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Subhankara wrote the Hasta Muktavali as well as Sangeeta Damodaram. In the latter, details of nritya are discussed, while in the former hastabhinaya is dominant. 306 samyukta hastas, 14 asamyuta hastas and 27 nritta hastas are described. ("Textual Traditions in Dance: an overview" by P S R Appa Rao, Nartanam, Jan-Mar 2001) |
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oldest rock-edict referring to devadasis in Kerala is that of Chokkoor
temple in Ponnani taluk, which is believed to be of AD 932. Evidences are
also there at the temples of Nedumpram Tali (1218) Tiruvalla (eleventh
century) and Kandiyoor (1200). Sculptures showing the dance forms prevalent
in those days are seen in the temples of Thirukkulasekharapuram, Thrivikramamangalam,
Kidangoor, Ettumanoor, Thrikkodithanam and Thirunavaya.
(PJ Cherian (Ed), Essays on the Cultural Formation of Kerala) |
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As universal as personal, as spiritual as sensuous, as mystical as erotic, as divine as secular, Gita Govinda, which has inspired 57 commentaries and translations in over 20 European languages, encompasses an entire world of seeming contradictions in its terse condensed form of 24 songs and 79 slokas. ("On song with the 'song of songs'" by Leela Venkataraman, The Hindu New Delhi, 25 Jan 2002) |
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