Gati in Theory and Practice
by Dr. Sujatha Mohan | 2015 | 88,445 words
This page relates ‘Description of Gati as in Bharatarnava� of the study on the Theory and Practice of Gati (“gait�) which refers to the “movement of a character on the stage�, 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Description of Gati as in ṇa
Ի徱ś in ṇa deals with the aspect of gati in a different approach, which seems to be more appropriate for dance. In the chapter called śܻ ṭy, he describes the seven ṇḍ varieties. Each ṇḍ is interspersed with gati, 첹ṇa, and sollukattu.
The seven varieties of ṇḍs form a part of śܻ ṭy. The following gatis are added according to practice and they are:
- ūپ—t peacock’s gait,
- Ჹṃsپ—t swan’s gait,
- ṛṣṇaپ—t deer’s gait,
- gajagati—t elephant’s gait,
- ṃhپ—t lion’s gait and
- śܰ첹پ—t parrot’s gait.
These six types of gaits have been used by Lord Ś in his ṇḍ. The prayoga of these can be such; for the first varieties of ṇḍ known as 岹ṣiṇa ṇa or the clock-wise rotary movement, the first three gaits ū, Ჹṃs and kṛṣnasāra gati have to be combined one after the other. However, for other kinds, one gait is introduced between two ṇḍs. Thus, for the remaining six ṇḍs, the three remaining gaits are employed. At the end of the gati comes the 첹ṇa, the combined movement of hands and legs and then comes the ī. These are the features of ṇḍ described in ṇa.
Mayūra gati:
The hands hold 첹ٲīܰ, the standing posture of Ś ٳԲ첹 is assumed, and the dancer moves on the left foot in contact with the ground. The for this gati is 峾ǻ岹.
The 첹ṇa for this is ūlalita.
hastau tu kartarīyuktauśaivasthanakasaṃyutam |
ṇa� 峾pādena ūپrīritā ||[1]
Haṃsa gati:
When beginning from 岹 sthanaka with the hands holding 貹ṣañٲ, the feet change to ṣañ and it is then called ṃsپ. The for this gati is haṃsanāda. Pakṣavañcita is a nṛtta hasta seen in the ṭyśٰ.
貹ṣañٲkauhastau ٳԲ첹� 岹kam |
paścādviṣamasañcarī saiṣ� ṃsپrbhavet ||[2]
Kṛṣṇasāra gati:
In this gati, the hands hold ṛgśīṣaٲ and the feet are in the ṭṭ pose. The tala for this gati is jhampa.
mṛgaśīrṣābhidhau hastau pādau khuttabhidhānakau |
ṛṣṇaپ� nṛttakarmaviśāradai� ||[3]
Gaja gati:
In this gati, the hand assumes 貹峾ś, looking downward either in front or at the back and the feet stamping the ground. The for this gati is ūṇa첹ṅk. The 첹ṇa for this is karīhasta 첹ṇa.
agrata� pṛṣṭhato 辱 padmakośāvadhomukhau |
pādau tu kuṭṭanayutau gajasya gatirīritā ||[4]
Siṃha gati:
In this gati, the hands assume ṃhܰ hasta. The foot performs a jump and the dancer moves with the right foot in contact with the ground, and repeats the movements changing the feet. The for this gati is ṃh and the 첹ṇa is ṃhīḍiٲ.
hastau siṃhamukhābhikhyau pādau cotplutisaṃyutau |
paścād岹ṣiṇapādena ṇa� 峾 īdṛśa� ||
siṃhasya gatirā śܻṭyvicakṣaṇai� |[5]
Śuka gati:
In this gati, the hands assume śܰ첹ٳṇḍٲ and they are held eight angulas from the chest. The standing posture for starting the gati is Բ, the movement of the foot is Բ and is ǰ쾱.
ekatuṇḍābhidhau hastau vakṣaso'ṣṭāṅgulisthitau |
sthanena vardhamānena sthitvā caiva ٲٲ� param ||
ṇāb� Բ� śܰ첹پrbhavet |[6]
Mayūrī gati:
The hands should hold 첹ٲīܰ hasta and standing the ٳԲ of 岵Ի岹 the foot is in ṇa or in contact with the floor and the is ᲹԲⲹṇa.
hastau tu kartarīkākhyau nāgabandhasthitirbhavet |
pādāgrāmyā� tu ṇa� mayūrīgatirīritā ||[7]
Haṃsī gati:
In this gati the hands hold ṃs貹ṣa hasta, the dancer starts from the standing posture of ṇḍ and the steps are taken with the left foot moving from side to side. The of this gati is ṃsī.
karau tu haṃsapakṣākhyau ṇḍٳԲ첹� tathā |
峾pādena gomūtragatya saṃcarāṇa� bhavet ||
ṃsī gatiriti śī ṭyviśāradai� |[8]
Harinī gati:
In this gati the hands hold ardhapatāka hasta, the dancer starts with the standing posture of ūԲ and the steps are repeatedly taken with the left fore-foot in an oblique direction. The for this gati is ṃh岹.
屹貹ⲹ ٳԲ� ūԲ� ٲٲ� |
峾pādāgratastiryakprasārya ca puna� puna� ||
saṃcaredbhariṇīnā� tu پ� kavibhirīritā |[9]
Karinī gati:
In this gati the hands assume karihasta, the right foot is placed in the normal position, the left foot describes a half-moon on the ground and quickly proceeds forward and the movements are repeated changing the feet for proceeding backward. The is Ჹī and the 첹ṇa is Ჹīḍiٲ.
karihastayutau hastau dakṣiṇāṃghri� samasthita� |
峾ṃgṇāpⲹṃd� ٱ ٲ vrajet ||
purobhāge ca paścāttu gamane dakṣiṇāṃghriṇ� |
eva� ٱ Բ� 첹ṇ� gatireva sā ||[10]
Sārikā gati:
In this gati, the right hand holds ardhacandrahasta and the left śܰ첹ٳṇḍٲ. Starting from vaiśākha ٳԲ첹, the right foot is placed at the contact of the left hand with the body. In this the left, foot moves in contact with the ground. The for this gati is kandarpa.
dakṣiṇo'pyardhacaṃdra� syād峾pāṇi� śukānana� |
vaiśākhasthanakenaiva sthitvā 岹ṣiṇapādakam |
abhisaṃdhau 峾bāhorniveśya tadanantaram |
ṇa� 峾pādena saiṣ� ī gatirmatā ||[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
A\. ? ṇa A.XIV.792
[2]:
Ibid.XIV.795
[3]:
Ibid..XIV.798
[4]:
Ibid.XIV.801
[5]:
Ibid.XIV.808,809
[6]:
Ibid.XIV.817,818
[7]:
Ibid..XIV.832.
[8]:
Ibid.XIV.838,839
[9]:
Ibid.XIV.844,845
[10]:
Ibid..XIV.851,852
[11]:
Ibid..XIV.858,859