Dance Elements Essay

Literal meaning of the word kathak is related to katha, the artistry of story-telling, Katha Kahe So Kathaka Kahave, which federal agency one who tells a story is a story-teller. harmonize to M. Monier Williams, Katha denotes conversation, story, speech, tale or fable. Katha also means to sing in extolment, to say or inform something. Thus, kathakars were origin eithery a caste of story-tellers who were tie to temples in certain pliberal arts of northeastern India.These kathakars used to go slightly the countryside narrating the stories of the Epics and other Legends. The modes employed were poetry, melody and dance. All these three arts were fast inter-linked. The aim of kathaks was to educate the people in the knowledge of Gods and Mythological Legends. historically kathak dates back to the Vedic period which ar full of descriptions and stories which give us an insight into the mind of those who wrote or serene jthem. Kathak dance is evolved from religious and fabulous concepts.In Ramayana period, we can see many glimpses of melody and dance. The Ramayana tells the story of an exemplar heroic prince Rama of Ayodhya and his devoted married woman Sita. This ancient tale has been treasured and retold for infinite generation in every Hindu house they adore Rama as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In Ramayana we find a abduce of recitors who were specialised in story-telling. Lava and Kusha, the two brave sons of Rama rendered Ramayana in verses composed by Sage Valmiki. While reciting the stories, they also added the element of acting-Abhinaya.From that sequence nomadic bards who narrated the Ramayana were cognise as Kushilavas. As a matter of fact, the term kushilavas has been associated with social dancers and actors. Likewise, many unreal stories were depicted through gestures, postures and abhinaya. The another story of Ramayana which tells us that how Ravana, the king of Lanka worshipped Lord shivah with song and dance. Also the story of Ravana assaulting Rambha, one of the main Apsaras. According to Kapila Vatsyayan, in Ramayana, the Apsaras are the most important mythological characters who danced and performed two in heaven and earth.There are various other instances akin the stories of the grand act of breaking Shivas bow in Sita Swayamvar, the evil plotting of Kaikayee, the Banishment of Rama to a fourteen-year exile, Sitas kidnapping by Ravana and the warfare that ensued leading to Ramas supremacy and Sitas rescue. Thus, Ramayana is rich in attendant and moral concept. We come across many references to perfomances of dances from the Mahabharata. In this period, worship and veneration of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh started with music and dance.Krishna is the Sutradhara (around whom the entire Mahabharata developed) and he was an expert dancer. The Mahabharata depicts episodes of Krishnas life that how he is adopted and raised by a family of cowherds. The stories of his childhood of stealing cover and milkmaids known as MakhanChori. His dance of his youth with Radha and Braj narees is known as Rasa Lila. His sacred beloved dance with Gopis or Milkmaids by the bank of Yamuna river in dreamy night is known as MahaRaas. The story of Kaliya Daman which tells us how Krishna defeated the injurious snake Kaliya and danced on his hoods.The story of Govardhan Dharan which tells us how krishna picked and hold the Govardhan mountain to cheer the people of Vrindavan from heavy rain. Another important episode of Mahabharata is known as Vastraharan, in which Krishna saves the honour of the Pandava Queen Draupadi. The story goes that Dushasana, one of the Kaurava brothers attempted to humilate her by disrobing her. Draupadi called out to Krishna to save her and miraculously, as layer after layer of her saree was pulled, the number of sarees went on increasing. This episode is a popular theme in Kathak dance.Mahabharata also depicts the story of the five Pandava brothers who were unjust ly deprived of their kingdom by their cousins, the kauravas, and of the great battle of Kurukshetra that realized the victory of the Pandavas after much distress and bloodshed. The Mahabharata also describes Krishnas role as the Charioteer of Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra, and his conversation on the battlefield constitutes the text of the Bhagavad-Gita, the celebrated philosophical work. Thus, it is clear that by the time of Mahabharata, the arts of music and dance developed sufficient content, form, musical mode to be taught in a systematic order.The training also seems to be refine with rules and regulations. Natyashastra is an encyclopedic work having 36 chapters and it deals with various topics such as the branch 3 chapters deal with the origin of Natya, construction of theatre, Rangapooja, etc. , 4th and fifth chapters deal with the varieties of Dance. The 6th and 7th deal with Rasa and Bhava. From the 8th chapter of the 15th one, the diametrical poses of Dance are being dealt with. The unlike aspects of Abhinaya are described in 15 to 22 and from 22nd to 28th describe the costumes elaborately.The chapters from 28th to 34 deal with music and musical instruments and the last two deal with the different characters and costumes. Natyashastra also describes the divine character and dance of the Nataraja, the dancing Lord Shiva who is considered the king of actors and dancers and also the supreme Lord of Dance. The moon which he adorns in his head is the symbol complete control of his senses. The serpents wound around his remains is the proof of his complete control over vital life forces. His infantry raised high over the wicked demon, a symbol of victory over the ego.This divine art form is performed by Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati. The Dance performed Lord Shiva is known as Tandava, which depicts his violent constitution as the destructor of the Universe. The Dance performed by Goddess Parvati is known as Lasya, in which the moveme nts are gentle, graceful, erotic and it is also called the feminine version of Tandava. Therefore, according to Kapila Vatsyayan, Bharata attri only ifes to dancing a divine origin, a literary and religious heritage both in thought and technique and aesthetic secular purpose.It has also been mentioned in Natyashastra, how to represent the different moods of man accompanied by Bhava, Raga and Tal all directed to compose rasa or emotion in the spectators who are called Rasikaas. From the 7th and 8th century, Sangeet intermeshed a prominent place in the society. The art of sculptures also do great strides and most of the sculptures depicted various dance poses. synagogues were the places of origin whereas the dancers or the priests danced in praise of the Lord enacting various mythological stories. Temples sprang up where the devotees collected to pray to the Almighty God or hear stories about Him.The Temple connection is well established as can be seen in the art of Kathavachak as who carry on the impost to this day in the North in the Temple boundaries and in open spaces. With the passage of time, in the gothic period, the Bhakti movement yieldd all over India. The vast spiritual empire established by Vaishnavism in the North embraces life in its totality. The fine arts found a fuller expression by the 15th and the sixteenth centuries A. D. Literature, music, dance, painting and other fine arts flourished with the patronage extended by the temples, priests and devotees.In particular the Rasa Lilas in Braj and the neighbouring areas of Mathura in the North sustained the tradition that centered round Vishnu and his recognization as Krishna. The Bhakti movement inspired a unit new school of poetry, dance and music. Krishna and radha are the presiding deities of Vaishnavism and it was on the basis of Leelas of Krishna that infrequent and distinctive art heritage of Vaishnavism was built up. Mirabai, Surdas and Tulsidas for e. g. wrote powerful devotional verses on longing and separation, expressing the yearning of the human soul for union with God.They chosen the themes was the love of radha for krishna. Krishna Leela though brought out in high relief by Vaishnavism exclusively it had its origin in the past and it can be traced easily to the periods of Mahabharata and Bhasa. In Braj, the Rasa lilas developed as a combination of music, dance and biography that was used to enact the Krishna Legends especially the Radha-Krishna idea and stories of Krishnas youth with the gopis or milkmaids. Hence, the earliest compositions in kathak were based on the religious and stylised music of North India, notably the Dhrupad, Keertan, Hori, Dhamar, Pad and Bhajan.According to Mohan Khokar, Keertans are similar style to dhrupad, but they may, unlike the latter, also be sung in chorus. Keertan is a spiritual practice belonging to the path of Bhakti (devotion). Keertan more specifically means the chanting of sacred sounds or mantras. The Rasa Lil a miracle plays of Braj were formerly staged to the accompaniment of keertan music only. Keertans were meant both for singing and dancing. Whereas Bhajans are strictly devotional songs and are in praise of deities such as Krishna, Shiva, Rama, Ganesha, Durga, etc.The songs are rendered in ragas, but improvised tunes are also freely used. Stories and episodes from scriptures, the teachings of saints and description of Gods have all been the subject of Bhajan. Bhajans of Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Kabir, the Ashtachhap poets and other composers are a part of kathak repertoire. Some of the celebrated Bhajans of Mirabai is the following Baso more nanun mein nandlal, Mor mukut makrakrit kundal, arun tilak diyo bhal, Mohni murat saavari surat, naina bane bisaal, Adhar sudha ras murli rajat, ur baijanti maal.Chhudra ghantika kati tat sobhit, nupur sabad rasaal, Mira prabhu santan sukhdai, bhagat bachhal gopal With the advent of the Mughals, the Hindustani music underwent a drastic chan ge. The stylised music absorbed the Mughal influence in a remarkable manner. The dancers moved from the temple courtyard to the rook dubar and this necessitated changes in presentation as Muslim kings could not enjoy the bhava of Bhakti Rasa. Kathak real encouragement at the hands of Nawabs and Rajas. Whereas formerly it was religious and devotional in mood and temperament, now it turned into a means of entertainment.The forms like Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal evolved and became a part of the Hindustani music. The word Thumri has been derived from a combination of two footing i. e. thumak (or the chaal) and rijhana (or to please). Thus, together meaning graceful stamping of the foot. Thumri is a verse that has Krishna and Radha or Krishna and Gopis as its central theme. It is essentially based on the divine court portraying both aspects of separation and union. The last Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah was an accomplished dancer and musician. He composed thumries in classical style and th ese were sung by the kathak dancers.His contemporaries and the court musicians like Kadarpiya, Akhtar Piya, Lallan Piya, Sikandar Piya and others contributed to its popularity. Although he was a muslim, he care the Radha-Krishna themes. He himself presented a dance on the Rasa Lila which he called Rahas. His famous thumries are the following Babul mora nehar chhuto jaye, Chaar kahar mil, doliya uthave, Apna begana chhuto jaye. Another Thumri excavate chod chale lucknow nagri, Tab hale ali par kya guzri, Mahal mahal mein begum rove, Jab hum guzre duniya guzri. According to PeterLamarche Manuel, Bindadin Maharaj is regarded as one of the most important figures in the development of Thumri as well as Kathak. The kathak Masters Bindadin and his brother Kalka Prasad composed Thumries that were suitable for kathak dancing. Some of the famous Thumri of Bindadin Maharaj is the following Mohe chhedo na, nand ki suno challa, Badi der bhai, ghar jane de mohe.