Art of Dancing in India

In this article we will discuss about the art of dancing in India during the medieval times.

Dances have been practiced in India since earliest times. The dances originated as a part of worship and ritual of some deity. However, the Muslim rulers did not encourage dancing because of their orthodox outlook. No doubt, some of the Sufis danced and displayed their emotions in the course of their commu­nion with God, but this act of Sufis was not appreciated by the orthodox Muslims.

In course of time, however, the Muslim rulers felt the impact of the Hindus and started encouraging dances. It is said that some of the Muslim rulers of the Sultanate period encouraged professional dancers in their courts.

During the times of Mughal, the art of dancing received special encouragement. We find in the contem­porary evidence a number of scenes of Darbars and private assemblies where numerous ladies are shown as dancing. We hardly come across any scene during Medieval time showing a man dancing. Probably during the Medieval times the male dance was not in vogue.

Unlike the well-to-do Hindus, who encouraged their girls to learn dancing from an early age, the Muslims of upper or middle classes did not favour teaching of dances to their girls. It was con­sidered by them to be a profane art meant for professional women.

Dancing received encouragement at the hands of Muslim rulers only indirectly, in so far as a number of dance performances were arranged for the entertainment of the ladies of the harem.

It would be desirable to make a detailed study of the various types of dances .prevalent during Medieval times:

1. Bharata Natyam:

Bharata Natyam as a dance was intro­duced for the worship of the Lord in the temples and was under­taken by devadasis. In course of time the number of devadasis increased enormously. It is said that there were 300 musicians and 500 dancing girls at the temple of Somnath. In other temples of India also large number of devadasis were engaged. It may be noted that Bharata Natyam was exclusively a dance of ladies.

2. Kathakali:

Kathakali is a sort of dance drama which was considerably influenced by early cult plays, ritual dances and other dramatic performances. Probably maximum influence was exercised by Koodiyatiam. In Kathakali heroism is given too much impor­tance and hence women did not play any part in it. Roles of women are also acted by men.

3. Manipuri:

Manipuri dances originated sometimes between the 15th and 18th century under the influence of Vaishnavism. Ras Lila was another prominent dance during Medieval period. In this dance, there are circular movements. According to Gayatri Devi, “The Rasa dance of Manipur is broadly classified in four groups: Maharasa, Basantarasa, Kunjarasa and Nityarasa. Except for the last, all the dances are performed on a full-moon night, Nityarasa is danced every day. There is another type, called the Dibarasa which is generally staged at noon. Well known among Manipuri dances are the Khabal-Chowmbi, Khubak-i-Sai, Mandira Karlal, Pungcholan and Naga.”

Another variation of the Manipuri dance is Lal-Haraoba, which depicts the creation of the world.

4. Kathak:

Kathak dance owes its origin to Katha or story. Kathaks were therefore originally a “caste of storytellers or reciters of episodes from the Epics and Puranas, who were attached to temples in certain regions of North India.”

It was a simple devo­tional dance of the people and was confined to temples. During the Mughal times Kathak was carried to the courts and women also started taking part in it. Certain amendments were made on its technique to re-caste it according to the times.

5. Other Dances:

In addition to the above dance certain other types of dances also developed in different parts of the country during the Medieval times. These included, Myur Nritya, Sapera Nritya, Pushap Nritya, Panghat Nritya, Basant Nrilya and Kokil Nritya.

In Bihar Praney Nritya, Bhavna Nritya and Chandra Nritya were popular. In Maithila, Holi Nritya, Bhakti Nritya and Sushma Nritya. were most common. In Gujarat, Garba Nritya was develo­ped. Similarly in Maharashtra Gafa, in Uttar Pradesh Rat, in Punjab Gidda etc. were developed.

According to Prof. K.T. Shah, the Muhammedans, when they came, were by no means disinclined towards these languorous diver­sions of a luxurious people. Luckily, their fanatical or puritanical zeal was rot roused in this case, as they never understood the inner significance of the dance poses in their association with the Hindu mythology.

Hence, at the Muslim court in India, the art of dancing became an integral part of the pomp of royalty, descending, unavoi­dably perhaps in the scale of respectability, because the patrons perceived only the bodily movements, displaying the physical charms, the mortal beauty of the dancer, and knew nothing of the inner meaning of her art.

The art nevertheless continued to be preserved in a form, which has not even now lost all its ancient grandeur, grace, beauty or significance.