Meaning of Bharatha Natyam

KB · Post by KB » 17 Nov 2008, 14:29

Hi!

I have read that the 'RA' in bhaRAtha natyam refers to raga. Is there a reason as to why it wouldn't refer to rasa instead?

Tx!

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 17 Nov 2008, 22:29

bha for bhAvam
ra for rAgam and
ta for tALam
This is what I heard.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 18 Nov 2008, 00:25

and rasa is a combination of everything...

Rasikaas · Post by **Rasikaas** » 18 Nov 2008, 05:25

A very interesting observation is that though at most times Bharathanatyam rechristening is taught of as pretty recent Muthuswamy Dikshathar in his Krithi "Pancha sat peeta Roopini" in the Charanam refers to Ambal as "Bhava raga tala Vidyarini".. This is also taught to be a reference to the acronym Bharathanatyam. That way we can infer that ra is for ragam.

And to me it seems like the constituents of the art form (expression, melody and rhythm) have gone into the nomenclature. Rasa is a consequence of the these constituents and so may not be apt to replace raga..

DanceKala · Post by **DanceKala** » 18 Nov 2008, 09:11

I had an interaction with a scholar who mentioned that "taala" finds its roots in "Ta= Thandava (male dance) and La= Lasya (female dance)", thought it was interesting !

-Dancekala

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 18 Nov 2008, 13:15

My theory is that people just love to make up these attributions and meanings --- there is no harm in it, unless they claim authority or divinity!

But of course, I do admit that much more may be apparent to those who are able to read the Indian-Language characters...

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 19 Nov 2008, 00:13

My theory is that people just love to make up these attributions and meanings --- there is no harm in it, unless they claim authority or divinity!

Exactly. That is especially true given that the word 'bharathanatyam' was coined to refer to this genre of dance only in the past 50-80 years or so.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 19 Nov 2008, 01:21

I would wholeheartedly agree with Nick and VK if the origins of the word were shrouded in the mysteries of our hoary past!

But unlike most of things that are made up, the name bharatanATyam is thought to have been coined by Sri Krishna Iyer and Smt. RDA in the 1930s, and their intention has been recorded - and it is their contention that it was derived from bhAva, rAga, and tALa the three pillars on which the edifice of this art form stands tall, and not to draw any erroneous conclusions about its derivation from bharatamuni's nATya SAstra. AFAIK, the SNA (the authority that can declare an Indian art form as 'classical' or 'folk') requires that all dance forms classified as 'classical' have to trace the origins of the grammar to the nATya SAstra, abhinaya darpaNa, etc. - so all 'classical' dance forms in India, be it kathak, odissi, kuchipuDi, chAu, or any of the others do derive from the nATya SAstra, not just bharatanATyam.

kaNNadAsan, as usual, said it most succinctly and eloquently:

bhAvam, rAgam, tALam SErnda bharata kalai
inda pAril uLLOr enrum pOTrum kalai
EDil Edum uNDO idarkku iNai
nam nADum paNpADum koNDADum kalai.

"This art (kalai) form of bharatam/bharatanATyam that is created when music (rAgam), rhythm (tALam), and expression of emotion (bhAvam) merge (SErnda) seamlessly, is always (enrum) praised (pOTrum) by the inhabitants (uLLOr) of this (inda) world (pAril). Is there (uNDO) another (art form) (Edum) that is equal (iNai) to this (idarkku) in this chapter (EDil) of our existence? This is an art (kalai) form that is celebrated (koNDADum) by our (nam) land (nADum) and it's cultural mores (paNpADum)."

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 19 Nov 2008, 04:36

rshankar: My information was same as what you wrote that the name was coined in the 30s by Smt. RDA ( Rukmani Devi Arundale of Kalakshethra ). I see what you mean that if their intention is to coin a word combining Bhavam+Ragam+Talam, then that settles it. It also has a nice national integration component to it that it is really a dance of bhArath.

I was more referring to the correlation between bharathanatyam and MD's "Bhava raga tala Vidyarini" reference. But I do grant that it is quite possible that RDA and Krishna Iyer used that reference from MD or used the same source material that MD used.

DanceKala · Post by **DanceKala** » 19 Nov 2008, 05:41

I do agree with VK and Shankar. In my opinion, we may really not know the orgins of these words for sure, but I merely appreciate the "playing with words" part of it and the fact that they are quite apt to the contextual meaning.

Rasikaas · Post by **Rasikaas** » 19 Nov 2008, 07:13

rshankar wrote: AFAIK, the SNA (the authority that can declare an Indian art form as 'classical' or 'folk') requires that all dance forms classified as 'classical' have to trace the origins of the grammar to the nATya SAstra, abhinaya darpaNa, etc. - so all 'classical' dance forms in India, be it kathak, odissi, kuchipuDi, chAu, or any of the others do derive from the nATya SAstra, not just bharatanATyam. "

That's a good thought to ponder!
Well I was just thinking a few dance forms from SE Asia also trace their origins to Natyasashtra! I was kind of introducing this Balinese dance Professor who vouched that Balinese form of araimandi and natyarambhum are closer to the Natyasashtra than Bharatanatyam. And I did note their existing purvaranga rituals were closer to the BNS prescription.

BNS in itself is so vast and inclusive that it may be very easy for art forms to trace their origins there isnt it? I may be wrong.. but any dance I watch makes me correlate and extrapolate and finally end in BNS

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 19 Nov 2008, 11:55

I appreciate the word play too, DanceKala, and, although I find some of these plays a little strained, this is a neat and well-worked example