Module 29 Books on Bharatanatyam
As per legends, Shiva was the progenitor of dance. Being a
dancer
par excellence, he taught his dance to Tandu / , who taught the
art
form to Bharata and Parvati and she in turn taught this to
Usha,
daughter of asura Bana and an ardent devotee of Shiva. She
was
wedded to the prince of Dwaraka, Aniruddha and thus the art
form
was transferred to the mortals. Usha trained the milkmaids of
Dwarka who, in turn, passed it down to the women of Saurashtra. 1,
2
Ever since then, numerous authors and dancers have authored
treatises, books and translations of literature on dance. It
goes
without saying that most of the authors were adept in the art
form
and were scholars. Thus, they were able to write detailed analysis
for
their generation and future generations to follow the text.
Even
today, most books on dance are/were written by dancers. Just
like
dance, writing skill has become second nature to dancers.
Unlike the books that came out in the last 100 years, where
dance
based books concentrate only on dance, the early manuscripts
and
literature deal with both dance and music. Music played an
important role in the dramatics and the performance. Thus,
many
early books on dance are familiar to music scholars.
2
Bharatamuni authored Natyashastra, the primary source of
dance
and dramatics of India. Before the Natyashastra, it is highly
probable
that the knowledge was mostly shruti and orally transferred
from
generations to generations. Some scholars have found that
Bharata
mentions few names of literature that existed in his generation in
his
magnum opus. However, currently we do not know what those
literature talk about. 3, 4
There are two debatable points with respect to Natyashastra. First
is
the dating of the work, although the majority of scholars place
it
between 2BC to 2AD, there are scholars who date it somewhere
between 400 BC – 400 AD, and some date it around 500BC.
Second
debatable point is the authorship of Natyashastra. While, one
would
think that Natyasastra was written down by a single author,
many
scholars have postulated that this was authored by many and
that
the name Bharata is not specific to a single person, rather a
title
given to a scholar. Nevertheless, Natyashastra and its
guidelines
remain a hot topic among dancers, scholars and even today
dancers
quote and conduct research on various topics listed in
Natyashastra. 3, 4
In 300 BC (some claim as it was authored in 1st century),
Dattila
wrote Dattilam / . This work deals majorly with music and
specifically Gandharva music, which has direct influence on
the
Carnatic music system. Another major work that we have today
is
the Brhaddesi / by Matanga / , written in 6th century.
Dattila refers to Brhaddesi in his work to explain certain
terms.
Brhaddesi is important work for dancers as this forms a
connecting
link between Natyashastra and Dattilam, along with the
3
commentary of Natyashastra, known as Abhinavabharati / . 3, 4
Abhinavabharati by Abhinavagupta / , a Kashmiri Saivaite,
written in 10th-11thcentury is the most well-known commentary
on
Natyashastra. This work finds prominence second only to
Natyashastra among dance scholars. This is because,
Abhinavagupta
has explained in detail the Rasa theory of Natyashastra and also
his
commentaries of Bharata’s work has helped scholars to
understand
the complex terms mentioned in Natyashastra. It is notable to
mention that Abhinavabharati is the currently available
commentary
on Natyashastra to us. There were numerous other commentaries
written before Abhinavagupta on Natyashastra, as he mentions
the
names in Abhinavabharati. However, these commentaries have
been
lost and currently none are available to us. Abhinavagupta’s
work
sheds light on the technical aspects of dance, clarifying the
technical
details given by Bharata and additional information. 3, 4
Here, Nandikeshwara’s / Abhinaya Darpana /
has to be mentioned as a contemporary text that dealt with
more
practical aspects of dance. While, it is debatable if Abhinaya
Darpana
was considered as a rival or not, the information and step by
step
guide is a valuable source for dancers, even today. Starting from
the
ideal aspects of stage, dancer, audience; Nandikeshwara goes
into
detail of hasta mudras, movements of neck, hands, head, eyes,
and
other limbs quite detailed than Natyashastra. In fact,
Abhinaya
Darpana is accepted as an influential text that numerous
regional
language translations and adaptations exist. Ananda
Coomaraswamy
wrote a translation of Abhinaya Darpana .In recent times, PSR
Appa
4
Rao combined all these sources and his book has become a
standard
textbook for dancers and dance institutions. 3, 4
Silapadikkaram / , dated a century later than
Natyashastra (2nd – 3rd Century), authored by Ilango vadigal / has
detailed description of the courtesan Madhavi in the
Arangetrukadai section. This section deals with the types of
dance
training and dance performance of Madhavi. Just like
Abhinavagupta’s commentary on Natyashastra, Adiyarkkunallar’s
commentary on Silappadikaram sheds more information and
clarification of Ilangovadigal’s magnum opus. 3, 4
Skipping centuries, the 12th century onwards saw a deluge of
minor
and major works that have been popularly read and commented
upon. Sangitaratnakara / of Sarangadeva / is
front runner among these, where the texts deals majorly with
music
and musicality. However, he amalgamates the three aspects of Gita /
, Vadya / , and Nritta / as Sangeetha / . He also
touches in detail on Rasa theory. Codification of angikaabhinaya /
, and various dance performances such as
Suddhapaddhati / , the Gaundalividhi / and
the Peranipaddhati / are described in detail. 3, 4
Jayasena / Jayasenatipati / Jayappa / was a military
general in the Kakatiya empire, and he has written a treatise
on
dance called Nrittaratnavali / , which has inspired
Kuchipudi performers and scholars. Here for the first time,
Jayasena
5
different forms. This was written in the 13th century.3, 4
Similar to Nrittaratnavali of Jayasena, Maharana Kumbha / in the
15th century authored Sangitaraja / . Here also,
desi forms of dance are described and analyzed in detail. The
Nartananirnaya / of the 16th century authored by
Pandarika Vittala / classifies dance in to bandha/
and anibandha / categories. The fourth chapter is exclusively
on dance, while the remaining three are on music. 3, 4
As Bharatanatyam originated in Tamil Nadu, dance treatise and
texts
in Tamizh are also notable in influencing the desi / and margi /
forms. These are Koothanool / by Sattanaar/,
Abhinayadarpanam / by Veeraraghavaian / ,
Mahabharata Choodamani / by Soman Aryan / , Bharatasenapatiyam / by
Adi Vayitar / , Panchamarabu / by Arivanar, and others.5
There are other texts and treatise of dance and music that
have
influenced Indian dance and Bharatanatyam. Some of them are:
Hastabhinaya / by Shardula, Bharatakosham /
by Mahendra Vikrama, Bharata Pradarshika / by
Kohala, Dasarupaka / by Dhananjaya, Sangitasudhakara / by Haripala,
Sangitachudamani / by
Jagadekamalla / , Shringara Prakasa / by Bhojaraja / ,
Sangitasamayasara / by
6
Parshvadeva / , Nrtyadhyayah / Nrittadyaraja / by Asokamalla, Natya
Pradeepa / by Sundara
Misra and many more. 3
The Thanjavur Marathas, as we know, were influential in
establishing
dance by giving patronage to The Tanjore Quartet brothers. It
was
during Tulaja’s period(1738–1787) that an important text got
published. King Tulaja authored Sangita Saramrita / .
According to Priyashri Rao, it was somewhere this time period that
4
“The practice of a composition of a text on the lines of the texts
like
the Natyashastra or the Sangitaratnakara etc. seems to have
ceased.
The focus turned towards the compositions to be employed in
dance
presentations.”
Sangita Saramrita has the unique distinction of adavus/
documented for the first time. The adavu names described are
both
in Sanskrit and Tamil-Telugu names, as was prevalently used
by
dancers of his time. Listed below is a comparison of the
Sanskrit
names with Tamizh-Telugu names and in italics as listed by
Lakshmi
Viswanathan6
KhanatpadaKuttana / Kuttadavu/ Kuttuadavu
ParsvaKuttana / Nattitattadavu/ Natiadavu
PadaparsvaKuttana / Dhi-ti-tai adavu/ DhiDhi Thai
adavu
7
Santadya-parsni-kuttana / - - Tatti-mettadavu / Thattimettu
Mrdusparsana / Anukkaraadavu / Anukuadavu
Karsana-pada / - Kadasakkal / Kadasakal
Svastika / Tatti-k-kattaradu / ThatiKattaradhu
Suddhanga / Sittangu
Ekapadika / Visikkal/ Veechikal
Nipatya-prasaritapada / - VishunduVisi / Vizhinduveechi
Cakra / Cakkaraccuttu/Chakkarachuthu
Motita / Mandi-yadavu/ Mandiadavu
After Tulaja’s work other dance based texts were written by
scholars.
For example, Anupasangitaratnakara / by
Bhavabhatta, Sangita(sara)sangraha / () by Narahari
Chakravarty, Ghanashayamadasa, Balaramabharatham /
by Karthia Tirumal, Ragakalpadruma / by AppaDikshita
8
Bhatakande.5
Bharatanatyam based books were published as manuals and Do It
Yourself type of guidebooks. Nevertheless, scholarly books were
also
published thus adding new facets to the dance form. In 1938,
having
stumbled upon a copy of the NatyaShastra, the American dancer
Ragini Devi authored a book on Indian classical dance in
English
called Nritanjali in the same year. This was the first English
language
book exclusively on Indian dance.
Since then, dancers have authored books in Bharatanatyam. Most
of
these books can be categorized into three types: Coffee table
books,
Scholarly work with a specific theme, Guidebook or manual for
dance
students to understand the intricacies of the art form. A
minor
category of dance books that are currently available are
autobiographies and biographies of dancers. These not only shed
the
political, social milieu of the dancer’s upbringing it also sheds
light on
the pedagogy and inspiration behind the dancer. Thus, this
category
helps a student to understand the goal of the dancer.
Some of the books written by Bharatanatyam dancers are as
follows
(not exhaustive):
JayalakshmiEshwar Bharatanatyam: How to...: A Step by Step
Approach to Learn the Classical Dance Form,
Hastha Prayogaah: Vocabulary of Hand
Gestures in Bharatanatyam.
9
GeetaChandran So Many Journeys by Bharatanatyam Dancer
Anita Ratnam Some dancers of India, Nirmalam / Padma Subhrahmanyam
Karanas: Common Dance Codes of India
and Indonesia, Bharata’s Art – Then and Now,
BharatakkalaiKotpadu (in Tamizh),
Legend, Epic Stories from NatyaSastra (for
Children) and NatyaSastraItihasaKadhaigal
(for Children – Tamizh).
Socio Aspects, Dhananjayan on Indian Classical
Dance
Ragini Devi Dance Dialects of India
Lakshmi Viswanathan Women of Pride - the Devadasi Heritage,
Bharatanatyam: A Tamil Heritage
Guide Book
Life
SudharaniRaghupathy LaghuBharatham (Three volumes)
C. Venugopalan Nair Mudras in Bharatanatyam
K. Swarnambigai Naatya Bala Bodhini / (Basic
Viniyogas in English with Meanings)
10
Advantages
In-Depth Study, Science of Bharatanatyam
Apart from these, dance scholars have also written scholarly
works
that have been published. Some of them are (not exhaustive):
V Raghavan Malavikagnimitra Act-II with special reference
to Malavika’s Dance, South Indian Dance and
Dance-Drama, Sri NarayanTirtha, An
Introduction to Indian Poetics, Natyakalai / (Tamizh), Ramayana
Tradition in
Asia, Abhinavagupta and his works, Kavya-
Nataka-Samgraha / --,
Practice)
Reinventing the Arts in Modern South India,
Unfinished Gestures: Devadasis, Memory and
Modernity in South India
Tradition: Celebrating Dance in India
Mandakranta Bose Movement and Mimesis: The Idea of Dance in
the Sanskritic Tradition
Bharatanatyam: Step by step, Indian Classical
Dance – The Renaissance and beyond
11
Repertoire
S Sarada or Periya Sarada Kalakshetra: Rukmini Devi
Avanthi Meduri Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Visionary Architect of Indian Culture and the
Performing Arts, The transfiguration of
Indian/Asian dance in the United Kingdom:
contemporary Bharatanatyam in global
Sutured History of the Devadasi and her Dance,
Bharatanatyam what are you? and History as
an image: mimesis and parody in
Bharathanatyam.
Classical Dance, The Square and the Circle of
the Indian Arts, Dance in Indian Painting,
Bharata: The Natyasastra, Classical Indian
Dance in Literature and the Arts, Asian Dance:
Multiple Levels
Bharatanatyam, Folk Dances, Splendours of
Indian Dance and Uday Shankar
Ashish Mohan Khokar Bharatanatyam, Attendance: Dance Annual
of
India
Personalities in Present Day Music
G. Venkatachalam The Mirror of Indian Art, Modern Indian
Painters, Travel Diary of an Art Student,
Sketches, Unheard Melodies
Nityasumangali
Subbudu
B M Sundaram Varna SvaraJati, Tala Sangraham / (‘Compendium of
rhythmic theory’),
MangalaIsai Mannargal /
(‘The kings of ritual music’), Marabu Tanda Manikkangal /
(‘Women
who gave the gift of tradition’), and
MarabuValiPerasarangal
50th Milestone: A Feminine Critique
Sunil Kothari Bharatanatyam, New Directions in Indian
Dance, Damaru.
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