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Gati in Theory and Practice

by Dr. Sujatha Mohan | 2015 | 88,445 words

This page relates ‘Gatis according to Theater� 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.

The nāṭya maṇḍapas are divided generally into three types according to their measurements and then further divided into three. The doors to the green room are seen in either side of the back wall. The orchestra should be placed in between the two doors. The whole stage can be divided into six parts out of which one is for orchestra. Other places can be used by the artists. By the difference in the various movements on the stage, the respective divisions could be marked. A change in the movement on the stage is indicative of the change in the division also.

Abhinava views,

tatra ٳ󲹳� 첹ṣybhidhāne'yamabhiprāya� iha gatirgantavyadeśāśrayāt, desaśca jalasthalādi bahutarasamaviṣamādisvabhedasahita� kāvyārthatāmātreṇaiveha saṃbhavannapi prayogasthane na saṃbhavatyeveti, tasya parihārārtha� 첹ṣy Ծū貹ṇa� kartavyam |

Raghavan says, Bharata views that we should resort to a rectangular stage to present dances involving much to-and-fro movements, gata-agata-pracara, which are impossible on a stage of smaller width. He also says that in the square and the triangular stages the ٳܰś gait only is possible.

The particular region in which the event takes places, a city, forest, or a mountain is to be shown.

It should also be indicated whether the place of action is outside, in the middle, or inside as also whether it is far away or nearby.

nagare vane 'pi varṣe parvate'pi |
yatra pravarteta tatra 첹ṣy� prayojayet ||
ⲹ� ⲹ� 'pi tathaibhyantara� puna� |
ū� ԲԾṛṣṭa� ś� tu parikalpayet ||

The same spot on the stage can be made as large medium or short steps by the different character. For this, various changes in the gait should be practiced with suitable ī and 첹ṇa. The movements of characters can be represented in various locales and performed as traversing in the sky, using aerial chariots or by resorting to illusive to divine power, etc.

Abhinava elucidates this:

parikrāmantyaneneti parikrāma� cāryādisaṃniveśa� tadvaśādekasyāpi raṅgadeśasyasthanabhedenāparityaga�, yathā-āroḍhumudvahedgātra�, atikrāntena pādena ityadinā śṣa tu prāsādaparvatādirūpatvamasyaiva ||

ākrāntā� pṛthusānukuñjagahanā meghopamā� parvatā�
  siṃhavyāghragajendrapītasalilā nadyaśca īṇ� |
Գٲ� ṣp󲹱ḍhⲹ岹貹ܳٲ� ٰ� mahat ԲԲ�
  samprāpto'smi kapīndrasainyasahito velātaṭa� sāmpratam ||[1]

“T cloud like mountains with towering peaks, groves and lakes I traversed streams whose waters are drunk by tuskers, lions and tigers and vast forests full of trees laden with fruits and flowers. Now I have come to this ocean with the host of monkeys.�

Gait of can be performed with Գٲ and atiԳٲ 첹ṇa in the various divisions of the stage.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

A.N.IV.2.

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