Dance Drama in Bharatha Natyam

By Subashini PATHMANATHAN

From ancient times, dance and drama were practised together. Earlier there was no proper distinction or division between the two. The Tamil classical dance is always considered as a divine art.

There are some who believe that dance evolved out of drama, whilst some others believe that drama had its origin in dance. Whatever it may be, the relationship between the two is very close and almost inseparable. Earlier dance and drama were called under the common name koothu. An ancient Tamil classic Koothanool refers, 'koothil Peranthathu Natya kope Natyam Peranthathu Nadaka Wahaiye' (dance had it's origin from drama, and drama had it's origin from dance).

A Bharatha Natyam performer

In the olden days, male dancers were called Koothar, and female dancers were called Koothiyar. Even the cosmic dancer Lord Nataraja is called Koothapiran, Ampalak Koothan, Thirukoothan, Kootharasan, and Thillai Koothan.

In the 2nd century A.D, the Tamil classic Silapathikaram deals with variety of Koothus. During the Pallava times, drama held a pre-eminent position.

Even the Pallava king Mahenderavarman is credited with having written a dance drama 'Matha Villasam'. During this period, dance and drama flourised in temples and the environs. After the Pallava period, during the Chola period, the Chola kings, who also supported the arts, artists, and encouraged various other forms of arts, and patronized dance and drama.

This is evidenced by various stone inscriptions, copper plates inscriptions, and literary works. The Chola kings endowed villages to the dancers. To this day, there is a village called Kootha Nallur, which was endowed on dancers.

In the 17th century, Pallu, Kuravanchi, Bhagavatha Mela, began to appear in the drama scene, and soon these were combined with dance, and assumed the shape of dance drama. In the course of the 17th century, there was a gradual separation between dance and drama.

In the 18th century, and 19th century, dance faced a set back, whilst the drama gained the recognition, and popularity. In early 20th centaury, cinema with its new techniques acquired a pre-eminent position, at the expense of drama, which was pushed back to the verge of extinction.

This was the period, when drama stars of the theatre blossomed into cinema stars, and drama halls, were transformed into cinema studios.

After a brief period, of oblivion, dance then known as Sathir, blossomed into Bharatha Natyam. After 1940, different individual dance teachers, and Bharatha Natya institutions, choreographed, numerous dance dramas for epics. The first dance drama was 'Kutrala Kuravanchi' presented by Srimathi Rukmani Devi of Kalashetra.

This was followed by several others, after 1962, dance dramas were presented on several themes, even on fiction works.

In the last decade of the 20th century, tele dance drama emerged, and featured in T.V. channels. This was a new innovation and acquired unique, position with the aid of lighting, and sounding techniques. This partakes more of cinema, than stage dance drama.

Though dance drama has much in common with dance, there are essential differences between the Bharatha Natyam. Bharatha Natyam, for instance has a repertoire of its own.Bharatha Natyam with its exquisite combination of adavus, abinaya, bavas rasas, eye movements, neck movements, and hand muthras (gestures) is essentially an individual dance.

Bharatha Natyam is totally based on classical Carnatic music base, whilst in dance drama the repertoire is set then and there, based on the story of the dance drama portrays. For dance drama, the music is not necessarily confined to the traditional carnatic music. In dance dramas, variety of musical instruments are used to enhance the effect and beauty of the scene. However, in Bharatha Natyam, the use of musical instruments, are limited and strongly adhered to the tradition. For Bharatha Natyam the stage is set once and for all, whilst in dance drama, the stage has, to be rearranged according to the scene portrayed.

Generally in dance drama, the costumes, the make up and hair dressing, are adopted to each character's needs and necessity, whilst Bharatha Natyam uses only certain designed costumes, and one distinctive make up. Dance drama, is considered as Bharatha Natyam, by laymen, because dance drama are presented through the idiom and grammar of Bharatha Natyam.