The Cultural Newsletter of IISER Pune
March 2021
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The Ashtanayika in Indian Classical Dance
-Bhavana Das
Ashtanayika is a collective name of eight Nayikas or heroines. Bharat Muni classified them in Natya Shastra, his Sanskrit treatise on Indian performing arts (2BCE-2ADE). It depicts eight different states of emotions in a relationship between the Nayika and her Nayaka (lover or husband). Ashtanayika is represented in Indian paintings, literature, sculpture, Indian classical dance and music. They appear in Indian classical dance forms like Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam.
Ashtanayika classification was first seen in Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit treatise by Bharat Muni. Further detailed classification is seen in Dasharupakam (10th century), a Sanskrit dramaturgy that has a detailed analysis of different types of Nayikas (Nayika Bheda) and Shringara Rasa (erotic sentiment), Sahityadarpana by Visvanatha Kaviraja and Kamashastra. Later, Keshavadasa classifies Ashtanayika in his Rasikapriya in Hindi. In Indian literature, Jayadeva's Gita Govinda and Banamali's (a Vaishnava poet) compositions, Radha is depicted in roles of various Nayikas with her Nayaka, Lord Krishna.
The Ashtanayika are classified in Natya Shastra in the following order.
Vasakasajja Nayika
The Nayika is depicted waiting for her Nayaka. She is fully dressed and ornamented for their union. She is compared by Kesavadasa to Rati (the Hindu Goddess of Love), waiting for her husband Kamadeva (the God of Love). It is found in the sculptures of Lakshmana Temple in Khajuraho and the Museum, Delhi.
Vasakasajja waiting for her Nayaka
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Svadhinabhartruka with her Nayaka applying mahawar on her feet
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Virohtkanthita Nayika
The Nayika is distressed because her Nayaka fails to return due to his preoccupation. She is depicted waiting for him, sitting on a pavilion outside or a bed.
Svadhinabhartruka Nayika
The Nayika is loved by her Nayaka and controls him. He is devoted to her. She is represented with her Nayaka, who applies mahawar on her feet or a vermilion tilak on her forehead. Radha is portrayed as Svadhinabhatruka in Gita Govinda.
Kalahantarita Nayika
The Nayika separated from her Nayaka by a quarrel. She is also depicted as refusing the advances of her lover. In Gita Govinda, Radha is also portrayed as a Kalahantarita Nayika.
Khandita Nayika
The Nayika enraged with her Nayaka for spending time with another woman. Khandita Nayika has been further classified into three types;
Dhirai - the Nayika who punishes her Nayaka
Atidhirai - the Nayika who cries and pleads with her Nayaka
Dhiradhirai - the Nayika who fights with her Nayaka
Khandita Nayika rebuking her Nayaka
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Vipralabdha Nayika throwing away her jewellery in anger
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Vipralabdha Nayika
The Nayika is deceived by her Nayaka. She is depicted as throwing away her jewellery in anguish.
Proshitabhartruka Nayika
She has depicted mourning because her Nayaka has gone for an errand. She is presented surrounded by her maids and depicted as difficult to be consoled.
Abhisarika Nayika
The Nayika goes out to meet her Nayaka.
She is classified as follows.
Abhisaarati - She is called Jyotsni or Sukta. She dresses in white and goes to meet her Nayaka in daylight.
Tamasi - She is called Nila. She covers herself in a black veil and goes to meet her Nayaka.
The Hornbill Festival
-Khushi Datri
The Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland and is organised by the State Tourism and Art and Culture Departments of Nagaland. It goes for ten days from the 1st of December. It was first organised in 2000. Named after the Indian Hornbill, a large and colourful bird displayed in most Naga tribal folklore, the Hornbill Festival is also called the Festival of Festivals' due to its grand structure. As Nagaland is home to 16 major tribes, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated to promote inter-tribal interactions and increase cultural sensitivity in Naga youth.
People of Nagaland rehearsing their traditional dance during the Hornbill Festival
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The festival is held at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, set at the Himalayas' foothills and has breath-taking scenic views. The village is also a popular tourist spot.
Across ten days, the festival hosts numerous performances, sporting activities, food fairs, and ceremonies. It is a fun-filled event with numerous tribes taking part and showcasing their unique culture. There are reports of older tribe members travelling long distances to attend the festival, increasing cultural assimilation and promoting mutual understanding and empathy.
The sale of traditional crafts, food stalls, herbal medicine, etc., shoots up during the festival. Traditional art by the modern Naga people in the form of painting or sculpture is also featured. The Miss Nagaland beauty contest and The Hornbill International Rock Festival are extremely popular and attract many people. Additional attractions include the Konyak fire eating demonstration, the Hornbill Literature Festival (including the Hutton Lectures), Hornbill Global Film Fest, Hornbill Ball, Choral Panorama, North East India Drum Ensemble, Naga king chilli eating competition, Hornbill National Rock Contest, Hornbill International Motor Rally and WW-II Vintage Car Rally.
Kachari women celebrating the Hornbill Festival.
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The Great Indian Hornbill
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The economic prospects stemming from such a colossal festival are immense. Nagaland is a state whose economy relies mainly on tourism and agriculture. This festival is a great crowd-puller and significantly increases state revenue. The festival positively contributes to the state's image. People from outside Nagaland have an excellent opportunity to explore and experience the rich Naga heritage and wildlife. After seeing the Nagaland model's success, many neighbouring states, like Tripura, now plan on organising their own Hornbill Festival.
I believe that we must all experience this extravaganza at least once in our lives. We would indeed create new memories and learn about a novel vibrant culture.
The Great Wall of India
-Pranav Maheswari
Our country, India, is famous for its rich culture and architectural marvels. India's beautiful temples and massive forts are of immense architectural value. India boasts of more than 1000 forts, most of which are located in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Historically, walls were often built as border barriers and served as the first line of defence against an enemy. The Great Wall of China is a well-known historical Marvel expanding over 21,196 km. But do you know that our country also boasts of such an excellent marvel, that is, The Great Wall of India - The Kumbhalgarh fort Wall.
The Kumbhalgarh Fort
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History of the Kumbhalgarh Fort
This fort dates back to the 6th century when The Great Ashoka's grandson Samprati built it. During his reign, Alauddin Khilji repeatedly attacked the Mewar region and harmed the fort severely. At the beginning of the 15th century, Ranaji took the step to rebuild it and surround it with a long wall so that other Rajput kings could take refuge within the palace if they felt vulnerable due to invaders. Additionally, this wall also served to separate Mewar from Marwar, bringing prosperity to the Mewar region.
Hidden excellence of Rajput Builders
You can only wonder that it took just about a decade and a half to complete its construction. This magnificent wall is 36kms long and 15 ft wide at the front. It is also 3600ft above sea-level. Moreover, there are seven massive gates to the fort, and each consecutive entrance is narrower than the previous one. The gates were constructed so that elephants and horses couldn’t enter the fort beyond a certain point. Also, it had seven heavily guarded ramparts with rounded base stations. Watchtowers were made to watch out for any possible invasion from any corner.
The Rajputs built the wall in a very strategic manner such that it not only provided strong defence but also assisted them in attacks. While eye holes made in the walls served as binoculars to track any approaching army, the path on the ramparts is wide enough for eight horses to walk side by side to offer a strong attack. At the same time, there are sharp turns and congested staircases designed to slow down invaders. If it's not enough, they also made some spots that provide a full view of the Thar desert and the Aravalli Ranges. It speaks of the excellent planning skills of Indians as this wall, despite being so long and tall, can be visible only from under 500 meters distance from any side.
Can you pass me?
The fort, with its giant wall, is a remarkable architectural achievement in history. That doesn't mean that it never faced challenges. The first recorded attack was by Ahmed Shah I of the Gujarat Sultanate, but it went in vain. Mahmud Khalji of Malwa Sultanate, too, knelt against the strength of this wall. Winning the fort was completely impossible without facing this wall’s power, which never allowed any enemy to cross it. Only once, in 1576, when there was a shortage of water in the region, the combined forces of Mughal King Akbar, Raja Uday Singh of Marwar, Raja Man Singh of Amer, and Gujrat's Mirzas under Shabhbaz Khan were able to take over the fort. The invaders poisoned the fort's drinking water which ultimately led to the Rajputs surrendering the fortress. But this wasn’t the end. The great Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap-born in Kumbhalgarh fort itself-took over the fort again in a mere nine years. In 1818, Marathas took over the fort.
An Aerial view of the Kumbhalgarh wall
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A Tourist’s Love
Kumbhalgarh Fort, along with five other forts of Rajasthan, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the group ‘Hill Forts of Rajasthan’ in 2013. Today, it is one of the most famous forts near Udaipur and is visited by tourists all year round. Every year, a three-day annual festival is organised by the Rajasthan Tourism Department to honour Maharana Kumbha’s passion for art and architecture. Various dance events, concerts, heritage fort walks, light and sound shows, and other activities form this annual festival’s main attractions.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife sanctuary has been established near the fort and is home to a wide variety of fauna. This place attracts many tourists for its beautiful scenes and historical importance — a mark of Maharana Pratap’s life and glorious Indian heritage.
References
Saura Paintings
-Asmi Gaikwad
Saura tribal painting is a style of mural paintings associated with the Saura tribals of the state of Odisha in India. The Sauras are probably one of the most dynamic and colourful tribes in the country. Like many tribal cultures worldwide, the art of Sauras draws inspiration from the belief that the world is peopled by a great company of Gods and spirits of nature.
Saura Art on Mud Walls
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These paintings are created on the walls of the Saura houses by someone or the village shaman who is possessed by spirits and paints under the spirits' diktats. After washing the wall with fresh red earth and water to provide an adequate background, the painter uses a twig as a brush and pigments made from rice, ash, chalk or lime. The general format of a house's work is rectangular or square space, and one can find several animal figures, objects, etc. For the Sauras, whose language does not have a script, their art records their history, philosophy and religious practices.
Significance of the Artworks
The figures in Saura artworks are called ikons or icons, and many of them are recurring motifs such as people, tree of life, the Sun, the Moon, horses, elephants and so on. The priests used to explain these symbols' meanings to the village folk, passing on tribal customs and culture in a unique oral tradition.
Comparison between Saura and Warli Paintings
The left image depicts the Saura painting, whereas the one on the right represents the Warli painting (famous to Maharashtra).
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At a glance, both the paintings look identical to each other. Made of similar geometric shapes and in similar shades of eastern colours, the two art forms are often indistinguishable. However, there are subtle differences between the two from the composition of the patterns, making them distinct! The Saura figures are less angular than the Warli ones, where the human body is depicted by sharp triangles conjoined at the apex. Sara forms are also larger and more elongated than those in Warli art, with no physical differences between male and female shapes. Another characteristic of Saura art is the 'fishnet' approaches with which all the artworks are made. Every Saura artwork begins with a carefully drawn border, and then the patterns close towards the centre to form the intricate composition.
Saura Paintings Today
Their diversity, detail and unique style have given ikons an in-vogue-appeal and increasing popularity in recent years. The influence of markets and growing awareness about the other forms have led both Saura and Warli paintings picking up details of technique and style from each other. They have also been popularised in recent times as an avenue for skill and job creation. They have increasingly been used to decorate items like T-shirts, greeting cards, stationery, and clothing items.
Saura Painting on Silk
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