Gatis according to Theater

The nāṭya maṇḍapas are divided generally into three types according to their measurements and then further divided into three. The doors to the green room are seen in either side of the back wall. The orchestra should be placed in between the two doors. The whole stage can be divided into six parts out of which one is for orchestra. Other places can be used by the artists. By the difference in the various movements on the stage, the respective divisions could be marked. A change in the movement on the stage is indicative of the change in the division also.

Abhinava views,

tatra prathamaṃ kakṣyābhidhāne'yamabhiprāyaḥ iha gatirgantavyadeśāśrayāt, desaśca jalasthalādi bahutarasamaviṣamādisvabhedasahitaṃ kāvyārthatāmātreṇaiveha saṃbhavannapi prayogasthane na saṃbhavatyeveti, tasya parihārārthaṃ kakṣyā nirūpaṇaṃ kartavyam |

Raghavan says, Bharata views that we should resort to a rectangular stage to present dances involving much to-and-fro movements, gata-agata-pracara, which are impossible on a stage of smaller width. He also says that in the square and the triangular stages the caturaśra gait only is possible.

The particular region in which the event takes places, a city, forest, or a mountain is to be shown.

It should also be indicated whether the place of action is outside, in the middle, or inside as also whether it is far away or nearby.

nagare vā vane vā'pi varṣe vā parvate'pivā |
yatra vārtā pravarteta tatra kakṣyāṃ prayojayet ||
bāhyaṃ vā madhyamaṃ vā'pi tathaivābhyantaraṃ punaḥ |
dūraṃ vā sannikṛṣṭaṃ vā deśaṃ tu parikalpayet ||

The same spot on the stage can be made as large medium or short steps by the different character. For this, various changes in the gait should be practiced with suitable cārīs and karaṇas. The movements of characters can be represented in various locales and performed as traversing in the sky, using aerial chariots or by resorting to illusive to divine power, etc.

Abhinava elucidates this:

parikrāmantyaneneti parikrāmaḥ cāryādisaṃniveśaḥ tadvaśādekasyāpi raṅgadeśasyasthanabhedenāparityagaḥ, yathā-āroḍhumudvahedgātraṃ, atikrāntena pādena ityadinā viśeṣa tu prāsādaparvatādirūpatvamasyaiva ||

ākrāntāḥ pṛthusānukuñjagahanā meghopamāḥ parvatāḥ
  siṃhavyāghragajendrapītasalilā nadyaśca tīrṇā mayā |
krāntaṃ puṣpaphalāḍhyapādapayutaṃ citraṃ mahat kānanaṃ
  samprāpto'smi kapīndrasainyasahito velātaṭaṃ sāmpratam ||^[1]

“The cloud like mountains with towering peaks, groves and lakes I traversed streams whose waters are drunk by tuskers, lions and tigers and vast forests full of trees laden with fruits and flowers. Now I have come to this ocean with the host of monkeys.”

Gait of Rāma can be performed with krānta and atikrānta karaṇas in the various divisions of the stage.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A.N.IV.2.