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[Full title: Desi forms of Tamilnadu (1): Gati in classical form of 叠丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补]

Tamil Nadu is rich in practice of dance and dance drama forms such as 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补, 苍峁泃测补苍腻峁璦办补, 办耻谤补惫补帽箩颈苍腻峁璦办补, 产丑腻驳补惫补迟补尘别濒补, 迟别谤耻办奴迟丑耻, and folk dance forms like kummi, 办辞濒腻峁�峁�补, pinnal办辞濒腻峁�峁�补 and many more. Each form has a distinctive feature of action and movement. Gati can be generally termed as motion and the patterns of moving and patterns of rhythm come under gati. We find many such patterns in these folk dance forms.

叠丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 is one of the oldest forms of classical dance, which was practiced in Tamilnadu. It was known as sadhir, 诲腻蝉颈腻峁�峁�补 and koothu and natch until around 20th century when it was renamed as 叠丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 in 1930鈥檚. It used to be a solo dance form based on the 别办腻丑腻谤测补 濒腻蝉测腻峁単补. There are sculptural evidences and even inscriptions, which say that these dances were performed in temples by devadasis. They were called devar-adiyar, pati-ilar, talicceri-pendugal, nakkan,^[1] 峁涐梗补产丑补-迟补濒颈测颈濒腻谤, dali-颈濒腻谤, 谤耻诲谤补驳补峁噄办补颈测补谤, 蝉谤颈尘腻苍颈办办补^[2] attached to the temples. These inscriptions are seen in the Thanjavur temple. The Pallava, Chola, Maratta and Vijayanagara kings were connoisseurs of art. The 办补谤补峁嘺 sculptures of this temple prove that these dance movements should have been practiced here without that knowledge, the sculptors would not have done such exquisite work.

In 叠丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 the 蝉补尘补产丑补峁単补 position is to be taken by the danseuse while entering the stage and then follows the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补蝉迟丑腻苍补 which is known as 补谤补颈尘补峁囜笉颈 or ardha-尘补峁囜笉补濒颈. The feet are out turned and the half-sitting position is taken. 顿惫颈产丑补峁単补 has two deflections where from the waist torso is bent to any one side. There are many South Indian sculptures, which have the posture of arai-尘补峁囜笉颈. 础岣峚惫耻蝉 of 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补, like the 肠腻谤墨蝉 of the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 form the base for gati. 础岣峚惫耻蝉 are basic dance units of 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补. 鈥楾he unit which emerges as a co-ordinated pattern of the feet, knees, torso, arms and hands is known as the 补岣峚惫耻鈥�.^[3] These are based on the foot variations and movements. The footwork is based on the 辫腻诲补产别诲丑补蝉 of the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and 础产丑颈苍补测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺 such as 迟补峁�峁�耻 (sama), 尘别峁�峁�耻 (耻诲丑驳补峁�峁�颈迟补), 苍腻峁�峁�耻 (补帽肠颈迟补), and kutthu (agratala). The combinations of 补岣峚惫耻s are called korvais and it has many rhythmic patterns, which are enhanced by the jathis recited by the 苍补峁�峁�耻惫补苍腻谤蝉 along with the striking of 苍补峁�峁�耻惫补迟腻濒补 and 尘峁沝补峁単补 beats. Gati in 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 is based on the movements on the stage and the rhythm involved during 补岣峚惫耻s. However, these techniques are seen in 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 and these are enhanced due to the talent of the choreographer.

The ta峁�峁璱尘别峁�峁�耻 补岣峚惫耻, also called pa帽canadai 补岣峚惫耻 is based on 迟腻濒补驳补迟颈. It has five variations of 迟腻濒补 based on counts, 迟颈艣谤补鈥�, 肠补迟耻谤补艣谤补 -4, 办补峁囜笉补 -5, 尘颈艣谤补 -7 and 蝉补峁卥墨谤峁嘺 -9. Patterns of calculations are set based on these counts and the 补岣峚惫耻s are performed rhythmically. In 补岣峚惫耻s, such as paraval (spread) 补岣峚惫耻, ettu (reach) 补岣峚惫耻, sarukku (slide) 补岣峚惫耻, periya (big) 补岣峚惫耻 and 辫腻颈肠丑补濒 (leaps) 补岣峚惫耻 as the name suggests the dancer covers the stage forward, backward, sideward and also circular through steps, movements, slides, jumps and leaps. The t墨rm膩nam补岣峚惫耻, which comes as a crescendo, has rhythmic calculations based on yatis, which are patterns of increasing and decreasing counts, which are named as 蝉谤辞迟辞惫腻丑补, gopuccha, 岣峚尘补谤耻办补, maddala, sama, 惫颈峁�a尘补, and so on.

As Bharata says, the dancer first executes the rhythmic gatis, then starts the abhinaya for the song and then continues with 苍峁泃迟补^[4] same way 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 has jathis, which are rhythmic syllables and then the dancer proceeds with the abhinaya, and finally she performs the 苍峁泃迟补gati along with the hand gestures. Jathis are recited as 蝉辞濒濒耻办补峁�峁�耻蝉, which are matched with the 补岣峚惫耻s. These can be equated with 蝉耻峁�k腻办峁�a谤补蝉 of the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.^[5] Movements and positions are more in straight lines and triangles.^[6] 厂补耻峁ａ弓补惫补^[7] and 肠补迟耻谤补艣谤补^[8] is maintained. Hastas are based on the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and 础产丑颈苍补测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺.

Solo dance songs as 尘腻谤驳补 evolved by Tanjore quartet is taken as the repertoire of 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补. Even from the period of 厂补峁僩墨迟补尘耻办迟腻惫补濒颈 there are many dance forms such as 辫耻峁�p腻帽箩补濒颈, 艣补产诲补 and many more. Invocatory piece 迟辞岣峚测补尘补峁単补濒补 has all five 苍补岣峚颈蝉 as jathis. In 辫耻峁�p腻帽箩补濒颈 (谤补峁単补辫奴箩补) the dancer moves around the stage and salutes the presiding deities of the directions. Here we can see the parikrama with rhythmic steps.

础濒腻谤颈辫辫耻 is an abstract dance, which comes under 苍峁泃迟补 variety, and this is performed in all the five nadais. This has basic steps in three speeds performed to mridanga beats and sollus.^[9] The 补岣峚惫耻s are performed in three levels: starting with 蝉补尘补蝉迟丑腻苍补, followed by 补谤补颈尘补峁囜笉颈 (尘补峁囜笉补濒补蝉迟丑腻苍补) and then muzhu尘补峁囜笉颈 (办耻帽肠颈迟补箩腻苍耻 or 尘辞峁璱迟补) and then reverting back to 蝉补尘补辫腻诲补.

Jathiswara is also a 苍峁泃迟补 piece where the svaras (note) are set to dance in five gatis which synchronizes with the svaras like in a 迟腻濒补 which has 32 补办峁�a谤补蝉, there can be all steps in four, which goes with the 迟腻濒补 or four five鈥檚, and four three鈥檚 so that it finally matches. Thus, improvisation in rhythmic patterns is seen as in 惫补谤诲丑补尘腻苍补办补 of the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.

Navasandhi kouthva峁僺 are based on the directions and so the dancer has to move towards the direction and continue dancing. 艢补产诲补 is an 苍峁泃测补 piece and here the abhinaya is interspersed with 苍峁泃迟补 elements of 补岣峚惫耻 patterns. There were some rare 艣补产诲补峁僺 based on the rhythm content such as 艣补艣补办补 艣补产诲补, 尘补峁囜笉奴办补 艣补产诲补 and bhramara 艣补产诲补.

Varna is the main piece of a 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 recital. It has in it a combination of all elements of 苍峁泃迟补, 苍峁泃测补 and 苍腻峁瓂补. It has jathis (rhythmic 蝉辞濒濒耻办补峁�峁�耻蝉) set with 补岣峚惫耻s, 迟墨谤尘腻苍补峁僺 based on rhythmic patterns, gatis or 苍补岣峚颈蝉 such as sarpa 苍补岣峚颈, kulukku 苍补岣峚颈, oyy膩ra 苍补岣峚颈, 肠腻谤颈蝉 like 蝉补尘补辫腻诲补, 箩补苍颈迟腻 and 惫颈肠丑测补惫腻, 迟补峁�峁�耻mettu 补岣峚惫耻s based on 苍补岣峚颈 with hand gestures and mime and many more related to rhythm and movement. Actions related to the story are elaborated as sa帽肠腻谤颈蝉, where there is a scope for dramatization of characters and thus their gaits are performed. The tempo increases in 肠补谤补峁嘺 with rhythmic steps performed for svaras or musical syllables. Silence is maintained for abhinaya, and then starts playing of the 尘峁沝补峁単补 in different beats and tempos.

Pada is mostly a 蝉峁涐箙驳腻谤补-based composition. Here the 蝉迟丑腻苍补蝉 and physical gait based on 苍补测颈办腻 补惫补蝉迟丑腻蝉 and 诲补艣补 办腻尘补 补惫补蝉迟丑腻蝉 are given importance. Movements similar to 肠腻谤颈蝉 such as 产补诲诲丑腻, 蝉测补苍诲颈迟腻, and ut蝉测补苍诲颈迟腻 are used.

Thillana forms a finale of a 产丑补谤补迟补苍腻峁瓂补 repertoire. Korvais of 补岣峚惫耻s are performed in all 苍补岣峚颈蝉, which is also known as gati and are set with 迟墨谤尘腻苍补峁僺 and arudis. Movement or gait patterns such as straight and sideward lines, diagonal movements, and semicircular movement with periya 补岣峚惫耻 are performed. Thus, both the rhythm aspect and movement or covering the space is called gati.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Epigraphical record of Raja Raja-R.Nagaswamy. p.8

[2]:

Nityasumangali.p.28

[3]:

Indian Classical Dance鈥�Kapila Vatsyayan p.17.

[4]:

狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 IV.300

[5]:

Ibid..V.Com.p.220.

[6]:

Living Traditions of Natyasastra.

[7]:

Infra 2.4.1.

[8]:

Infra 2.4.2.

[9]:

Classical Dances and Costumes of India -Kay Ambrose.p.50