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LEARN THE LINGO
Photo: V. Ganesan
Enchantment Adbhuta rasa can be interpreted in myriad ways, from curiosity to admiration to disbelief. Bharatanatyam danseuse Urmila Satyanarayanan’s expression here can be an instance of the rasa.
Dance
Adbhuta: One of the navarasas (Learn the Lingo, 23 November 2007), adbhuta is the sentiment of wonder. It has at its core a feeling of astonishment. This rasa can be interpreted in myriad ways, from curiosity to admiration to disbelief. In Hindu mythology as well as other lore that is interpreted in the classical dances of India, there are many situations in which adbhuta is the pervading sentiment.
Commonly rendered episodes from mythology include the lifting of Mount Govardhan by Krishna to create a roof over the villagers and animals, saving them from the torrential rains unleashed by an angry Indra. Here, the youth of Krishna the cowherd, and the fact that he takes the weight of the mountain on his little finger, create adbhuta.
Krishna’s flute playing is also a cause of this rasa. His music mesmerises all who hear it.
Sometimes incredible visual beauty can be a cause for adbhuta, as in the Tamil composition “Kaana Kan Kodi Vendum”. Here, the poet (Papanasam Sivan) says the two eyes of an ordinary mortal are not sufficient to take in the beauty of the Lord (Shiva). One needs a crore of eyes, he says.
Great valour also engenders adbhuta. When Krishna enters the wrestling ring to tackle the wrestlers on King Kamsa’s payroll, the reaction among his admirers to his strength and his heroic form is one of adbhuta, whereas his enemies experience fear.
Music, dance
Manodharma: Although often used in the context of Carnatic music, manodharma applies to any kind of music — and dance as well — because it is a term for improvisation. The soul of Indian classical arts, it is believed, is improvisation. It requires the artiste to apply the individual imagination to a learnt technique. Manodharma implies on-the-spot creativity. During a concert, the presentations can be divided into pre-set and improvised portions. The presentation of a raga alap (Learn the Lingo, 2 March 2007), for example, is an exercise in manodharma. There is no pre-set structure for it. It unfolds gradually as a result of the musical imagination of the artiste.
Similarly, in dance, manodharma can be applied effectively in the art of abhinaya (Learn the Lingo, 29 June 2007). The dancer often mimes a story or a description without deciding beforehand how this will be done. While the dancer enacts the scene, the orchestra and vocalist (if any) pay close attention to be able to give the musical effects most suitable to the dancer’s movements and expression. Kudiyattam exemplifies this approach.
Another example in both dance and music of manodharma is the rhythmic aspect. The dance form Kathak gives ample scope to dancers to improvise on rhythmic footwork. Similarly, in an instrumental concert, the tabla player or mridangam player gets an opportunity to improvise freely.
The freedom of all manodharma creativity however, is always balanced by the overall guidelines of the classical technique.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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