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Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam
By Mallika Jayanti
Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest dance forms of India. Derived
from Bharata's Natya Shastra, it has undergone many changes
over time. What remained unchanged, however, is its popularity.
This complex codified dance form offers maximum freedom to innovate
and explore. While one danced in praise of Lord Siva, one is
also now talking of condoms with the same ease through this
art form. "The journey of the dance from the temple to
the proscenium is a fascinating story. No other form has traversed
such a long distance, retaining its original content and yet
providing a sparkling example of creative evolution in terms
of material, music and costume," an author said elsewhere.
He couldn't be farther from the truth. |
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Bharatanatyam is danced to the Carnatic
music. There is a certain relationship between the two. The
mathematical precision of Bharatanatyam equals that of Carnatic
Music measure for measure. Music and the dance merge like body
and soul to offer the viewer a complete delight.
Bharatanatyam is based on Natyasastra. Natyasastra is also the
primary text (aptavakya prasthanagrantha) for music.
The Natyasastra clearly expresses rasa-bhava-prakriya, a yardstick
used for all visual and aural content, abhinaya, dialogue, dance
and musical dhruvas. The Natyasastra alone preserves an exhaustive
account of the ancient musical grammar. Bharat Muni has devoted
nine chapters to Gandharva (from 28th to 36th), quantitatively
about one-fourth of the Natyasastra.
But one can find many differences in the pattern of singing
for a Carnatic concert and singing for Bharatanatyam.
* In Bharatanatyam, one starts with a Pushpanjali or such invocatory
items that are usually in raga nattai while the varnam comes
much later. A Carnatic music concert opens with a varnam.
* While singing for Bharatanatyam, the singer has to constantly
watch the dancer and keep up with what is happening on stage.
* In a Bharatanatyam Margam, the tone and speed / 'kala' of
the singing is decided by the dance and type of dance and mood
of the margam.
* The dancer and the audience experience the rasanubhava more
than the singer/vocalist in a Bharatanatyam concert. While in
a musical concert, it is the singer who experiences the rasanubhava
and then transmits it through his/her voice to the audience.
* The extent to which the subtle nuances could be explored is
very limited while one is singing for dance.
* While in a music concert, the singer can sing a composition
in different talas and speeds, this cannot happen in a dance
concert. The number of times even a line is repeated depends
on the choreography of the dance.
However, both the concerts end with a Mangalam
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