An Indian Art

Abhinaya in Bharathanatyam

The techniques of communicating a message are Abinaya. Here the emphasis is more on facial expressions and gestures. While some authentic Bharathanatyam styles, such a Melattur style, emphasise a highly expressive, spontaneous and elevated mode of abhinaya, the late Balasaraswaty tradition's abhinaya was extremely subtle and understated, while the Kalakshetra style expressions are largely theatrical. Some contemporary styles, such as the one propagated by Shobana, favour the Bollywood-type expressions.

While gestures can be seen from any distance even in a large dance hall, the subtle facial expressions can only be seen from the front rows. This is the main feature that distinguishes Bharathanatyam from the western ballet. Thus, unless a Bharathanatyam recital is held in a small hall, a close-up, high-resolution video is the only adequate medium of presenting the Abhinaya. Bharathanatyam is essentially ekaharya performance: a single dancer presenting various characters, regardless of their gender.

The Abinaya is comprised of

• Angikabhinaya
• Vachikabhinaya
• Aharyabhinaya
• Satvikabhinaya

Angikabhinaya : communicating the meaning of the songs using the body, i.e. head, hands, legs, etc. The Bhedas come under Angikabhinaya.
Vachikabhinaya : communicating the story using narrations.
Aharyabhinaya : use of costumes, jewellary, make-up etc.
Satvikabhinaya : expressions of Bhava(moods)

Lord Shiva is praised as the embodiment of the above 4 types of abinaya in this following shloka.

Angikam bhuvanam yasya

Vachicam sarva vangmayam
Aharyam chandra taradi
tam vande satvikam shivam.

The meaning of the above shloka:

We bow to Him the benevolent One
Whose limbs are the world,
Whose song and poetry are the essence of all language,
Whose costume is the moon and the stars...

In Lord Shiva's well-known pose of NATARAJA:
his right hand holds the drum of creation, symbolising a new awakening
his left hand holds fire, representing destruction of the old order
his other right hand is raised in blessing
the other left hand points to his left foot, which has crushed demon Muyalaka who represents ignorance.

There are nine main or primary emotions, Sthayibhavas, also termed as Rasas (Moods):

• Shringara - Love
• Hasya - Mirth
• Veera - Heroism
• Roudra - Anger
• Bhayanaka - Terror
• Bheebatsa - Disgust
• Adbhuta - Wonder
• Karuna - Compassion
• Shanta - Tranquility

Vatsalya (parental fondling) rasa is also sometimes included as one of the stayibhava.
Vibhava (cause of emotion), Anubhava (effect of emotion) and Sanchari bhava (subordinate emotions) constitute the state of rasa.

Nayika (the Heroine) and Nayaka (the Hero) bhavas:

The Nayika Bhava
The shastras have classified the basic mental status of woman, the Nayika, into 8 types, Ashtanayika bhavas. These divisions portray the heroine in different situations, express different feelings, sentiments and reactions.

The Ashtanayika bhava are

• Abhisarika
• Kalahantarika
• Khandita
• Proshitapathika
• Swadheenapathika
• Vasakasajjika
• Virahotkantita
• Vipralabda

Abhisarika - She is the one who boldly goes out to meet her lover.
Kalahantarika - She is the one who is repenting her hastiness in quarrelling with her lover, which has resulted in their separation.
Khandita - She is the one who is angry with her lover for causing her dissapointment.
Proshitapathika - She is the one who is suffering and missing her beloved who is away on a long journey.
Swadheenapathika - She is the one who is proud of her husband's or beloved's love and loyalty.
Vasakasajjika - She is the one who is preparing for the arrival of her beloved, by decorating herself and her surroundings to provide a pleasent welcome for her lover.
Virahotkantita - She is the one who is seperated from her lover and is yearning for reunion.
Vipralabda - She is the one who is dissapointed that her lover has not turned up at the tryst as he promised.

• Other classifications of the Nayika bhava in Bharathanatyam are:
• 
  
  Mugdha - Inexperienced in love.
  Madhya - Partly experienced in love.
  Pragalbha - Mature in the art of love.
  
  This Pragalbha Nayika is further classified as
• Dheera
• Adheera
• Dheeraadheera

Sweeya - Married and faithful to her husband.
Parakeeya - Married but in love with another man.
Samanya - A free woman, who truly belongs to any man for a price.
Jyeshta - The preferred one.
Kanishta - The other woman.

Further classifications are

· Uttama - Self-controlled and tolerant.
Madhyama - Literally the middle one, who gives as she gets.
Adhama - Literally the low one, who has no self restraint.

The Companion to the Nayika plays an important role in any padam, javali or Ashtapadi. This Companion is the one to whom the Nayika will convey her feelings, she is the one who will take the message,if any, from the nayika to the nayaka, she is the one who will sort out the differences between the nayika and the nayaka. This companion is usuallly a girl who is close to the Nayika. The classification of the Companion types in Bharathanatyam:

• Daasi - Servant
• Sakhi - Friend
• Kaaroo - Woman from a lower caste
• Chatriya - Step Sister
• Prativamshini - Neighbour
• Lindini - Saint
• Shilpani - Artist
• Swaa - Nayika herself as a messenger

The Nayaka Bhava
Just like the heroines, the moods and emotions of the hero are also classified into different types. The main types:

• Dheerodaatta eg. Lord Rama
• Dheeroddhata eg. Demon Ravana
• Dheeralalita eg. Vatsaraaja
• Dheerashanta eg. Buddha

Another classification is:

• Pati - Married and faithful to his wife.
  Upapati - Married but in love with another woman.
  Vaisika - One who pays and enjoys women.

Further Nayaka classification:

• Anukoola - Faithful to the Woman. eg. Lord Rama
  Dakshina - Loves all his wives or women. eg. Arjuna
  Drishta - When rejected, pleads to be accepted by his woman. eg. Vaali
  Shatha - The deceitful one. eg. Lord Krishna

Most of the ashtanayika bhavas are experienced by the Nayaka also though the depiction of ashtanayika is more than the nayaka. Nayaka's Companion plays an important role too. This companion is categorised into

• Peetamardhana
• Vita
• Cheta
• Vidooshaka

These Bharathanatyam elements are also seen as the mystic symbols of Bhakti Yoga. Sringara means love, but this is not confined to rati sringara. There is bhakti sringara and vatsalya sringara besides rati sringara. Even among some of its practitioners, Bharathanatyam is often misinterpreted as being limited solely to bhakti. Balasaraswati believed Bharathanatyam is based on bhakti and that "it is justified in being called a yoga because it is a spiritual discipline perfecting the mind to thought-free serenity".