Indian dancing

THE LANGUAGE OF GESTURES

1. Vachik abhinaya, ot vetbal expression, such as dialogue in drama. Origin: The Rig Veda, or Book of Hymns. Plane: The Audible.

2. Satiwik abbinaya, ot the interpretation of moods. Origin: The Atharva Veda, ot Book of Charms. Plane: The Astral.

3. Angik abbinaya, or bodily movements, such as action and mime. Origin: The Yagur Veda, or Book of Sacrifices. Plane: The Divine.

4. Abharyya abbinaya, ot decorative effect, such as décor and lighting. Origin: The Sama Veda, or Book of Melodies. Plane: The Visual.

COMBINATIONS OF ABHINAYA There are three forms of abbinaya:

(a) Natya, or dance-drama, runs the entire gamut of abhinaya, including dialogue, interpretation of moods and mime, music, and décor. Thus it covers all the four planes, and endeavours to cause elation in the audience by a blend of aesthetic and physical appeal, stirring the innermost feelings (‘built on the heart itself’) and enabling the onlooker to extract the fullest joy from the beauty of att and, through it, of life to which it holds a mirror. Only when this subconscious participation in the drama has been evoked can natya be said to fulfil its rightful purpose.

(b) Nr#fa is rigid stylization consisting of pure dance movements evoking neither mood nor sentiment. It belongs to the realm of angik. abhinaya alone, and is thus on the divine plane. The A/arippu with which evety Bharata Natyam performance opens, and the Jethiswaram which follows it, both fall into this category, as do the Kathakali Thodyyam and Purrapadu.

(c) Nrtya is a combination of both rasa, or sentiment, and bhava, or mood. It is that which produces aesthetic delight in dance-drama. It embraces the sattwik, angik, and to a lesser extent the aharyya abbinaya on the astral, divine, and visual planes.

Natya, nrtta, and nrtya ate considered to be potent enough to satisfy a man’s artha (intellect), his dharma (in this context, material self) and his kama (emotions).

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