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in Manipuri Classical Dance
Abhinay
in Manipuri Classical Dance
H.
Thambal Sharma
King Rajarshri Bhagyachandra
of Manipur (1759-98) first conceived and created Manipuri
classical Ras dance in the form of Drishya Kavya in the
sankirtana traditional based on the Ram Panchadhyay of Srimadbhagabatam
dedicating it as a Rupak to Shri Radha Govinda. It was created
following strictly the tenets of the shastras and transforming
the Manipuri indigenous movements of tradition adding in
relevant stages the bhavas and rasas form the vaishnava
shastra and Natya Shastra. The Ras Leela is Keishiki Vritti
(with shringar and Hasya rasa) and the vaishnavas describe
the Rasa emerging out of the relation between Radha and
Krishna as the Madhur Prem Rasa.
In Abhinayadarpan we find four abhinayas viz.
Sattvika, vacika, Angika and Aharya. In Angika the part
of human limb,- hands, neck, waist, breast, face, eyes,
lips, teeth, torso are used to make significant expressions.
Vacikabhinay gives expressions to the inner feelings and
ideas in speck and songs. Aharyabhinay relates to the moulding
of an appearance, a form or figure with ornamebts like costume,
headgear, jewelry, anklets, rings, bangles, etc. aharyabhinay
and again sub-divided into Aharya and Nepathyabidhan. Nepathyabidhan
has again four sub-divisions as Pusta, Alamkar, Angaracana,
and Sanjiba. Pusta connotes the decoration prepared on the
stage and performance space on the Ras Mandal. It refers
to the preparation of Vrindavan Kunj, the Ras Mandal in
the Ras dance will all the trees, seats and decoration of
all hues which please the eyes. An instance is the preparation
of the Mandali at the Mandap of Shri Shri Govinda in Ras
Leela, and splendid seat ( bhadrapeeth) at the center where
Shri Radha and Govinda sit auspicious and the grant audience
to the artists in the role of Gopies and the onlookers on
the four sides. The decorated Sajya(couch) at the Mandali
in a Gouraleela performance may be cited as under Nepathyabidhal.
Even the decoration on the contemporary stage, the props,
the painted scene of houses, buildings, forests etc. may
also come under this category Alangkar Nepathyabidhal refer
to all kinds of costumes, dresses and ornaments like jewelry,
bangles, anklets, rings, ear-rings, crown head-gear used
in the enactment. Angarchana involve the making of appearances
of persons adding symbols such as moustack whitening or
darkening the complexion etc. to make them appears as the
character belonging to different climes and nations described
in the texts. Using of animals, Quadruples and bipeds, birds
like parrots, peacocks, other animates objects on the stage
or performance space for enactment comes under Sanjiba.
Bharata warn that young artistes playing the roles of old
characters and old artists acting those of young ones should
be very careful inputing on their dresses, make-up, gait
and stance; otherwise the play will be failure.
Sattvikeibhabeir Bhavagyena Bibhabitah
--Abhinayadarpan
Sattvikabhnay express, with the help of face,
eyes, hands, a body, lips etc., the understanding and interpretations
of various states relating to the sentiment knowing fully
well the bhava, sthayibhava, etc. This has eight kinds of
manifestations:- 1. Stambha-standing fixed like a pillar
( which signified from determination, intent looking without
seeing any other objects, concentration of the mind without
any distraction), 2. Sveda:- expression of intent thinking
even exuding perspiration on the face, 3. Romanch:-expression
of trembling senses and feeling of weeping. 4. Svarbhanga:-
irregular breathing arising out of sense of fear, overjoy,
hyper-anger,5. Bepthu:- expression of trembling of limb
arising out of fear, extreme cold, exhaustion, inability
to walk on the part of sick person, etc. 6. Bibarnita:-
expect of changing completion of human body, looking initiated
out of fear, extreme cold etc., 7. Ashru:- Shedding tear
out of pang of separation sense of helplessness, serious
illness, failure to attain an object, extreme delight etc.,
8. Pralaya:- expect of falling down unconscious, swooning
etc.
For condition or states ( Britti) may be mention
here:- 1. Bharati( with bibhatsa and roudra rasa) from the
Rig veda 2. Sattbati( with bira, Roudra, Adbhut Rasa) from
the Jajurva veda, 3. Keishiki ( with shringar, hasya Rasa
)from the Sam veda, for. Arbhati( with Roudra, Bibhatsa,
Bhayanak Rasa) from Atharva veda
Nayak- Nayika Bheda
There are three kinds of Nayak 1. Divyanyak.
As Shri Krishna, as the Purushatam( supreme person), came
into incarnation in term of human being, he is called Divyanayak.
2. Divyavidhya. DemiGods behaving as humans such as Shri
Ramachandra are of this type. 3. Adivya. Those who are truthful,
full of love for human beings, peaceful, abiding in determination,
e.g Yudhistira of the Mahabharata, so says the Shastra.
Nayak can be again brought into another four expects viz.
Dhirodatta, Dhirlalit( Dhirprasanta, according to Sahitya
Darpan.) Dhirotatta relates to gravity, humility, forgiveness,
kindness, selflessness, resoluteness as exemplified by Shri
Ramachandra, Yudhistira, etc.Dhirlalit:- those adept in
the arts, hummer conversation, attracting love ones and
who are gentle and closes many Rasa. For instance Shri Krishna.
Those aspects of jealousy, wickedness, vainglory, falsehood,
fickleness, self-esteem, as found in characters like Nongban
of Manipuri Moirangprabha come under Dhirodadhatta. Those
who can maintain consistency or equilibrium both in joy
and sorrow, bear adversity with patience, who are skillful
in martial arts like using swords, bows and arrows, throughful,
humble and know the Brahman are categorized under Dhirsanta(
Dhirprasanta). Yudhistira and Madhav in Malati Madhav Kavya
are instances.
NAYIKABHEDA (especially in vaishnav Shastra).
Here we can mention the following: Abhisarika Basaksajja,
Utkanthita, Bipralabdha, Kandita, Kalhantarita, Proshita
Battarika and Svadhinabhatrika. According to the weightage
of love on the part of Shri Krishna each of the above has
again three aspects:- Uttam(highest) Madhyama(Medium) and
Kanistha( lower).
We consider briefly now some of the foregoing
aspects in special relation to Manipuri Ras Leela.
(a) Pustanepathyabidhan:-At the mandap of
Shri Shri Govinda the Ras Mandal is prepared. At the center
Lord Krishna is seated on the splendid seat (bhadra chakara)
and rotates round and round. The ras is performed after
the Nupa pala. These aspects of the mandali, bhadrachakra,
etc. are instances of pustanepathyabidhan under Aharyabhinay.
In the Ras at Bijoy Govinda humans take the roles of Shri
radha Krishna and therefore bhadrachakra is absent. This
is the case in the Ras performances at the villages. But,
on all occasions Ras Gosthaleela seats are placed well arranged
for characters like nanda Maharaj etc. This is another instance
under this category.
(b) Alamkar Nepathyabidhan: Sri Govinda wears
the Natbada dress, gold-coloured dhoti made of fine silk
fabric, khaons on the right and left flanks, kajenglei and
chuda decorated with peacock feathers, tals on the arms,
ornaments on the hands, different kinds of jewels and multi-colour
garlands round the neck, anklets, rings on the toes, waist-band,
vaishnav tilak on the forehead. The hand holds a flute in
a particular posture in the mimesis playing on it. Shrimati
Radha puts on the green potloi, velvet blouse, bangles,
ornaments on the arms, jewels and garlands round the neck,
mukut or kajenglei on the head, tilak on the forehead. Similarly
the Gopies wear red kummins, green blouse, white clothes
wrapped tightly round the breast, waist-belt, headdress
pointing upward on the top and a piece of transparent of
white cloth covering it and the face from the top down to
shoulder on the rear and breast on the front.
(C). Angaracana Nepathyabidhan: human late
part in the Ras Leela in the roles of Sri Krishna and Gopies
wearing attires like the natabada, potloi and other ornaments
are vivid examples of this aspect.
(d). Sanjiba Nepathyabidhan: In the Ras Leela
performances sometimes domensticated birds like parrots,
moinas, etc. in their cages are brought in the Mandali and
allowed to chirp Braja Krishna Krishna by tutoring. In the
Gostha Leela or Shanshenba Narada comes to the house of
Nalanda Maharaj and convinces him that it was time to teach
the two sons of Nanda how to milk. A live cow is brought
in for the purpose. This is an apt instance of Sanjiba.
Sattvikaahinay: This abhinay has been mentioned
before. This is not very much predominant in the Ras and
Gostha. However, some aspect of it is discernible in the
Maharaj. When the Gopies start thinking vainly that they
are the only ladies in the universe loved and regard by
the Shi Krishna, the Lord want to destroy that thought in
the minds of Gopies. He disappears carrying away Shrimati
Radhika. The Gopies weep and begin to search for Sri Krishna
and find Radha at a place alone. Srimati Radhika also, thinking
proudly that she is the only one among the Gopies loved
by the Lord, requests Him to lift her on His back as she
is unable to walk any farther. Shri Krishna wants to annihilate
the pride in Radha an dwhile obliging to Radha's solicitation,
in the acting of lifting her, disappear form her sight.
The Gopies take her up crying , ask the forest, trees and
plants if they see the Lord, come at last to the bank of
the Yamuna wait for the Shri Krishna. Her some dose of Sattvibhav
is discernible.
In the Ras Leela the use of Nritya Hasta and
various gestures of the face and the eyes to express the
nine rasas is not so much conspicuously present as in other
Indian classical form such as Kathakali, Bharatnatyam, Odissi,
Kuchipudi, etc. Nevertheless, we find in the Ras Leela detailed
abhinay in the form of bhavabhinay in which bhakti rasa
is central. In describing the beauty of Vrindaban the lyric
says; how beautiful is vindaban; flower like jati juti blossom;
how fascinating is vrindaban, etc. The hands and the fingers
move in such away that they vividly suggest the flowers
and the flying of the bees, the wafting of the breeze on
the water of the yamuna. The hasta as found in Lai Haraoba
abound. We can at once say that it is bhavabhinay which
the Vaishnava call ujjal rasa or modhur prem rasa.
Bhakti rasa is predominant in this bhababhinay.
The Manipuri Ojas use a particular term- Mot Touba which
is nothing but transforming in abhinay the bhavas in vivid
art form, and when music is weeded ot it, the Rasika weep
in ananda appreciating the sentiments. Herein lies the core
of abhinay in Manipuri classical dance. On the contemporary
stage versions in solos, duets and groups the same bhavabhinay
can be perceived depending of course on the perceived depending
of course on the degree of completeness of the music and
the rendering of the dances. We have a number of hasta in
Lai Haraiba which can be fruitfully harnessed to express
the various sentiments and bhavas.
Translated from the original Manipuri By: L.
Damodar.
Courtesy: Souvenir The Third Bhagyachandra
National Festival ofClassical Dance, 1995.
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