 |
Kalidasa who flourished about the 5th century AD, delineates in his Malavikagnimitram
on how a dancer should perform – her deportment, her sense of timing,
her involvement with the rendering, her communication with the
beholder. Sudraka wrote one play Mrichchakatika (The little
clay cart) where the principal character is a courtesan Vasantasena,
who by virtue of her profession, is also a dancer. Panini (700 – 600 BC)
wrote the Ashtadhyayi, the earliest manual of grammar and while commenting on the root nrit
(to dance), refers to Silalin and Krisasava, said to be the authors of
certain vital and codified postulates of dance. Kautilya (4th c BC)
wrote the first work on stagecraft, the Arthashastra, and from
this we learn that arts such as dancing, acting, singing, playing on
musical instruments and painting were then under State control, which
implies that it was the responsibility of the State to maintain
professionals in these fields. All these authors and texts belong to
northern India.
(‘Traditions of Indian Classical Dance,’ Mohan Khokar, 1979, Chapter ‘Down the centuries’)
|
