• Who is a Nartaka and what is role played? Author shares thoughts that came about while witnessing four nartakas who performed at the ‘Kritajnata Festival’, which was organised by Chandraguru School of dance in Bengaluru.

In the ancient times Bharata Muni placed the nartaki in the role of a dancer within the drama. To add beauty, grace and vivacity, the Apsaras were created by Brahma who added the delicate style called Kaishiki Vritti. Singing and dancing must be given to women says Bharata, reasoning that their voice tends to be naturally sweeter and their gestures and movements naturally graceful. He adds that the grace in movements and sweetness of voice in a man, should be considered as an exception.

Nartaka refers to an actor who can be assigned the role of an assesor of dramatic plays according to the Natyashastra. It was only in the medieval times that the mention of male dancers as Nartaka is seen.

Perani has been variously described as a group dance or a solo, and only by males. The Perani involves five sections starting with a jester (Jagan), a Kaivara composition eulogising the king, a rhythmic Jugalbandhi, Jati or dance sequence and ending with a Gita or song. Although it is well known to be the style which uses an inverted pot on which the dance is done over the years, the texts have given the distinctness of the style based on the specialized foot movements using a wide scale of rhythmic beats.

The Peranin dancer has his body smeared over with white powder such as ash, the head shaved except for a small tuft of hair wearing the anklet bells or ghargharikas on the shanks, having a resonant voice, clever in the five elements (listed below), adept in keeping with the Tala and Laya and dancing to attract the audience. Sharangadeva in his celebrated text Sangeetaratnakara, names the five elements as Gharghara, Vishama, Bhavashraya, Kavicharaka and Gita.

Gharghara is characterised by special training in the sound created by the bells and can have up to six variations. These include the kuttana movement on the ground of both heels being struck up and down one after the other or of just one heel with the fore part of the feet held to the ground. It may be striking the ground with the foot with the sole in an up and down movement or sliding the foot with the sole held to the ground forward and backward one after the other. Other movements are shaking the feet while lifting it gently in the air or shanks being shaken right and left sides alternately.

Peranin dancer uses his entire body movements to incite humor. He is free to use such karanas as employed by men in disguise, especially the jumps of a jester. The knowledge of Baavashraya and kavicharaka elements is for superior characters or uttamanayakas where the movement is more dignified.

All these and many more thoughts came about while witnessing four nartakas who performed at the ‘Kritajnata Festival’, which was organised by Chandraguru School of dance in Bengaluru.

Gururaju, who organized this, started with Vande- Vande as a salutation to the goddess Sarasvati, the presiding deity of the Kuchipudi village and the seat of knowledge of Shodashakala or the sixteen art forms. Guru Vedantam Parvateesam heaps praises on Kuchipudi Vani and the richness of art. The dancer paid salutations to the personification of grace, benevolence, mellifluous vocals, the four expressive modes or chatur-vidha abhinaya and the nine aesthetic sentiments or navarasas.

Gururaju made a good start to connect with the audiences. There were male and female voices rendering in portions of the song that was recorded and played which at times, did not blend well due to differing scales. Ramadasa Kriti followed with a plea to Lord Rama to communicate to the devotee. Gururaju concluded with the popular Neela megha Shareera that is from the well-known “Krishnaleela Tarangini” text.  

His skill while dancing on the rim of the brass plate was noteworthy. This dance represents the symbolism of life, with its various challenges that cause limitations. It is only with the mastery over key principles, higher knowledge and supreme balancing capabilities that one can succeed over them and rise towards the goals.

Gururaju. 

It was then the turn of T D Rajendra, an acclaimed Kathak exponent who chose to render the venerated Uga Bhogas from Dasa Sahitya, which covers the fervour of the Karnataka Haridasas during the Bhakti movement. The evening’s presentation focused upon the devotional literature of Purandara Dasaru. The verses had been culled out, including the removal of the six vices or Arishadvarga. His Jayadeva Ashtapadi, Priye Charusheeley where Krishna implores Radha- “place your lotus feet on my head, but please talk to me”, was highly appreciated by the gathering. The last song was a Tusidas Bhajan enacting the pangs of Bharata when he gets to know that his brother Rama has been banished for exile.

Rajendra.  

Dr.Satyanarayana Raju, a popular Nartaka weaves narratives within the story with ease and panache. He presented the Padavarnam from the Tanjore Quarter collection- Samininney korinaanura, which is an Ashta Ragamalika, with eight Ragas.

Dr Raju

Odissi by Gajendra Panda was the final recital which one felt could have been given an earlier slot, considering that he isn’t from Bengaluru. He picturised before our eyes, Lord Jagannatha's benevolence in rescuing the needy with the often retold episodes of Gajendra Moksha and Draupadi Vastrapaharana. These legends continue to enchant viewers tirelessly as aesthetic bliss is ultimately ONE that immerses in the joy, rising above sad tales. Ramayana was taken up to portray the nine Rasas in the next composition by the artiste.

Gajendra Panda. 

It is important for all dancers, whether Nartaki or Nartaka to be constantly practising and maintaining a disciplined lifestyle to be able to give one’s innate force and involvement during performance. The texts emphasize exercises practised regularly, on the floor ones like stretches and above in the air like leaps. 

Proper nutrition, oil massage, ingredients of gruel to be taken are prescribed so that the impact is improved in pure dance movements. The stylized ones mentioned are the Caris that make up the units of movements with the legs. Besides this, the expressions require consistent listening to the lyrics, getting familiar with the composer’s background and drawing inspiration from tuning in to the melody, repeatedly. 

Bharata the sage gives the characteristics of a song par excellence as one which has full notes with instruments, harmonious, gives joy, delicate and performed with effortless sweetness of notes. He even says that the vocalist should have a throat with a sweet voice, good knowledge of Tala, Laya, Kala. Both male and female singers are described with their characteristics. The lady should possess brilliance, courage, a sweet and regulated voice.

Bharata distinguishes regarding the voice of men and women, saying that while the former is stronger and suitable for recitatives [like Nattuvangam], the latter can accompany dance. The interchanging here may not be that easy, if attempted according to him. Men are also told to instruct women in recitatives Patyam, singing Ganam and instruments Vadyam.

It would be ‘euphoria’ if one can see music in the dance and hear dance in the music!

An acclaimed dancer researcher and author, Dr. Padmaja Venkatesh Suresh is well-known for her immaculate insight into esoteric sciences, corelated with years of training and experience. Having toured extensively with her lectures, workshops and thematic performances, she leads Aatmalaya Academy, Bengaluru that propagates the cause of Sanatana Dharma and Vedic values through the arts. A PhD in dance and philosophy, she has several awards to her credit.

To read all articles by author

To read all articles on Indian Dance Forms