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Either
at the time of the Natya Sastra or sometime after, another tradition seems
to have emerged. This tradition of 'Desi' or 'Sangita' is described in
texts like the Brihadesi, Manasollasa and, finally, in the Sangita Ratnakara
authored by Sarangadeva in the 12th/ 13th century. Between the days of
the Natya Sastra and the Ratnakara are about 1000-1200 years.
Desi Sangita
is the form of presentation like Natya was in the older Natya Sastra tradition.
Bharata's Natya is referred to in these texts as Marga Sangita. Though
Desi Sangita and Natya seem similar - as both have the three elements of
Drama / Dance, Music and percussion - there are some very important differences.
The Marga
Sangita refers to Natya, Gana and Vadya, the Desi Sangita refers to its
components as Gita, Vadya and Nritta. The important change here is the
use of Nritta instead of Natya. In its purest form, Nritta is considered
an aesthetic expression that has limb movements where the actor is not
being identified with the character and is not emoting a dramatic emotion.
The use of his limbs and even some abhinaya are purely for the audience's
aesthetic pleasure. It does seem that drama never had any role in Sangita.
(TM Krishna
in 'Emergence of the Desi tradition,' The Hindu Magazine, Dec 19, 2010) |
