Author: A Composition
Publisher: Centre for Cultural Resources and Training
Year: 2008
Language: multilingual
Pages: 36
ISBN/UPC (if available): N/A
Description
This album includes a bi-lingual book and details the history of Sattriya dance with 24 pictorial cards depicting various postures and formats of the dance.
The Sattriya dance form was introduced in the 15th century by the great Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Shrimanta Shankaradeva (1449-1568 C.E) as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. He integrated art and bhakti by creating a whole gamut of dance, drama and music for the upliftment of the Assamese society then ridden with religious malpractices and cryptic tantricism.
He advocated repudiation of caste priviledges which appealed to the broad tribal base of the state. He composed a serene and peaceful Assamese, Hindi and other elements, easily understood by the masses. He made the audience aware of the bhakti rasa, selfless devotion for the supreme being and introduced them to the art of harmonious living.
The Sattriya dance in its origin formed an indispensable (and a major component also] part of the plays of Shrimanta Shankaradeva, his principal apostle Madhavadeva and other later apostles and disciples. The performances of Shrimanta Shankaradeva’s or Madhavadeva’s dramas are known popularly as Ankiya naat or Ankiya bhaona. The Ankiya naat or one-act play was conceived by the saint as an audio-visual device for the propagation of Bhakti.
It is a highly stylized theatre form as well as a fascinating spectacle combining nritta, nritya and natya. Natya highlights the dramatic element; nritya is essentially expressional, performed specifically to convey the meaning of a theme or idea and nritta on the other hand, is puru dance where body movements do not express any mood (bhava) nor do they convey any meaning. Dance, puru and illustrative, vigorous, majestic and graceful form, the large repertoire in the Ankiya naat. Sattriya dance leand heavily on sining and dancing. Speech and dialogues are minimal.
Sattriya dance has all the elements that make a dance form classical. It clearly distinguishes nritta from nritya and also has an element of natya. Like other classical dance forms of India, the Sattriya dances follow the authoritative treatises such as Bharatmuni’s ‘Natyashastra’, Nandikeshvara’s ‘Abhinaya Darpana’ and Shubhankara’s ‘Hastamuktavali’. Sattriya dance tradition is governed by strictly laid down principles in respect of hastamudras, choreographic patterns, footworks, distinctive aharyas, music and a variety of masks.
Contents
Sattra
Mati akhar
(a) Khosoka
(b) In Purush Ora
(c) IN Prakriti Ora
Mati akhar
(a) Tel tupi
(b) Kami tona
(c) Kasoi Pani-Khowa
(d) Thiya lan
Nadu-bhangi
Jhumura Nach
Behar Nach or Bahar Nach
Chali Nach
Rajaghariya (Courtly) Chali Nach
Sattriya Oja palli
Ankiya bhaona
Preliminaries-Dhemali
Sutra-Pravesha
Krishna Bhangi or Gosai-Praveshar Nach
Gopi-Bhangi or Gopi-Praveshar Nach
Yuddhar Nach
Rasa Nritya
Ahaarya
Ornaments
Mask making
Make-up
Musical Instruments
Hasta
Foot Work
Raga based presentation