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Glossary

Bharathanatya/Bharatanatyam
Bharathanatya is a popular South Indian dance form believed by some scholars to be more than 3, 000 years old. Bharathanatya is the embodiment of Classical Indian music called the Carnatic music in visual form and an act of devotion. The general interpretation of the name Bharatanatya is BHAva(expression) + RAga(music) + TAla(rhythm) + NATYA(dance) = Bharatanatya. Another belief is that ‘Bharata’ refers to the author of the Natya Shastra (the 5th veda in reference to the foundation of Hindu religion and philosophy), and ‘natya’ is the art of sacred dance-drama. Bharathanatya incorporates three aspects: nritta (abstract, pure, and rhythmic), nritya (expressive, rhythmic, and narrative), and natya (pure storytelling, a combination of song and dance)

Rangapravesha/Arangetram
Rangapravesha, also known as Arangetram, means to perform dance individually and independently on stage for the first time. The Arrangetram focuses on the young dancer’s ability to perform classical dance in its different aspects. The arrangetram effectively proclaims whether the dancer has blossomed into a budding professional dancer & the audience will decide whether the student has attained the professional status.

Guru-Shishya
In India, the word "guru" is widely used with the general meaning of "teacher" and the word "Shishya" means student/disciple. A guru is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and uses it to guide others. The guru-shishya tradition where teachings are transmitted from a guru to a shishya. imparted through the developing relationship between the guru and the disciple. It is considered that this relationship, based on the genuineness of the guru, and the respect, commitment, devotion and obedience of the student, is the best way for subtle or advanced knowledge to be conveyed. The student eventually masters the knowledge that the guru embodies.

Guru Vandana
Guru Vandana means “Reverence for the Teacher ” – it is the thanksgiving from a student to a teacher, expressing his or her gratitude. The Guru Vandana program provides a platform for students to honor their teachers for imparting knowledge and wisdom to them.

Namana
Namana means bending or bowing to elders feet and take their blessings. Bowing to parents, elders, or for that matter, all seniors including teachers and saintly people, is an important matter within Hinduism. Children are taught to bow to elders from an early age. Bowing is a sign of submission and a way to show respect. In addition, the act suggests the hierarchical nature of Hindu society where juniors submit to seniors. But there is still more involved. Bowing is not just bowing one’s head. To bow generally means touching the feet of seniors, and feet hold a powerful symbolism within Hindu culture. From a child’s perspective, parents, teachers and elders are considered “gods” therefore bowing to the feet of seniors is the way showing the highest respect.

Kannada
Kannada is one of the major languages of India and the official and administrative language of the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas, number roughly 35 million, making it the 27th most spoken language in the world. Contemporary Kannada literature is the most successful in India, with India's highest literary honor, the Jnanpith awards, having been conferred seven times upon Kannada writers, which is the highest for any language in India.

Namaskaara-Suswaagatha
Namaskaara, is a common greeting or salutation in Kannada language which means "I bow to you". Suswaagatha, means "Welcome" in Kannada language.

Malnad and Dakshina Kannada Regions
Malnad (an English word for Malenadu in Kannada, male means 'hill' and nadu means 'land') is a region of Karnataka state in South India. Dakshina Kannada (earlier known as South Kanara, or South Canara), is a coastal Karnataka district in the state of Karnataka in India.

Mridanga
The Mridanga is a percussion instrument from India, especially South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble.

Bamboo Flute
The Indian Bamboo Flute, one of the instruments of Indian classical music, developed independently of the Western flute. The Indian flutes are very simple instruments when compared with their Western counterparts; they are made of bamboo and are keyless.

Nattuvanar
The conductor of the dance recital or the Nattuvanar plays a very important role by performing the Nattuvangam with the cymbals called Thaala. The nattuvanar who is very often the teacher also recites the sollukattus or rhythmic syllables which are interspersed between musical phrases.

Gejje
Gejje, means anklets in kannada language is worshipped in front of Lord Nataraja (King of Dances) prior to the Rangapravesha.

Swara
The notes, or swaras, of Indian music are shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam. In singing, these become Sa, Ri (Carnatic) or Re (Hindustani), Ga, Ma, Pa, Da (Carnatic) or Dha (Hindustani), and Ni. (The word sargam takes the consonants of the first four swaras). Only these syllables are sung, and further designations are never vocalized. When writing these become, S, R, G, M, P, D, N.

Ganesha
Hindu God who removes obstacles

Vidhwan/Vidushi
Means wise people. Normally referred to teachers with great knowledge and mastery.

Pushpanjali
An invocatory piece in Bharathanatya where the dancer worships Lord Nataraja – The king of all dances by offering flowers, seeking blessings of Guru, and offering salutation to the audience for the success of the performance

Shloka
A Sanskrit language word, specifically denotes a metered and often rhymed poetic verse or phrase. It also connotes and has come to mean a proverb and a form of prayer throughout Indian religions.

Alaripu
Alaripu which is a pure nritta form of Bharathanatya where the dancer prepares herself mentally and physically for the performance of the ensuing difficult aspects of the dance

Jathiswara
which is also a pure Nritta which consists of the body’s movements to the pure rhythmic patterns. In Jathiswara, the movements are performed rhythmically keeping time with Jathis accompanied by swaras. The dancer dances to the mood of the music in the Jathiswara in varied Ragaas with the swaras and Jathi in combined form.

Trikaala
Trikaala means three speeds.

Jathi
Long sequences of orally uttered rhythmic syllables are called Jathi are performed in the varna. This is a unique speciality of Bharathanatya. The half-seated posture, the Araimandi (Aramandi), which is a core feature of Bharathanatya footwork, gets well-highlighted in the jathis

Varna
Varna is the center piece of the dance. It is the most dynamic of the dances and reveals the rich variety of bharathanatya in a combination of pure Nritta and Abhinaya requiring the tremendous strength of emotional expression and physical exertion. The dancer must now gather her resources together in a great crescendo in order to dance to the most difficult of all the dances.

Devaranama
Devaranama are devotional songs written in simple and lucid Kannada language. This is a pure abhinaya item with almost no emphasis on nritta. It has made remarkable contribution to the spiritual and cultural upliftment of people by preaching philosophy of Love, Devotion and Peaceful Co-Existance.

Krithi
Krithi is a long format of a musical composition typical to Carnatic music

Carnatic Music
Carnatic music (also spelled Karnatak music or Karnatik music, and originally called Karnataka sangita in India) is known as one of the two styles of Indian classical music, the other being Hindustani music. Its classical tradition is from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music and rests on two main elements: raaga, the modes or melodic formulae, and thaala, the rhythmic cycles.

Desha Bhakti Geethe
Patriotic songs

Thillana
The vivacious Thillana is an item of pure dance or Nritta. It is considered the most beautiful piece in dance with the number of alluringly sculptueresque poses executed with grace & elegance. In this dance, the artist soars to ecstatic rhythmic heights and dazzles the audience with her ingenuity rhythm. Almost every adavu (The basic unit of the dance) is rendered into three tempos to bring out the beauty of poses. Thillana is a finale of Bharathanatya

Mangala
Mangala is performed as a final dance item in salutation to God, the Guru, the audience to express the dancer’s gratitude for their blessing and encouragement.