Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

69 Pages·2017·3.32 MB·English

Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

CONTENTS
Dances of India ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Classical Dance of India ................................................................................................................................................. 9
BharatNatyam – Tamil Nadu ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Kuchipudi ............................................................................................................................................................... 10
Kathakali ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Kathak .................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Odissi ................................................................................................................................................................... 13
SATTRIYA ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
Manipuri ................................................................................................................................................................ 16
MOHINIYATTAM ....................................................................................................................................................... 17
Folk Dances of India .................................................................................................................................................... 18
Music in India ............................................................................................................................................................... 26
Hindustani Music ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
Carnatic Music ........................................................................................................................................................ 30
Comparison of Hindustani and Carnatic Music .................................................................................................................. 34
Folk Music ............................................................................................................................................................. 35
Music Instruments of India ......................................................................................................................................... 35
Martial Arts in India ....................................................................................................................................................... 40
Kalarippayattu ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
Silambam .............................................................................................................................................................. 40
Gatka ................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Musti Yuddha ......................................................................................................................................................... 41
Thang Ta ................................................................................................................................................................ 41
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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

Lathi .................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Mardani Khel ........................................................................................................................................................... 42
Pari-Khanda ............................................................................................................................................................ 42
Kathi Samu ............................................................................................................................................................. 42
Theatre Form of India .................................................................................................................................................... 43
BHAND PATHER(JASHIN) - KASHMIR.................................................................................................................................. 43
SWANG - HARYANA ..................................................................................................................................................... 43
NAUTANKI - UTTAR PRADESH ......................................................................................................................................... 44
RAASLEELA ............................................................................................................................................................... 44
BHAVAI - GUJARAT ..................................................................................................................................................... 44
JATRA - BENGAL ........................................................................................................................................................ 44
BHAONA (ANKIA NAAT) - ASSAM. ..................................................................................................................................... 45
MAACH - MADHYA PRADESH ........................................................................................................................................... 45
TAMAASHA - MAHARASHTRA .......................................................................................................................................... 45
DASHAVATAR - KONKAN AND GOA ................................................................................................................................... 45
KRISHNATTAM - KERALA ............................................................................................................................................... 46
MUDIYETTU - KERALA .................................................................................................................................................. 46
THEYYAM - KERALA ..................................................................................................................................................... 46
KOODIYAATTAM - KERALA ............................................................................................................................................. 47
YAKSHAGAANA - KARNATAKA ......................................................................................................................................... 47
THERUKOOTHU - TAMIL NADU ........................................................................................................................................ 47
KARYALA- HIMACHAL PRADESH ....................................................................................................................................... 48
Puppet Forms of India .................................................................................................................................................... 49
STRING PUPPETS ........................................................................................................................................................ 51
GLOVE PUPPETS .......................................................................................................................................................... 52
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ROD PUPPETS: (extension of glove-puppets) ...................................................................................................................... 53
Shadow Puppet .......................................................................................................................................................... 54
Institutions Related to Performing Arts in India ..................................................................................................................... 55
Sahitya Akademi ........................................................................................................................................................ 55
Sangeet Natak Academy ............................................................................................................................................... 56
Lalit Kala Akademi ..................................................................................................................................................... 56
Centre for Cultural Resources & Training .......................................................................................................................... 56
Arts, Crafts, Music, Monuments in States: Ready Reference ...................................................................................................... 57

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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

In India, various facets of performing arts are all pervading bringing colour and joy to numerous festivals and
ceremonies, and reaffirming the faith of the people in their heritage. These facets have been responsible for sustaining
the long continuities of ancient traditions. They are the link between the past and the present. It thus exemplifies the
complex, organic interaction of all aspects of life implicit in all tribal and folk art forms; art is not seen as something
apart from life, a mere ornamentation or entertainment, but as an intrinsic part of it.
(Source: CCRT)

In this section we are going to deal with Dances of India, Music and Musical Instruments of India, Theatre and Puppetry
in India. As per the questions asked in previous year Prelims and Mains papers, the basic focus of questions is on the
fundamentals. Though UPSC doesn’t asked the terminologies used in Dance / Music yet (in detail) but we cannot take it
for granted. So we are providing the detailed Notes. Samples of few previous year questions are as follows:
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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

In the context of cultural history of India,
With reference to Dhrupad, one of the With reference to the famous Sattriya
a pose in dance and dramatics called
major traditions of India that has been dance, consider the following
‘Tribhanga’ has been a favourite of Indian
kept alive for centuries, which of the statements: (2014)
artists from ancient times till today.
following statements are correct?(2012)
Which one of the following statements 1. Sattriya is a combination of music,
1. Dhrupad originated and developed in best describes this pose? (2013) dance and drama.
the Rajput kingdoms during the 2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of
(a) One leg is bent and the body is slightly
Mughal period. Vaishnavites of Assam.
but oppositely curved at waist and neck
2. Dhrupad is primarily a devotional and 3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas
(b) Facial expressions, hand gestures and
spiritual music. of devotional songs composed by
make-up are combined to symbolize
3. Dhrupad Alap uses Sanskrit syllables Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai.
certain epic or historic characters
from Mantras.
Which of the statements given above is
(c) Movements of body, face and hands
Select the correct answer using the codes /are correct?
are used to express oneself or to tell a
given below :
story
1. 1 only
(a) 1 and 2 only
(d) A little smile, slightly curved waist and 2. 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only certain hand gestures are emphasized to 3. 2 and 3 only
express the feelings of love or eroticism 4. 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) None of the above is correct

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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

Consider following pairs (2014) With reference to India’s culture and
tradition, what is ‘Kalaripayattu’? (2014)
1. Garba : Gujarat
2. Mohiniattam : Odisha 1. It is an ancient Bhakti cult of Shaivism
3. Yakshagana : Karnataka still prevalent in some parts of South
India
Which of the pairs given above is/are 2. It is an ancient style bronze and
correctly matched? brasswork still found in southern part
of Coromandel area
1. 1 only
3. It is an ancient form of dance-drama
2. 2 and 3 only
and a living tradition in the northern
3. 1 and 3 only
part of Malabar
4. 1, 2 and 3
4. It is an ancient martial art and a living
tradition in some parts of South India

You can see here that most of the questions need the basic understanding. So don’t focus much on mugging all the
steps and names mentioned in the notes. You are required to know the core part of any topic. Rest is given for
reference but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore them totally. The point we are trying to make here is at least
know the essential items, if more, then better.

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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

DANCES OF INDIA
 In terms of the classical tradition formulated in the Natyashastra, dance and music are an inextricable part of drama. The art
of natya carries in it all these constituents and the actor is himself the dancer and the singer, the performer combined all the
three functions. With the passage of time the status of an independent and specialised art, marked the beginning of the 'art'
dance in India.
 As per the ancient treatises, dance is considered as having three aspects: natya, nritya and nritta.
 Natya highlights the dramatic element and most dance forms do not give emphasis to this aspect today with the exception of
dance-drama forms like Kathakali.
 Nrityais essentially expressional, performed specifically to convey the meaning of a theme or idea.
 Nritta on the other hand, is pure dance where body movements do not express any mood (bhava), nor do they convey any
meaning. To present nritya and natya effectively, a dancer should be trained to communicate the navarasas. These are:
love (shringaara), mirth (haasya), compassion (karuna), valour(veera), anger (roudra), fear (bhayanak), disgust (bibhatsa),
wonder (adbhuta) and peace (shaanta).

(Source: CCRT)
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CLASSICAL DANCE OF INDIA
This classification depends on the source. The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognizes eight – Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi,
Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam. The Culture Ministry of the Government of India includes Chhau in its
classical list. We will use Sangeet Natak academy’s list and deal with chhau in Folk dances of India
BHARATNATYAM – TAMIL NADU
 One of the most ancient forms of dance art is Bharatnatyam, with its origins in an unbounded faith
in God. The dance flourished in Tamil Nadu, but its influence is not limited to that state.
 Bharatnatyam derives its name from Bharata Muni and ‘natyam’ means dance in Tamil.
 The style was kept alive by the devadasis, who were young girls 'gifted' by their parents to the
temples and who were married to the gods.
 DEVADASIS performed music and dance as offerings to the deities, in the temple courtyards.
 As a solo dance, Bharatnatyam leans heavily on the abhinaya or mime aspect of dance - the nritya,
where the dancer expresses the SAHITYA through movement and mime
 In modern era, credit of reviving Bharatnatyam goes to E. Krishna Iyer; while Rukmi Devi Arundale
gave it the global recognition.
 Tanjor Quartet defined the elements of a Bharatnatyam recital as 1. Alarippu, 2.) Jatiswaram, 3.)
Shabdam, 4.)Varnam, 5. Padam, 6.) Jawali, 7.) Thilana
 The four Thanjavur teachers, known as the Tanjor Quartet are Chiniah, Ponniah, Vadivelu and
Shivanandam
 In the thirties of the twentieth century, Rukmini Devi Arundale, a champion of Bharatnatyam,
brought about radical changes in the costumes of the dancers
 Kataka mukha hasta is one of the principal mudras of Bharatnatyam
 Apart from Tanjor Quartet, other famous proponents of Bharatnatyam were/are: Yamini
Krishnamurthy, Padma Subramaniam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai.

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Set 5: Block 4 Indian Performing Arts

KUCHIPUDI
 Kuchipudi derives its name from the Andhra village of Kusselavapuri or Kuchelapuram
 Kuchipudi matured into an independent dance form during the days of the Bhakti movements,
when it started depicting Krishna’s life through music and drama
 The Kuchipudi dance consists of a few divisions such as Adavus, Jatis, Jatiswaras, Tirmanas and
Tilanas. These features are also found in Bharatnatyam, but what makes Kuchipudi unique is
Karnnakole is not to be found in any other southern dance style.
 Karnnakole is the superb, quick and rhythmic footwork of the dancer.
 Modern form of Kuchipudi gives more prominence to solo items
 The dance also expresses itself through padas, varnas, shabdas and slokas
 In twentieth century, Balasarswati and Ragini Devi revived Kuchipudi dance, when the traditional
male bastion became popular with female dancers as well.
 Stories of Bhagwata purana form the basis of most of the Kuchipudi recitals.
 In Kuchipudi, there is a predominance of Shringaar ras.
 Both Lasya and Tandava elements are important in the Kuchipudi dance form
 Famous Proponents of Kuchipudi: Radha Reddy, Raja Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Indrani
Rehman

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