Connection to Hamlet! (Navarasa)

The Navarasa, or 9 emotions, in Bharatanatyam are the basis of all abhinaya, or expression in the dance form. Expression is a crucial part of Bharatanatyam, and it is what gives the dance form the fluidness and ease of story-telling that it is known for. Navarasa can be seen as dramatic elements that can be applied to a play, novel, or other literary work. As such, we can easily relate Bharatanatyam to Hamlet through pinpointing and extracting the Navarasas throughout the play.

·         Shringara (Love): Shringara represents love in the sense of beauty, that which evokes beauty and happiness in the mind of the beholder. It encompasses all varieties of love, such as love between a mother and child, love between friends, and love between a man and a woman. Shringara is expressed in Hamlet between the King and Queen, and is shown with much intensity in this situation, as the Queen’s Shringara for the King is so strong that she is blinded and is unable to see the maltreatment and immorality of her husband’s reign. Shringara is described as a passion so intense that it makes one sensitive to all around them, even a mundane mountain breeze, and this tenet is obviated through the profound “pain” the Queen feels each time Hamlet, her own son, insults the king.

·         Hasya (Mirth): Hasya is described as free-will, joy, and laughter which brings the soul peace and comfort. It ranges from simple teasing to stomach-spiltting laughter. Hasya is observed each time Hamlet interacts with his friends, as he is constantly poking fun and taking part in horseplay. Hasya represents the childish side of any being, and in Hamlet, the juvenile aspect of each man’s personality is brought out when with acquaintances.

·         Bhibatsya(Disgust): Bhibatsya is the abhinaya encompassing feelings of repluse, sickness, and revolt. Obvious disgust and distaste is observed in Hamlet as Hamlet comments on the immoral, lustful actions of his mom (as she married her dead husband’s brother). Hamlet is so disgusted by these actions that he begins to look down upon the whole of womankind, calling it weak. Hamlet allows us to observe a very strong facet of Bhibatsya, extreme personal disgust.

·         Raudra (anger): Raudra is anything that causes one to feel rancor and vile against another body. Raudra is seen in a very intense manner in Hamlet’s feelings against the King. This Raudra is so strong that Hamlet is led to feign craziness, to kill others in his plight to kill the king himself. Raudra is thought to be the onslaught of all things inharmonious in the world, which is exactly how events in the castle seem to be progressing as Hamlet’s madness towards the Kind increases.

·         Shanta (peace): Shanta is the complete lack of all other rasas. It is the repose and calm and quiet which can only be obtained in the lack of all raucous. Because the play Hamlet enters on Hamlet’s life when it is in a state of melancholy and worry, there are very few instances of true Shanta. The only moment at which any Shanta, or peace can be seen, is when Hamlet makes peace with Laertes, and blames his own madness for the death of Polonius.

·         Veera(heroism): Veera is the trait of bravery, ambition, and sensibility. Veera is reflected in those who take actions not only for themselves, but who also take the lives and wishes of others into mind. Hamlet portrays and reflects strong aspects of Veera when he takes on his father’s request and sets off to kill the King. Not only is Hamlet avenging the life of a loved one, he is also doing what is in best favor of the entire of country of Denmark, which depends wholly on his actions.

·         Bhaya(fear): Bhaya is the emotion which encompasses anxiety and restlessness caused by the onslaught of the unknown, the presence of evil. Ophelia portrays aspects of Bhaya as she reacts to the apparent lunacy of Hamlet. The sudden switch of one who she thought was loving and kind to one who was hostile and insane brought about a feeling of evil in her, one which cause Bhaya, or fear.

·         Karuna (Greif and Compassion): Karuna is the feeling of tragedy and despair for those around one, a true care for ones surroundings. Karuna is expressed by Laertes when he encounters his sister, driven insane by the madness of Hamelt and the recent death of her father. He expresses his complete desire for her betterment, and seems to feel sorrow of a similar magnitude to that of hers, although he has not experienced quite as much greif. This shows true Karuna, or utmost care for a loved one.

·         Adbutha(Surprise): Adhbutha is the wonder and speechlessness one feels when one comes across something divine, something so awesome and powerful that it had never before been imagined. Hamlet expressed utter bewilderment and shock when his father’s ghost appears directly in front of him. This appearance of the divine, the sudden onslaught of something that had long been deemed fleeting, causes Hamlet to stutter in utter shock.

Different Styles of Bharatanatyam

As a diverse art form, it is inevitable that Bharatanatyam has itself split into various forms throughout India. Each “School” of Bharatanatyam has slight differences in its technique and method of portraying the numerous stories found in Bharatanatyam. Contemporary schools/forms of Bharatanatyam include Mellatur,  Pandanallur, Vazhuvoor and Kalakshetra, as well as Mysore. Each style has its tell tale nuances, from footwork to expression. The Mysore style focuses more on elegance and grace and emphasizes swaying movements and deer expressions.  The Melattur style focuses on abhinaya, or natural expression, and requires the most flexibility for its movements. Known for its flowing emotions, it is also regarded for its crisp footwork (jathis). The Pandanallur style incorporates the feminine style of dance through its deep sitting positions in slow and difficult-to-execute dances.  The Vazhuvoor style has a wide variety of poses to break the continuity of dance and allow for some abhinaya (expression). The expression in this form is more subtle, with more spontaneous expression, rather than pre-choreographed expression. The adavus, or footwork, is much more soft and smooth than that of other styles. Additionally, in this style, the body from above the waist is much slower and contains widespread movement.  Lastly, the most modern, and most “simplified” form is The modern Kalakshetra. It is a form which is based on other forms, including the Pandanallur and Thanjavoor styles. Kalakshetra focuses a lot of adavus (footwork) and intricate beats and patters, and is most extensively used in the contemporary performance world.

The Meaning of Bharatanatyam Costuming and Makeup

Unlike many dance styles of contemporary culture, the costuming for Bharatanatyam has stayed constant from its founding. Called Aharya, or ornaments and decoration, costuming plays a crucial role in the traditional aspect, as well as the story telling aspect of the dance form. Although the dress, makeup, and jewelry, are extremely complicated and at times may seem overly extensive, each piece has a specific reason and significance. For the costumes themselves, the colors are traditionally of great significance. According to the Natya Shastra, the assignments of colors are as follows:

“Siddha (enlightened) women –  yellow

Gandharva (heavenly) women – saffron
Rakshasa (demon) women – black
Goddesses – parrot green
Monkey character – blue
Women in viraha (yearning) - white ”

While small details, such as the intensity of adornment, or the length of the costuming itself has changed over time, the costume consists of the same things: A loose pant which grabs at the ankles to allow for free movement (which are secured with ankle bells), a fan which brings grace and elegance to the dance, a blouse with a shoulder drape, which is very similar to the top of the traditional Indian saree, and jewelry on the waist and neck, at a minimum.

Bhartanatyam and Classical Indian Music

The ancient art forms of India have evolved together to sculpt wondrous creations that reflect the core of Indian Culture. All songs traditionally danced to in Bharatanatyam have their origins in, or are Carnatic (classical Indian) music. The exactness of the base beats of Bharatanatyam mirror those of Carnatic music exactly, as the different talas of Carnatic music merge together in Bharatanatyam dances to create enthralling, intricate footwork. Additionally, Bharatanatyam dancers capture the emotion and passion buried in the vast stories of Carnatic music, and they are able to relay the intensity and minor elements of Carnatic music with ease. With the bhava (emotion) in Bharatanatyam and the thala (beat) in Carnatic music, the relationship between two forms allow an overarching portrayal and storytelling of epics that have been in Indian culture for ages. Without one or the other, the form of Bharatanatyam as an art (not only dance of music) would be empty and would lack the roundness it requires to be an accurate representation of Indian culture and arts. 

Origins of Bharatanatyam (Devadasis)

While the text dictating guidelines of Bharatanatyam had noble origins, from the noble mind of Sage Bharata, the dance form itself claims more humble origins. Bharatanatyam was conceived from the dances of the devadasis, women of female communities who inherited their right and gift of dance from a long line of women before them. The devadasis performed in temples, celebrations for the elite class, and in royal courts, where their presence was greatly anticipated and appreciated. The dance form itself was refined mostly from the forms danced in the Royal Courts of the southern Indian States of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The devadasis was held in positions of high respect for their expertise in the arts, and enjoyed quite a high social position in India until the Victorian Era. As their legacy, devadasis choreographed many of the dances that remain key pieces in the Bharatanatyam repertoire today. 

Bharatanatyam and the Western World

As the South Asian diaspora in the United States continues to grow at an exponential rate, the rate of cultural diffusion and interaction with the already present, American culture increases as well. In an attempt to preserve and promote culture, many parents of South Asian heritage place their children in activities, including classical dance and music, which easily kinder a liking, as well as an awareness, of the culture. While prior, the epicenter of the world of Bharatanatyam may have been in the ever cultural city of Chennai, it has now broadened its reach all over the world, mixing with other cultures and forming a beautiful amalgamation of east-meets-west dance and movement, even inspiring dances in popular culture. The form isn’t stagnant, but rather, is able to adapt to any and every culture it is introduced to. The adaptable form has proved resilient both in its traditional and contemporary forms, and has proved a great asset to the “west.”

My main piece of text for the ISP is the Natya Shastra, an ancient Indian text, encompassing the entirety of performing arts, including theatre, dance and music. It is often attributed to the Sage Bharata, who is assumed to have written the text during the Classical period of India, sometime between 200 BCE and 200 CE. The Natya Shastra (translated) will be a primary source of historical, factual research for this project, as it provides the theory and technical basis for Bharatanatyam as a whole. 

I have done Bharatnatyam (Indian Classical Dance) for ten years. It has been an integral part of my life, something which was sure to be there when I moved and switched schools. This past summer, I completed my Arangetram, a debut on-stage performance of a classical dance student, after undertaking years of training. At the culmination of my Arangetram, I realized that I knew everything about the technique and minute details of the art form, yet nothing about the theory. Bharatnatyam is strongly rooted in the rich culture of India, and there is an endless supply of history and heritage in Bharatnatyam to learn about.