Technical terms seen in Uparūpakas

Samyā is the dance performed with sticks in hand and keeping with the tāla. Dvipadī is the name of the laya, a musical composition set with two padas on which dance is based. Chalika is a dance performed with abhinaya.^[1] Thus, gati becomes an important aspect in nāṭya, nṛtta and nṛtya. The characters move about in a particular gait or dance movement and through that the rasa of nāṭya are relished. The same way, in nṛtta and nṛtya, the gait is performed in patterns, like circular or rectangular, which is defined in Saṅgīta muktāvalī. It enhances the beauty of the performance, the creativity of the choreographer and the talent of the performer. Bharata has told that, cārīs and karaṇas can be used for depicting the gatis and the performances of rūpakas and uparūpakas should have them in the practice of gaits. We have many references from the Abhinavabhāratī where it has mentioned that the ḍombikās were full of dance movements. It could be understood that, gati is not for drama alone, but it has played an important role in the uparūpakas, which are nṛtya prabandhas.

A musical version of the drama Vikramorvaśīya has terms like dvipadikā, valantikā, jambhalikā, carcarikā, khaṇḍadhārā, etc. which are based on rhythmic aspects. Dhruvas are composed and sung in these rhythmic layas and they are used for the performance of the gait by the actors.

As the Sanskrit drama tradition has declined, the music, drama and dance tradition has evolved in due course. There are many changes involved in the technical terms and their present meaning. Though some of the obsolete traditions of dance and music elements have been reconstructed by scholars, it is difficult to understand the original score of the dance and music of Sanskrit drama. Even then, the prevailing dance forms have some traces of the Nāṭyaśāstra.

Uparūpakas have more of dance elements in them. Kaiśikī vṛtti is predominant in these varieties. Dr. Raghavan opines that these uparūpakas are the link between Bharata and the dance-drama traditions.^[2] Nāṭikā, bhāṇikā, rāsaka, nāṭyarāsaka, daṇḍarāsaka, nartanaka, and so on are some of the uparūpakas that have taken the form of nāṭṭiya nāṭakam, bharatanāṭya, nṛtyanāṭakam, kuchipuḍi, manipuri, sattriya, and others, in the present days and also kummi, kolāṭṭam, ḍāṇḍiarās, garbha and others which belong to folk varieties.

A study of the uparūpakas, gives us details about the history and development of dance and theatre forms prevalent in Asia. Dr. Raghavan views; ‘although ancient Indian drama or Sanskrit dramas envisaged by Bharata is of the nature of a dance-drama, with music and dance-movements, it is the uparūpaka class of performances that is so par excellence; for in them music and dance predominate; most of them are merely dances accompanied by songs, interpreting through abhinaya or gesture, the emotional contents of the song.’^[3] These dance sequences have many varieties of nṛtta gatis, which are explained by Jāyana.^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sanskrit Drama–Its Aesthetics and Production Dr. V. Raghavan p.360

[2]:

Ibid. p.34

[3]:

Ibid.

[4]:

Nṛttaratnāvalī VII.