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The Parallel Evolution of Bharatanātyam and South Indian Architecture

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The Parallel Evolution of Bharatanātyam and South Indian Architecture Dancing Architecture: The parallel evolution of Bharatanātyam and South Indian Architecture by Kavitha Jayakrishnan A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Architecture Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2011 © Kavitha Jayakrishnan 2011 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revi- sions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. iii Abstract less compelling in the context of modern south Indian architecture. With an increasingly unstable political landscape during the 20th century, architectural growth in south India during this period is almost stagnant. In her book, "Indian Classical dance", Kapila Unfortunately, this creates a break in the continuity and Vatsyayan describes dance as the highest order of spiri- comparative evolution of dance and architecture, lead- tual discipline, the enactment of which is symbolic of a ing to the fragmentation and abstraction of dance in its ritual sacrifice of one's being to a transcendental order. modern form. The Natya-Shashtra, a treatise on drama and dance, re- veals the status of the performing arts as equal to prayer South Indian dance has since transformed into a promi- and sacrificial rites in the pursuit of moksha, the release nent cultural symbol and various incarnations of the form cycles of rebirth. Both dance and dancer function dancer have become the isolated yet important link, as a vehicle for divine invocation and are mirrored in between tradition and modernity. As an evolving liv- the architectural surroundings. ing embodiment of contemporary culture and identity, her transformation from Devadasi, to an icon of na- To investigate this connection between dance and place, tionalism, to a choreographer of 'high art' provides the it is imperative to understand the mythical origins of foundation for the reintegration of architecture in the architecture and temple dance. the Hindu philosophy cultural fabric. The culmination of this research aims of the cosmic man and its religious relationship with to reinstate the importance of architecture as a cultural the Dravidian architecture of Tamil Nadu is the start- nexus in order to restring a fragmented dance, commu- ing point of the discussion of a south Indian aesthetic. nity and cultural identity. The Vastu-purusha mandala is a philosophical diagram that provides a foundation for Hindu aesthetics, link- ing physical distance, religious position and universal scale in both time and space. Used as an architectural diagram, it becomes a mediator between the human body and the cosmos. The temple, as a setting for dance performances, and constructed based on the mandala, shares this quality of immersing its participants into a multi-sensory spatial experience. However, while the link between architecture and dance culture was explicit up to the 18th century, it is v Acknowledgements Gurur-Brahma Gurur-Vishnu Gurur-Devo Maheshwaraha Guru-sākshat Para-Brahma tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha Saraswati namastubhyam varade kāmarupini vidyārambham karishyāmi, siddhirbhavatu me sadā Asatomā sadgamayā Tamasomā jyothirgamayā mrithyormā amurthangamaya Om Shānti, Shānti, Shāntihi O Master; you are the creator, the sustainer, the divine and destroyer. You are the omnipresent and the glorious transcendental divinity, I salute You. O Divinity of learning, Giver of boons, Giver of form to desire. I am going to start studying, may it always be my success. Lead us from darkness to light, from ignorance to truth. And from death to eternity, let peace prevail everywhere. For my family. vii Contents Author’s Declaration .................... iii Abstract .................... v Acknowledgements .................... vii List of Illustrations .................... xi A note on content and language .................... xvii Bharata’s Address .................... xix CHAPTER 1: Classical South Indian Architecture and Dance Introduction .................... 1 CHAPTER 2: The Foundations of Architecture andNātiyam The Cosmic Man .................... 7 TheNātya-Shāshtra .................... 17 A Brief overview of Bharatanātyam .................... 24 CHAPTER 3: The Dancers Apsārās .................... 29 Devadāsi .................... 33 CHAPTER 4: Natarāja Temple, Chidambaram: A Case Study Dancing in the heart of the Universe .................... 39 CHAPTER 5: Evolving Identities Duality in Identity .................... 55 Sculpted Identity .................... 60 Divided Identities .................... 65 Collective Identity .................... 71 ix Appendices Appendix 1: Glossary .................... 78 Appendix 2: South India - A timeline .................... 82 Appendix 3: Selected temple sites referencing .................. 86 the Natarāja image Appendix 4: Selected temple sites referencing mythology .................... 87 and dance style Bibliography .................... 88 x List of Illustrations 2 Fig. 1.0 Sutharshinie Palaniandy, Arangetram, Photography by Studio Narcissa, 2010 2 Madhu Ravindra, Arangetram, Photography by David Hou, 2010 3 Fig. 1.1 Sutharshinie Palaniandy, Arangetram, Photography by Studio Narcissa, 2010 8 Fig. 2.0 Vāstu Purusha Mandala Living Architecture: Indian by Andreas Volwahsen 9 Fig. 2.1 Development of ancillary shrine from cosmic circle and square Brahmeshvara temple plan Living Architecture: Indian by Andreas Volwahsen 9 Fig. 2.2 Community designation as per Vāstu Purusha Mandala, by author Based on text in Living Architecture: Indian by Andreas Volwahsen 11 Fig. 2.3 Annamalaiyar Temple Plan http://www.oocities.com/tiruvannamalainet/arunatemple.htm 11 Fig. 2.4 Thyagarājaswamy Temple, axonometric diagram The History of Architecture in India: From the Dawn of Civilization to the End of the Raj by Tadgell, Christopher 12 Fig. 2.5 Apsārās in dance pose, Natarāja Temple (top) http://wn.com/chidambaram_temple Apsārā carvings, Natarāja Temple (middle) http://www.nrityavidyalaya.com/bharatanatyam/index.html Dancing Shiva, Natarāja Temple (bottom) Hindu India: From Khajuraho to the temple city of Madurai by Henri Stierlin 13 Fig. 2.6 Carving of vīna player, Ranganātha Temple Hindu India: From Khajuraho to the temple city of Madurai by Henri Stierlin 14 Fig. 2.7 Apsārā carving, Jambukeshvara Temple Hindu India: From Khajuraho to the temple city of Madurai by Henri Stierlin 15 Fig. 2.8 Divine Hindu Trinity, author unknown http://www.artoflegendindia.com/hindu-trinity-p-21837.html 17 Fig. 2.9 Natarāja carving, Meenākshi Temple Hindu India: From Khajuraho to the temple city of Madurai by Henri Stierlin 18 Fig. 2.10 Performance content schedule, by author, 2010 Based on text in The Theatric Universe by Pramod Kale xi 19 Fig. 2.11 Components of stage presentation, by author, 2010 Based on text in The Theatric Universe by Pramod Kale 20 Fig. 2.12 Types of theatres, by author, 2010 Based on text in The Theatric Universe by Pramod Kale 21 Fig. 2.13 Comparative measurement systems, by author, 2011 Based on text in Why not theatres made for people? by Per Edstrom Images from: The architecture of India by Satish Grover; Why not theatres made for people? by Per Edstrom; An enclyclopedia of Hindu architecture by Prasanna Kumar Acharya 22 Fig. 2.14 Kārana sculptures, Natarāja Temple http://www.indianetzone.com/39/history_bharatnatyam.htm 24 Fig. 2.15 Sutharshinie Palaniandy, Arangetram, Photography by Studio Narcissa, 2010 25 Fig. 2.16 Dance components, by author Based on text in The Theatric Universe by Pramod Kale 26 Fig. 2.17 Types of Bhanga http://anilmenon.com/blog/2006/02/tribhanga-strike-a-pose.html#more-37 27 Fig. 2.18 Bharatanātyam dance poses http://www.theatre-du-soleil.fr/thsol/sources-orientales/les- sources-orientales/inde/ le-bharata-natyam/les-adavus-unites-de-danse-du 29 Fig. 3.0 Apsārās, celestial musician carving, Chidambaram Devi Temple Arrested Movement: Sculpture and Painting by Kapila Vatsyayan 30 Fig. 3.1 Mural of Apsārās in garbha-griha, Brihadeeshwara Temple Arrested Movement: Sculpture and Painting by Kapila Vatsyayan 31 Fig. 3.2 Urvasi Pururavas, Painting by Raja Ravi Varma http://www.citizendia.org/Urvashi_and_Pururavas 33 Fig. 3.3 Devadāsi of the middle ages, composite diagram by author, 2011 34 Fig. 3.4 Rāmāyanā Illustration, by Sri Jagannātha Mahāpātra Wives of the God-King by Frédérique Apffel Marglin 35 Fig. 3.5 Devadāsi painting, author unknown http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99dec12/sunday/head3.htm 36 Fig. 3.6 Map showing temple additions by Queen Sembiyan Mahadevi xii Redrawn by author, 2011, based on map found in Shiva Nataraja: Shifting Meanings of an Icon by Padma Kaimal 40 Fig. 4.0 Shivaganga Thirta (Holy tank), Natarāja Temple Photography provided by Digital South Asian Library http://www.earlychola.rajadeekshithar.com/dsalchidambaramshivaganga.jpg 42 Fig. 4.1 Natarāja Temple key plan, redrawn by author, 2011 Based on plans in Temple Architecture in South India by Alan Croker ; Shiva Nataraja: Shifting meaning of an icon by Padma Kaimal; The History of Architecture in India by Christopher Tadgell 42 Fig. 4.2 Natarāja Temple inner prakara plan, redrawn by author, 2011 Based on plans in Temple Architecture in South India by Alan Croker;The History of Architecture in India by Christopher Tadgell; Shiva Nataraja: Shifting meaning of an icon by Padma Kaimal; Chidambaram Temple map by Raja Deekshithar http://www.rajadeekshithar.com/spiritualvision_chidambaram_temple_map.htm
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