in gold from head to toe, or the petite girl trying out her mother’s ornaments; temple jewellery is as enchanting as it may come.
Ta ri ki ta
Through the narrowest lanes and crannies of Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, one may encounter a hoard of yellow metal; amidst rows of cramped houses and exotic doors lie skilled artisans crafting temple jewellery that is bold and unique. Traditional temple jewellery was fashioned out of silver, finished with gold and copper leaves. No wonder one may find a dazzling peacock, a swan gracefully sporting stones or even a bejeweled snake with a pendant as a hood. Gems and stones playing a vital role in its creation, the type of jewellery is a favourite among Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancers. These creations often adorn the wrists, arms, feet and hair of dazzling dancers.
It is almost unbelievable that there is a piece of jewellery for almost every part of the body that the dance can possibly move! For instance, a ‘raakodi’, a hair ornament, is a favourite and essential temple ornament. It is typically worn by dancers and brides around the hair. The jewellery also depicts a strong relationship with mythological and religious references. The ‘Chandrasuyan’, worn on either side of the head symbolizes the sun and the moon, as the head is a representation of heaven. Then comes the three- piece ear ornament, consisting of the ‘maatal’- a chain, jhumkis- hanging earrings, and the thodu, an ornament on the earlobe. The jewellery comes with bold and bright motifs, unlike any other type of jewellery I have ever come across. Numerous precious stones, from jade to rubies and even coloured glass stones are famously used for its creation. Also, with the demand for traditional Indian jewellery soaring high, the frames are often crafted with gold and then further embellished with various stones. The class certainly did not pander to my enthusiastic attempt, but it did leave me drooling over the unmistakable beauty of the proud, creative embellishment that I would certainly dream of owning. -By Vrinda Aggarwal
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Challenges in staging a bharatanatyam arangetram
A
s a part of my college studies I have taken a subject of “Challenges in staging a BHARATANATYAM ARANGETRAM”. I have chosen this topic because staging an arangetram is not an easy job. Being in the field of bharatanatyam for a decade, i have seen many parents and i continue to see many parents working hard towards conducting an arangetram for their children. I thought about helping them in reducing their work load and this is my first step towards the same. I have decided to study the nuances involved in organizing Arangetrams. So , to know more information on the above subject I interviewed 50 people, these people comprise of dancers, teachers and parents related to different dance schools. I asked them about the challenges, they faced in the different stages. It was a new experience for me, interacting with 28 | HASTA | July 9 2022
so many people, hearing many fresh thoughts. I thank each one of them for sharing their ideas. Along with this I also learnt that, work involved in organizing an arangetram is equal to that of organizing a wedding. Parents are willing to spend money ,time and energy. So much of Pride, Prestige , Happiness and fulfillment is there .HATS OFF to all the parents, who have conducted their children’s Arangetram.
“
ARANGETRAM IS NOT THE CONCLUSION OF A DANCE STORY, IT IS JUST AN INTRODUCTION”. July 9 2022 | HASTA | 29
Selection of costumes and ornaments
Getting a professional compere
Sari — silk or something else? Costume count — 2 or 3 ? Ornaments — temple jewellery or gold? Now a days too much of collections are available in the market .But all are not available at a single place. Parents always want the best for their children. For buying saris , parents have to visit number of shops to select the final one . Similar situation for buying ornaments too. One should also travel for stitching and alteration work of the costume.Hence buying a suitable sari , getting it done into a perfect fit costume and getting matching ornaments is a challenge .
People who have dance knowledge will understand but what about the other poor relatives and friends ? “ Understanding makes it more interesting” Many comperes struggle to pronounce the raga’s name as well as to explain in detail about the items performed. So the audiences find it difficult to understand the sequences of dance and at a point they get bored. Hence finding comperes with dance and music knowledge becomes a challenge .
Finding an aesthetic photographer This Devine Art form is full of Hand gestures and Footworks. So here to click a proper photo while dancing is what is important. Good photographer picks up the shots and there is no waste of snaps. But how to find a good photographer. Finding an aesthetic photographer is a challenge . July 9 2022 | HASTA | 31
The performance of the dancer Preparing the dancer for the grand stage. Dancer should be kept in positive mood. Supplements for the dancer’s tiredness should be kept ready. What ever we keep ready, they will ask for the other one, only. The last biggest worry for the parents and teachers be ‘ The Dancer’s Performance’.
So, expenses , auditorium booking , travelling , buying costumes and ornaments , inviting people , finding a good photographer and compere , parking and sudden problems , parents missing the performances and finally , the children’s performances , are the major challenges faced in staging a bharatanatyam arangetram. This is a sum up of what I heard and gained speaking to 50 people. Actually , they are just few out of the many. Dancers , teachers and parents undergo so many challenges and complete the ARANGETRAM successfully. -By Divya Laxmi
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Parents miss the performance The ones who are behind this big day are not able to enjoy .Who will receive the chief guest ? — parents. Who will greet other guests ? — parents. Who will take care of other arrangements ? — parents. Since parents are getting busy in receiving the guests and taking care of other arrangements , they don’t get time to sit and watch their children’s maiden entry to the stage.
How standardization and authority kills beauty and creativity Standardization and Thoughtless Adherence Drawing from personal experience, and fortunately to have learnt this art form from teachers with varied temperaments and over time myself becoming a teacher and observing how classes are conducted, the answer lies in STANDARDISATION and HOW stringent AUTHORITY in the ‘Guru-Shishya relationship, has led to this situation. Though, Bharatanatyam has succeeded in ingraining an astounding 34 | HASTA | July 9 2022
rhythm sense among students, yet the mindfulness in movement in absent. Teachers, in the name of Margam (course/ path) and style — stick to a staunch way in which the form is taught. This limits any creativity in movement to be explored by children. Further, any slight difference in movement from what is taught is extensively criticized.
Authority and Guru-shishya relationship Corporal punishment in the dance scene is nothing new. Time immemorial, punishments to students to sit in Aramandi’s (half sit’s) or with the stick is nothing new. Though, the outside world presumes the art scene to be a place of harmony. It is yet another competitive scene where students seldom experience any harmony but just VANITY and COMPETITION. The way Abhinaya is taught and the much debatable aspect of Shringara is yet another situation of its own. The late Chandralekha Patel, in an interview says, she despises the “DIABOLICAL SMILES” of Bharatanatyam dancers. Though, personally, I’m not a huge fan of her post-modern fusion works. Yet, her comment needs serious thought on how Bharatanatyam is still taught predominantly across institutions, including the Kalakshetra. -By Durga Lakshmi
busting the most common myth Can Bharatanatyam tell painful stories of rape and migration? A dance company provides an answer
‘Agathi’ danced by Singapore’s Apsaras Arts Dance Company is an attempt to introduce bit difficult contemporary themes into an age-old idiom. Can classical dance be used to tell a hardhitting political story? Can an art like Bharatanatyam – in which suggestion is all – talk of war, water scarcity and rape? This is a debate that has sharply divided the classical dance community for decades. There are those who say the rich, codified classical idiom should not be dragged into dreary, day-to-day matters.
Tackling difficult themes
Last month, at the Margazhi season of dance and music in Chennai, Bharatanatyam time-travelled into the 20th century and the millennium to tell the story of refugees. Agathi, staged by Singapore’s Apsaras Arts Dance Company, talked of the trauma of displacement suffered by those who have to leave home because of war, ethnic cleansing and natural disasters. After its premiere at the Singapore’s Esplanade theatre earlier last year to full houses, Agathi is now set to travel to Europe where the issues of refugees, migration and assimilation are at the very heart of almost every political debate. Its theme is a lived experience for Aravinth Kumarasamy, Apasaras’ artistic director, whose family fled Colombo in 1983 in the wake of widespread anti-Tamil riots, which are often recalled as Black July. But Agathi, he maintains, is not just the story of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. “These could be Rohingyas, they could be Syrians crossing hills and ocean, any of the nationalities and communities that had no
choice but to leave their homes to seek refuge wherever they could,” he said. “The one common thread in their plight is that their lives will never be the same again. I offer no happy ending, no sprightly thillana that marks the end of an evening of dance.” Apsaras’ Bharatanatyam dancers, many of them trained in Chennai, use a mix of tools to weave the story – dance, a sutradhar (narrator) in everyday clothes, some visual props and video text outlining the acts. Based mostly on United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ A Book Of Poems, Expressions From Our Youth, it also uses classic Tamil songs by Subramania Bharati and film lyricist Kannadasan. The choreography starts with a montage of happy households and ecstatic lovers in their homeland. Then crisis hits, shattering the idyll, ripping families apart and tossing them into dangerous seas, prisons and into the hands of tyrants. July 9 2022 | HASTA | 37
“ A fine balance
When i was shooting my publicity stills, someone suggested that my dancers wear torn clothes. I said why? they represent hardworking professionals and not beggars.” -Kumarasamy 38 | HASTA | July 9 2022
Politics and current events are not easy themes to pull off with classical dance. How do you show painful events that are simply not translatable into Bharatanatyam’s decorative vocabulary? If you need a narrator and a text screen to explain, how much should you explain and how much to leave to interpretation as classical dances do using mudras and abhinaya? These are issues all classical dancers who dip into contemporary content have to deal with. In 2013, Kathak dancer Aditi Mangaldas choreographed Within, a claustrophobic work that evoked the horrors of the Delhi gangrape the previous year. Mallika Sarabhai has talked of bride burning and female infanticide in her work and dancers like Malavika Sarukkai and Alarmel Valli have dipped into classical texts such as Sangam poetry on war and environment. Anita Ratnam, contemporary dancer with strong roots in Bharatanatyam, says classical dance is simply not meant for contemporary themes. “It evokes a certain era and another world, talks of love, separation, nature and other precious things,” she said. “If you talk about a hardhitting work on ethnic cleansing where you don’t flinch at showing the worst, you need to collaborate with theatre and multimedia, bring in installations perhaps. How much desolation and rape can you show using Bharatanatyam, where the power of suggestion is the key and a lot is left to the audience’s imagination?” But Kumaraswamy is emphatic that that the only way to keep classical dances relevant is to contemporise its themes – “We are fighting for the attention of the next generation and we are losing it. How do we stay relevant then? I don’t want to mimic western dance forms, so why not use Bhartanatyam? And change has been in a constant in classical arts. Bharatanatyam today is not what it was 100 years ago. -By Malini Nair
Behind the camera
The Setup It was a three light set up. We used a Profoto D2 as the key light from the top, a Profoto B1X as the fill light from the side and the Profoto A1 as the backlight. The body movements are dynamic so we had a Sony A7Riii to capture all the action with the fast shutter.
I always wanted to shoot the portraits of a classic Bharatanatyam dancer, but by adding a modern touch to the 2000-yearold traditional dance form. Here is how we created dramatic dancer portraits with a little technique and lots of imagination.
The Idea I have a strong inclination towards everything that is culturally Indian, especially a special love for the Bharatanatyam dance. And I wanted to create something unique for the Bharatnatyam dancer. Bharatnatyam dancers through their body language and meticulous movements have carried the soul of this 2000-year-old traditional dance through the time. I have shot Bharatanatyam events, but there is very little control you have when the dancer is on the stage. As a photographer, I wanted to make pictures of the dancer but with a different perspective. 40 | HASTA | July 9 2022
The Art of Collaboration My dream was to add a modern touch to it but without disturbing the core essence of it. I started with the costume and saw how it can be modified. I had this image in mind where the dancer is in her free-flowing meticulous expression and I wanted to freeze the movement like a painting. My belief in pulling out such creative projects always lies in the strength of collaboration. A brilliant dancer, state of art lights from Profoto, an experienced makeup artist, and my passionate team at Studio A came together and we kick-started the effort. The BTS video, in the beginning, shows a full run of the process. -By Amar Ramesh
We took a lot of trial shots and improvised. Once we had the set of images, a great deal of time was spent in the editing desk in bringing out a painting touch to the images. It is always a delight to go beyond the obvious, experiment and come up with something new.
Suspending Reality Through Bharatanatyam Engineer by profession and a dancer by choice, Soumya D Rao, has felt drawn towards Bharatanatyam for as long as she can remember. January 25th, 2019 proved to be an important date for Soumya as it marked her first performance at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which was being hosted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in Bangalore. “We have been hosting this program every Friday for the last 36 years and the selection process never gets easier. Sometimes dancers wait for years before they get a chance to perform on our stage,” explained P. Venugopal, the Regional Director of ICCR. Soumya spent most of her childhood traveling and never got the chance to explore her inclination towards dance. In 2013, her colleague introduced her to Bharatanatyam when she took her to Kalakriti Dance School to meet Prof. Krishnamurthy.
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fter having devoted a significant part of her time and energy to the dance form over the past six years, she explains the kind of discipline that it takes to train your body and mind. “I practice before work in the morning (6:00 a.m.) and after work for a few hours. We are also made to meditate to increase our concentration. Like eating or drinking, practicing everyday is a must. It’s all about being passionate and showing that interest and initiative to learn more.” Her focus and determination came out during her performance at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan as she played more than five characters and kept switching between them in the blink of an eye. “Each character has a different dominating emotion, it is important to give each character equal attention and justify playing that role. You have to think that you are the character and then you will really enjoy that role,” said Soumya. She appreciates having a live music ensemble by her side and feels like they enable her to express herself better. “There is an understanding between the musicians and the dancer. We feed off each other and try to transcend the performance.” A self-proclaimed purist, she gives tradition importance and respects the boundaries that it sets. “Dance is an escape for me. Once you’re on stage you can forget everything. You are so caught up in the emotion of the character that you are playing that you forget who you are for a second. Every part of your body is involved in it, from head to toe”.
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While I am not against the fusion of contemporary dance forms and classical dance forms, I feel a responsibility to uphold some of our practices like wearing the traditional costume,” explained Soumya.
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iving in a fast paced city like Bangalore, she realises that her career and passion cannot be the same. She is seemingly content leading a life of fuality and continues to switch between the characters of a dancer and engineer every single day.
“I have so much left to learn that I can’t even think about becoming a full-time dancer yet. I have to focus on my career as an engineer as well, but dance is and will always be my true passion.” -Soumya D. Rao 48 | HASTA | July 9 2022
-By Manvee Bhandia
Trans Women who are paragons of Classical Dance
Narthaki Nataraj, the first transgendered superstar of Bharatanatyam, has always been unordinary.Born in the temple town of Madurai in 1964, Nataraj took early interest in the arts and fell in love with dance watching local drama troupes. He realised he was born in the wrong body at age 10. Driven by social insensitivity, he left home two years later. Rejection and ridicule followed him to the streets. He and his only friend, Shakti Bhaskar, did menial jobs for food, though Nataraj’s love for dance kept drawing him back to events and festivals. Nataraj searched for a guru who would accept him, and finally found one in the legendary Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai in 1984.
eyeopener TRANSGENDER — Does the word ring a bell? Does it acquire your unwarranted attention? For those who are socially aware and conscious about sensitive issues this word might not bring about earth shattering changes but for most of the inhabitants of our country the word and the associated meaning might be very well still considered a taboo. The transgender community at large is still considered to be a pariah in our community even after the massive intervention from the government and media. They are still chained by the illogical barriers of archaic ideologies and obsolete perspectives. The encroachment in our so called civilized society is so atrocious that often they are even bereft of the basic right of being considered a Human being. such stories of shining starts of the Classical dance blurs it all. these trans women are perfect idols of courage, inspiration and diversity. they are the very apotheosis who bring in beauty to life.
Varsha Vardhana from Malaysia is an established Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi artist who was born in Muai Johobaru in Malaysia and began practicing the dance forms at the age of 5. She was trained by Mrs. Indra in Malaysia and Dr. Chandra Banu in Melbourne, Australia. Varsha has performed in Singapore, India, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Indonesia among other places. She has been acknowledged by the Hindu Sangham in Malaysia with the Natya Per Oli recognition, which means “bright youth star.
Lakshya is an established Bharatnatyam artist who was born in Cochin and began practicing the dance form at the age of 10. She began training under Guru Kalamandalam Sumathi from Kerala and continued her training at the Kalakshetra School in Chennai. Lakshya has performed professionaly in Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi and internationally in Germany, UAE, Malaysia and Belgium among other places. She was awarded the T S Parthasarathy Award for excellence in performance in 2002. Currently, she is a dance teacher at IIT Madras and the costume designer of head accessories for dance productions in Chennai. -By Patruni Chidanada Sastry
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Today’s dancing divas Choreographer Rukmini Vijayakumar is making bharatnatyam accessible to all
The Raadha Kalpa method is self-coined and self-realised. “I think it is about my spiritual journey in some ways, the perception of ourselves being limited and how one can go beyond it,” says Vijayakumar about her teaching method, which insists on a neutral state of mind and body, a language of movement which helps one grow and diversify without injury. She uses the analogy of sports to articulate it better. “In the traditional method of learning bharatnatyam, we first pick up skills,” she says. “It is like learning how to hit the tennis ball—the skill of making contact without ever training your muscles. But there is a combination of muscular engagement that you need in order to make that contact, right? We need muscle strength and adequate mobility in the joints so that the ball goes over the net with a particular force and a certain trajectory.
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ometimes she is swirling underwater like a sea nymph dressed in flowing red. Next, in a sunflower yellow sari, she is precariously perched on the edge of a moving boat. Later, with a big red bindi that makes her look like a temple dancer, she does a classical jig to the current youth anthem, ‘Enjoy Enjaami’. And then, in a kasavu sari, she is dancing on her terrace to Om Shanti Om’s ‘Dhoom Taana’. In her routine, there are meera bhajans, yoga, carnatic songs, and contemporary jazz-like pirouetting on a pavement, if not in a studio. Bharatnatyam dancer Rukmini Vijayakumar is unafraid to project the oldest classical dance tradition like an artfully arranged latte on Instagram. Vijayakumar combines the light-footedness of a ballerina, the acutely emotive face of a trained actor and the lean, rippling physicality of a gymnast to give this ancient discipline of dance an ogle-worthy update.
Her social media followers have only grown, especially since the pandemic struck last year. Equally at ease with western performing arts and traditional Indian dance forms, Vijayakumar’s bharatnatyam style is as fluid and cross-disciplinary as her makeup and attire. Her jewellery is minimalistic yet chunky, her sari drapes ever-changing. More importantly, she has devised a teaching method of her own, called Raadha Kalpa, drawn from strands of her own learning—there is the rigorous training in bharatnatyam, ballet and modern dance from the Boston Conservatory, acting from the New York Film Academy, fitness training from UCLA and a study of anatomy and physiology from the Boston University.
July 9 2022 | HASTA | 53
The most crucial thing about the Raadha Kalpa method is not just to develop muscles, but also to transfer that muscle engagement into practice in bharatnatyam.” She is currently taking two types of virtual classes, a more freewheeling dance and movement class for the uninitiated and a workshop for trained bharatnatyam dancers. “She has made it available, I believe, for any girl who is out there. They can wear the clothes that she wears, with or without jewellery or makeup. They don’t need to dress up like a bride. But she urges everyone to dance
with whatever they have, expressions being
Akhila Krishnamurthy’s Aalaap works with the transgender community. Narthaki, the world’s first website on Indian classical dance which started during the dot-com boom in the early 2000s, is still going strong,” says Sai. Vijayakumar has been grappling with the same questions as other artists around the world: How to make their work respond to the fragility and alienation of the moment? “Sometimes I wonder, what am I doing? I am just dancing, and people are dying everywhere,” she says. In the last month, she has found it hard to be fully emotionally present in her practice,
which none would have surmised from her impeccable abhinaya. The pandemic has been hard on families, she reminds us. Her father died last year. “But I realise at the end of the day that as art makers, this is all we know how to do,” she says. “So every person just needs to keep doing what they do best. And that is the only way to get past something like this.”
the most important element. She uses that wisely to create a bridge between what is being performed and what the audience wants.”
Writer, researcher and cultural critic Veejay Sai points out how, since the lockdown began last year, some of the finest classical dancers—who are normally averse to digital engagement—have adapted to the world online. “Dancers like Rama Vaidyanathan, Parshwanath Upadhye and Meenakshi Srinivasan are doing phenomenal work.
-By Sneha Bhura
Rukmini Vijayakumar tells how to care for your body as a dancer
Agreed there is no substitute to watching the performing arts, especially dance, live. The feel of the space, moves and expressions can be overwhelming. But we are talking about dance in the time of Instagram. Though this social media platform’s negative ramifications on art have been much discussed (writer Theresa Ruth Howard’s Dance Magazine piece raised the question: ‘Is Instagram Changing the Dance World’s Value System’?), there are artistes who have turned the app to their advantage. They have used their accounts to establish a creative interface — sharing their thoughts and experiences and posting videos explaining the nuances of dance compositions. Bengaluru-based Bharatanatyam dancer and actor Rukmini Vijayakumar’s Instagram account could actually motivate one to watch her live. A combination of several elements, it shows how to make dance work in the digital format. The choice of costume (the traditional dance dress gets a contemporary tweak) and location (the corridors of ancient temples transform into stages) and her lithe body, fluid moves, charming face and perfect camera angles make her Insta feeds as aesthetic as her performances. Raadha Kalpa Dance Company conducts both personal and online courses. Besides her training in Bharatanatyam that began at age eight, she studied ballet and modern dance at the Boston Conservatory. Her understanding of the body also comes from her study of anatomy and physiology and practise of yoga.
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She has broken this bubble of bharatnatyam being a dance form for a particular community, like they have to learn it from a guru or master from a tender age,” says Chitra Swaminathan. July 9 2022 | HASTA | 55
Rukmini Vijayakumar in ‘Talattu’ With her exposure in Western performing arts, is she ever tempted to reinterpret the traditional repertoire for a broader reach? For instance, does she feel the nayakanayika portrayals are getting tedious and that dancers should come up with refreshing and relatable themes? “Nayaka-nayika compositions do not depict just the manwoman relationship and worldly love; they are deeper and intense. They are about the atmaparatma link — the search for divinity within oneself,” says Rukmini, pointing out how every time she dances her favourite ashtapadi, ‘Yahi Madhava’, she discovers newer facets in the lyrics. In one of her recent videos on Instagram, you find Rukmini performing an extract of this Ashtapadi at the Darasuram temple. She beautifully depicts an upset Radha, who is hurt at Krishna’s indiscretions and says, ‘Your heart is darker than your body. How did you think of deceiving me, the one who has surrendered to you?’ Probing the narrative in these songs is an extremely fulfilling and exciting exercise, says Rukmini. “At the end of it, you realise the huge scope for interpretation. We may talk about contemporising the form, but I wfeel its essence and distinct appeal lie in these traditional works.” Though she likes to remain cocooned in her own world, especially when choreographing new works, she acknowledges how much her parents have been an integral part of her journey. “Can you imagine, after finishing school they never raised the topic of my going to college. Instead, wanted me to focus on dance. Marriage hasn’t come in the way of my passion either. It is not only about having a spouse who is supportive, it is more about not being demanding and intrusive. Over the years, I have realised that among the many struggles of artistes is the challenge to master their lives as well as their art,” says Rukmini. -By Chitra Swaminathan
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Dr. sucheta bhide chapekar Dr. Smt. Sucheta Bhide- Chapekar is one of the most accomplished Bharatanatyam exponents in India today. An artist of rare individuality, Smt. Sucheta is the disciple of Acharya Parvati Kumar of Mumbai and Guru K.P. Kittappa of Tanjavur . 2013 is the 50 th year of her illustrious performing career. During this long performing career, Smt.Sucheta has given innumerable performances all over India and in all the continents of the world . Known for the purity of technique, graceful Nritta and eloquent Abhinaya , she has made valuable contribution to the Bharata Natyam repertoire through research and presentation of the Marathi composions of king Shahaji of Tanjavur and by her unique work Nritya Ganga which is a perfect blend of Bharata Natyam and Hindustani classical music. With an urge to share her knowledge she started teaching since past twenty-five years. In order to systematize and expand this activity of dance training,“Kalavardhini Charitable Trust” with the motto of “Art for art ,Art for self and Art for life” was founded in 1988 .
ketaki shenolikar Ketki Thakur-Shenolikar is conferred with the title ‘Singarmani’. Winner of the best dancer award in the choreography competition organized by DadarMatunga cultural centre Mumbai., she has given various solo and group performances all over the country. In order to make this dance form accessible to all, she has opened her own dance academy called ‘Kalaketu’ at Sahakarnagar in Pune where she takes classes of a wide age group ranging from kids to homemakers and mothers.
Dr. Janaki Rangarajan At the forefront of the new generation of Bharatanatyam dancers, “Nadanamamani” Dr. Janaki Rangarajan represents the future of the ancient art form. Since the age of 4, Janaki has been passionate about communicating through dance. Her unique dance style is a sincere result of her undying passion, self-motivation and dedication towards Bharatanatyam.
hasta
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