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Showing posts with the label ART ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURE

ODISSI OF ODISHA

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ODISSI: ORISSA,one of the earliest dance form . It is referred as "mobile-Sculpture" as it is a graceful sensuous and lyrical , Odissi is a dance of love and passion touching on the divine and the human, the sublime and the mundane. The Natya Shastra mentions many regional varieties, such as the south-eastern style known as the Odhra Magadha which can be identified as the earliest precursor of present day Odissi..  ODISSI Archaeological evidence of this dance form dating back to the 2nd century B.C. is found in the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri near Bhubaneshwar. Later, innumerable examples of the Buddhist sculptures, the tantric images of dancing Yoginis, the Nataraja, and other celestial musicians and dancers of early Shaivite temples bear testimony to a continuing tradition of dance from the 2nd century B.C.E to the 10th century C.E. These influences found synthesis in an unique philosophy - the dharma or faith of Jagannath. With Hinduism taking roots in O...

THE CLASSICAL DANCE KUCHIPUDI

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KUCHIPUDI:--Kuchipudi is one of the classical styles of Indian dance. Around the third and fourth decade of this century it emerged out of a long rich tradition of dance-drama of the same name. Yamini Steps in Kuchipudi In fact, Kuchipudi is derived from the name of a village " kuseelavapuri "/ kuchelapuram Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Kuseelavas were groups of dancers who used to perform by going village to village. Andhra has a very long tradition of dance-drama which was known under the generic name of Yakshagaana. In 17th century Kuchipudi style of Yakshagaana was conceived by Siddhendra Yogi a talented Vaishnava poet and visionary who had the capacity to give concrete shape to some of his visions. He was steeped in the literary Yakshagaana tradition being guided by his guru Teerthanaaraayana Yogi who composed the Krishna-Leelatarangini. a kaavya in Sanskrit.. A step in Kuchipudi Kuchipudi step   In compliance with this command Siddhendra Yogi c...

BHARATNATYAM

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BHARATNATYAM :---- The name is said to have been derived from Bharat's natyashastra. It Is Bha, Ra,Ta, stands of or bhawa, raga and tala respectively. A Dancer performing Bharatnatyam Bharatnatyam  Dance is considered to be over 2000 years old. Several texts beginning with Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra (200 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.) provide information on this dance form. The Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance( Among others are Maheshwar Mahapatra's Abhinay Darpan and Jadunath sing's Abhinay Prakash ). There is also a great deal of visual evidence of this dance form in paintings and stone and metal sculptures of ancient times. On the gopurams of the Chidambaram temple, one can see a series of Bharatnatyam poses, frozen in stone as it were, by the sculptor. In many other temples, the charis and karanas of the dance are represented in sculpture and ...

INDIAN MUSIC

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Indian music:-- Music notes - Raga  ,  also spelled rag or ragam , in the classical music of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. It is a melodic framework for improvisation and composition. A raga is based on a scale with a given set of notes, a typical order in which they appear in melodies, and characteristic musical motifs. The basic components of a raga can be written down in the form of a scale. By using only these notes, by emphasizing certain degrees of the scale, and by going from note to note in ways characteristic to the raga, the performer sets out to create a mood or atmosphere. There are several hundred ragas in present use, and thousands are possible in theory. • Characteristics of Ragas The Raga is the most important concept that any student of Indian music should understand.   A rag may be thought of as an acoustic method of colouring the mind of th...

EVOLUTION AND USE OF POTTERY IN ANCIENT INDIA

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■ POTTERY IN INDIA,  Harappan Civilization :--  Polished Ware Pottery with rough surface. Both polished and unpolished type of pottery existed. Pottery generally has a red surface and is wheel thrown although handmade ones too exist.  Polished wares were well fired. Most of the pottery is polychrome meaning more than two colours are used to colour the pottery. Most of the pottery is utilitarian. Such potteries usually have flat bases.  Geometrical design along with paintings depicting flora and fauna are observed. Perforated pottery was also found may be used for straining liquor.  Pottery throughout the civilization was uniform (mass thrown) revealing some form of control and leaving less space of individual creativity. Presence of luxurious pottery obtained from certain sites reveals economic stratification in the society POTTERY INDIA,  MATURE HARAPPA:- --Burial Pottery of Harappa. Burnished and painted pottery. Burial pottery was specially and distinc...