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Classical Indian musical theatre is a sacred art of the Hindu temple culture. It is performed in different styles.
Classical Indian musical theatre theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC).[ citation needed ] The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight styles:
Classical Indian musical theatre at its best is Natya Yoga, has the most powerful means to lead its worshipers, the artist, to the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the realities in life, an embodiment of the imagination and gracefulness, the very soul which thereby creates as it were the “Idol of the Beautiful”.
While Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kuchipudi are the orthodox styles that claim to preserve the knowledge of the Natya Shastra most faithfully, Kathak is different from other styles as it is a mixture of the Persian dance and the Indian folk dance movements. It derives its name from the community of Kathaks, who are custodians of the art. It is from this house (ghar) or family that this form has taken its origin. The words Kathak and Kathakali are derived from katha meaning storytelling and kali meaning play. The Kathak dance style was founded by the master Maharaj Binda Din.[ citation needed ] Kathak dancing performed by a dancer who stands and moves about and lasya (the aspect) in which the dancer kneels or remains immobile the whole time except for the (gat) a descriptive passage, performed in a gentle rhythm and tells stories with his expressive powers only, with his face and hands.
On the physical side the dancer must have perfect control of his body and limbs, which is achieved at least 12 years of study. Special massage is given to the feet. The Kathakali technique of using the face expression is a pure marvel of accomplishment. Some ancient masters of this dance have such control of their facial muscles that they can laugh with one side and cry with the other. Every Kathakali must be master of both tandava (vigorous masculine style at changing from one style to another). Lasya is divided into two categories; one suitable for men (for presenting love scenes, displays of sympathy and sentiment and so on) and the other for women who take female roles. Therefore, women may study Kathakali but do not take part in the pure dance drama which is too vigorous and difficult for them.[ citation needed ] Indian dancing is not just physical movements of hands and legs, it is a form of physical art with body and mind for both men and women alike as well as a form of worship to the Almighty Divine Gods.
An important feature of Indian classical dances is the use of Mudras or hand gestures. Mudras are used by the artists to express their feeling or even the whole story.
Ancient Sanskrit drama had a highly stylized nature with an emphasis on spectacle, where music, dance and gesture combined "to create a vibrant artistic unit with dance and mime being central to the dramatic experience." Sanskrit dramas were known as natya , derived from the root word nrit (dance), characterizing them as spectacular dance-dramas.
Traditional folk theatre became popular from around the 10th century with the decline of Sanskrit theatre. These regional traditions include the Yatra of Bengal,the Pala and Dasakathia of Odisha, the Ramlila of Uttar Pradesh, and the Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu. In particular, Parsi theatre "blended realism and fantasy, music and dance, narrative and spectacle, earthy dialogue and ingenuity of stage presentation, integrating them into a dramatic discourse of melodrama. The Parsi plays contained crude humour, melodious songs and music, sensationalism and dazzling stagecraft." These traditions in musical theatre have continued in modern Indian cinema, particularly in musical films produced by Bollywood. [1]
In modern days, Kathakali is also learned and performed by women.
Classical Indian musical theatre had a profound influence on shaping the conventions of Indian popular cinema, particularly in Bollywood and South Indian musical films:
Bharatanatyam is an Indian classical dance form that originated in India. It is a classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, of Hinduism and Jainism.
Kathakali is a traditional form of classical Indian dance, and one of the most complex forms of Indian theatre. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the Malayalam-speaking southwestern region of Kerala and is almost entirely practiced by Malayali people.
Kuchipudi is one of the eight major Indian classical dances. It originates from a village named Kuchipudi in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi is a dance-drama performance, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of Natya Shastra. It developed as a religious art linked to traveling bards, temples and spiritual beliefs, like all major classical dances of India.
Odissi, also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India. Odissi, in its history, was performed predominantly by women, and expressed religious stories and spiritual ideas, particularly of Vaishnavism through songs written and composed according to the ragas & talas of Odissi music by ancient poets of the state. Odissi performances have also expressed ideas of other traditions such as those related to Hindu deities Shiva and Surya, as well as Hindu goddesses (Shaktism).
Kathak is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. Its origin is attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern India known as Kathakar ("storyteller"), who communicated stories from the Hindu epics and mythology through dance, songs and music. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word katha which means "story", and kathakar which means "the one who tells a story", or "to do with stories".
Sattriya, or Sattriya Nritya, is a major Indian classical dance. It was initially created as part of Bhaona which are performances of Ankiya Nat, one-act plays, originally created by Sankardev, a 15th-16th century polymath from Assam. These dances are part of the living traditions today of Sattra, which are communities of live-in devotees belonging to the Ekasarana Dharma, a Hindu sect established by Sankardev.
Arts and architecture in India have had their course shaped by a synthesis of indigenous and foreign influences that have consequently shaped the course of the arts of the rest of Asia, since ancient times. Arts refer to paintings, architecture, literature, music, dance, languages and cinema. In early India, most of the arts were derived Vedic influences. After the birth of contemporary Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism arts flourished under the patronage of kings and emperors. The coming of Islam spawned a whole new era of Indian architecture and art. Finally the British brought their own Gothic and Roman influences and fused it with the Indian style. They have a culture infusion in their art.
Mohiniyattam is an Indian classical dance form originating from the state of Kerala. The dance gets its name from Mohini – the female enchantress avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, who helps the devas prevail over the asuras using her feminine charm.
Indian classical dance, or Shastriya Nritya, is an umbrella term for different regionally-specific Indian classical dance traditions, rooted in predominantly Hindu musical theatre performance, the theory and practice of which can be traced to the Sanskrit text Natya Shastra. The number of Indian classical dance styles ranges from six to eight to twelve, or more, depending on the source and scholar; the main organisation for Indian arts preservation, the Sangeet Natak Academy recognizes eight: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam. Additionally, the Indian Ministry of Culture includes Chhau in its list, recognising nine total styles. Scholars such as Drid Williams add Chhau, Yakshagana and Bhagavata Mela to the list. Each dance tradition originates and comes from a different state and/or region of India; for example, Bharatanatyam is from Tamil Nadu in the south of India, Odissi is from the east coast state of Odisha, and Manipuri is from the northeastern state of Manipur. The music associated with these different dance performances consists many compositions in Hindi, Malayalam, Meitei (Manipuri), Sanskrit, Tamil, Odia, Telugu, and many other Indian-Subcontinent languages; they represent a unity of core ideas, and a diversity of styles, costumes and expression.
Dance in India comprises numerous styles of dances, generally classified as classical or folk. As with other aspects of Indian culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of India, developed according to the local traditions and also imbibed elements from other parts of the country.
Chhau, also spelled Chhou, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial and folk traditions. It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, the Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand and the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha.
Tandava, also known as Tāṇḍava Natyam, is a divine dance performed by Hindu god Shiva. Shiva is depicted as dancing the Tandava in his form of Nataraja.
In Indian aesthetics, a rasa literally means "juice, essence or taste". It is a concept in Indian arts denoting the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience, but cannot be described. It refers to the emotional flavors/essence crafted into the work by the writer or a performer and relished by a 'sensitive spectator' or sahṛidaya, literally one who "has heart", and can connect to the work with emotion, without dryness.
Karanas are the 108 key transitions in the classical Indian dance described in 4th Chapter named "Tandava Lakshana" of Natya Shastra. Karana is a Sanskrit verbal noun, meaning "doing".
Añjali Mudrā, is a hand gesture mainly associated with Indian religions and arts, encountered throughout Asia and beyond. It is a part of Indian classical dance postures such as Bharatanatyam, yoga practice, and forms part of the greeting Namaste. Among the performance arts, Anjali Mudra is a form of non-verbal, visual communication to the audience. It is one of 24 samyukta mudras of the Indian classical arts. There are several forms of the Anjali Mudra such as the brahmanjali.
Parampara Series – Andhri or Andhri is a national festival of music and dance held in Hyderabad, India. It is organised by renowned Kuchipudi dancers Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy. It is a 3-day, annual event is held at Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. There is another Parampara festival held in New Delhi which started in 1976.
Indian art evolved with an emphasis on inducing special spiritual or philosophical states in the audience, or with representing them symbolically.
Bhagavata Mela is a classical Indian dance that is performed in Tamil Nadu, particularly the Thanjavur area. It is choreographed as an annual Vaishnavism tradition in Melattur and nearby regions, and celebrated as a dance-drama performance art. The dance art has roots in a historic migration of practitioners of Kuchipudi, another Indian classical dance art, from Andhra Pradesh to the kingdom of Tanjavur.
Nishagandhi Dance Festival, organised by the Kerala Tourism Department, is a one-week festival of classical dances held annually in the Nishagandhi amphitheatre, Kanakakkunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram. It usually happened in the last week of January, every year.