by Subhashini Pathmanathan

The Tamil and Sinhala population lived in this Island, for centuries together. Both the communities are linked by religion, language, and culture. They are inter-related with one another, with peace, harmony, and appreciate and respect, one another’s culture and traditions.

Vannam is one of the Kandyan dance form. There are altogether eighteen Vannam in the Kandyan dance, each Vannama is based on separate theme. The last inclusion of Vannam in Kandyan dance has provided a lot of scope for Nirthya movements in the Kandyan dance.

Generally the Vannam is based on numerous themes. It is based on various themes, such as folk legends, nature, and religion. Most of the Vannam describe the behaviour of animals such as elephant, monkey, rabbit, cobra, and birds. Each Vannama is based on separate imaginative theme. First among the Vannam is Gajaga Vannama.

In Tamil language, Gaja means elephant. Lord Ganesha, the elephant faced God is called Lord Ganapathy, Gajan, Gajamugan, Gajavathan, Gajendran, Gaja Nathan, and Gaja Mohan. Gajaga Vannama is based on a particular legend. It deals and explains that Iravana, an elephant, sporting in cool water in a lotus tank.

The elephant’s majestic movements, majestic twists, majestic steps, are naturally and beautifully reflected in the Vannama. This is one of the most attractive Vannams.

There is another Vannama on God Ganesha; in this Vannama the dancers invoke blessings from Lord Ganesha. This Vannama is called Ganapathy Vannama.

Another Vannama is Naiyadi Vannama. In Tamil there was a Melam (orchestra) called Naiyadi Melam which was quite popular long time ago, and it is still practised in some areas.

The Naiyadi Vannama is dealing with a story connected to a princely Naga (cobra); the snake charmer’s movements are reflected less in this dance, but the movements of the snake are reflected more. For this Vannama Sarpa Sirasa hand gesture is used.

The Sarpa Sirasa hand gesture is also used in Bharatha Natyam and Kathakali.

In Bharatha Natyam the Naga Narthanam is specially a dance, which depicts the dance of the Cobra. Another Vannama called Naga Vannama depicts the one day life of a Cobra which crawls on the floor of the court halls, and depicts how the Cobra emerges out of the hole, and how the cobra raises its hood in different directions.

This depicts the natural movements of the Cobra. In Bharatha Natyam the single hand Mudhra, Sarpasirasa and the joint hand Mudhra Naga Bandha, Mudhra (gestures) depict the Naga (cobra) Mudhras.

Another Vannama is called Hanuma Vannama. In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman is worshipped for bravery, moral strength, and protection. In this Vannama the dancer reveals the actions and the attitudes of a monkey through the movements, by jumping from tree to tree.

The dancers dress themselves as monkeys with wrinkled faces, and jutting eyes. Some of the Vannams are directly linked with Hindu mythology, for instance, Savula Vannama is based on Skanda Purana. According to this Vannama, there was battle between the Asuras and the Devas.

At the end the Lord Skanda entered the battle field with sword and spear to fight with the Asuras. At last one of the Asuras was split into two by the Lord Skanda which became a cock.In Hinduism Lord Skanda killed the Sooran who was split by Lord Skanda into two, who thereafter became a cock, and a peacock.

Another Vannama deals with the Victorious dance of Lord Iswara (Lord Shiva) after he found the Goddess Uma. The Lord Iswara himself went in disguise in search of his consort, the goddess Uma. He was overjoyed on the meeting of goddess Uma and danced vigorously with firm and majestic movements.

Mayura Vannama is another Vannama.

The theme of the Vannama is about the peacock Vahana, of Lord Kataragama. Buddhists too believe in Kataragama Deviyo. In Hinduism the Lord Kataragama is called Lord Skanda or Lord Muruga whose vehicle (vahana) is the peacock (Mayuram.) Lord Skanda or Lord Muruga is also called Mayuran. The Mayura hand Mudhra is used in Bharatha Natyam and Kathakali to depict the peacock.

In Musaladi Vannama the dancer imitates the imaginative movements of a Rabbit, (Musal). Hiding with fear, jumping, running, in a zig zag manner, and hopping are depicted in the dance.

At the end the Rabbit takes rest under the moon light. Virodi Vannam is about diamond. In Tamil diamond is called Viram.

Another Vannama deals with Lord Brahma, Lord Visvakarma, and Lord Iswara, (Lord Shiva). Lord Shiva blew the conch before the King of universe.

Hence most of the Vannams are based on Hindu religious and Hindu themes.

The description above reveal that both the major communities in the country lived together in peace and harmony for centuries. Further the culture and traditions of both the communities influence each other. Both the communities respect and follow each other’s traditions.

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