LESSON 1

Dances of India
 Classical dances
 Folk dances

SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY

Sangeet Natak Academy is the National level academy of
performing arts, setup by the Government of India.

 It was setup by the Indian Education Ministry on 31st May

1952.
 Awards
1. Sangeet Natak Academy Award
2. Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship (Ratna Sadasya)
3. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar.

Indian Classical Dances (Brief History)

 Bharat Muni wrote Natyashastra (inspired by Brahma),
which is the earliest treaties of Dance, Drama,and Music.
 Natya includes:
1. Pathya / words (Rigveda)
2. Abhinaya / Gestures (Yajurveda)
3. Geet / Music (Samveda)
4. Rasa / Emotions (Atharveda)
 Aspects of Dance
Lasya
1. Feminine
2. Grace, Bhava
3. Soft movements

Tandava
1. Masculine
2. Strength, firmness, aggression
Abhinaya Darpan – by Nandikeshvara
 Also known as “The Mirror of Gesture”
1. Nritta : Basic dance steps, no expressions.
2. Natya : Dramatic Representation and story
elaboration
3. Nritya : Sentiments and Emotions, by expressions
and mudras.

Nine Rasa expressed vis dance :

1. Shringar / Delight
2. Hasya / Laughter
3. Karuna / Sorrow
4. Raudra / Anger
5. Veera / Heroism
6. Bhayankar / Fear
7. Bibhasta / Disgust
8. Adbhuta / Wonder
9. Shanta / Peace
 Classical Dances of India

 The classical forms of dance recognized by the Sangeet

Natak Academy are :
1. Kathak – Uttar Pradesh
2. Kathakali – Kerela
3. Mohiniyattam – Kerela
4. Bharatnatyam – Tamil Nadu
5. Kuchipudi – Andhra Pradesh
6. Manipuri – Manipur
7. Odissi – Odissa
8. Sattriya – Assam

BHARATNATYAM
 State – Tamil Nadu
 Oldest form
 Music – Carnatic Music
 Famous Proponents :
1. Yamini Krishnamurthy ( Padma Vibhushan 2016 )
2. Padma Subhramanyam ( Founder of Bharat
‘Nrityam’ )
Mrinalini and Mallika Sarabhai
3. Rukmani Devi Arundale

KUCHIPUDI
 State – Andhra Pradesh
 Theme – Bhagwatpuran, Shringar Rasa predominant.
  Patronage – Vijaynagra and Golkonda Rulers
 Music – Carnatic Music
 Famous Proponents –
1. Radha Reddy ( Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan )
2. Raja Reddy ( Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan )
3. Indrani Rehman

KATHAKALI
 State – Kerala
 Emphasize on the stories of Lord Rama and Krishna
 Katha (story) + Kali (Drama)
 Music – ‘Sopan’ Music of Kerala
 Famous Proponents –
1. Guru Kunchu Kurp
2. Gopi Nath

MOHINIYATTAM
 State – Kerala
 Patronized by – Travencore Rulers
 Revived by VN Menon and Kalyani Amma ( Mother of
Mohiniyattam )
 Theme – Feminine dance of Vishnu during ‘ Samudra
Mathan’
 Music – Carnatic Music
 Famous Proponents –
1. Kalyani Amma
2. VN Menon
3. Sunanda Nair
ODISSI
 State – Odissa
 Khandagiri – Udalguri caves have examples of this dance
 Odissi gained International acclaim due to the efforts of
‘Charles Fabri’ and ‘Indrani Rehman’
 Represents elements of water.
 Music – Odissi and/ or Hindustani Classical
 Tribhanga and Chowk postures are signature elements.
 Famous Proponents –
1. Gauri Pankaj Charan Das
2. Kelu Charan Mahopatra

MANIPURI
 State – Manipur
 Revived by ‘Rabindra Nath Tagore’ by introducing it in
‘Shantiniketan’
 Theme – Raas- Leela ( Krishna – Radha love )
 Music – Local Manipuri Music
 Famous Proponents –
1. Jhaveri Sisters (4 sisters)
2. Guru Bipin Singh

SATTRIYA
 State – Assam
 Introduced by Vaishnava Saint, ‘Shankardeva’
 Named after Vaishnava monasteries, ‘Sattara’
 Generally performed by group of male devotees,
‘Bhokots’
  Focus on stories of Vishnu
 Music – Borgeet ( Composed by ‘Shankardeva’ )

KATHAK
 State – Uttar Pradesh
 Origin – Rasleela of Brijbhoomi
 Have been through Mughal and Persian Influences
 Classical style was revived by Lady Leela Sockey
 Led to the developmental of Gharanas,
1. Lucknow
2. Jaipur
3. Rajgarh
4. Banaras
 Music – Dhrupad Music, Thumri or Ghazals.
 Famous Proponents –
1. Birju Maharaj
2. Lacchu Maharaj
3. Sitara Devi
They all three belong to the ‘Lucknow Gharana’.

LESSON 2
Music of India
 Hindustani Classical Music
 Carnatic Music

INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

 Samveda – Veda of Melody
  Science of Music – Gandharva Veda (Upveda of
Samveda)
 Natya Shastra is the earliest treatise.
 Consists of three parts –
1. Swara – Note (sa , re , ga , ma)
2. Taal – Rhythm
3. Raag – Combination of notes, to form a melody.

HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL MUSIC

 Hindustani Classical Music diverged from Carnatic Music
due to Islamic influence.
 It follows both Hindu musical traditions along with
Persian performance practices of the Mughals.

GENRES OF HINDUATANI MUSIC

 Dhrupad
 Dhamar
 Khayal
 Thumri
 Tarana
 Tappa
 Dadra

DHRUPAD
 Oldest form.
 Emerged from temples.
 Lyrics – ‘Braj Bhasha’
 Rasa – Veer and Shringaar
  Theme – Religious and Devotional
 Famous singers –
1. Raja Man Singh Tomar
2. Baiju Bawra
3. Tansen
 Instruments – Pakhawaj, Tanpura.

DHAMAR
 Sung in Dhamar taal, structurally similar to Dhrupad.
 Theme : Krishna – Gopi affairs
 Originally sung during Holi.

KHAYAL
 Origin attributed to Amir Khusro
 Sultan Mohammad Sharqi – patronage
 Use of Taan and less alaap than Dhrupad
 Bada Khayal and Chota Khayal
 Emegence of Gharanas – Gwalior, Patiala, Jaipur, Agra.

THUMRI
 Influenced by Bhakti Saints of Northern India.
 Devotional/Romantic in nature.
 Language – Braj Bhasha
 Greatest Proponent – Nawab Wajid Ali Shah
 Poorvi Thumri (slow) and Punjabi Thumri (fast)
 Based on mixed ragas.
 Lucknow and Banaras are famous gharanas.
TARANA
 It is fast and entertaining.
 ‘Bol’ has no meaning
 Rhythm is important
 Generally it is the climax of a raga.

TAPPA
 Originated in North-Western India, especially Camel
riders of Rajasthan.
 Also became popular in Punjab.
 Quick and fast turn of phrases.

DADRA
 Similar to Thumri
 Originally set in Dadra Taal
 Theme : Daily life

CARNATIC MUSIC
 Chief proponent – Purandara Dasa
 Structural basics – ‘Chaturdandi Prakashika’ by
Venkatamakhin.
 ‘Sangeet Saar’ by Vidya Ranya contains southern system
of music.

TYPES OF CARNATIC MUSIC

 Kriti – Music is more important and emphasized upon.
 Kritani – Lyrics/Poetic beauty is more important.
COMPONENTS
 Main items are : Raagam, Thaanam and Pallavi followed
by Raagmalika
 Raagam : Alaap/Alaapna
 Thanam : Rhythmic cycle
 Pallavi : Thematic lines that gets repeated in each verse.

PROPONENTS OF CARNATIC MUSIC

 Male – Thyagaja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Shyama Shastri
 Female – Subbulakshmi, M.L. Vasanthkumari, D.K.
Pattamal.

LESSON 3

Paintings
 Major painting styles
 Indian paintings

MAJOR PAINTING STYLES

 Gothic – Christian art form flourished between 12th and
16th century, figures were usually shown in flowing
drapery.
 Renaissance – Europe, 15th-16th century, modelled on
Classical Greek and Roman Styles.
 Baroque – 1600-1720, Catholic European Countries,
highly decorative style.
 Romanticism – Reached its peak in France in 1830’s,
sensational/ sentimental style, often using a mythological
theme.
 Impressionism – Late 19th century used largely by French
painters, concentrated on the effects of light and pure
colour.
 Post-impressionism – Turn of the 19th century, aimed to
show the spiritual significance of objects.
 Expressionism – 20th century, style expressed themes
through distorted shapes and violent colours.
 Fauvism – 20th century style, distorted shapes, violent
colours and disregard of perspective.
 Cubsim – Geometrical style of drawing invented by
Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, mind’s perception of
an object rather than reproducing the actual
appearance.
 Abstract art – Pure abstract and highly subjective
treatments of recognizable objects.
 Realism – Show scenes as they really are, often have a
social or political message.
 Surrealism – French movement dating from the 1920’s,
dream–like artifacts to explore the subconscious mind.
 Action Painting – Invented by US painter Jackson Pollock;
modern technique of splashing, throwing and pouring
colours on canvas, allowing it to form its own shapes.
 Pop Art – Emerged in late 1950’s, use of comic strip
cartoons, advertisements and image of film stars, often
enormously enlarged and garishly painted.
INDIAN PAINTINGS
 Earliest examples – Bhimbetka cave (M.P)

Paleolithic Paintings
 Rock Engravings
 Lines of white, red and green colours
 Figures of animals like tigers, elephant etc.

Mesolithic Paintings
 More detailed rock engravings
 Painted to propagate knowledge
 Use of bone-marrow to paint red
 Smaller in size than Paleolithic paintings
 Figures of Humans hunting, gathering, riding, dancing,
etc.

Chalcolithic Paintings
 Inferior to Mesolithic paintings
 Colors of red, green and yellow
 Theme : battle scenes

These above paintings are found in

 Bhimbetka – M.P
 Jogimaru – Chhattisgarh
 Narsingh Garh – M.P
 Mirzapur – U.P
Shadang (shad-six ang-part) of Indian Painting
1. Rupabheda : Knowledge of appearance
2. Parmanam : Proportion of object
3. Bhava : Feeling
4. Lavanya Yoganam : Infusion of grace
5. Sadrishyam : likeness of subject wrt reality
6. Varnika Bhanga : manner of uniqueness of brush and
paint

Mural Paintings
 Large works on large structures
 There’s a scope of 3D painting
 Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism
 Fresco-mural : executed upon freshly laid, or wet lime
plaster. With the settling of the plaster, the painting
becomes the integral part of the wall.

Mural Paintings in India

 Ajanta – Maharashtra (Fresco Mural, only Buddhists)
 Bagh Caves – Naingaon, M.P. (Fresco Mural, only
Buddhist)
 Sitanavassal Caves – Tanjore, T.N. (Jain Theme, Pallava
rulers; Mahendravarman and Narsimhavarman)
 Ellora Caves – Maharashtra (Fresco Mural + Tampera
Hindu, Buddhist and Jain themes)
  Kerela Mural - Kerela (theme – local version of
Mahabharata and Ramayana)
 Nayaka Murals – Madurai, T.N. (Jainism + stories from
Mahabharata, Ramayana and Krishna Leela)
 Lepakshi – Karnataka (belongs to Vijaynagara Empire
complete absence of blue color and is outlined black)
 Badami Paintings – Karnataka (patronized by later
Chalukyan rulers, Vaishnavite in theme)

Miniature Paintings
 Small and detailed
 Done on materials like paper, cloth, etc.
 Illusion of 3D
 Maybe religious or secular in nature.
 Painting size is usually less than 15 square inch.
 Subject is not more than 1/6th of the size of painting.

Miniature Paintings in India

Early Miniature
1. Pala Rulers
 Mainly manuscript paintings
 Bihar and Bengal paintings
 Done on palm leaf and paper
 Theme – Buddhist
 Single figures

2. Apbhramsa
 Mewar region of Rajasthan
  Theme – Jainism and Vaishnav
 Sharp features such as fish shaped eyes, pointed nose,
angular face
 Mural painting in miniature form

Mughal School
 Climax of miniature painting
 Theme – Variety of themes, non religious
 Symmetrical shapes and accuracy
 Ornamentation

1. Humayun
 Brought two painters from Persia – Abd-us-Samad and
Mir Sayyed Ali

2. AKBAR
 Karkhana Department
 Paintings as means of employment, study and
amusement.

3. JAHANGIR
 Himself a painter
 Was a naturalist, preferred painting flora and fauna

4. SHAH JAHAN
 Incorporated British technique of light and shade
method
 Pencil sketching, gained importance
  Use of gold and silver was prominent

Regional Schools

Rajasthani Schools
MEWAR
 Infusion of music, poetry
 Ragmala Painting
 Paintings are inferior yet popular

KISHANGARH
 One of the finest schools
 Sharp facial features
 Theme : Radha Krishna
 Eg – Bani Thani

BUNDI
 Paintings of local vegetation and also love scenes
 Strong Mughal influence
 Use of Wax, gold color

Pahari Schools
KANGRA
 Patron : Sansar chand
 Theme : Shringaar, mainly Radha Krishna love
 Naturalistic style, attention to detail
 Used colors made of vegetables and mineral extracts
  Later Kangra paintings also depicted nocturnal scenes,
storms and lightning.

GULER
 In Jammu
 Potraits of Raja Balwant Singh by Nayansukh

THANGKA
 Ladakh Area
 Tibetan Influence
 Dragon an important motif
 Buddhist in nature

South Indian Schools

TANJORE
 Patron – Nayakas murals
 Done on glass
 Use of gold, pearls and diamonds
 Theme : Flute playing Krishna, Gods and Goddesses

MYSORE
 Prominence : Raja Modeyar
 Theme : God and Godesses
 Insect resistant (Gesso work) paintings
 Attention to detail
 Use of Gold
LESSON 4
Miscellaneous facts about Indian Cinema

Movies based on Books/Novels

 Devdas – Devdas by Sharat Chandra Chatterjee
 Parineeta – Parineeta by Sharat Chandra Chatterjee
 Omkara – Othello by W. Shakespeare
 Guide – Guide by R.K Narayan (Malgudi Days)
 Aisha – Emma by Jane Austen
 Maqbool – Macbeth by W. Shakespeare
 Saawariya – White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
 Lootera – The Last Leaf by O. Henry
 Pinjar – Pinjar by Amrita Pritam
 Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam – Bimal Mitra
 Saraswatichandra – Saraswatichandra by Govardhan
Tripathy

Some Indian Fictional Characters

 Byomkesh Bakshi – by Sharadindu Bandhopadhay
 Feluda (Prodosh Chandra Mitra) – by Satyajit Ray. Feluda
is accompanied by Tapesh Ranjan Mitra, who serves as
the narrator. Satyajit Ray directed Sonar Kella and Joi
Baba Fellunath.
 Jatayu (Lal Mohan Ganguly) – by Satyajit Ray
 Kiriti Roy – Dr. Nihar Ranjan Gupta
 Parashor Barma – Premendra Mitra
 Mohun Biswas – by V.S. Naipaul
 Agastya Sen – by Upamanyu Chatterjee
Facts about Indian Cinema
 First Recipient of DSP award – Devika Rani (Dragon Lady)
 Evergreen Actor – Devanand
 Nargis Dutt – Daughter of famous Thumri singer Jatanbai
 First Horror Film – Mahal
 Venus of Indian Cinema – Madhubala
 First Indian Musical – Baiju Bawra, Meena Kumari won
Filmfare for this film, also known as Tragedy Queen.
 First full Feature Film – Raja Harishchandra (no sound)
 First short film of India – The Flower of Persia by Hiralal
Sen.
 First Talkie – Alam Ara (Hindi), Bhakta Prahalad (Telegu),
Kalidas (Tamil)
 First color movie – Kisan Kanya by Moti B Gidwani
 Indian Submissions for Oscars – Mother India, Salaam
Bombay, Lagaan
 First Indian to win an Oscar – Bhanu Athaiya for Gandhi,
as Costume Designer
 Lifetime Achievement Oscar – Satyajit Ray
 Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2017 – Vinod Khanna
 Indians who have won Grammy :
1. Pt. Ravi Shankar for West meets East
2. Zakir Hussain (Tabla)
3. Zubin Mehta
4. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Mohan Veena)
5. T.H. Vinaykram (Claypot)
6. A.R. Rahman
7. H. Shridhar
8. Ricky Kej for Winds of Samsara

 Indian Oscar Recipients

1. Bhanu Athaiya (for Gandhi) (Costume Designer)
2. Satyajit Ray (Lifetime Achievement Award)
3. AR Rahman (for Slumdog Millionaire) (Original Score
and Original Song – Jai Ho)
4. Resul Pookutty (for Slumdog Millionaire) (Best sound
Mixing)
5. Gulzar (Slumdog Millionaire) (Best original song – Jai
Ho)

 ‘Indra Sabha’, an opera about a price’s romance with a

fairy, has an incredible 71 songs in it – the most in any
Indian Film.
 Fatima Begum became the first female director in 1926
with Bulbul-e-Paristan.
 ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ (1960) was a trilingual – with all scenes
shot thrice in Hindi, Tamil and English. When the Tamil
one flopped miserably, the English language one was
aborted.