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Arangethram
Aranga means
raised floor and Etram means climbing, in Tamil, one of the
South Indian languages. It is also called Rangapravesha in
Kannada, another south indian language, Ranga meaning Stage and
Pravesha meaning Enter. Ideally this should be the first solo public
performance of an accomplished dancer. After learning bharatanatyam under the guidance
of a guru for atleast 8-10 years, this is the occasion for
the proud guru to present her deciple to the public. Duration of an
Arangetram is approximately 2 1/2 - 3 hours. To perform for such long
hours one must have good stamina, concentration and proper practice.
This
Arangetram is known as Gejjepooje in old Mysore district,
meaning worshiping the jingles in Kannada, a South Indian language. For a
dancer, jingles are considered divine. In olden days, deciple's were not
allowed to wear jingles till their first public performance. In their
first performance, they were made to worship the jingles, wear them & then
perform.
Accompaniments play
a major role in the making of a memorable dance performance. Basic
accompaniments are a Singer, Mridangam player, Violin player and of course
the Natuvanga. Veena, Flute and other instruments are optional. These
people sit in the corner of a stage or in a place in front of the stage
which will be in a lower level than that of the stage. |
Pushpanjali
This is an item where the dancer pays her "namaskar" to God, Guru and the
Audience. This item is a warm up item where the artist prepares the body
for the next few hours of vigorous performance. |
Aangikam-Buwanam-Yashya-Wachikam- Sarva-Wanmayam------ |
Aharyam-Chandra-Tharadi-Tham-Numah-Sathvikam-Shivam |
Alarippu
This is a tamil word. Alar meaning to bloom. It comprises
of set of movements without any meaning or expression. The movements are
performed for syllables set for a beat (Tala). The complexity of the
movements gradually increase. The steps are so formed that it looks like a
bud blooming into a flower. This is also a warm up piece to prepare the
body for the next few hours of performance. Even though there is no
meaning, this can also be considered as an item where the artist salutes
god,guru and the audience. Alarippu , the opening dance of invocation, is
ordinarily danced to a purely rhythmic accompaniment played on a drum
capable of great variety of tonal color, the Mridangam . The chiming of
small brass hand cymbals played by the nattunavar or dance master,
represents certain patterns of recited vocal syllables which are used in
teaching the various movements of choreography. The recited syllables, in
turn, represent the sounds of the drum. The dance master, recites some of
the syllable patterns aloud when a certain type of dance sequence known as
tirmanam is performed in subsequent concert pieces. A Bharata Natyam
dancer usually knows alarippus in three, four, five and seven beats
respectively.
|
Thei-tha thei |
Tham-di- tham-
thei- tha- thei |
Thath - thei-
tha- ha |
Di dhi thei- di
dhi thei |
Thei thei - di
dhi thei |
Thadi gina thom |
Jatiswaram
Jatisvaram is a musical form similar to the rondo, in which a refrain
(heard first at the very beginning) alternates with three or four sections
of contrasting melody. There are no words, but the melodies employ the
Indian sol-fa syllables (sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni) for the seven scale
degrees. These are known as swaras. Jatis are rhythmic patterns or
compositions and comprise an arrangement of solfeggios in rhythmic
patterns. Indian melody conforms to certain modal types known as ragas.
Each raga has a particular scale, certain ornaments associated with its
tones, traditional melodic phrases, various musical aesthetics, and
emotional nal connotations which help to give it a unique character and
mood of its own called raga bhava. |
Sa-----Ni-sa-ga-ma-pa-ma
- da - ni- sa- |
Ni-sa-ga-ri-pa-ma-ga-ri-sa----- |
Thath-gaji-gaji-jum-tha-- |
Ni-sa-ga-ri- |
Thaka-dhim |
Thei-yum-thath |
Thath-thei |
Pa-ma-ga-ri-sa---- |
Guru & Pupil |
Shabdam
This is a dance item with both nritta & abinaya. Usually the theme of the
lyrics will be devotional like praising lord krishna, depicting lord
krishna's childhood , praising a king etc.The movements here are leisurely
. Shabdam is often sung in a medley of ragas, known as ragamalika. The
form is simple consisting of four or five sections of poetry in different
ragas, set in seven beats (misra chapu)separated by short passages of drum
syllables chanted in the raga scale. This is the only instance where the
syllables are sung rather than spoken. The text usually praises a king or
a specific deity. The challenge here is for the dancer to keep a steady
flow of gestures and mime to this densely compact text in seven beats.
Short sequences of abstract dance are done to the syllables which separate
the various poetic sections. |
Aayasheriya-aridi damalo |
Sundara muham |
Neiya gopiya-
nenjam kavathida |
Maya van kulal
udura-aa--aa |
Surundu rundara |
kanna-neithyanam-shayithida |
Govindan
kulal--geeda naadam-- |
Padam
In this dance item the dancer's abhinaya is put into test. It narrates
expression of divine love or pangs of separation in love. The tempo is
slow and the performance is based on a specific mood of love.Padams will
have Nayaka (Hero, Supreme lover, Divine Lord)& Nayika
(Heroine, the yearning soul). Heroine will talk to her friend(sakhi) and
narrate her feelings towards her hero. The lyrics can be about how the
hero has betrayed, how he has delayed the arrival, how she is angry with
her beloved hero etc. Padams follow the intermission and are
considered the piece de resistance of this style. They are love songs in
slow tempo sung to a highly ornamented and expressive melody. The text is
interpreted on many levels; one text, for example, might be treated as the
relationship of a lover and beloved, or as the devotee and deity. The
ragas are called rakti ragas that are rich in emotional
expression. |
Aaadara Hangum
(Moods of love) Song by Pndt.W.D.Amaradeva |
Nava Rasa
- Shringara - Love
- Hasya - Mirth
- Veera - Heroism
- Roudra - Anger
- Bhayanaka - Terror
- Bheebatsa - Disgust
- Adbhuta - Wonder
- Karuna - Compassion
- Shanta - Tranquility
Moods of love, separation ------- |
...Sanda andure davena tharu eli- Mage hada tula karai vimasili
Nagena ganandura wadai
sithuvili - Me mangul rea bindei iwasili.... |
......Kimada oba mal kumariyan ne - Pethi vida sathutin me inne
Rahasa nathiwada man nodanne -
Thurule bambarun noveda inne.... |
-----Nupurudui mata nupurudui e hangum
Aaadara hangum aadara hangum -
Aaadara----hangum---- |
----Kithikawai hada kithikawai- E hangum-
Aaadara hangum - Aaadara hangum
- Aaadara----hangum---- |
Padam-
worshiping god- It is here in padam interpretation that the
dancer relies heavily on raga bhava , her ability to sense the
underlying mood of the raga . The luxuriant movement of the
melodic ornamentation has a direct influence upon the movement of gestures
and entire body. A padam is interpreted solely through drama, and
the rhythm, though often slow, is the subtle foundation for every movement
that the dancer makes. The musical form is tripartite: pallavi,
anupallavi, and caranam
|
Mama devinduni devolata aawe---//
Bethi pooja dothin gena
dovala-aawe kathara gewaaa- |
Varnam
This is the item where the dancers are tested for
their capacity to perform abinaya & nritta. This can be treated as a
benchmark to judge the artist's talent.The item will contain many complex
steps and will have lot of room for expressions also. To perform this item
one should have lot of stamina & concentration. The lyrics can be
devotional, praising a king etc. Varna can also have shrigara rasa as its
theme.
Varnam is a complex music form,
and the basis for an even more complex dance. The main item on the
program, it may sometimes be performed from a half hour to an hour
depending on the expertise of the dancer. It combines abstract dance and
abhinaya (drama). One line of the music, for instance, may be used for a
brilliant rhythmic tirmanam as well as for improvisation of the text in
drama. The musical and poetic form is in two main, sections. The first
consists of Pallavi and Anupallavi , each having two
lines of text, and Muktayi (composed) swaras. The latter
melody is sung first in swara syllables and then with words. The
dancer interprets the syllables as abstract dance movement,and the words
in drama. Sometimes the two are combined-the dancer moves about with
difficult foot work called tattimettu as she does the gestures.
In Pallavi and Anupallavi words are also interpreted in
abhinaya , and one line may be danced for some time. Each line
generally concentrates on one of the nine rasas, or emotional
states: love, bravery, compassion, wonder, humor, fear, disgust, anger and
serenity. When the dancer finishes abhinaya for a particular
line, she usually concludes with a tirmanam in abstract dance.
The second half of the Varnam begins with a refrain melody known
as the caranam . This alternates with four or five sections of
swaras , in the same type of rondo form found in the
jatisvaram . However, in the varnam , each set of swaras
also has words, and is immediately repeated with text. The swara
passages are done in abstract dance, and the sections with the text
in drama. As in many Indian dances, there are moments of repose in the
varnam where the dancer steps out of character briefly, before
beginning the next portion. This provides an excellent aesthetic device to
give both audience and dancer a rest as it were before they experience the
intense emotion in the last half of the dance. |
Varnam (Vankagiriya)
- Adi Thala- Thiputa thala-Chathusra jathi |
Tha jum-
Thaka jum- Thaka tha jum |
Tharum thaka
tha- thakita thaka tha |
Thath thadim -
thaka thadim- |
Tha kita naka
thaka- dimi kita naka thaka |
---Maha
vanayata gos perala awemi- mama rasa pala wela nela gena-- (Vessanthara-Vankagiriya) |
Tillana
This is usually the last item in any bharatanatyam performance. Tillana is
full of complicated movements & postures. This will also have complicated
Muktayas or Sholkattu , ending of any step or aduvu.
This is mainly a nritta piece which might have a charana , a
meaningfully lyrics for which abinaya is shown. Tillana is the concluding
item of abstract dance counter-balancing the alarippu , and is performed
to a rhythmic composition using sol-fa and drum syllables with a small
amount of text. |
Mohanam Raga-
Adi thala - Thriputa thala- Chathusra jathi |
Ashtapadi
These are poet Jayadeva's Sanskrit compositions
called Geetagovinda , an extremely romantic
composition. It describes the love of Krishna and Radha in twelve cantos
containing 24 songs. The songs are sung by Krishna or Radha or by Radha's
maid. Each Canto is named differently considering Krishna's status of
mind. |
- Saamodadamodara - Joyful Krishna
- Aakleshakeshava - Careless Krishna
- Mugdhamadhusoodhana - Bewildered Krishna
|
- Snigdhamadhusoodhana - Tender Krishna
- Saakankshapundareekaksha - Longing Krishna
- Kuntavaikunta - Indolent Krishna
|
- Naagaranaaraayana - Cunning Krishna
- Vilakshalakshmeepatihi - Abashed Krishna
- Mandamukunda - Languishing Krishna
|
- Chaturachaturbhuja - Intellegent Krishna
- Saanandadamodara - Blissful Krishna
- Supreetapeetambara - Ecstatic Krishna
|
Mangalam
Meaning ending the performance. Here the dancer again pays her "Namaskar"
to God, Guru & the Audience for giving courage and confidence.. |
