ART Divisions- Theatre

art- Classical Theatre

Folk &Traditional theatre
Modern Theatre
Lets start from Origin

The mythical story behind the creation of Natyasastra

Yugas= Brhama=Natyam(Music-dancedrama)
Rig-Veda= text/words /Recitative
Sama veda=Music
Yajurveda= Abhinyam
Atharvana = Rasas
Baratha puthras and 24 apsarasas
Brahmmas play Asuraparajayam
Demons disturbance

YUGA: era within a four age

cycle

According to Hindu cosmology(a branch of metaphysics that

deals with the nature of the universe/ a branch of astronomy that
deals with the origin, structure, and space-time relationships of
the universe), life in the universe is created and destroyed once
every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years,which is one full day (day and
night) forBrahma. The lifetime of a Brahma himself may be 311
trillion and 40 billion years. The cycles are said to repeat like the
seasons, waxing and waning within a greater time-cycle of the
creation and destruction of the universe. Like Summer, Spring,
Winter and Autumn, each yuga involves stages or gradual
changes which the earth and the consciousness of mankind goes
through as a whole. A complete yuga cycle from a highGolden
Ageof enlightenment to a Dark Age and back again is said to be
caused by the solar system's motion around another star.

4 YUGAS
The ages see a gradual decline of dharma, wisdom,
knowledge, intellectual capability, life span,
emotional and physical strength.
Satya Yuga:- Virtue reigns supreme. Average human
lifespan was 100,000 years.
Treta Yuga: There was 3 quarter virtue & 1 quarter
sin. Average human lifespan was 10,000 years.
Dwapar Yuga: There was 1 half virtue & 1 half sin.
Average human lifespan was 1000 years.
Kali Yuga: There is 1 quarter virtue & 3 quarter sin.
Average human lifespan will be 100 years. Towards
the end of the Yuga this will come down to 20 years.

Brief History
Vedas-4 for only upper caste what about sudra?=
5th veda Natyasastra
Natyam(dance+drama+Music): to make people
follow their virtues, it was created.
Hindu-veda dharma/Virtue instead of religion.
Every one believes god is one- in family different
gods. Unity in diversity
Creating the bridges between human beings and
god is the main motto of Indian virtue.
To make this Natyam(See, Hear) used a lot than
anything.
Abhinaya= to carry forward, abhinetha= actor
Nruttham=Thandavam, Nruthyam= Lasyam,
(Abhinayam=Bramma, Nrittham-Shiva=natyam=
see, hear)

Brief-2
From ancient times at the premises of temples all kinds
of arts developed, and performed, practiced during the
festivals.
Thrikarana shuddhi(lead do /be good life and love
art=love god)=aim of indian dances and drama
Voice-Body-Mind
Where there is lots of sounds of instruments, dance,
songs comes out there no bad things happensall
demons goes off.
Alexander in 327-325 B.C attacked India, At that time
Aristotle master of Alexander also visit India. At that time
Greek soldiers pleasure they used to perform Greek
tragedies.

Naraja is derived from the Sanskrit wordsnarta rjan"lord

of dance"
Creator and later as the destroyer of the universe.
Thandavam: source of the cycle of creation, preservation and
dissolution

 Bharatha = bhava-raaga-thala=feelings-singrytham
2000 years/5000 years old
36 chapters-6000 stangas
It is like Q&A why natya vedam? Who will
grasp it? How many divisions? How to practice
it? What are the rules?
11 elements

Back stage rituals

Vishwakarma- Natya gruha
Moon-total theatre
Vinayaka-vignas
Loka paludu- 4 directions
Fire stage
Clouds- instruments
Brhmma=centre stage
Indra= Hero
Saraswathi=Heroine

Explanation to demons
At one place virtue then comedy, war, love,
destroy etcall kinds of peoples
characters will be played not only demons.
Intellectual empowerment and character
development, relief from sorrows, courage
to face life, knowledge etc.
Then play went very well
Later thripura daham, amritha madhanam
Shiva teaching.

RASABHAVABHINYAHA
DHARMIVRITHIPRAVRITHYA HA
SIDDISWARATHADATHODYAM
GANAMRANGASYASANGRAHA HA
sringara(Love)-hasya(Happy)karuna(Sorrow)-krodha(Anger)veera(Courage)-bhayanaka(Fear)bibasta(Disgust)- -adbutha(Wonder)shanta(Serenity)

11 elements
RASAS-8+1=9
BHAVAS-49= Static/8,Transitory/33,Sathvik/8
Ex: static feeling-Krodam/fear , Transitjelousy/worry/ego
ABHINYAM-4 DHARMI-2- realistic-stylized
VRITTHI-4-Bharathi-sathvathi-kaisiki-Arabati
PRAVRITTHI-4(Desha vesha bhasha)East westNorth-south
SIDDHI-2
SWARA-7-sa ri ga ma pa da ni
ATHODYAM-4
GANAM-5- entry song- prasada song-accuse
song-inner heart song-exit song
RANGAM-3-rectangular-square-traingle

Introducing Nritta, Nritya and Natya

with demonstration
Nritta from shiva to Thanduvu- so its called
thandavam. Then songs/music with nrittham
became nrityam.
Nrittais composed of only pure dance and will
feature striking and aesthetic poses, but will
have no expressional meaning and symbolism.
Bharatha sons and apsaras provoked many
sages by performing their bad aspect then got
curse from them. So they decided to send it
on to earth.

SLOKAs
Slokas or verses which are full of wisdom are central and common to
the traditional way of life; that is, life as per the Vedas. Thus it is only
natural that we find many verses that pertain to the art of india.

Angeekam Bhuvanam yashaya

Vachikam sarvavangmayam
Aharyam chandra thaaradhi
Thvam vandey sathvikam shivam
You, whose limbs are the Universe,
You, the Originator of all speech,
You, whose adornments are the moon and
stars,
You are The Truth.

Slokas
Yato Hasta Stato Drushti
Yato Drushti Stato Manaha
Yato Manaha Stato Bhavom
Yato Bhavom Stato Rasaha
Where the hand goes, there the eyes should
follow
Where the eyes are, the mind should follow
Where the mind is, there the expression should
be brought out
Where the expression is, there the rasa or flavor
will be experienced (by the audience).

NEXT CLASSES
Types of acting
Styles of acting
types of emotions
types of feelings
Nataraja meaning
Types of female characters
Types of male characters
Types of hand gestures
Kinds of plays etc

Reference Books
The natyasastra: Adya Rangacharya
Indian Theatre Traditions of
Performance : Phillip Zarrilli
Concept of Ancient Indian Theatre :
Christopher Byrski
Indian Theatre : Adya Rangacharya
Abhinaya Darpan by Nandikeshvar