Illuminating Indian Classical Dances Through Yoga by Dua Anita & Narayan Shovana & Narayan Shovana

Author:Dua, Anita & Narayan, Shovana & Narayan, Shovana [Dua, Anita]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2020-06-21T16:00:00+00:00

Natarajasana of Yoga

Nikunchita Karana in Bharatanatyam

Nikunchita Karana in Kathak

Gotipuas

REMINISCENCE

When rehearsing for our ballet “Satya ki Khoj”on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s tercentenary, baby Kartka Singh was to enact the role of an injured child dragging herself. She could not get it right for a long time – neither the dragging movement, the pain and anguish on the face nor the breathing associated with such an intense movement.

Finally I asked her to do the Makarasana with her lying on her belly, with feet stretched out and head raised. Tucking in her breath, she was asked to drag herself, push herself forward as though her feet were totally immobile.

After all she had to enact the role of a heavily injured child!

After few attempts, she got it right. It was a movement that required right breath inhalation.

Shovana Narayan

Mudra s “Therefore, the goddess sleeping at the entrance of brahma’s door should be constantly aroused with all effort by performing udra throughout”

Hatha Yoga Pradipika (3.5) Literally, the word Mudra (gesture) translates to “mud” meaning delight or pleasure, and “dru” meaning “to draw forth”. So, Mudra is defined as a short-cut to draw pleasure.

Yogis experience mudra s as a energy flow which unites the pranic force with the cosmic or universal force. However, in modern life, we can safely conclude that mudra s are physical movements that change our moods, attitudes and perceptions.

Unlike in dance, which begins with a mudra , in yoga, mudra s are introduced after some proficiency has been attained in asana s and the yogi proceeds to pranayama and bandhas. Whereas in dance, mudra involves the whole body as the dancer performs the sequences, in yoga, a mudra can either be a simple hand position or involve the whole body.

For a dancer as well as for a yogi, practical instructions are required from a Guru. The mudra s in both yoga and dance are higher practises which lead to the awakening of prana, chakras and kundalini (the cosmic energy which lies coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine). Advanced practitioners or dancers may experience mystic powers or siddhis!

On the issue of Mudra , Indian Classical dances and mudra s cannot be de-linked. Mudra s are essential aspect of all Indian classical dances. Not only do they depict various deities but the mudra s communicate through the language of gestures. According to Kundalini Yoga, hands are reflex areas for the body and mind.

‘ Mudra s’ (hand gestures) utilized in dance have associated logic. Appropriate ‘mudra s’ help to normalize and strike a balance between the five elements that the human body is composed of. According to Indian scientific temper, the thumb’s corresponding element is fire, the forefinger’s corresponding element is air, the middle finger’s is ether, the ring finger’s is earth and the little finger’s is water.

So just how do mudra s help?

It is simple enough – Practice of a particular mudra creates a barrier within the body, thereby radiating the energy within. The nadis (channels) and the chakras

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