Gati in Theory and Practice
by Dr. Sujatha Mohan | 2015 | 88,445 words
This page relates 鈥楪ati in works on Natya鈥� of the study on the Theory and Practice of Gati (鈥済ait鈥�) which refers to the 鈥渕ovement of a character on the stage鈥�, commonly employed (as a Sanskrit technical term) in ancient Indian Theatrics and the Dramatic arts, also known as Natya-shastra. This thesis explores the history and evolution of Gati and also investigates how the various Gatis are employed in regional performance traditions.
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Gati in works on N膩峁瓂a
Many writers in dramaturgy have dealt with gati in different ways. Though Bharata is considered the earliest writer on dramaturgy, it is surprising to know that no one has followed his way in describing the gaits, except 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺. Bharata elucidates the chapter on gati in a very elaborate manner, but some later scholars gave a different approach to the subject, though they follow him in other aspects of 膩峁単ika abhinaya. Works on dance like 础产丑颈苍补测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺 just mention the gati as the gait of various animals and birds. 厂补峁単墨迟补谤补迟苍腻办补谤补, which faithfully follows Bharata and even adds some 诲别艣墨 aspects of dance elements such as 肠腻谤颈蝉 and 办补谤补峁嘺蝉, has not dealt with the aspect of gati in a separate topic. However, the viniyogas of 办补谤补峁嘺蝉 in the performance of the gait of various 产丑腻惫补蝉, rasas, locales and situations are explained by 艢腻谤峁単补诲别惫补. The works on drama, such as 顿补艣补谤奴辫补办补 and 狈腻峁瓂补诲补谤辫补峁嘺, does not mention about gati. 厂补峁単墨迟补尘补办补谤补苍诲补 has a manuscript, which deals with gaits.
叠腻濒补谤腻尘补 Varma in his 叠腻濒补谤腻尘补 Bharata does not include the topic of gati but he defines gati in a stanza, which says:
vinayoll膩sa bh膩v膩bhy膩ma峁単aviny膩sa p奴rvakam |
迟腻濒腻苍耻办补谤补峁嘺峁� 办峁泃惫腻 gamane gatirucyate ||
Thus, he feels that the expression of the song performed followed by the rhythm and movement is gati. He also adds
vivartitagatau n膩峁瓂epyatikr膩ntagat膩vapi |
gajavad gamane c膩pagatau ca viniyujyate ||[1]
It is interesting to note that the importance of gati as in the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 is neither thought-out by the works on drama nor works on dance which came after the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. An evolution has taken place and the concept of gati has taken a different form. However, Bharata鈥檚 demarcation seems to be unique and very useful to the theatre artists, the dancers and the actors.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
叠腻濒补谤腻尘补-bharata 8, 9.