Gati in Theory and Practice
by Dr. Sujatha Mohan | 2015 | 88,445 words
This page relates ‘Gati in Kama-avasthas’ of the study on the Theory and Practice of Gati (“gait”) which refers to the “movement of a character on the stage”, commonly employed (as a Sanskrit technical term) in ancient Indian Theatrics and the Dramatic arts, also known as Natya-shastra. This thesis explores the history and evolution of Gati and also investigates how the various Gatis are employed in regional performance traditions.
Gati in Kāma-avasthās
Kāma avasthās are stages of love. Bharata enumerates ten stages of avasthās. Gait of the character will vary accordingly and the actor should perform suitable cārīs and sthānas. In the first stage abhilāṣā the actor should go out and come in frequently in order to make the lover see her. Guṇakīrtana can be depicted by expressing the guṇas of lover along with his traits like action, gait, etc. Udvega should be depicted by anxious behavior.
Vilāpa is to be performed by roaming about and lamenting.
Then king enters and walks about with disconsolation addressing the Lord of love for bringing him to the present state.
Rāghavabhaṭṭa comments that this can be taken as the kāma avasthā called udvega.
“Udvega is that state where the loving one could not get respite to sitting or lying in bed, always feeling anxiety. Udvega should be represented by the wise on stage by showing eagerness, sighing, lassitude, heart-burn and the like.”[2]
The pangs of love should be gesticulated.
madanabādhāṃ nirūpya
Raghavabhatta says this should be represented by lolita śiras, ḍolāhasta and śūnyadṛṣṭi. Rolling the head in all directions is called lolita, when both the hands are held at ease with the shoulders hanging down is ḍolā hasta and śūnyadṛṣṭi is a vacant look. These actions are to be adopted here.
This can also be performed by the karaṇa called lolita.
“Hands with palms kept flat and turned down and head swung on sides is the known as lolita.”
recitāvañcitau hastau lolitaṃ vartitaṃ śiraḥ |
ubhayoḥ pārśvayoryatra tallolitamudāhṛtam ||tasyāḥpuṣpamayī śarīralulitā śayyā śilāyāmiyaṃ ||
Duṣyanta laments on seeing the place where Śakuntalā was resting. Vilāpa–The lamentation may be employed like ‘here he was saying’, ‘here he was met by me’ and such other wailings.
To represent this she should roam about in excessive mental uneasiness, anxiety and unhappiness.”
iha sthita ihāsīna iha copagato mayā |
iti taistairvilapitairvilāpaṃ samprayojayet ||
udvignātyarthamautsukyādadhṛtya ca vilāpinī |
tatastataśca bhramati vilāpasthanamiśritā ||[3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Abh.Sāk. A-III.
[2]:
Nāṭyaśāstra XXII.182.
[3]:
Nāṭyaśāstra XXIV.179,180.