________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
"real" woman nor had the intention of portraying a heightened abstraction of "femininity." There was, at once, an attempt to create the desired effect with over exaggeration and an extreme effort to display a heightened sense of the minutest nuances of feminine behaviour. One would observe a range or levels of sophistication in the presentation of the female: little boy-actors dressed in colourful silk-brocade saris, heavy jewellery and bridal make-up performing the Gotipua nritya and Rasalila, are too immature to fully comprehend the gender connotations of the roles they play, whereas, the matured Kuchipudi actor-dancers on the other end of the spectrum developed and mastered a highly intricate art of portraying the feminine in its glorious and minutest detail. In some other forms though, one cannot fail to notice a sense of abandon where gender consciousness is not a major issue, for instance, where a Ramlila actor plays multiple roles requiring quick dress changes, there would be little concern over the fact that his mustache is showing through the veil he has flung over his head! The 'symbolism' of the veil adequately conveys to the knowing audience, the relevant meaning and reference to the context.
The art of female impersonation thrived as late as the 1940s in Indian dancetheatre." Some of the leading actors during the first half of the 20th century were renowned and awarded for their artistry in female impersonation: Bal Gandharva was renowned for his portrayal of female roles in the Marathi theatre; Jayashankar Sundari was named "Sundari," the beautiful one, for the feminine beauty he flaunted in the Gujarati theatre; 'Padmashri' Sthanam Narasimharao of Andhra was envied by women for the feminine charm he sported on stage; and Kuchipudi bhagavatars Vempatti Venkatanarayana, Chinta Venkataratnam and Lakshminarayana Sastry were renowned for their female impersonation in the role of Sri Krishna's queen, Satyabhama. Kuchipudi dance guru, C. R. Acharya, notes that Venkataratnam was honoured with the title of 'Satyabhama' and Vempatti Venkatanarayana with the title of 'Abhinava Satyabhama' (1992:26) for their unsurpassed expertise in portraying this role. The famous Uday Shankar has also been recorded for having danced The Rajput Bride in Europe during the carly decades of the twentieth century. To these actors, female impersonation meant achieving perfection in the art of transformation.
While bhakti modes of performance glorified the specialized art of female. impersonation by male actors, the late 19th and early 20th century saw a round about turn under the British rule. The colonization of the Indian mind by the imperial administration was so subtle and yet so deep rooted in the Indian psyche that implanted notions of colonial supremacy were her to stay. The onslaught of Victorian ethics, beliefs, values, morals and fashions, during the 19th century, influenced Indian society with Eurocentric notions of masculinity. As in Europe so too in India, 'masculinity' became redefined with physical attributes of muscle power, a tall well toned body, and a confident look in the eyes. Over time, female impersonation in Indian dance and theatre came to be associated with effeminacy and hence, perceived as less manly. By the mid-20th century, some of the brahmin gurus overtly conscious of this cultural perception, decided to initiate changes in the all-male dance
Some Issues on the Gender Politics in the Bhakti Genre of Indian...
For Private and Personal Use Only
15
