Aharyya Abhinaya plays a secondary but important role in the dance-drama. It
aids the presentation of a performance with (a) Background or decor (b)
Make-up (c) Music.
Background
Decoration creates the right atmosphere for a dance number. It forges a link
between drawing, painting and the kindred arts, such as dancing and music. The
decor must be effective, but not so spectacular and obtrusive that it
overshadows the dancer. The purpose of the background is to indicate the time
and scene of the action, serving as an introduction to a spectacle rather than
being itself the main spectacle. A dark backdrop serves to bring into strong
relief the figure and costume of the dancer. A row of musical instruments at the
back is often employed, but it serves to break the simple line and should
therefore be avoided.
In nritya musicians are a part of both the audience and visual effects. As
they have to be seen, it is best to arrange them on one side, near the wings.
They may also be placed in two groups in the rear corners of the stage.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the most effective aids to illusion. It can make or mar
the spectacle of the dance. Flat lighting tends to create monotony and should
therefore be sparingly used. Lighting from different angles enhances the effect
of a number immeasurably, so care is taken to avoid ugly shadows on the
backdrop.
Arc lights covered with mica help considerably in heightening the illusory
effect if the mica is of a shade that fits in with the ensemble. Mixed white and
coloured lights help to produce gradations and combinations of colour that evoke
a variety of moods. A spotlight playing on a darkened stage is useful for Indian
dancers of a light nature not characterized by any technique in particular.
Make-up and Ornamentation
Other aids to illusion are make-up and ornamentation. Both play an active
part in nritya. Though ornaments of genuine worth such as gold or silver
jewellery may help a great deal, the average dancer has to content himself with
cheaper material. The Natya Shastra very sensibly lays it down that the
ornaments should be light so as not to interfere with the dancer's movement in
any way. Bharata's dance treatise prescribes certain ornaments for women and
others for men. Siddhi women must wear yellow robes with pearls or emeralds as
ornaments. Players appearing as apsaras or celestial maidens are exhorted to
wear gem-studded ornaments and to dress their hair in a bun crowning the head.
Women, appearing as gandharvas (musicians) must flaunt rubies and wear gowns of a
vivid red; they must also carry a veena. Vidhyadharis must be depicted in white with
pearls to adorn them. Black robes and blue stones fall to the lot of the women
who appear as female demons. Green drapery and pearls are assigned to characters
representing goddess. Milkmaids are required to don blue costumes and to plait
their hair.
Colouring served to differentiate between the characters. Thus Kshatriyas
(warriors) must appear painted in reddish tints and Vaishyas (merchants) and
Sudras (menials) in deeper hues. Spotless white is reserved for Brahmans.
Other aids to illusion are beards and moustaches. Here also colour is a distinguishing
factor. Men who refrain from sexual indulgence like the saints and brahmacharis
wear long white beards. The sensual and the rakish appear in black beards, while
kings and gods wear mixed black and white beards. Makeup and its rules vary with
the different schools of Indian dancing.
Music
Music helps to create the atmosphere for a dance performance. It can be
treated as a part of the visual plane of the aharyya abhinaya of nritya. The 'Abhinaya Darpanam' lays down the rule that during a dance performance two cymbal players
must seat themselves on the right and two mridanga or drum players must remain
on either side of the stage, while a singer must be present with a tambura or
drone.
Indian music consists of an infinite variety of sounds, skillfully arranges.
Though based on melody, Indian music has innumerable variations so subtle and
with so many twists to each note that the inexperienced ear misses the lightning
changes. There are twenty two notes in Indian music and they glide smoothly with
silvery tones creating subtle moods and visions.
The Indian musicians has two bases on which to improvise. They are the tala
and the raga.
The tala governs the duration of a sound and is beaten out on a variety of
drum, each drum regulated to the dancers pace. It is the dancer who fixes the
tala. The drummer observes the speed set and meets the dancer at the climax of
each beat, in the process improvising various thekas or expressions with his
palms, fingers or sometimes even his elbows or with sticks. Two dozen talas are
popular today, each having from three to sixteen matras or sub divisions and in
south Indian music, as many as twenty nine.
The raga is a group of notes but not quite a melody. Ragas are meant to create
certain moods and are divided into male and female tunes. There are six ragas or
male tunes each accompanied by five raginis or female tunes and each possessing
eight putras or sons with a bharya or wife, a piece. In South Indian music, there
are seventy two major ragas and many minor ones.
When music, singing and dancing blend in harmony in an appropriate setting,
the aharyya abhinaya is complete for a nritya performance.
