An Indian Art

Classical Bharathanatyam recitals and arangetram

A traditional format, margam (path), of a Bharathanatyam performance, especially important in the graduation performance, or Arangetram, is rather rigidly structured, and reflects the different stages of the dancer's consciousness.

Aranga means raised stage and Etram meansclimbing in Tamil, one of the south indian languages. It is also called Rangapravesha in Kannada, another south indian language, Ranga meaning Stage and Pravesha meaning Enter. Ideally this should be the first public appearance of the Bharathanatyam artist. This is the occation for the guru to present his/her deciple to the public. This is the testing time for both the guru and the shishya(deciple) as the guru's knowledge and the deciple's talent both are judged by the public. Hence, the guru will decide when the deciple is ready for public graduation. Usually, at least 10-12 years of training is necessary before the Bharathanatyam dancer is ready for Arangetram.

Arangetram was known as Gejjepooje in the old Mysore district, meaning worshiping the jingles in Kannada. For a Bharathanatyam dancer, jingles are considered divine. Formerly, deciples were not allowed to wear jingles till their first public performance when they consecrated the jingles, wore them and then performed.
Accompaniments play a major role in the making of a memorable dance performance.Basic accompaniments comprise a singer, a mridangam player, a violin player and the Natuvanga. Veena, flute and other instruments are optional. These people sit in the corner of a stage or in a place in front of the stage which will be in a lower level than that of the stage. The Bharathanatyam artist wears lot of jewellery, make-up and a specially stitched dress. Jingles are a must. Usually duration of an arangetram will be 2 1/2 - 3 hours. To perform for such long hours one must have good stamina and concentration. This time is divided into two parts.

In the first half the Bharathanatyam artists generally performs

• Pushpanjali or Alaripu
• Jatiswara
• Shabda
• Varna

In the second half:

• Padam
• Ashtapadi or Devaranama
• Tillana
• Mangala

Pushpanjali
This is an item where the Bharathanatyam dancer salutes to god, guru and the audience. This item is a warm-up item where the artist prepares the body for the next hours of vigorous performance.

Alaripu ("budding flower")
Includes pure nritta. The movements are performed for syllables set for a beat (Tala). The complexity of the movements gradually increase, as the dancer's attention focusses more and more.. The steps are so formed that it looks like a bud blooming into a flower. This is also a warm-up piece to prepare the body for the next hours of Bharathanatyam performance. Even though there is no obvious message communicated here, this can also be considered as an item where the artist salutes god, guru and the audience.

Jatiswaram
This is also an item where the movements will not convey any meaning or theme. Here the steps are more complex than the previous items. The composition can have amazing postures and teermanas or muktayas (ending of a jati). This is a musical composition set to a raga unlike alaripu which has only syllables.

Shabda
This is a dance item with both nritta and abinaya. Usually the theme of the lyrics will be devotional like praising lord Krishna, depicting Krishna's childhood, praising a king etc.The movements here are leisurely. In the Sabdam, emotions are withheld at the beginning; thereafter, when the dancer has clarified herself, they are released in a measured and disciplined manner. It is after, mastering this discipline that she dances the Varnam which is a living river that holds together movement and interpretation.

Varnam
This is the item where the Bharathanatyam dancers are tested for their capacity to perform both abinaya and nritta. This can be treated as a benchmark to judge the artist's talent.The item will contain many complex steps and will have lot of room for expressions also. To perform this item one should have lot of stamina and concentration. The lyrics can be devotional, praising a king etc. Varna can also have shrigara rasa as its theme.

Padam
In this dance item the dancer's abhinaya is put into test. It narrates expression of divine love or pangs of seperation in love. The tempo is slow and the performance is based on a specific mood of love.Padams will have Nayaka (Hero, Supreme lover, Divine Lord)and Nayika (Heroine, the yearning soul). Heroine will talk to her friend (sakhi) and narrate her feelings towards her hero. The Bharathanatyam lyrics can be about how the hero has betrayed, how he has delayed his arrival, how she is angry with her beloved hero etc.

Ashtapadi
These are poet Jayadeva's Sanskrit compositions called Geetagovinda, an extremely romantic composition. It describes the love of Krishna and Radha in twelve cantos containing 24 songs. The songs are sung by Krishna or Radha or by Radha's maid. Each Canto is named differently considering Krishna's status of mind.

• Saamodadamodara - Joyful Krishna
• Aakleshakeshava - Careless Krishna
• Mugdhamadhusoodhana - Bewildered Krishna
• Snigdhamadhusoodhana - Tender Krishna
• Saakankshapundareekaksha - Longing Krishna
• Kuntavaikunta - Indolent Krishna
• Naagaranaaraayana - Cunning Krishna
• Vilakshalakshmeepatihi - Abashed Krishna
• Mandamukunda - Languishing Krishna
• Chaturachaturbhuja - Intelligent Krishna
• Saanandadamodara - Blissful Krishna
• Supreetapeetambara - Ecstatic Krishna

Expressions are given foremost importance while performing these poems. Needs lot of grace. The Bharathanatyam artist should be mature enough to understand the lyrics and the situation to show the rasas.

Devaranama
This item is a devotional piece where the lyrics are in praise of god, describing the god etc. This is a pure abhinaya item with almost no emphasis on nritta. These songs are the Bharathanatyam compositions of great mystics like Purandharadaasa, Kanakadaasa, Vijayadaasa, Vyasaraaja to name a few. The Bharathanatyam compositions are popularly known as Daasa Sahitya. It is a devotional literatures written in simple language understood by common man. It has made remarkable contribution to the spiritual and cultural upliftment of people by preaching phylosophy of Love, Devotion and Peaceful Co-Existance.

Tillana
This is usually the last item in any Bharathanatyam performance. Tillana is full of complicated movements and postures. This will also have complicated Muktayas or Sholkattu, ending of any step or aduvu. This is mainly a nritta piece which might have a charana, a meaningfull lyrics for which abinaya is shown.

Mangala
Meaning ending the performance. Here the Bharathanatyam artist will again salute god, guru and the audience for making the performance a success.

A Bharathanatyam recital resembles the structure of a Hindu temple: first, one passes through the gopuram (outer gate) of alarippu, then one crosses the ardhamandapam (midway hall) of jatiswaram, next the mandapam (great hall of worship) of sabdam and enter the heart of the temple in the varnam.