Colours

devan_l · Post by **devan_l** » 07 Oct 2009, 10:57

Namaskarum all,

I am currently doing a dessertation on the importance of colours in south indian performing arts. If anybody has any information to share that would be great. Looking forward to some responses.

Regards,

Devan

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 07 Oct 2009, 16:36

varNam - either as a tAna varNam in the beginning of a music concert, or as a pada varNam, the centerpiece of any bharatanATyam mArgam, is derived from the word for 'colors'.

kathakaLi has a rich tradition of using colors in the make-up to depict the type of character played (hero, villain etc.). I think the face-masks of chau may also be color coded.

ganeshpv · Post by **ganeshpv** » 07 Oct 2009, 23:58

Even Yakshagana - folk art of south/western part of Karnataka uses colors in make-up to distingusih the characters.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 08 Oct 2009, 05:04

Many Hindu deities are associated with a colour (eg Vishnu/Krishna - Nilamegha shyama)
Dikshitar refers to the colour of some planets in the Navagraha kritis see http://www.medieval.org/music/world/car ... graha.html

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 08 Oct 2009, 15:32

The colours of the on-stage saris, especially in the season!

devan_l · Post by **devan_l** » 09 Oct 2009, 11:25

Lol nick...Thanks everyone for ur feedback. Please do inform me if you have further information. I have been able to research the role of colour in kathakali, theyyam and in ragas thus far.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 09 Oct 2009, 16:16

Nick's not that far off - how about the famous 'MS Blue'? - the first, and so far only time, a saree color was named for a performing artist.

sathirdance · Post by **sathirdance** » 09 Oct 2009, 17:54

All the Hasta Mudras or expression through hand gestures in dance are attributed with divine origin and a particular color. Many of the Mudras are also used to express a specific color.

ksl · Post by **ksl** » 02 Feb 2010, 10:28

I believe some great artist has already done her dissertation on colors to wear in Bharatanatyam performance. Dont remember her name. My mom kept telling me this when i was young.

In natya Shastra, all rasas are given colors. It has been used by Ananda Shankar Jayanth in this production http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmOzzYHa8fM. You can find numerous details on varna of a rasa in chapter 6 of the Natya Shastra.

On the same lines the following colors are worn (sometimes) based on the deity being performed on. blue, green is worn for compositions on Rama, Vishnu and Krishna
Pink, red for Lakshmi
Red, Yellow for Durga
Technically White is not worn on dance stage but i have seen people wear white in depictions for saraswati..

smala · Post by **smala** » 03 Feb 2010, 00:33

ksl wrote:I believe some great artist has already done her dissertation on colors to wear in Bharatanatyam performance. Dont remember her name. My mom kept telling me this when i was young.

In natya Shastra, all rasas are given colors. It has been used by Ananda Shankar Jayanth in this production http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmOzzYHa8fM. You can find numerous details on varna of a rasa in chapter 6 of the Natya Shastra.

On the same lines the following colors are worn (sometimes) based on the deity being performed on. blue, green is worn for compositions on Rama, Vishnu and Krishna
Pink, red for Lakshmi
Red, Yellow for Durga
Technically White is not worn on dance stage but i have seen people wear white in depictions for saraswati..

White or rather off-white with gold borders is very much worn on stage by mohiniyattam artists. Called Kasavu saree of Kerala, a dancer is distinctive wearing white jasmine flowers around a French bun at the side of her head. This is traditional.

See thread "Graceful Mohiniyattam" under Natyam for links provided.

White with red borders is also used by Bengali folk dancers.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 03 Feb 2010, 00:50

We have Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathakali and Mohiniattam of Kerala, Odissi of Orissa, Kathak of Uttar Pradesh, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh and Manipuri of Manipur. Probably each culture has different color and style. May be some one can elaborate.

ksl · Post by **ksl** » 03 Feb 2010, 09:00

Let me reiterate. In Kalakshetra (a style in Bharatanatyam), white and black is consciously not worn for performances.

smala · Post by **smala** » 04 Feb 2010, 04:25

ksl wrote:
Let me reiterate. In Kalakshetra (a style in Bharatanatyam), white and black is consciously not worn for performances.

You intended to say "specify" or "clarify" rather than "reiterate", I think.

[now that you have clarified re. kalaksehtra and bharatnatyam on the lack of black and white]

Post # 4 it was wide open for interpretation - especially considering that the original # 1 poster *did* talk about colors in *south indian* performing arts -- of which bharatnatyam is only a segment.

ksl · Post by **ksl** » 04 Feb 2010, 10:21

toungue of a slip

..I was not intending to say that i perceive dance as Bharatanatyam only..was writing down what i know of