Like many Indian arts, Indian dance also has its root in religion. Without the religious and cultural background of India, the growth and beauty of Indian dance is not possible. In Natya Shastra , there is a small story about the origin of Indian dance. According to Hindu mythology, dance first existed in heaven. There was always a constant conflict between the Asuras and the Devas for wealth and power. The Devas were tired of the Asuras greediness and jealousy.
It was during this long period of tedium that all the Devas approached Lord Indra too find good ways and means of entertainment. Lord Indra, who was also tired of the Asuras, approached Lord Brahma (believed to be the creator of the Universe) and asked him to help them. They made a request to Lord Brahma that this method of entertainment should be pleasing to both the eye as well as the ear, and that it should be enjoyed by the masses of both higher and lower classes. Lord Brahma gave a long thought to the request of Lord Indra and finally decided to help them.
Lord Brahma went into a state of deep meditation. He called to mind the four Vedas. Vedas are the earliest scriptures of the Hindus. He distilled the essence from each of the Vedas. From Rigveda , he derived the words, from Sama Veda , he derived the music, from Yojurve Veda , the code of gesture and from Atherva Veda , the element of sentiment or flavor. He blended all of these ingredients and added his own divine genious. Thus, he created an entirely new activity. Brahma named this activity Natya , which was later renamed Natya Veda .
The Term Paper on Indian Dance Forms
Natyam Bharatanatyam is the most popular of Indian dances and belongs to the South Indian state of Tamilnadu. Its antiquity is well established. In the past it was practised ad performed in the temples by a class of dancers known as the devadasis. It was a part of the religious rituals and has a long and hoary past. The kings and the princely courts patronised the temples, as well as the various ...
Brahma had simply created a technique, but someone was needed for putting it into practice. Lord Brahma sought the cooperation of Bharat, a trusted sage. Bharat, with the help of his sons, started working. Vishvakarma, the supreme architect of heaven, then created a splendid theater in the hall of India s court for the performance.
Bharat told Brahma that certain characters of the dance sequences could only be performed by women. Brahma solved the problem by creating twenty-three beautiful Apsaras .
All of the preparations were made accordingly, and for the very first time, the art of Natya was performed before an audience of Devas and Asuras. In this Natya, the Devas were portrayed as victorious and the Asuras as losers. The Asuras (demons) got angry and rose in protest and threatened even worse consequences. Brahma was taken aback by this reaction to what he had intended to be an innocent and non-offensive past-time. He tried to explain to the Asuras that he was not trying to prove superiority of any beings over any other beings, either in peace or war. He told the Asuras that it was intended to teach the virtues and benefits of good deeds. It embodies the very essence of all there is in the world of learning and of art.
Brahma told Bharat that they have to perform their work, Natya , before Lord Shiva to get his approval and advice. When they learned that Lord Shiva would be willing to witness the newly created art of Natya, large and thorough preparations were made to stage a performance. Two plays, Amrita Manthan and Tripura Dhena , were presented in the vast amphi theater of the Himalayas. Shiva congratulated Brahma on the method of historic presentation. He also mentioned that while watching the performance, he was reminded of his own dance. He added that it mighyt be a good idea to incorporate his dance into the production he had just witnessed. Brahma liked this suggestion and requested Shiva to teach the sage Bharat to dance. Shiva s disciple, Tandu, gave Bharat the necessary instructions, and thuds the art of dance came to be introduced to Natya and became an integral part of it.
While Tandu was instructing Bharat in Shiva s dance, the Tandava , Shiva s consort Parvati, also instructed him in her style, lasya , Later Parvati taught her style to Usha. Usha instructed the women of Saurastra, and from there it gradually spread to the rest of the world. Even Tandu passed this revealed art on to mortals on the earth.
The Report on About Dances
Art of Indian Dance and Impact on Society Summary of lecture given by Mythili Kumar Yatho dhrishtis thatho manaha Whither the glances lead there the mind follows, Yatho manas thatho bhavaha Whither the mind goes there the mood follows, Yatho bhavas thatho rasaha Whither the mood goes, there is 'rasa' born Classical dance in India is an eloquent expression of an ancient tradition, in which every ...
