1.3. Elements of Drama (b): Costume and Make up

Costume and make up are the two important concerns of a Drama which transforms the actors according to their respective roles. In the Nāṭyaśāstra, Bharata advises to pay attention in costume and make-up for a healthy and successful dramatic production.^[1] Different kinds of dramatic characters are initially indicated by their attire and make up which represent them in front of the viewers without any effort.^[2] Abhinavagupta also admits it.^[3] In the 27^th chapter of the third part of the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, a detailed discussion is found about various costumes, ornaments and make over of different dramatic characters which are included in āhāryābhinaya.

According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, There are four kinds of costume and make up viz.,

1. prasta,
2. alaṃkāra,
3. aṅgaracanā and
4. sajjīva.^[4]

The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa says that Prasta denotes the making of artificial masks of gods, demons, demi gods, different animals and birds etc. by clay, wood, cloth, leather and iron.^[5]

In the Nāṭyaśāstra, the word pusta is used instead of prasta.^[6] pusta is again divided into three types in the Nāṭyaśāstra viz.,

1. sandhima i.e., joined object that means which are focused through joining,
2. vyājima i.e., indicating object that means which are focused through vyāja that is in guise and
3. ceṣṭima that means which are focused through ceṣṭā i.e., moving object.^[7]

The tradition of using different masks of gods, demons, birds etc. in Drama is still followed in Rāsa festival of Assam. Alaṃkāra deals with the decoration of garlands and ornaments.^[8] In the Nāṭyaśāstra four kinds of ornaments^[9] and five kinds of garlands^[10] are accepted. In the Sanskrit dramas ornaments like ear-rings, bracelets, headgears etc. are seen to be collected from nature. This is informed in many of the Sanskrit dramas. In the Abhijñānaśakuntala, as for example, Śakuntalā is seen to wear flowers, leaves etc. as her ornaments.^[11] She is also seen to remain dependant upon nature for her garments. She was wearing the skin of tree as her daily garment.^[12] Her clothes were supplied by trees.^[13] The colours of dresses of different characters are also discussed in the third part of the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa

This Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa notifies that the colour of every costume of every character should be different. As for example, the costume of dhīrodātta type of hero is suggested as not to be very loud where as it suggests that the costume of king should be graceful.^[14] In the Nāṭyaśāstra also the dress of a king is suggested to be variegated in colour^[15] which definitely brings graceful look. On the other hand, the attire of the pratināyaka i.e., the villain, should be very gaudy and the costumes of rest of the characters should be according to the country and their professions.^[16] This part of Drama shows a wide range of options on the basis of various concerned sources.

The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa has also suggested different types of make up for different characters. Aṅga-racanā meaning painting of limbs of different characters, also falls under the category of makeover. The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa speaks that it should be done according to the caste, position, superiority and country of respective characters.^[17] As for example, this book suggests that gods should be white in colour;^[18] Vāsuki should be black in colour;^[19] demons, Kuvera and Piṣācas should have the colour of water;^[20] Brahmins should be white in colour like moon;^[21] kings and rich people should have the complexion of lotus^[22] etc. The Nāṭyaśāstra also agrees on it.^[23] This is important to note that this type of notes and rules give a social implication of the performance. Applying of moustaches and beard can be called an important make-up in facial decoration. The Nāṭyaśāstra says that after painting the face and other limbs the characters are provided with beard according to their territory, profession and spiritual rites.^[24] According to Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, the kings, ascetics, ministers, priests, judges, lovers etc. should be mustached and bearded and the colour of their beard should be white except those of the kings and lovers.^[25] All these are the important points in a theatrical performance to project the concerned character in a clear and conspicuous way. The use of crown is also a very important part of ornamentation. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, three types of crown are accepted for gods, kings, princes and commander-in chiefs.^[26]

In the Nāṭyaśāstra also three types of crown are referred to. These are,

1. pārśvāgata,
2. mastakī and
3. kirīṭi.^[27]

According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa the characters from lower cast like daityas, dānavas, rākṣasas, pannagas etc. are categorised as having the right to put turbans on their heads.^[28]

The last variety of costume and make-up is sajjīva which denotes the entrance of animals on the stage in disguise.^[29] The Nāṭyaśāstra also talks about it in the same way.^[30] In Sanskrit drama to show the act of different animals, this type of costume and make up relates the wearing of masks of various animals by the characters on the stage.^[31]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

āhāryābhinayo…..kāryaḥ prayatnastu nātyasya śubhamicchatā// Nāṭyaśāstra, 21.3

[2]:

nānāvasthā prakṛtayaḥ pūrvaṃ nepathyasūcitāḥ/ aṅgādibhirabhivyaktimupagacchantyayatnataḥ// Ibid., 32.3

[3]:

[...] Abhinavabhāratī, p.753

[4]:

caturvidhaṃ tu vijñeyaṃ prastolaṃkāra eva ca/ tathāaṅgaracanā caiva jñeyā sajjīvameva ca// Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.27.2-3.

[5]:

mṛdā vā dāruṇā vāpi vastreṇāpyatha carmaṇā/ lohairanukṛtirvāpi pusta ityabhidhīyate// Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa.,3.27.3-4

[6]:

caturvidhaṃ tu nepathyaṃ pusto’laṃkāra eva ca/ tathāṅgaracanā caiva jñeyaṃ sajjīvameva ca// Nāṭyaśāstra, 21.5

[7]:

pustastu trividho jñeyo nānārūpapramāṇataḥ/ sandhimo vyājimaścaiva ceṣṭimaśca prakīrtita// Ibid., 21.6

[8]:

alaṃkārastu vijñeyo mālyābharaṇavāsasāṃ/ Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 27.5

[9]:

caturvidhaṃ tu vijñeyaṃ dehasyābharaṇaṃ budhaiḥ/ āvedhyaṃ bandhanīyāṃ ca prakṣepyāropyake tathā// Nāṭyaśāstra, 21.12

[10]:

veṣṭitaṃ vitataṃ caiva saṃghātyaṃ granthimaṃ tathā/ pralambitaṃ tathā caiva mālyaṃ pañcavidhaṃ smṛtaṃ// Ibid., 21.10

[11]:

vanadevatākaratalairāparvabhāgotthitairdattānyābharaṇāni/ Abhijñānaśakuntalaṃ, 4.5

[12]:

…..valkalenāpi tanvī/ Ibid., 1.18

[13]:

kṣaumaṃ kenacidindupāṇḍu taruṇā…./ Ibid., 4.5

[14]:

dhīroddhatānāṃ veśaḥ syānna catyarthasamulvaṇaḥ/ syādrājñāṃ lalita iṣyate………./ Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa. 3.20.16-17

[15]:

citro veṣastu kartavyo nṛpāṇāṃ/ Nāṭyaśāstra. 3.32.131.

[16]:

pratināyakaveśastu kartavyaśca tathoddhataḥ/ anyeṣāṃ sadṛśo veśo deśakarmāśrayo bhavet// Ibid., 3.20. 17-18

[17]:

alaṃkārastu vijñeyo mālyābharaṇavāsasā/ nānāvidhaḥ samāyoge hyaṅgopāṅgavinirgataḥ// Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.27.5-6

[18]:

devānāṃ…….kāryā gauravarṇakāḥ// Ibid., 3.27.17

[19]:

śyāmastu vāsukiḥ…/ Ibid., 3.27.18

[20]:

daityāśca dānavāścaiva rākṣasā guhyakānugāḥ/ piśācā jalasaṅkāśā sammitāni tu varṇataḥ// Ibid., 3.27.18-19

[21]:

……candravarṇā dvijāḥ……/ Ibid., 3.27.23

[22]:

rājānaḥ padmavarṇābhā ye cāpi sukhino janāḥ/ Ibid., 3.27.25

[23]:

varṇānāṃ tu vidhiṃ jñātvā vayaḥ prakṛtimeva ca/ kuryādaṅgasya racanāṃ deśajātivayaḥśritāṃ// Nāṭyaśāstra,21.89

[24]:

evaṃ kṛtvā yathānyāṃ mukhāṅgopāṅgavartanaṃ/ śmaśrukarma prayuñcīta deśakarmakriyānugama// Ibid., 21.108.

[25]:

divyā ye puruṣāścaiva tathā vidyādharāśca ye/ śṛṅgāriṇo narendrāśca citraśmaśrudharāstathā/ śuddhaṃ tu liṅgināṃ kāryaṃ tathāmāyapurodhasāṃ// Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.27.28-29

[26]:

Ibid.,3.27.33-34

[27]:

uttamā ye ca divyānāṃ teṣāṃ kāryā kirṭinaḥ/ madhyamā maulinaścaiva kaniṣṭā pārśvamaulinaḥ// Nāṭyaśāstra, 21.142

[28]:

daityadānavayakṣāṇāṃ pannagānāṃ sarakṣasām/ ekapaṭṭāstu vistīrṇā kartavyā mukuṭāḥ śubhāḥ// Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.27.34-36

[29]:

praveśastu tiraścāṃ vai sajjīva iti saṃjñitaḥ/ Ibid.,3.27.44

[30]:

yaḥ prāṇināṃ praveśo vai sa sañjīva iti smṛtaḥ/ Nāṭyaśāstra, 21.157

[31]:

teṣāṃ parastena kartavyā prakṛtiḥ puruṣāṃtarā/ Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.27.45