In my earlier post, we observed that Natya Shastra / Natya Veda is the fifth Veda which was created by Lord Brahma.
Lord Brahma entrusted it to Sage Bharatamuni and his 100 sons in the presence of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti, Lord Shiva added Tandava to it and Goddess Shakti added Lasyam to it.
Lord Indra started using Dance / Drama in the theatre as a "Flag Festival" to depict the demons that - "only the righteous who follow moral values will win and it is always only the good which will gain victory over evil"
There was a dancer among the demons by name Natasekhara who started gaining victory over the good and the righteous started to fail and the demon was spreading evil and gaining power
Lord Indra who wanted to conquer Natasekhara a demon by acquiring competence in Bharatarnava asked Nandikeshvara to write a concise version of Bharatarnava so that the good and righteous understands exactly how to react to the evil on the play stage.
Nandikeshvara wrote a concise version of Bharatarnava which is called as -
"Abhinaya Darpanam" = "The Mirror of Gesture"
The essence of the first 4 Vedas can be HEARD AND VIEWED with the help of Natya Veda.
Nandikeshvara (नन्दीकेश्वर) (5th century - 4th century BC) was the great theorist on stage-craft of ancient India. While Natya Shastra was still complicated for any common man to understand , even before Sage Bharatamuni - Nandikeshvara understood the concepts of Natya Shastra .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandikeshvara
Nandikeshvara came up with a simple version of Natya Shastra called as "Abhinaya Darpanam"
"Abhinaya Darpanam" = "The Mirror of Gesture"
The original version of Natya Shastra covers all dance forms , but the book below covers only Bharatanatyam.
Natya Shastra is derived from the first 4 vedas (Rig veda , Yajur veda , Sama veda and Atharva veda) which bestows 4 principle objectives of human existence.
1.Dharma - Right Conduct
2.Kama - Desires
3.Artha - Wealth
4.Moksha - Liberation
Padabhedah - Bhramari
Padabhedah - Cari
Padabhedah - Gati
Jalajantu Gesture,
Mriga Gesture,
Pakshi Gesture,
Vruksha Gesture,
So this covers Abhinaya Darpanam at a high level.
Some of the best institutes where one can take up full time arts studies are the following:
1. Kerala Kalamandalam : http://www.kalamandalam.org/ - No.1 Institute in performing arts in India recognized by UNESCO.
2. Kala Kshetra in Tamil Nadu : http://www.kalakshetra.in/
Those who are interested in Distance learning who have a passion for arts can chose
1. Annamalai university from Tamilnadu : http://www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in/dde/index.php
2. Kalai Kaviri from Tamilnadu : http://kalaikavirifinearts.in/trichy/
Under the special eligibility criteria based on my past experience in dance and theory i got admission into Annamalai university for a 2 year certificate program after 9 months of course commencement.
I got admission into (May 2018 - May 2020 batch)
1st year you will study theory which i have almost completed today,
2nd year i.e , from June 2019 i will start practical class at the university study center in Bengaluru ,
meanwhile personally i have already started practicals from a personal teacher outside college.
Examinations are conducted at the end of the 2nd year.
Once you pass certification course one can apply directly to MFA-Bharatanatyam
Lord Brahma entrusted it to Sage Bharatamuni and his 100 sons in the presence of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti, Lord Shiva added Tandava to it and Goddess Shakti added Lasyam to it.
Lord Indra started using Dance / Drama in the theatre as a "Flag Festival" to depict the demons that - "only the righteous who follow moral values will win and it is always only the good which will gain victory over evil"
There was a dancer among the demons by name Natasekhara who started gaining victory over the good and the righteous started to fail and the demon was spreading evil and gaining power
Lord Indra who wanted to conquer Natasekhara a demon by acquiring competence in Bharatarnava asked Nandikeshvara to write a concise version of Bharatarnava so that the good and righteous understands exactly how to react to the evil on the play stage.
Nandikeshvara wrote a concise version of Bharatarnava which is called as -
"Abhinaya Darpanam" = "The Mirror of Gesture"
The essence of the first 4 Vedas can be HEARD AND VIEWED with the help of Natya Veda.
Nandikeshvara (नन्दीकेश्वर) (5th century - 4th century BC) was the great theorist on stage-craft of ancient India. While Natya Shastra was still complicated for any common man to understand , even before Sage Bharatamuni - Nandikeshvara understood the concepts of Natya Shastra .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandikeshvara
Nandikeshvara came up with a simple version of Natya Shastra called as "Abhinaya Darpanam"
"Abhinaya Darpanam" = "The Mirror of Gesture"
The original version of Natya Shastra covers all dance forms , but the book below covers only Bharatanatyam.
Natya Shastra is derived from the first 4 vedas (Rig veda , Yajur veda , Sama veda and Atharva veda) which bestows 4 principle objectives of human existence.
1.Dharma - Right Conduct
2.Kama - Desires
3.Artha - Wealth
4.Moksha - Liberation
The manifestation of Nadikeshvara's work is seen even today in - Kutiyattam /Koodiyattam a popular dance drama in Kerala recognized by UNESCO.
Later many dancers wrote books on Abhinaya Darpanam - Mirror of Gesture and one such book is written by Anitha Vallabh.
This is one such simple book with movements being explained in great detail.
The focus of this book is - "Bharatanatyam"
However the gestures can be used in other dance forms also as required.
Four elements of Gestures.
1.Angika - Bodily Movements
2.Vachika - Speech
3.Aharya - Ornaments
4.Sattvika - Purity
There is no manual to teach sattvika Abhinaya to anybody.
The equation is : 100% Sattivika - 0% Materialism.
Gestures are divided based on the body parts as seen below
A few examples :
Eyebrow gesture ,
Eye/Drishti gesture,
Neck gesture,
Head gestures,
Upper gesture denotes Shyness and the lower gesture denotes waiting for the partner!
Single hand gesture,
Combined hand gesture,
Deva Gesture,
Dikpala Gesture,
Dasavatara Gesture,
Navagraha Gesture,
Padabhedah
Padabhedah - Mandala
Padabhedah - Utplavana
1.Angika - Bodily Movements
2.Vachika - Speech
3.Aharya - Ornaments
4.Sattvika - Purity
There is no manual to teach sattvika Abhinaya to anybody.
The equation is : 100% Sattivika - 0% Materialism.
Gestures are divided based on the body parts as seen below
A few examples :
Eyebrow gesture ,
Eye/Drishti gesture,
Neck gesture,
Head gestures,
Upper gesture denotes Shyness and the lower gesture denotes waiting for the partner!
Gestures explaining elements of relatives,
Below gesture denotes son, so there is a story here if you are capable of understanding!
When you have already won all your desires , what is challenge accepted? and what are you waiting for?
You have already won the first 3 elements of human existence - right conduct , desires and wealth.
Do you realize you are half way already to liberation.
Combined hand gesture,
Deva Gesture,
Dikpala Gesture,
Dasavatara Gesture,
Varna Gesture,
Padabhedah
Padabhedah - Mandala
Padabhedah - Utplavana
Padabhedah - Cari
Padabhedah - Gati
Jalajantu Gesture,
Mriga Gesture,
Pakshi Gesture,
Vruksha Gesture,
So this covers Abhinaya Darpanam at a high level.
Some of the best institutes where one can take up full time arts studies are the following:
1. Kerala Kalamandalam : http://www.kalamandalam.org/ - No.1 Institute in performing arts in India recognized by UNESCO.
2. Kala Kshetra in Tamil Nadu : http://www.kalakshetra.in/
Those who are interested in Distance learning who have a passion for arts can chose
1. Annamalai university from Tamilnadu : http://www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in/dde/index.php
2. Kalai Kaviri from Tamilnadu : http://kalaikavirifinearts.in/trichy/
Under the special eligibility criteria based on my past experience in dance and theory i got admission into Annamalai university for a 2 year certificate program after 9 months of course commencement.
I got admission into (May 2018 - May 2020 batch)
1st year you will study theory which i have almost completed today,
2nd year i.e , from June 2019 i will start practical class at the university study center in Bengaluru ,
meanwhile personally i have already started practicals from a personal teacher outside college.
Examinations are conducted at the end of the 2nd year.
Once you pass certification course one can apply directly to MFA-Bharatanatyam
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