Series: Dance and Architecture
Bharatnatyam And Its Influence On Temple Architecture
By Nikhila Vishnuvajhala
Dance has always been with us, and it is fundamental to the core of man. Dance is known to be one of the earliest forms of documentation i.e. passing down history through the form of stories. This holds even today. In India, all classical dance forms have consistently influenced mainstream culture and were used as modes to express social change or to represent the politics of that era.
A large portion of the current dance practice and rituals stem from one book: the Natyashastra. This book is believed to be written by the Sage Bharat (between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E.) and details various art performances founded in the religious Hindu musical theatre. The first half of Natyashastra deals with Bhavas (emotions displayed by the actors) along with Rasas (emotions felt by the audience - love, pity, anger, disgust, heroism, awe, terror, and comedy) and the second with prose. The latter includes a chapter on architecture and is known to be the most ambiguous of all the chapters.
Content of Natyashastra
All classical dances in India can be traced back to their origins in the “Natyashastra”.
Natyashastra - The origin of Indian Classical dance forms
Architecture defines space through its built form; the spatial structure informs the movement of the human body through the spaces over time.
Abstract Architectural Elements defining Spatial Movement
India (Sangeet Natak Academy), recognizes eight classical dance forms namely - Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam. Bharatnatyam, native to the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, was primarily performed by the Devadasis (Deva=God; Dasi=Servant), previously known as the Dasiyattam. This practice seems to have continued for a very long time, especially under the rule of Pallava and Chola Kings which was a great period for the construction of temples in India. Davesh Soneji, a historian on performance arts and an expert on Bharatanatyam, concluded that the courtesan dancing phenomenon commenced during the Nayaka period in Tamil Nadu sometime around late 16th or 17th century.
Historically, a temple was not just a place of worship, but also a convention center for intellectual and spiritual conversation. The temples within their compounds were designed to bring and serve the community by housing schools, hospitals & courts. These multipurpose spaces allowed for the recitation of Vedic scriptures for the common public. Temples were central to trade and were central to social and economic interaction.
Temples - Cultural Centres in Historic Times
During the Chola period (600 BCE – 300 CE), a sharp rise was seen in the importance of the art form & the temple structure. One of the most prominent examples, in line with the above history of south Indian temple architecture and dance, is the Chidambaram Nataraja Temples in Tamil Nadu. Its architecture is regarded as a translator - tying together the various facets of Hindu philosophy and culture. The physical exterior of the temple and the sculptural iconography are linked to the human body, architecture, and dance together on a spiritual and cosmic level. Architectural cues, ornamental sculpture, and the design criteria of the shrines reiterate this rhythmic momentum.
The Chidambaram Nataraj Temple - Sculptural Iconography
The gateways or Gopurams are embellished with sculptural representations of the 108 karanas (dance poses) of Bharatanatyam, intricately carved in small rectangular panels. The inclusion of these panels indicates the popularity of the Tandava style in the region.
108 Bharatnatyam Poses - Eastern Gopuram, Chidambaram Nataraj Temple
The main hall of this temple, The Nritta Sabha (designed as dictated in the Natyashastra), as goes the name, is dedicated to dance. Carvings here depict the legendary dancers, musicians, and mythological figures.
Dance, like architecture, is an exploration of space. Dance outlines the possible structure of space through an infinite set of possibilities. Time is defined by space in dance, and the dancer describes a 3-D space around herself, through the various movements and postures.
Dance Postures defining 3-D Space
Through the course of the next few articles, we will explore how design and dance form have created history together.
Author:
Nikhila Vishnuvajhala, CEPT Graduate and Development Sector Maverick
Graphics:
Ar. Nirali Prajapati
Associate | Pun: Chat