Indian Classical Dance Form- Odissi

Odissi Dance

The caves of Udayagiri-Khandagiri furnish some of the earliest examples of Odissi dance.

The dance derives from the 'Odra nritya' mentioned in Natya Shastra. It was primarily practiced by the 'Maharshi' and patronized by the Jain King Kheravela.

With the emergence of Vaishnavism in the region, the Mahari system became defunct. Instead, young boys were enlisted and dressed as females to continue the art form. They came to be known as 'Gotipuas'. Another form of this art, 'Nartala' continued to be practiced at the royal courts.

In the mid-20th century, Odissi acquired International applaud due to the efforts of Charles Fabri and Indrani Rahman. 

Some of the features of Odissi dance are:

• It is similar to Bharatnatyam in the use of Mudras and postures to Intimate emotions.

• The tribhanga postures, i.e. the three-bended form of the body are innate to the Odissi dance form. Also, the 'Chowk' posture with hands spread out Illustrates masculinity.

• During the dance, the lower body remains largely static and there is the movement of the torso (upper arm). Hand gestures play a vital role to convey expressions during the Nritya part.

• Odissi dance form is eccentric in its representation of gracefulness, sensuality, and beauty. The dancers create serpentine geometrical shapes and patterns with the body. Hence is known as 'mobile sculpture'.

• Odissi dance is escorted by Hindustani classical music and instruments generally used are Manjira (Cymbals), Pakhawaj (Drums), Sitar, Flute, etc.

• The dance form symbolizes the element of water.

• The libretto (lyrics) of Gita Govinda, written by Jayadeva, is used along with compositions of some local poets.

• The woman dancer wears an elaborate hair-style, silver jewelry, a long necklace, etc.

The elements of the Odissi dance form include:

• Mangalacharan or the emergence where a flower is offered to mother earth.

• Batu nritya comprising of the dance. It has the Tribhanga and the Chowk postures.

• Pallavi which includes the facial pronouncement and the representation of the song.

• Tharijham consisting of pure dance before the conclusion.

• The concluding item is of two types: (1.) Moksha - it includes joyous movements signifying liberation. (2.) Trikhanda Majura - it is another way of concluding, in which the performer takes leave from the Gods, the audience, and the stage.

Famous proponents: Gur Pankaj Charan Das, Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh, Sharon Lowen (USA), Anadani Dasi (Argentina).

Fig: Tribhanga stance (Odissi)

Fig: Odissi Dance

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मानव भूगोल (Human Geography)

मानव भूगोल (Human Geography)

➤मानव भूगोल भी मूल विषय की एक प्रमुख शाखा है। 

➤मानव भूगोल, पृथ्वी पर मानवीय क्रियाओं के अध्ययन से संबंधित है। 

➤इसके अंतर्गत मानव समूहों तथा उनकी संस्कृति विशेषताओं के अध्ययन को भी सम्मिलित किया जाता है। 

➤मानव बसाव, मानवीय कार्यकलापों के विकास की प्रक्रिया और मानव के विश्व की विभिन्न भागों को अपने अनुकूल बनाने की प्रक्रिया भी मानव भूगोल के अध्ययन के अंतर्गत आने वाले महत्वपूर्ण विषय है। 

➤भूगोल की इस प्रमुख शाखा की कई शाखाएं हैं जिसमें से कुछ महत्वपूर्ण उप शाखाएं निम्नलिखित है:-

➤जनसंख्या भूगोल :- जनसंख्या भूगोल का विषय क्षेत्र मानव भूगोल के काफी समान है परंतु इसकी परिभाषा अपेक्षाकृत अधिक सीमित है। 

➤जनसंख्या वृद्धि और उसका वितरण इस विषय के अध्ययन क्षेत्र के प्रमुख अंग है।

➤भूगोल की यह शाखा जनसंख्या समूहों, उनकी सामाजिक एवं भाषा संबंधी संरचना के अतिरिक्त जनसंख्या वृद्धि और गतिशीलता के सिद्धांतों एवं नियमों का अध्ययन से संबंधित है। 

➤सांस्कृतिक भूगोल :- मानव भूगोल  की यह शाखा समय के साथ परिवर्तनशील  विविध सांस्कृतिक क्रियाओं तथा प्रक्रमों का किसी क्षेत्र के  मानवीय पर्यावरण के संदर्भ में अध्ययन करती है।

➤सांस्कृतिक भूगोलवेत्ताओं  के अनुसार विभिन्न संस्कृतियां मानव तथा उसके पर्यावरण की पारस्परिक अन्त:क्रिया का परिणाम होती है। 

➤इस शाखा का उद्देश्य मानव संस्कृतियों के स्थानिक विभेदों का अध्ययन करना भी है।

➤अधिवास भूगोल:- मानव अधिवासों का विकास, उनका  अपने पर्यावरण में सहसंबंध और उनके विभिन्न प्रकारों का अध्ययन, भूगोल की इस शाखा का कार्यक्षेत्र है।

➤इसके अतिरिक्त अधिवास भूगोल के अंतर्गत अधिवासों के विवरण के अध्ययन को भी सम्मिलित किया जाता है।

➤अधिवासों में  के आंतरिक संगठन के साथ-साथ यह विषय अधिवासों में व्यक्तियों तथा यातायात के प्रवाह का भी अध्ययन करता है।

➤अधिवास भूगोल को सामान्यतया  नगरीय तथा ग्रामीण भूगोल में विभाजित किया जाता है। 

➤राजनैतिक  भूगोल :- यह मानव भूगोल की एक और प्रमुख  शाखा है तथा विभिन्न क्षेत्रों के राजनैतिक संगठन समय के साथ इसमें होने वाले परिवर्तनों तथा राजनीति में भूगोलिक तथ्यों की भूमिका के अध्ययन से संबंधित है। 

➤भू -राजनीति इस विषय का एक महत्वपूर्ण अंग है जो भूगोलिक तत्वों के आधार पर विभिन्न क्षेत्रों के राजनैतिक महत्व का निर्धारण व मूल्यांकन करता है। 

➤इसकी एक शाखा सार्वजनिक चुनावो  में लोगों के मत व्यवहार आदि का अध्ययन करती है।

 

➤इस शाखा को चुनावी भूगोल कहा जाता है।

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भौतिक भूगोल (Physical Geography)

भौतिक भूगोल(Physical Geography)

➤भौतिक भूगोल तथा मानव भूगोल मूल विषय की दो महत्वपूर्ण शाखाएं रही हैं । 

➤भौतिक भूगोल, भौतिक पर्यावरण और उन विविध गतिविधियों से संबंधित है जो कि पृथ्वी के भौतिक भौतिक पर्यावरण में परिवर्तन लाते हैं। 

➤इसकी  विविध उपशाखाएं हैं जो कि भौतिक पर्यावरण के विशिष्ट घटकों के अध्ययन से संबंधित है।

➤भू-आकृति विज्ञान :- भू-आकृति विज्ञान को भौतिक भूगोल की उस शाखा के रूप में परिभाषित किया जा सकता है जो कि भूतल की बनावट के अध्ययन से संबंधित है।

➤साधारण शब्दों में इसे स्थलाकृतियों के अध्ययन के रूप में परिभाषित किया जा सकता है।

➤चूकि यह विषय स्थलाकृतियों  के निर्माण से भी संबंधित है, इसलिए यह इनक निर्माण करने वाले पदार्थों के अध्ययन से भी संबंधित है।अत: भूपर्पटी में पाए जाने वाले पदार्थों तथा भूपर्पटी को प्रभावित करने वाले अंतजार्त तथा पर बर्हिजात बलों के अध्ययन को भी इसमें सम्मिलित किया जाता है।

➤भौतिक भूगोल की शाखा भू-विज्ञान से काफी निकट रूप से संबंधित है। 

➤जलवायु विज्ञान :-भौतिक भूगोल की यह शाखा वायुमंडल के संघटन,उसकी संरचना,ऊर्जा तथा वायुमंडल में होने वाले परिवर्तनों  का अध्ययन करती है। 

➤भौतिक भूगोल की यह शाखा मौसम विज्ञान के निकट रूप से संबंधित है। 

➤जलवायु विज्ञान मानव जीवन पर जलवायु के प्रभावों तथा संसार के विभिन्न भागों में पाए जाने वाले जलवायु का भी अध्ययन करता है।

➤समुद्र विज्ञान :-समुद्र विज्ञान समुद्रों का अध्ययन करने वाला विषय है।

➤समुद्र विज्ञान न केवल समुद्र तल के स्वरूप के स्वरूप से संबंधित है, बल्कि समुद्री जल के लक्षणों जैसे तापमान, लवणता,घनत्व और समुद्र में होने वाली गतिविधियों का अध्ययन करता है।

➤जैव भूगोल :- जैव भूगोल जीवों एवं वनस्पतियों के उनके पर्यावरण से संबंधों का अध्ययन करता है।

➤इस प्रकार इसमें पौधों तथा जंतुओं का अध्ययन शामिल है। 

➤जैव भूगोल से संबंधित  क्षेत्र जैवमंडल कहलाता है।

➤जैवमंडल वह क्षेत्र है जिसमें जीवन संभव है।

➤इस क्षेत्र का विस्तार पृथ्वी के आंतरिक भाग से वायुमंडल तक है। 

➤जैवमंडल में जलमंडल, स्थलमंडल और वायुमंडल को सम्मिलित किया जाता है।

➤जैवमंडल  को विभिन्न शाखाओं में बांटा जा सकता है जैसे :- कि पौधों और उनके पर्यावरण का अध्ययन पादप भूगोल के नाम से तथा जंतुओं और उनके पर्यावरण के अध्ययन को जंतु भूगोल के नाम से जाना जाता है। 

➤भूगोल की इस शाखा को पारिस्थितिकी भी कहा जाता है।

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Indian Classical Dance Form- Manipuri

Manipuri Dance

Manipuri dance form finds its fairy-tale emergence in the heavenly dance of Shiva and Parvati in the valley of Manipur along with the local 'Gandharvas'. 

The dance gained prestige with the advent of Vaishnavism in the 15th century. Krishna became the dominant theme of this dance form. It is performed generally by females.

In modern times, Raja Bhag Chandra of Manipur in the 18th century tried to save Manipuri dance. Rabindranath Tagore brought back the dance form into the limelight when he introduced it in Shantiniketan, West Bengal.

Some of the attributes of Manipuri dance are as follows:

• Manipur dance is unique in its emphasis on devotion and not sensuality.

• The faces are shielded with a thin veil and facial expression is of lesser importance.

• Hand gestures and gentle movements of feet are important.

• The dance integrates both Tandava and Lasya, emphasis is laid on the latter.

• The female wears unique long skirts. The focus is mainly on relax and gracious movements of hand and knee positions.

• Nagabandha mudra, in which the body is coupled through curves in the shape of 'eight = 8' is an important posture in Manipuri dance form.

• Ras Leela = Radha Krishna's love story is a recurring theme of the Manipuri dance recital.

• The drum - pung - is a complex element of the recital. Flute, Karthal = wooden clapper, dhol, etc, also, accompany the music. The composition of Jayadeva and Chandidas is used extensively.

• Thang-Ta and Sankritana are also influenced by Manipuri dance.

Famous proponents: Jhaveri sister - Nayana, Suvarna, Ranjana, and Darsana, Guru Bipin Singha, N Madhavi Devi, etc.

Fig: Manipuri Dance (Raas-Leela)

Fig: Nagabandha Mudra

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Indian Classical Dance Form- Mohiniattam

Mohiniattam

Mohiniattam or the Dance of a magician, 'Mohini' = beautiful woman & 'attam' =  dance, is originally a solo dance performance by women that was further developed by Vadivelu in the 19th century and gained notability under the rulers of Travancore in the present State of Kerala.

The patronage of Swathi Thirunal (the Travancore ruler in the 19th century) is notable. After it had fallen to obscurity (twilight), the famous Malayali poet V.N.Menon revived it along with Kalyani Amma.

Some of the features of Mohiniattam are:

•  Mohiniattam combines the grace and elegance of Bharatnatyam with the rigor of Kathakali. There is a marked absence of amazing footsteps and the footwork is gentle.

• Mohiniattam generally describes the story of the feminine dance of Vishnu.

• It has its own Nritta and Nritya features like that of other classical dances.

• The Lasya aspect (beauty & grace) of dance is dominant in a Mohiniattam recital. Hence, it is mainly performed by female dancers.

• The dance is accompanied by music and songs.

• The costume is of exceptional significance in Mohiniattam, with white and off-white being the principal colors and the presence of gold-colored brocade designs. There is no elaborate facial make-up. The dancer wears a leather strap with bells (Ghungroo) on her ankles.

• The segment of air is symbolized through a Mohiniattam performance.

• 'Atavakul or Atavus' is a collection of 40 basic dance movements.

• Musical instruments used are cymbals (chime), veena, drums, flute, etc.

Famous proponents: Sunanda Nair, Kalamandalam Keshemavathy, Madhuri Amma, Jayaprabha Menon, etc.

Fig: Mohiniattam

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Indian Classical Dance Form- Kuchipudi

Kuchipudi

In the first instance performed by the group of actors going from village to village, known as Kusselavas, Kuchipudi derives its name from the village Kusselavapuri or Kuchelapuram in Andhra Pradesh.

In the 17th century, Siddhendra Yogi ratified and systematized the tradition. He authorized "Bhama Kalapam" and many other plays.

With the exposure of Vaishnavism, the dance form became a monopoly of the male Brahmins and began to be performed at temples. Stories of Bhagvat Purana became a central theme of the recitals, and the dancers came to be known as Bhagvathalus. The dance form gained greatness under the patronage of the Vijayanagar and Golconda rulers. 

However, it endured confined to the villages and remained obscure till the advent of the 20th century, when Balasaraswati and Ragini Devi revived this dance form. Lakshminarayan Sastri, in the early 20th century, brought in new practices such as solo recitals and female participation.

Some of the features of Kuchipudi dance are:

• It involves strenuous foot movements and is generally a team performance.

• Most of the Kuchipudi recitals are based on stories of Bhagwata Purana but have an earthly theme. There is a predominance of Shringara ras.

• Each vital character introduces itself on the stage with a "daaru", which is a small composition of dance and song, specifically choreographed for the revelation of each character. 

• The Kuchipudi dance style is an expression of the earthly elements in the human body.

• In a Kuchipudi recital, the dancer may Integrate the role of a singer into himself/herself as well. Hence, it becomes a dance-drama performance.

• Both Lasya and Tandava elements are paramount in the Kuchipudi dance form.

• Apart from the group the executions, there are some popular solo elements in Kuchipudi as well.

• A Kuchipudi recital is generally escorted by Carnatic music. Violin and Mridgangam being the principal instruments. The recital is in the Telugu language.

The dance involves all three components of the classical dancers: Nritta, Natya, and Nritya. It is similar to Bharatnatyam but has its own attributes.

The performance has:

• Sollakath or Patakshara: The Nritta part, where the movement (gesture) of the body is made.

• Kavutvams: The Nritya part involves extensive acrobatics. It may also be performed as Nritta.

Apart from group performances, there are some admirable solo elements in Kuchipudi as well. Some of them are:

• Manduka Shabdam: It tells the story of a frog.

• Tarangam: The dancer represents with his/her feet on the edges of a brass plate and balancing a pot of water on the head or a set of diyas.

• Jala Chitra Nrityam: In this element, the dancer draws a picture on the floor with his or her toes while dancing.

Famous exponents: Radha Reddy, Raja Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Indrani Rahman, etc.

Fig: Kuchipudi (Tarangam) 

 

Fig: Kuchipudi

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Indian Classical Dance Form- Kathakali

Kathakali

In the temples of Kerala, two evidence of dance-drama, Ramanattam, and Krishnattam evolved under the patronage of feudal lords, narrating episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. 

These folk traditions later became the source of Kathakali, which derived its name from the words 'Katha'= drama. It is Intently related to Koodiyattam = Sanskrit drama tradition and, other ancient material-arts performance also. It is a marvelous combination of music, dance, and drama.

However, with the breakdown of the feudal setup, Kathakali began declining as an art form. It was resuscitated in the 1930s by the famous Malayali poet V.N. Menon under the patronage of Mukunda Raja.

Some of the features of Kathakali dance are:

• Kathakali is generally an all-male troupe performance.

• There is nominal use of props in the Kathakali recital. However, every elaborate facial makes up along with headgear is used for different characters.

Different colors have their own significance:

• Green: It indicates nobility, divinity, and virtue.

• Red: It patches beside the nose indicate royalty.

• Black: Its colors are used to indicate evil and wickedness.

• Yellow: Its colors are for saints and women.

• Completely Red painted face: It indicates evil.

• Whitebeard: It indicates begins with higher consciousness and divinity.

It involves both dances and drama and the two cannot be clearly separated.

• Most of the Kathakali recitals are a grand representation of the everlasting conflict between good and evil. It draws its themes from the stories narrated in the chronicle and the Puranas. It is called the 'ballad of the east'.

• The language used for Kathakali songs is Manipravlam, i.e., a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit.

• Music is important to fairly convey the entire drama to the viewers. Different compositions of music are used during the performance to give the depth of the drama.

• Gesticulation is perhaps the crown jewel of the entire dance-drama. Kathakali is extraordinary in the depiction of the rasas through movements of the eye and eyebrows, through which the story is conveyed. Nine important facial expressions called 'Navarasas' are taught to convey contrasting emotions. Extensive hand gestures are also used. Therefore, this dance form calls for strenuous training.

• Kathakali is mostly performed in open-air theaters covered with rough mats or temple premises with lush green trees of Kerala providing a backdrop. A brass lamp is used for lighting.

• The advent of dawn, accompanied by a sustained sound of drums, chhenda, and maddala marks the beginning and end of a Kathakali recital.

• Kathakali symbolizes the elements of the sky or ether.

Famous exponents: Guru Kunchu Kurup, Gopi Nath, Kottakal Sivaraman, Rita Ganguly, etc.

Fig: Kathakali

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