Om Ganeshai Namah !

Dancing India! Or India Dances.
(Background material for gautamindia.com Dance section)

The Gods needed entertaining. They requested the most learned among them, Brahma, 

who created the universe itself, to help devise something new which could help them 

get over their boredom. Brahma, with the help of Saraswati, a goddess specially 

devoted to higher learning and the arts, enlisted sage Bharata Muni's support in 

writing the fifth veda, or Natyashastra, a guide book on drama, dance and music. 

Thus readied, they collectively presented their work to an august audience comprising 

Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh-the holy Hindu Trinity- and the response they received made 

them feel their efforts were fruitful. The gods were entertained but more importantly, 

they realized that were they be so represented and depicted on Earth, through the 

medium of dance and music, it would help human - beings understand good and evil, 

moral and immoral, the temporary and the permanent. Since then , legend has it, 

India has danced!



Indian dance is held to be an amalgamation of all other arts. A student desirous of 

learning dance went to a master, a guru, who asked "do you know how to paint? For, 

form is important to dance." The student went to a painter who quizzed "do you know 

how to sculpt? For, sculpting teaches you line which is critical to dance." The student 

next went to a sculptor who questioned  "do you know basic tenets of architecture ? 

For space is important to dance". The architect asked "do you know music? For, music 

helps you move in order to dance." The musician said " do you know dance? "




Due to its divine origins, the earliest support to the art of dance also came from the 

temples, which were not only the hub of community life but also repostitory of all that 

was good. Local  chieftains supported life in temples and were its chief patrons. 

The temples reverted with devotion to the gods through elaborate rituals, part of which 

were also the twin arts of singing and dancing for the lord. Local patrons took pride 

in their temples and provided it with best available talent. It was a matter of honour 

for artistes too to be associated with service to the lord. A special class of dancers 

dedicated to lord-deva(god) dasi(servant)-came about whose accomplishments were heralded 

and celebrated . BY custom , as they were dedicated and married to the gods, they could 

not marry a human being. Originally, they were highly respected class of women whose art 

and learning ensured a very high status for them in the society. 



The royalty was not far behind in extemding patronage to artists and they did a lot to 

support temples. Royal grants of lands for temple and material support helped these places 

of worship thrive. Each temple was assured not only of local support from their zamindars 

(chieftains/wealthy landowners) but royal patronage too thus increasing the power and 

prestige of each temple and its resident dancers.





With the coming of foreign powers to India, in the 15th century, first for trade than 

for permanent stay and rule , the power of the royal courts declined thus affecting the 

power of local chieftains which led to a slow but sure decline in support to and patronage 

of the temples. This led to a slow decline in the local arts. Indigenous arts of India 

were looked down upon by colonists and slowly reduced to nothingness when Victorian mores 

ad morals took over. The process took sometime , but by the time India attained 

independence from foreign rule , in 1947, most temples and its inhabitants had been 

reduced to near penury. In absence of supprt they had no sustenance and had fallen on 

hard days from which there was little escape. The British went further ad even created 

laws debasing  the practice of devadasis and put a ban on it. The arts which had evolved 

and developed over centuries were reduced to nothingness by the time India became free.



In the struggle for independence from foreign rule, several nationalists inspired a few 

to revive Indian arts. All over India, from the start of the 20th century, individuals 

tried to help save old dance forms. In south , the spirit of resurgence and revival led 

to saving Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam. In north, kathak was revived  

and in the north east Manipuri. The pioneering gurus, dancers, critics of the early 20th  

century played a major role in helping save these dance forms. After independence lots of 

dance institutions and individuals took on the responsibility of serving the arts and the 

government too created  an atmosphere to nurture these forms by not directly interfering in 

the creative process. Soon other forms like Yakshagana, Chhau (Mayurbhanj in Orissa, 

Purulia in West Bengal and Sareikella in Bihar ) found a place of importance too. 

Just last year , in 2000, the National Academy for Dance and Music, the Sangeet Natak, 

under the Culture Ministry, suddenly recognized a new classical form from Assam called 

Sattriya. This form was confined to the satras of Assam or the seminaries and only 

celebrate monks could perform it.


Orissi was not recognized as a classical form until thelate fifties, when gurus, 

practitioners, scholars met and decided it had all the requirements of a classical 

form in terms of codified grammar, distinct identity, language and basic repertoire 

to build upon.




The various folk dances continued unaffected as they were not supported by temples but 

by farming community who sang and danced without training at harvest and sowing seasons. 

At the end of the 20 thcentury, not only were classical forms fully revived and thriving 

but next generation of dancers were looking at new trends and contemporising their traditions. 

Those who had exposureto the west, or came under the influence of visiting the artists 

from abroad, learnt to think afresh and slowly created a new, cotemporary approach. Themes 

away from the divine , like environment, empowerment and empathy for social causes led to 

a new dance direction. Although it is in its infancy still, it may find fruition in the 

present new century.


Spirituality in Indian Dance


The essence of Indian classical dance lies in the celebration of spirituality. Indian 

classical dance is a form of communication with the gods. Through dance (and music) 

divine beings celebrated, even treated as friends! There is communication between the 

dancer and the lord. Often the material for dance itself s based on worship of god in 

one form or  other. An overall environment of inner beauty rather than outer manifestations 

is projected. Dance in India is not for decoration but for celebration of god and life. 

There is a complete identification with the Supreme Being and literature based on divinity 

is fodder for dance items. The inner core of poetry expressed as praise,worship or pleadings 

to god becomes souce material for dance. The fodder for dance is generally compositions 

penned by saints, savants, scholar-poets and forms the bedrock for expostulation 

through dance. Most dancers depend on traditional material but few have the liberty to 

cull it from moern trends or works too.




After gods, the guru or master is very important or revered. This is yet another approach 

tho the divine where the guru is considered all and salutations offered. If the guru is 

present in performance then a dancer shows respect by touching his feet, an Indian custom 

of acknowledging seniority, wisdom and knowledge especially to those older than one. Since 

a guru has taught and prepared a dancer for stage, the dancer in turn honours the gurus 

and also the musicians present on stage. Devotion to guru or master is taken as a major 

part of the psyche of a dancer. In modern times now, few real gurus are left and so 

commercialization has made them teachers interested more in name or fame rather than 

service to arts.


Indian classical dance is essentially an art of the soloist. Each form - while a group 

effort in terms of a teacher, a group of musicians , etc.,- remains basically the work 

and artistery of a solo performer on stage. Thus team work or group works are not as many 

as soloists although some forms like Kathakali, Manipuri are basically team dance. There 

too, a central character, often of godly or royal origin, becomes the epic-centre of the 

depiction.


Content/Format

Most performances start with an invocation, a prayer to either of the gods like Ganesha, 

or Vishnu or Shiva. Since these are all considered auspicious gods they are propitiated 

at the beginning itself for two fold purpose. One to invoke their blessings and two  to 

make sure the performance goes well. The spiritual or religious sentiment is thus 

established right at the outset. This also helps the audiences to get into a spiritual 

mood . often a form consists of six to seven basic items. When these are danced, say in 

Bharatanatyam, they become a margam, or a set of basic items that most dancers perform. 

The first two items can generally be brief and show technique of the form in depiction. 

The third item onwards the mime aspect or abhinaya as it is called, becomes the leti-motif. 

These items can be longer in duration, intercepted by music interludes too. The concluding 

items again are a show of technical prowess or dexterity in some form and become a kind 

of grand finale to the evening/ performance.



An intermission often happens in between but there are no elaborate set changes. At best, 

dancers, especially soloists, may change costume during the intermission. The musicians 

sit on the left side of the stage, facing the dancer perpendicularly, who performs 

essentially towards the audience in front. On the right hand side of the stage, often a 

figure of either Nataraj, the Lord of Dance or Ganesha or Jaganath/ Vishnu is placed 

with token flowers, fruits and incense sticks. An oil lamp burns too in some cases. 

There are no extensive scenography in classical dance, in fact none since it is the art 

of suggestion which dominates rather than the obvious. An average performance, in today's 

urban milieu is 90-120 minutes or thereabout. It is not necessary to meet the artistes 

after performance although one is welcome too, even if not known personally ( to the dancer). 

In south India, the custom of speeches by special guests galore each extolling the greatness 

of the dancer before even seeing the performance!


The 7 principal Classical Dance forms

Kathak:

The origins of Kathak can be traced to the tradition of katha or story - telling by 

wandering minstrels. They roamed from village to village singing the glory of god and 

performing by dancing in circles, holding their arms above the shoulders, as if in 

worship. The temples and community surrounding it provided it with support and soon 

local royalty too stepped in supporting such artistes. Thus grew the art of katha-vaachaks  

which found fruition in a set structure and format at the courts of royalty.



With the coming of the Muslim invaders 10th century onwards and with their settling in 

north India, the courts increasingly even if slowly, came under the Mughal influence. The 

court etiquettes of the nobility and their mannerisms took hold and soon enough a whole 

new chamber- art developed. As it was for the elite, the nobility and the court, it had , 

by definition a lot of delicateness of the wrist movement, of eye -movement -all of which 

could be only be effectively seen from close quarters, not from far. Meant for the courts, 

it took the shape of chamber art.




Two principal schools based on their location and patronage by the courts emerged : 

Lucknow, due to Awadh culture and Jaipur due to Braj  or Krishna - worship culture. 

The kings of these courts not only encouraged dancers but also supported and maintained 

them. The last ruler of Awadh (with Lucknow as it's capital ) Nawab Wajid Ali Shah himself 

composed poems in honour of Krishna  and  danced dressed as one. His court saw the fortunes 


of the form made. Alas! The British used precisely these traits of his personality as 

excuse to annex his kingdom! They stated , through general Outram that as the king was 

given to wordly pleasures of singing , dancing and drinking the affairs of the state were 

neglected. Reason enough for them to take charge. While Kathak gained immensely with such 

royal support and personal example, his kingdom was lost.


The Lucknow school (or gharana) slowly focused on the subtle expressive elements  of dance, 

the Jaipur school(or gharana) focused on footwork and technical dexterity. Both style have 

survived and have contributed to the form. There are no clear dividing lines between the two 

or other minor schools (gharanas) like Benares or Janki Prasad  gharana, but the proponents

often are divided on who created what!



Format


The expressions in Kathak are very delicate, to be viewed from close quarters.There  

is a great deal of very subtle movements of the eyebrows, of the way the eyes look, of 

facial expressions. Lot of meaning is incorporated in this mimetic description and most 

of it is not repeated, making it very important for the audience to be alert. Kathak 

dancers also talk a  lot with their audiences, owing to its origins of being wandering 

minstrels. They interface and often joke with the audience, although the audience rarely 

responds or joins in. It is mostly a one -way dialogue.



Kathak dancers also break into flourishes of pirouettes, foot-work and genral show of 

command over rhythm, forever an integral and challenging part of the form. The accompanists, 

especially one keeping rhythm on tables, (a pair of drums) also ends up in a friendly duel 

or question - answer format of presentation where say, the dancer dances to a 4 - beat cycle 

which the tabla player must duplicate, leading finally to a meeting point where the art of 

two - dancing and playing-merges in a crescendo. Increasingly today, group compositions are 

the rule of the day with emphasis on "modern" themes concerning environment, women's right 

and other social concerns.


Presentation/Costume


Kathak costuming is very different from most forms. A long flowering upper dress 

(kurta, bandi) with or without pleats is worn with a tunic (churidaar) and generally 

a chunni used for a waist - band. The pleating helps the garment open while undertaking 

pirouettes, which can be performed in multiples of three going upto 36! For women, the 

head is sometimes covered in a thin-veil arising out of Muslim etiquettes , whereas men 

have no head dress. Easy and rather minimal ornamentation make it jewellery-less which 

is more than made up by over 100 ankle bells tied in a string on each feet. The weight 

of these ankle bells , help keep the feet firmly grounded while performing.



0Kathak is a rather free flowing , airy style which is uplifting because of its stress 
free look. It has an aura of freshness, of fleeting moments and of an effortless delivery 

though in reality only a sea soned exponent can carry it off thus. The musical accompaniment 

for kathak is a pair of tables , sarangi to keep scale, pakhawaj for reciting units of 

delivery(padhants) and a vocalist or two to sing. Sitar, flute, manjeera(small cymbals) 

are additives.


In the last decade, a sort of minimalism in Kathak costuming has emerged as response and 

reaction to the heavy finery of the earlier days. Intricate borders and embroidered 

costuming has given way to modern fabrics and bright colours, even pastels.