Music and Dancing (in ancient India)

People loved music. Not only kings and nobles were surrounded with musicians, singers and dancers but ordinary people also loved singing, dancing and witness musical 473 concerts. Especially women were gifted in this respect. On the occasion of feasts, festivals and religious functions people danced. The Vidyadharas and Gandharvas are noted for sweet and melodious music and dancing. 474 468%; Nirnaya Sagar 6.8.63. 469. Ibid. 6.5.86, 10.5.182, 3.1.15,18, 10.5.266,268. 470. Ibid. 10.6.232. 471. Ibid. 6.5.86. 472. Ibid. 9.6.131. 473. Ibid. 10.6.210, 9.1.187-188, 8.1.184. 474. Ibid. 18.4.132, 9.2.194, 9.1.6.

269 Naravahanadatta, the hero of the Kathasaritsagara was an expert in singing to the tune of his famous lyre. He accepted the challange given by a Gandharvi named Gandharvadatta and sang the hymn of Vishnu with such skill that the Gandharvas who were present there became motionless as painted pictures. Afterwards as per her condition she 475 accepted him as her husband and married him. Princess Mandarvati is also said to have sang two stanzas in Prakrit K 476 language. Udayana was an expert singer and used to 477 control losse elephants by his music. Again a certain Vidyadhara lady is mentioned to have sang devotedly on a 478 lyre before god Siva. The wife of King Adityasena of Ujjayini is said to have reveted his ears with her musical 479 discourse (Kalalapa). 480 Singing in three scales on lute is mentioned. Gandharvadatta sang to the lyre. She joined the notes 481 (svara) to the quartertones (srutisha). Naravahonadatta is mentioned to have passed his days on many a times in Kaushambi in singing, dancing and conversation in the 482 society of ladies he loved. 475. Nirnaya Sagar 14.2.12-13. 476. Ibid. 9.5.125, 126. 477. Ibid. 2-3-4. 478. Ibid. 9.2.194. 479. Ibid. 3.4.82. 480. Ibid. 14.2.12,13. 481. Ibid. ་་ 482. Ibid. 14.1.5.

270 We have a reference to a Southern style of singing (dakshinatya). After worshiping Siva with deep devotion and after taking lyre in her hand, a fair lady sang following the southern style in respect of notes, time and words (alambyam dakshinam margam svaratalapadaisthatha). 483 King Trivikramasena after finishing his night exploit is said to have spent the whole day in bathing, giving 484 gifts, in worshipping Siva and in deancing and singing. A professor of singing named Darduraka in Vidisha 485 is mentioned. Music was accompained by Vina (lyre), beating of drums (dundhubi), clapping (tala) and pipes (saranga). The sound of various musical instruments is mentioned. 486 It is said that Madanamanchuka sang, danced and 487 played on all musical instruments. Certain heavenly nymphs are said to have danced and sang in front of Siva%; this 488 was accompanied by music. Kings and nobles patronised persons who were skilled 489 A gandharvika (musician) once gave in music and dancing. 483. Nirnaya Sagar 18.1.7.121. 484. Ibid. 12.32.40/2. 485. Ibid. 12.4.73. 486. Ibid. 18.4.177, 14.1.56, 15.2.75. 487. Ibid. 6.8.162, 164, 170, 171. 488. Ibid. 18.4.132. 489. Ibid. 12.34.381, 7.5.247.

271 great pleasure to a king by singing phong before him 490 and therefore received 2000 panas from his treasury. 491 Concerts are mentioned. A concert in which bards of the Vidyadharas kept continuously joinging out of delight was arranged at the time of the marriage of Sumerus 492 daughter with Suryaprabha. Palace of kings had the rangamandapam in which singing and dance performances were held. It is said that in the marriage between Naravahanadatta and Madanamun chaka troops of excellant royal singers that came from different quarters sang along with troops of dancing girls and many musical 493 instruments. Both Padmavati and Vasavadatta used to dance, sing and play on musical instruments. Again on the birth-day festival of Naravahanadatta beautiful women (varayoshita) assembled and danced everywhere in Kaushambi. Ladies of the feudatories were accompanied 495 by dancing-girls. a 496 A professor of Music in Vidisha named Darduraka taught dancing to Hamsavati, the daughter of the King. The king's troops were entertained by singers, dancers and musicians. According to Lalitavistaa, Natyacharya, 490. Nirnaya Sagar 10.7.158. 491. Ibid. 12.34.347. 492. Ibid. 8.7.150. 493. Ibid. 6.8.262. 494. Ibid. 9.4.241, 41115. 495. Ibid. 4.3.79, 83. 896. Ibid. 12.4.73,74.

272 497 talika-gandharvika, gayaka, tundavika, ganika and Hash Ayakara (joker) constituted the troops of entertainers. Musical Instruments The various musical instruments that have been mentioned in the stories from the Kathasaritsagara are as follows : 498 Vina or Vallaki (lyre), bheri (drum), sankha 500 (conch), 499 502 504 501 Venu (flute), turiya (kettle-drum), mridanga 503 (a kind of drum), dundhubi (a large kattle-drum), 505 507 dindima or muraja (a small drum), pinjaraka or Sarana 506 508 (pipe), kamsyatala (castanets), zallaki (cymbals) 509 X Supataham (drum) etc., A lute of bones that was used by a yakshi is 510 mentioned. An instrument made from the horns of cows (gosringa) that was used by the Bhillas to frighten 511 the wild beasts in the jungle is mentioned. 497. Puri B.N., India under the Kushanas, p.95, also see Shastri R. Studies in Ramayana, p.164, 171, also see Puri B.N. India in the times of Patanjali, p.122. 498. Nirnaya Sagar 8.6.215, 6.8.159, 12.19.44, 12.2.114, 8.6.18, 3.3.107, 5.3.170-171. 499. Ibid. 10.4.57, 61. 500. Ibid. 6.2.48. 501. Ibid. 3.3.107. 502. Ibid. 14.3.49, 15.1.152, 9.4.84, 17.2.79, 18.2.225. 503. Ibid. 2.5.96. 504. Ibid. 15.2.75,87. 1.34. 505. Ibid. 12.10.82, 1.2.34. 506. Ibid. 10.9.75. 507. Ibid. 16.1.10. 508. Ibid. 14.1.56,58. 509. Details of musical instruments are given in Sangeetarathakara, (Chap. 6) also see Ramayana V.11.38, Mahabharata, VII 82.2. also see Jain J.C., op. cit., p.182-183. Many of these instruments are represented on the Bhuvaneswar sculptures, Mujumdar R.C. op. cit., Vol. V. p.489-490. 510. Nirnaya Sagar 7.3.64. 511. Ibid. 10.3.41.

nala 273 Vina or Vallaki (lyre) was the most popular instrument. 512 It was made of wood and parchment (darucharman). It had many strings which were made from the a 513 sinews of Cow. Both men and women used it as an accompaniment to singing and dancing. It is said that 514 King Mahasena unserewed and examined one such lute. Udayana was renowned for his skill in playing on his 515 melodious lyre (vina). He taught this art to his son 516 Naravahanadatta. At the time of Naravahanadatta's marriage with Madanamunchaka, it is said that, the palace was 517 filled with the clang of cymbals. Turiya and dundubhi were the musical-instruments used during battles. The a whole army used to march ahed to the accompaniment of 518 this war music. It is interesting to note that at one place a Brahmin named Gunasharman is mentioned to have said that a lover women (kanta), the rising of a moon (chandrodaya) and the fifth note of a lute (vina panchama dhavanim) delightful but afflict the miserable. are 512. Nirnaya Sagar 10.4.57. 513. Ibid. 5.3.170, 8.6.18. 514. Ibid. 8.6.34. 515. Ibid. 2.3.3. 516. Ibid. 6.8.159,160. 517. Ibid. 14.1.56-58. 518. Ibid. 8.4.44, 8.5.37. 519. Ibid. 8.6.215.

Dancing 274 Music is incomplete without dance. It is mentioned in Indian literature from the earliest period. Dancing was accompanied by songs and music played on various instruments. Waving of hands and graceful movements of feet were performed with the accompaniment of many 520 Dancing with four kinds of measures 521 musical instruments. was performed before Siva by three heavenly nymphs. We have many references to princesses who were expert in dancing. It is said that in the wedding festival of prince Sundarasena and Mandaravati all the women danced 522 to song. Princess Hamsavali of King Meghmalin of Vidisha danced to the accompaniment of a great taber. Her ornaments were shaken like flowers and her hands were 523 curved like shoots. She was taught this art by a certain professor of singing (gayanacharya) named Darduraka. 524 was in the employment of the king. He We have also a reference to the taper (bhujalata) arms of dancing girls that were lifted up in the air while dancing. 525 520. Nirnaya Sagar 9.4.241, 4.1.5, 6.8.262. 521. Ibid. 18.4.132. 522. Ibid. 12.34.381. 523. Ibid. 12.4.76-77. 524. Ibid. 12.4.72-74. 525. Ibid. 3.6.222.

275 526 At the time of a feast given by a Sabara chief the Savara women danced delightfully. King Vikramaditya is also said to have seen three heavenly nymphs dancing to the accompaniment of music and singing in a Siva 527 temple. Not onby women but men also were experts in dancing and singing. 528 It is said that a Brahmin named Gunasharman used to dance skillfully. He was in the court of King Mahasena. A certain actor named Lasaka is said to have staged before King Ugrabhata a drama in which it was shown that Vishnu in the form of a woman carries off the 'amrita' from the daitya. His daughter Lasyavati acted in it as 'amritika' and danced. 529 In the palace there was a special pavilion (sangeetaveshma, rangamandapa, natyave shma, Sangeeta Shala or Sangitakagraha) where dramas, concerts and dancing 530 performances were held. dancing to princesses. 526. Nirnaya Sagar 12.34.347. 527. Ibid. 18.4.132. Teachers were appointed to teach Labdhavara was one such teacher 528. Ibid. 4.3.17. 529. Ibid. 12.4.72-74. 530. Ibid. 8.6.14, 6.8.170, 12.4.75, 9.5.92, 9.2.284.

276 who was a professor of drama, music and dancing. He was appointed by King Harivara as an instructor in 531 dancing to the ladies of his harem. Again a concerthall (sangeetavehma) in a garden in the palace of Kalingasena in which lessons of music were taught to Madanamanchuka and Naravahanadatta is also mentioned.) 533 532 A dance named 'chalita' has been mentioned. This dance was performed by Rambha when Indra gave a great feast to celebrate his victory over Mayasura. It is further stated that Tumbaru directed this dance. A new piece of dance was also performed by Rambha before 534 Vishnu. Public and private performances of dramas have been referred to. Bhavanand is said to have given such 535 a dramatic entertainment publicly. Again it is mentioned that a certain servant closed his shop and went to see 536 an actor's performance. Lasaka and his daughter Lasyavati are also said to have performed a drama before King 537 Ugrabhata. 531. Nirnaya Sagar 9.2.265,266. 532. Ibid. 6.8.170. 533. Ibid. 3.3.20. Malavikagnimitra mentions this dance. This was also in vogue during the Gupta Age, Salatore R.N. Life in the Gupta Age, p.455,458. 534. Ibid. 18.2.124. 535. Ibid. 1.2.34-35. The Jain cononical texts mention 32 kinds of dramas as existing in ancient India, Jain J.C. op.cit., p.184-186. 536. Ibid. 10.6.210. 537. Ibid. 12.4.72-74.