Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)
by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words
This page relates ‘Cari (delicate movements of limbs)’ of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.
2.4. Cārī (delicate movements of limbs)
According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, cārī is nothing but the delicate movements of limbs[1] . The Nāṭyaśāstra also states that cārī is the simultaneous movement of feet, shanks and hip.[2]
Moreover, the Nāṭyaśāstra gives another definition of cārī as—
“The extension of single foot at one time is called as cārī.”[3]
It makes a dance performance more elegant and attractive. On the other hand when the movements are forceful, then these are called as mahācārī.[4] The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa does not talk about the types of cārī. But according to the Nāṭyaśāstra, there are thirty two kinds of earthly cārīs and sixteen kinds of aerial cārīs.[5] Again the Abhinayadarpaṇa accepts eight klinds of cārī.[6] The names and definitions of cārīs in both of these works are totally different and do not have any similarity.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[...] Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.20.23
[2]:
evaṃ pādasya jaṅghāyā ūroḥ kaṭyāstathaiva ca/ samānakaraṇācceṣṭā cārīti parikīrtitā// Nāṭyaśāstra, 11.1
[3]:
ekpādaprasāro yaḥ sā cārītyabhisaṃjñitā/ Nāṭyaśāstra, 11.3
[4]:
[...] Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, 3.20.23
[5]:
Nāṭyaśāstra, 11.8-13
[6]:
Abhinayadarpaṇa, 298-308