Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 62

Dance
Nṛtta is broadly divided into two classes-Tandava and Lasya. Violent dance, taught by Tandu, the foremost among the mythical attendants of Śiva, is called Tandava. Lasya is the name of the tender graceful dance said to be taught by Parvati; it is to be performed with delicate movements of limbs, and is conducive to love.
Nṛtta again is threefold-viṣama, vikața and laghu. The dance, in which one walks over ropes etc., is called vișama. Vikata is the name of dance performed with grotesque look, dress and movements of limbs. Laghu nṛtta is that which is performed with Añcita1 and such other minor Karanas." Nṛttakarana
A graceful action of hand, foot, etc. together, which is in consonance with the Rasa concerned, is called karana or Nrttakarana. Usually, in the begining of dance, the feet are in the natural position, the hands have the Latakara pose and the body is in the Caturaśra pose. The left hand is generally kept on the chest and the right one makes such movements as are suited to each Karana. There are other features peculiar to each of the Karanas.
Karanas may be innumerable. Śarrigadeva mentions one hundred and eight as the most common and important ones.
Of the Karanas, some are standard prevailing everywhere, while others are dest in vogue in particular regions. The latter includes the various Utplutikaranas or Karanas with jumps. We state below only a few varieties under each class
as illustrations:
Samanakha-the body is in the natural position, the feet touch each other with the toes placed on the same level on the ground The hands are in the Lata pose.
1 That kind of dance in which the arm goes out from the region of the chest and returns to the chest. There are other light dancea
called by this name.
2 Defined below.
3 Infra.