Bharatanatyam and musical instruments

Subject: Arts and culture

Context:

The Madras High Court directed Tamil Nadu government to safeguard the interests of traditional musicians such as those who play Thavil and lamented that the art and artistes were on the verge of extinction.

Concept:

• Bharatnatyam Dance is considered to be over 2000 years old.
• Several texts beginning with Bharata Muni’s NatyaShastra (200 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.) provide information on this dance form.
• The AbhinayaDarpana by Nandikesvara is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.
• Bharatnatyam dance is known to be ekaharya, where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.
• In the early 19th century, the famous Tanjore Quartette, under the patronage of Raja Serfoji are said to have been responsible for the repertoire of Bharatnatyam dance as we see it today.
• The accompanying orchestra consists of a vocalist, amridangam player, violinist or veena player, a flautist and a cymbal player. The person who conducts the dance recitation is the Nattuvanar.

Musical instruments

• In the NatyaShastra, compiled by Bharat Muni dated 200 B.C.-200 A.D., musical instruments have been divided into four main categories on the basis of how sound is produced.

(i) The Tata Vadya or Chordophones- Stringed instruments
(ii) The SushiraVadya or Aerophones- Wind instruments
(iii) The AvanaddhaVadya or Membranophones- Percussion instruments
(iv) The Ghana Vadya or Idiophones- Solid instruments which do not require tuning.