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| Genre | Indian classical dance |
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| Instruments | |
| Origin | Kuchipudi,Krishna district,Andhra Pradesh |
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Kuchipudi (/ˌkuːtʃɪˈpuːdi/KOO-chih-POO-dee) is one of the eight majorIndian classical dance forms.[2] It originated inKuchipudi, a village in theIndian state ofAndhra Pradesh.[3] Kuchipudi is a dance-drama performance, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text ofNatya Shastra (c. 500BCE—500 CE).[4][5][6] It developed as a religious art linked to traveling bards, temples and spiritual beliefs, like all major classical dances of India.[7]
Evidence of Kuchipudi's existence in an older version is found in copper inscriptions of the 10th century, and by the 15th century in texts such as theMachupalli Kaifat.[8][9] Kuchipudi tradition holds thatNarahari Tirtha – asanyassin ofDvaita Vedanta persuasion,[10] and his disciple, an orphan named Siddhendra Yogi, founded and systematized the modern version of Kuchipudi in the 17th century.[11][12][13] Kuchipudi largely developed as aKrishna-orientedVaishnavism tradition,[14] and it is known by the name ofBhagavata Mela in Thanjavur.[8]
In the past, an all male troupe performed the traditional Kuchipudi. A dancer in a male role would be inAgnivastra, also known asBagalbandi, wear adhoti (a single pleated piece of cloth hanging down from the waist).[15][16] A dancer in a female role would wear aSari with light makeup.[16] The Kuchipudi performance usually begins with an invocation. Then, each costumed actor is introduced, their role stated, and they perform a short preliminary dance set to music (daravu). Next, the performance presents pure dance (nritta).[17] This is followed with by the expressive part of the performance (nritya), where rhythmic hand gestures help convey the story.[17][18] Vocal and instrumentalCarnatic music in theTelugu language accompanies the performance.[19] The typical musical instruments in Kuchipudi aremridangam,cymbals,veena,flute and thetambura.[20] The popularity of Kuchipudi has grown within India and it is performed worldwide.[21][22]
Kuchipudi is named after the village inKrishna district of Andhra Pradesh namedKuchipudi – shortened form of the full name Kuchelapuram or Kuchilapuri[23] – where it developed.[4][24][25] The name of the village, states Ragini Devi, is itself derived from SanskritKusilava-puram, which means "the village of actors".[23]Kusilava is a term found in ancient Sanskrit texts and refers to "traveling bard, dancer, newsmonger".[26]
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Like other classical dance forms in India, Kuchipudi traces its roots to the SanskritNatya Shastra, a foundational treatise on the performing arts.[4][5] Its first complete compilation is dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE,[27][28] but estimates vary between 500 BCE and 500 CE.[29] The most studied version of the Natya Shastra text consists of about 6000 verses structured into 36 chapters.[27][30] The text, states Natalia Lidova, describes the theory of Tāṇḍava dance (Shiva), the theory of rasa, of bhāva, expression, gestures, acting techniques, basic steps, standing postures – all of which are part of Indian classical dances.[27][31] Dance and performance arts, states this ancient text,[32] are a form of expression of spiritual ideas, virtues, and the essence of scriptures.[33]
The dance-drama tradition in Andhra Pradesh is of ancient origins, and the region is mentioned in theNatya Shastra. Bharata Muni credits a graceful movement to the Andhra region and discusses it asKaishiki vritti. The pre-2nd century CE text calls one ragaAndhri, which is from Andhra.[34] The Andhri, is related toGandhari andArsabhi, and is discussed in many other 1st millennium Sanskrit texts.[35] Some, state Bruno Nettle and others, place the origins of Kuchipudi to 3rd-century BCE.[15]
Dance-drama performance arts related toShaivism, in Telugu-speaking parts of South India, are evidenced in 10th-century copper inscriptions, and these were calledBrāhmana Mēlamulu orBrahma Mēlamulu.[8][36] The medieval era dance-drama performance artists wereBrahmins.[37][38] This art was likely adopted by the musical and dancing Bhakti traditions ofVaishnavism which grew in the 2nd millennium, whose devotees were calledBhāgavatulu in Andhra region andBhāgavatār in Tamil region of south India.[8] In Andhra, this performance art evolved into Kuchipudi, while in Tamil Nadu it became known asBhāgavata Mēla Nāṭaka.[8] According to Saskia Kersenboom, both the Telugu Kuchipudi and Tamil Bhagavata Mela are strongly related to the classical Hindu dance tradition ofYakṣagāna found in Karnataka, all three involve Carnatic music, but these dance-drama traditions have differences such as in costumes, structure, interpretation and creative innovations.[15]
Kuchipudi traces its origins to its founderNarahari Tirtha, the disciple of Sri Ananda Tirtha a.k.a.Madhvacharya, when he was the high priest at his matha at Srikurmam and Simhachalam.[39]To implant bhakti among layman he is credited with organizing Bhagavata Melas throughout the nights and adapting many dance forms from the Srimad Bhagavatha Puranas.[40] Vaishnavism received a big boost in the Kalinga regions of Andhra and Orissa due to the efforts of Narahari Tirtha, Sri Jagannatha Tirtha and his disciples, the message of Bhakti was percolated through the masses via Kuchpudi and The Bhagavata Melas of Sri Narahari Tirtha and his disciples.[41]
According to Manohar Varadpande, the Kuchipudi dance emerged in the late 13th century, whenGanga rulers fromKalinga were patrons of performance arts based on the 12th-century Sanskrit scholarJayadeva, particularly theGita Govinda.[4] This royal sponsorship, states Varadpande, encouraged many poets and dance-drama troupes to adopt Radha-Krishna themes into the then prevailing versions of classical Kuchipudi.[4] These were regionally called VaishnavaBhagavatulu.[4]
The modern version of Kuchipudi is attributed toTirtha Narayanayati, a 17th-century Telugusanyasin ofAdvaita Vedanta persuasion and particularly his disciple, a TeluguBrahmin[15] orphan named Sidhyendra Yogi.[43][42][44][note 1] Tirtha Narayanayati authoredSri Krishna Leela Tarangini and introduced sequences of rhythmic dance syllables at the end of the cantos, he wrote this work as a libretto for a dance-drama.[10] Narayanayati lived for a while in theTanjore district and presented the dance-drama in theTanjore temple.[10]
Narayanayati's disciple, Sidhyendra Yogi, followed up with another play, theParijatapaharana,[note 2] more commonly known as theBhama Kalapam.[45][note 3] When Sidhyendra Yogi finished the play, he had trouble finding suitable performers.[43][46] So he went to Kuchelapuram, the village of his wife's family and present-dayKuchipudi, where he enlisted a group of youngBrahmin boys to perform the play.[43][46][49] According to the tradition, Sidhyendra requested and the villagers agreed to perform the play once a year, and this came to be known as Kuchipudi.[43][46][49]
Kuchipudi enjoyed support from medieval era rulers.[9] Copper inscriptions suggest that the dance-drama was seen by the royalty and was influential by 1502 and through the late 16th century.[50][9] The court records of theVijayanagara Empire – known for its patronage of the arts – indicate that drama-dance troupes ofBhagavatas from Kuchipudi village performed at the royal court.[9] However, various historical inscriptions often indicate that this dance form can be tracked back to the first century BCE.[51]
The region saw wars and political turmoil with Islamic invasions and the formation of Deccan Sultanates in the 16th century.[52] With the fall of Vijayanagara Empire and the destruction of temples and Deccan cities by the Muslim army around 1565, musicians and dance-drama artists migrated south, and Tanjore kingdom records suggest some 500 such Kuchipudi artist families arrived from Andhra, were welcomed and granted land by the Hindu king Achyutappa Nayak, a settlement that grew to become modernMelattur near Tanjore (also calledThanjavur).[9] Not everyone left the old Andhra village of Kuchipudi, and those remaining became the sole custodians of its tradition in Andhra.[9]
Kuchipudi declined and was a dying art in 17th-century Andhra,[52] but in 1678, the last Shia MuslimSultan ofGolkonda,Abul Hasan Tana Shah, saw a Kuchipudi performance and was so pleased that he granted the dancers lands around the Kuchipudi village, with the stipulation that they continue the dance-drama.[46][49] The Shia Sultanate was overthrown in 1687 by the Sunni Mughal EmperorAurangzeb.[52] In order to regulate public and private morals, as well as end un-Islamic practices,[53] Aurangzeb banned public performances of all music and dance arts, along with ordering the confiscation and destruction of musical instruments in Indian subcontinent under control of hisMughal Empire.[54][55]
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After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire collapsed, Hindu rebellion sprouted in many parts of India, including the Deccan region.[56] In the second half of the 18th century, during this period of political turmoil, the colonial Europeans arrived, theMadras Presidency was formed by the East India Company officials and became a part of theBritish Empire.[57] Andhra was a part of the Madras Presidency. During the colonial era, Hindu arts and traditions such as dance-drama were ridiculed. Christian missionaries and British officials stereotyped and denigrated dancers, calling Indian classical dances as evidence of a tradition of "harlots, debased erotic culture, slavery to idols and priests".[citation needed] Christian missionaries launched the "anti-dance movement" in 1892, to ban all such dance forms.[58][59][60] The anti-dance camp accused the various classical Indian dance forms as a front for prostitution, while revivalists questioned the constructed histories by the colonial writers.[61][62]
In 1910, theMadras Presidency of the British Empire altogether banned temple dancing.[63] Kuchipudi, which was traditionally staged at night on a stage attached to a Hindu temple,[9] was impacted and like all classical Indian dances declined during the colonial rule period.[64]
After the ban, many Indians protested against the caricature and cultural discrimination, launching their efforts to preserve and reinvigorate their culture.[58][65][66] Due to these efforts from 1920s onwards, the classical Indian dances witnessed a period of renaissance.[64] Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastri (1886–1956) was the influential figure who led the effort to save, reconstruct and revive Kuchipudi performance art. Sastri worked closely with other revivalists, between 1920 and 1950, particularly Balasaraswati and others determined to save and reviveBharatanatyam.[67][68]
The three influential figures in Kuchipudi, during the first half of twentieth century, were Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastri, Vempati Venkatanarayana Sastri and Chinta Venkataramayya.[69] Sastri focused on reviving and relaunching Kuchipudi after classical Hindu dances came under sustained ridicule and political degradation in theBritish Raj, while Venkataramayya was influential in productions for public performances and developing specialized forms of Yakshagana – another classical Indian dance, and Kuchipudi.[69] Sastri is also remembered for encouraging and teaching Indian women to dance Kuchipudi as solo performers and in teams, as well as working with artists of other classical dances such as the Bharatanatyam that enabled the sharing and cross flow of ideas.[69] Vempati Venkatanarayana Sastri was the guru of Sastri, taught him Kuchipudi, and was a key figure in helping preserve Kuchipudi.[69] The historic All India Dance Seminar, organized by the national arts organizationSangeet Natak Akademi in 1958, thrust Kuchipudi to the national stage.[70]
Some Western dancers joined the Indians in preserving dance. The American dancer Esther Sherman, for example, moved to India in 1930, learnt Indian classical dances, changed her name to Ragini Devi, and joined the movement to save and revive classical Indian dances.[71] Her daughter Indrani Bajpai (Indrani Rahman) learnt and became a celebrated Kuchipudi dancer.[72] The public performances of Kuchipudi byIndrani Rahman andYamini Krishnamurti outside of Andhra region, created wider enthusiasm and more interest through new students and the expansion of Kuchipudi as a creative performance art both within India and internationally.[70] The latter half of the twentieth century was dominated by the Kuchipudi school ofVempati Chinna Satyam, whose efforts to further codify the modern repertoire earned him multiple accolades, including thePadma Bhushan.
Some of the Indian movie actresses such asHema Malini started their career as a Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer.[73] Kuchipudi performances have now spread world-wide.[70]
The largest group performance with a total of 6,117 dancers in Vijayawada got into theGuinness World Records[74]
Kuchipudi is a team performance, with roots in Hindu religious festivals.[7] The drama-dance involves extensive stage movements and exacting footwork, wherein the underlying drama is mimed by expressive gestures of hand (mudras), eye and face movements.[75][14] The expressive style is through asign language that follows the classical pan-Indian Sanskrit texts such asNatya Shastra,Abhinaya Darpana andNrityararnavali.[7][18][76] The dance is accompanied with Carnatic music, while the recital is in Telugu language.[7][77] Just like the Carnatic music style, Kuchipudi shares many postures and expressive gestures with Bharatanatyam, such as theArdhamandali or Aramadi"(half seating position or a partial squat, legs bent or knees flexed out).[76] However, there are important differences, such as Bharatanatyam as a Hindu temple tradition trending towards geometric perfection and the spiritual, while Kuchipudi as a Hindu festival tradition trending towards more sensual supple and the folksy.[75][78]
Traditionally the traveling dance troupe consisted entirely of men (oftenBrahmins[15]), who moved from village to village, and performed on a stage set next to a Hindu temple.[9] The male artists would dress up and act out the female role in a drama performed by these traveling troupes.[79] In modern times, Kuchipudi has diversified, women have joined Kuchipudi dance, outnumber male artists, and are among its most celebrated artists.[7][15][80] In some cases now, it is the Kuchipudi girl artists who dress up and act out the role of boys.[15]
The repertoire of Kuchipudi, like all major classical Indian dance forms, follows the three categories of performance in the ancient Hindu textNatya Shastra. These areNritta,Nritya andNatya.[76][81]
A complete Kuchipudi show sequence always consists ofnritta andnritya in solo or group performance, but when the underlying text is a play, it may include anatya. The nritta or pure abstract dance parts of Kuchipudi, states Reginald Massey, may include parts such asdarus,jatis,jatiswarams,tirmanas andtillanas.[85] The nritya or expressive performance in Kuchipudi includespadams,varnams,shabdams andshlokas.[85]
A Kuchipudi performance traditionally is a night performance,[86] when rural families return from their farms and are free of their daily work. It has been performed in or next to a Hindu temple, and the stage lit by the yellow lights of castor oil burning torches.[86][87] The dance-drama begins with an invocation (melavimpu,puvaranga). This may be an on stage prayer toGanesha, the Hindu god of good beginnings, or may be an invocation expressing reverence to various Hindu gods, goddesses, earth, or one'sguru (teacher).[75][87][88]
The conductor of the performance enters and plants an "Indra's banner" staff,[86] then introduces all the actors and the characters they play, who are revealed behind a curtain, and when each actor arrives, colored resin is thrown into the flame of one or more torches for dramatic color effects and audience's attention.[86][87] Each actor performs a short dance called thePravesa Daru[note 4] accompanied by a short musical piece, as the vocalist describes his or her role.[87] The conductor is typically present throughout the performance, on the stage, explains the play, talks and humors the audience.[86]
After the actors have been introduced, thenritta part of the Kuchipudi performance starts. The actors present a pure dance (jatis or jatiswarams), performed rhythmically to a musicalraga, and these are calledSollakath orPatakshara.[76][89] A basic unit of dance in Kuchipudi is called aadugu (oradugulu), and these correspond to thekarana in Natya Shastra.[90] Each basic unit combines hand and foot movement into a harmonioussthana (posture) andchari (gait), that visually appeals to the audience wherever he or may be sitting.[90] Each dance unit, according to the ancient text, is best performed to certain recitation of mnemonic syllables and musical beat.[90] A series ofkarana form ajati, formalized originally as anoral tradition through Sanskrit mnemonics, later written, and these form the foundation of what is performed innritta sequence of Kuchipudi.[91]
Thereafter comes thenritya, the expressive part calledabhinaya, and this is the heart of the play.[92] The actor-dancer uses hand mudras and facial expressions inspired by the sign language in ancient Sanskrit texts, with an exacting footwork, to communicate the underlying story to the audience.[92] A solo play or solo part of the performance is called aShabdam, and this may be set to a poem, a verse or a prose.[76][21] Avarnam combines dance with mime in order to draw out and express therasa (emotional taste), and this can be solo or group. Parts set to poetry that are love lyrics or express deeper sentiments are called apadam, and this part constitutes expressing the emotional, the allegorical and the spiritual aspects of the play.[93][94]
Kavutvams are a feature of the performance that is distinctive to Kuchipudi. These are performed either as nritta or nritya, to differenttalas, wherein the dancer adds acrobatics to the complexity of presentation. For example, the dancer may perform the footwork, rhythmically to music, while balancing a series of pots on his or her head, and then add burningDiya (lamp) in both hands, as the show goes on.[95] Some artists dip their foot on a wet ink pad, then dance rhythmically on a blank white piece of paper, thus painting it; alternatively, the troupe places coloured rice powder on floor and on top the white piece of paper, then dances the musical composition on it, their weight and steps causing the pigment to stick.[96] At the end of the performance, the artist shows the audience the nature scenery or bird or flower or Ganesha or something that results.[96] AMayura Kavutvam dance produces a painting of a peacock, aVinayaka Kavutvam of Ganesha, aSimhanandi Kavutvam yields the painting of a lion, each set to a certain classical composition and beat, for instance.[96]
The traditional Kuchipudi was performed by all males troupe. A dancer in a male role would be inAngavastra, also known asBagalbandi, wear adhoti (a single pleated piece of cloth hanging down from the waist).[15][16] A dancer in a female role would wear aSari with light makeup.[16]
Modern productions retain the male dress, but are more elaborate and Bharatanatyam-like for the female roles. Women artists wear a brilliantly colourfulSari (or a body fitting dress) with a pleated fan stitched in front to help highlight the exacting footwork.[16] The end of the wrappedSari is held fast under a light metallic (golden or brass) belt at waist. A Kuchipudi artist braids her hair somewhat differently than a Bharatanatyam artist, to reflect the regional traditions, yet wearing flowers are common. Both have symbolic elements embedded in their hair and face jewelry, such as the Vedic symbolisms for the sun and the moon, the soul and the nature, and she sometimes sets her hairdo in thetribhuvana style which represents the three worlds.[16] Her jewelry may include hair jewelry, ear, nose, armlets, necklaces and often a leather anklet piece with little bells (gajjelu orghungroo).[15] The forehead has a round red bindi or a symmetric tillaka, while the eyes are typically ringed with black collyrium to ease the viewing of expressions by the audience.[75]
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Some special Kuchipudi plays may include unusual costumes and theatrics, such as round bottom water pot balanced on the head, dancing with gymnastics or stilt athletics.[87] Other plays may include wing props, a transparent head sheet, or peacock feathered crown to identify the actor playing Krishna.[87]
Musical instruments used in Kuchipudi are cymbals, mridangam, violin, thambura, flute. The Kuchipudi performance is led by a conductor (chief musician) called theSutradhara orNattuvanar, who typically keeps the beat using cymbals and also recites the musical syllables; the conductor may also sing out the story or spiritual message being enacted, or this may be a role of a separate vocalist or occasionally the dancer-actors themselves.[15][16][20] The Kuchipudi orchestra ensemble includes a drummer (mridangam), a clarinetist and a violinist.[15][14] Depending on the legend being danced out, other musicians such as a flutist may be present.[97]
Kuchipudi has several regionalbanis (styles), which developed because of the uniqueness and creativity of gurus (teachers).[98] This openness and flexibility has been a historic tradition in Indian dance culture, and is traceable to early times in Kuchipudi as theMargi andDesi styles in the textNrittaratnavali of Jaya Senapati.[99][note 5] According to Senapati, theDesi styles referred to one that incorporated innovations to the conservativeMargi styles.[99] Senapati lists examples of each. ForMargi styles, he describes Vedayata, Veddangam, Bommalata, Perani, Chindu, Bahurupam, Pagativeshalu and others; while forDesi styles, Senapati describes Rasaka, Charchari, Bhandika, Kollata and others.[99] Some of these styles are discernible in Warangal sculptures of the 13th century.[104]
The dance styles are based on the standard treatises, Abhinaya Darpana and Bharatarnava of Nandikeswara, which is sub-divided into Nattuva Mala and Natya Mala.[citation needed] Nattuva Mala is of two types — the Puja dance performed on the Balipitha in the temple and the Kalika dance performed in a Kalyana Mandapam. Natya Mala is of three kinds — ritual dance for gods, Kalika dance for intellectuals and Bhagavatam for common place.[citation needed]
The most popular dance-drama isBhama Kalapam of Sidhyendra Yogi.[21][105]Narayana Teertha composed theKrishna Lila Tarangini, a story of Krishna's life beginning from his birth to his marriage toRukmini.[45] Ramaiah Sastri, inspired by theBhama Kalapam, wrote theGolla Kalapam, which portrays the theme of an ethical satirical conversation between aGopi and a Brahmin.[106] Other commonly performed plays are the dance-songs (kritis) ofThyagaraja, and the 700 survivingpadams out of 4500 composed byKshetrayya ofMovva.[107]
Traditional compositions that have been internationally performed by Kuchipudi artists, particularly among Telugu diaspora communities, includeSrinivasa Kalyanam,Rukmini Kalyanam (marriage of Krishna and Rukmini),Sakuntalam Bhamakalpam,Hara Vilasam,Prahlada Charitram (Holi festival-related story),Usha Parinayam,Sasirekha Parinayam,Rama Natakam (probably the oldest play),Mohini Rukmangada,Chamundeswari Sabda,Ardhanareeswaram Sabda andPerini Thandavam.[21][22]
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Kuchipudi training, as with all major classical Indian arts, have traditionally begun at a young age. The training includes physical exercises, theory, demonstration lessons and a lot of practice. The physical exercises range from yoga to special exercises to develop a supple body and flexibility in leg muscles, lower body, core, arms, shoulders and neck. Some examples of special exercises, state Kothari and Pasricha, areDandemu,Chakradandemu,Ekapada,Gunjeelu,Kailsamu,Kappilu andMoggalu.[108] They are educated in Sanskrit and Telugu. They must also learn music, literature and become vocalists.[109] Training has expanded from within traditional families to anyone across the world due to its popularization.[110]
{{cite book}}:|first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Quote: "A summation of the signal importance of the Natyasastra for Hindu religion and culture has been provided by Susan Schwartz, "In short, the Natyasastra is an exhaustive encyclopedic dissertation of the arts, with an emphasis on performing arts as its central feature. It is also full of invocations to deities, acknowledging the divine origins of the arts and the central role of performance arts in achieving divine goals (...)".
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