Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

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

Page 68

Dance
59
The number of Argahāras is infinite. Sārngadeva mentions thirty-two as important among them."
RECARA
Particular movements of the feet, hands, waist and neck are called recaka.
The continuous movement of the foot in between the heel and the tip of the toe and then outwards, involving bending and stretching, is the recaka of the foot.
A swift circular movement of the hands inward and outward alternately is the recaka of the hands.
Turning round the waist in all directions along with the vertical rotation of the toe slightly spread out, is the recaka of the waist.
Shaking and moving the neck around is recaka of the neck.
The necessary recakas are added to argahāras.
VARTANA, CĀLAKA
Vartanā denotes a particular movement of the arms. By resorting to various movements of arms, separately and collectively, and adopting the tempos druta etc., innumerable vartanās can be produced. śārrigadeva does not enumerate the vartanās of which twenty-four varieties are described by Kallinātha following Kohala.
When employed with recakas, without the loss of grace, these movements of arms, full of skilful modes, are called Calakas. Kallinātha, following Kohala, describes 50 Cālakas.
For fear of prolixity, we do not name them here. As these are connected with karanas, their definitions require the explanation of the karanas concerned. For considerations of space, we do not define them here,