 Veeragase/Guggla of lord veerabhadra | |
| Instruments | |
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| Origin | Karnataka, India |
Veeragase/Guggla is a dance form prevalent in the state ofKarnataka,India. It is a vigorous dance based onHindu mythology and involves very intense energy-sapping dance movements performed byJangama. Veeragase is one of the dances demonstrated in theDasara procession held inMysore. This dance is performed during festivals and mainly in theHindu months of Shravana and Karthika. It is performed at all important functions ofVeerashaivaLingayat household the veeragase artist's are called as puravanta in village side.
The basic tenets of Guggla are drawn from Veeragama (One of the 28 key ShaivaAgamas) and usually Veeragaase performers during their acts will convey some stories from the main six Shaiva puranas like Shiva/Linga/Skanda/Agni/Matsya/Kurma - Puranas, and some Kannada Veerashaiva puranas like Girija Kalyana/Prabhulingaleele/Basava purana/Chennabasaveshwara charite...etc. Most popularly conveyed story is of Daksha-yajna.
The custom of bringing Devagange (Gange taruvud - ಗಂಗೆ ತರುವುದು/Devaru taruvudu - ದೇವರು ತರುವುದು) into homes from nearby water-sources (usually from wells) is a tradition inveerashaivaLingayat household for every important functions held (like Marriage, House-warming, Naming, Lingadhaarana <Lingayat-Baptism>...etc.), someVokkaligas in Karnataka also perform this custom - in this custom Veerabhadra is taken to please mother Ganga, Veeragaase is performed while bringing her home - in Veeraagama Ganga is considered to be the mother of Veerabhadra as he was sprouted out of Shiva's hairs and Ganga has taken residence on Shiva's head.
Veeragase gets its name from theHindu legendary warrior lord -Veerabhadra; Ajaata putra (Non biological child - who didn't take birth formally) of lord Shiva. According to Puranas, the Hindu supreme deity Lord Shrimanmahaa Shankara bhagavaan (Shiva) was married to Sati(who is also known as Daakshayini - since she was the favourite child of Daksha - He got maataAadishakti incarnated as his child after doing long penance to her). Daksha(the prajapati - one of the eightmanasputras of Brahma and a stauch Vaishnavite - Vishnu happens to be his<Daksha's> grandfather in vasthu roopa) was against this marriage because Shiva had beheaded Brahma(Daksha's father) and being Moola-purusha Shiva actually didn't follow any rules(As he was nirguNi) designed by Daksha which made him not to belong to any of the class-categories classified by Daksha(being a Prajaapati, it was his duty to classify everybody from Lord Vishnu - to smallest organism)) and hence bore enmity with LordShiva; He married his favouritest daughter Sati to Lord Shiva after multiple insistence from his aaraadhya(celebrated) Lord Vishnu and his father Brahma. Added to this enmity Lord Shiva after marriage, did not do proper conventional(Conventions designed by Daksha in his Shaastras) reverence which is to be done by a son-in-law to his father-in-law, instead Lord Shiva blessed him for Daksha's prosperity; which yet enraged Daksha's ego, so he decided to perform a mahaayagna to which he invited all except the Aadipurusha Lord Shiva himself. In vasthu roopa since Sati was Daksha's favourite child; she couldn't refrain from attending her father's greatest of yajnas. To this, much againstShiva's wishes, Daakshayini went to theyagna uninvited, By then Daksha's favoritism for Sati was perished since she was vaamaangi(left part of the body) of his enemy and he used the situation to insult Mahadeva. Unable to bear the insults - She cursed her father for his ego and showed her nija rupa(as Adishakti); she cursed everybody from Vishnu to Brahma to each individual present over there; Even after many condolences from Vishnu and Brahma, Daakshayini got herself burnt with her own powerful radiance. Hearing this news, Mahaarudra Mahakaala LordShiva got very angry and started to perform the RudraTandava dance which created turmoil in the world. In this rage he created Veerabhadra and BhadrakaaLi out of his JaTa (tied hair-matts), who went to Dakshayagna, disrupted it and beheaded Daksha, after defeating Vishnu, Bhaga, Poosha, Adityas...etc. When Daksha's wife pleaded mercy, he died and bestowed Daksha with a goat's head. This story is narrated by the dancers performing Veeragase.[1]
Veeragase is to be performed only by theJangama also called Maheshwaras - clan ofVeerashaiva/Lingayat community. The performers ofVeeragase are also calledLingadevaru.[2] The dancers put on a white traditional headgear and a bright red coloured dress. They also adorn themselves with a necklace made ofRudraksha beads, a hip-belt calledrudra muke, an ornament resembling a snake and worn around the neck calledNagabharana and anklets.[3] The dancers smearvibhooti on their foreheads, ears and eyebrows. They carry a wooden plaque of Lord Veerabhadra in their left hand and a sword in their right hand.
Female artists do not traditionally perform this art, but females have started to be a part of stage performance of non-religious nature which merely as a folk dance .[citation needed]
The dance troop usually consists of two, four or six members. A lead singer in the troupe narrates the story ofDakshayajna as the dance is being performed.[3] A huge decorative pole calledNandikolu which has an orange flag at the top is held by one of the dancers. Traditional percussion instruments calledsambal anddimmu lend music to the dance.Cymbals andshehnai and other instruments likekaradi andchamala are also used. The dance also involves a ritualistic piercing of a needle across the mouth.[4]
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