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| Wednesday, 1 December 2004 |
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Dance from Sathir to Bharatha Natyam by Subashini Pathmanathan In south India Tamil Nadu state dance form is presently known as Bharatha Natyam. This classical dance form evolved out of temple dance Sathir. In the beginning of the 20th century most of the dancers, musicians and instrumental musicians came from the hereditary caste known as Isai Vellala caste. The member of the normal high caste is known as Vellala caste and the members of the Vellala caste who were involved with art was known as Isai Vellala caste. These hereditary dancers were called Sinna Melam and the large instrumental players were called (Nageswaram and Thavil players) known as Periya Melam. These Sinna Melam (dancers) literally means small band, handling dance, music, drum (miruthangam) wind instruments (harmonium, flute) and cymbals. And the male members of the Isai Vellala caste were involved in playing with big instruments such as Thavil and Nageswaram were known as Periya Melam. These Isai Vellala female members were known as devadasis. And the male members were known as Nattuwanars.
These Nattuwanars were also the dance teachers and mentors of the dance for devadasis. Earlier dance was the part of the temple rituals. In Sathir dance the male performers were very few. Because in Sathir and Bharatha natyam among all the rasas sringara rasa plays significant role than any other rasas. The elegant and graceful movements of Sringara Rasas can be expressed by females only in a polished manner. In Tamil land and Tamil culture dance and music played a significant role in the day to day life of the people. The dasis (dancers) served in the temples were known as devadasis. The dasis served in the royal palaces were known as Rajadasis, and the dasis who were performing in the social functions known as Alankara dasis. Till the first quarter of 20th century Sathir was practised in the temple rituals by the devadasi clan. The social stigma attached to the dasis clan gradually disappeared. 1930 to 1933 was the revival period for the art. Numerous social reformers were directly involved with the art and the art was renamed Bharatha Natyam. Till the year 1947 Sathirs was continued and practised in the temples. But in 1947 by an act practising Sathir in the temple was prohibited. During that period two categories of dances were in practice, one was the temple based ritual dance performed in religious functions, ceremonies, and religious festivals. The other variety of dance form was secular but also deeply religious dance performed in general stages by non devadasis. The Nattuwanars who are hereditary traditional gurus for almost for all the outstanding dances of today. But they always remained as teachers and they never performed on stages. But there is evidence that one Nattuwanar named K. Muttukumar a dance teacher and dancer Nattuwanar of 1884, who dressed as a girl and performed with his devadasi sister Kannama. Both of them performed mainly in the weddings. A few male dancers also learnt the art, among them Ram Gopal was the first to gain the international fame in the Bharatha natyam. He learnt under hereditary dance teacher. After the establishment of Kalashethra, by Rukmani Devi non-hereditary males got an opportunity to learn the art. Among them Adayar K. Lakshmanan, who participated in numerous dance dramas in Kalashethra, is also an excellent teacher. Similarly C.V. Chanderasekaran and P.V. Dhananjayan are still the outstanding performers and gurus for the present generation. Bharatha Natyam, evolved out Sathir underwent certain changes in the presentations, items and repertoire. **** Back **** |
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