Reading Comprehension

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Raga has been manifested through Anibaddha and Nibaddha. Anibaddha refers to free extempore development of a raga. In ancient period, it was done under the concept of Alapti. Alapti is of two types - Ragalapti and Rupkalapti. alapti is governed by Svasthana, there are four types of Svasthana known as Prathama, Dvitya, Tritiya and Chaturtha Svasthana. Rupkalapti is done in two steps, that is, Pratigrahanika and Bhanjani. Bhanjani can further be done in two ways which are Sthaya Bhanjani and Rupak Bhanjani.

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The Nobel recipient Rabindranath Tagore had a great place for Manipuri dance in his heart. He was attracted to the Manipuri dance form for its many features. In his poem "Chitrangada", which was later transformed into a dance drama, he takes the story to the land of Manipur. We have seen that Tagore was absorbed in padavali lyrics at a very tender age for the beautiful compositional and the descriptive aspect of the padavali poems. He wrote quite a few poems in Brajbuli like vaishnava lyrics in the pen name Bhanusingha which are a collection under the name of "Bhanusingher Padavali". These lyrics serve as a perfect accompaniment to Manipuri dances and often Bhanusingher Padavalis are performed as a dance drama in Manipuri dance style today.

There is a great importance of laya in Indian Talas. Laya has been categorised basically into three types - Vilambit. Madhya and Druta. The rule of application in various forms of laya is called 'Yati'. Yati denotes application of 'gati'. Yati has been classified into five types, Sama, Strotogata, Gopuchha, Mridanga and Pipilika. In sama yati, the same laya is used throughout, that is beginning to end. In strotogata, initially we use slow (vilambit) laya whereas Madhya occurs in the middle and Drut laya comes at the end. When it comes to Gopuchha, exactly inverse order of layas is put to application vis a vis strotogata meaning thereby in the later Druta, Madhya laya and Vilambit laya occurs in the first, middle and last order. In Mridanga, drut laya is used at the outset as well as at the end and Madhya laya is used amidst thereof. In Pipilika, vilambit laya occurs in the beginning, at the end while madhya laya is used in middle order, hence 'Yati' is an important aspect of tala's Das Pranas.
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Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA)
The SNA was established on 31 May 1952. In his speech at the inauguration on 28 January 1953, Maulana Azad (1888-1958), then Union Minister for Education and later founder of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said that the aim of the SNA was to 'preserve our traditions by offering them an institutional form'.
The SNA's mission, stated in its Memorandum of Association is:
To promote research in the fields of Indian music, dance and drama and for this purpose to establish a library and a museum; to encourage the exchange of ideas and enrichment of techniques between the different regions in regard to the arts of music, dance and drama; to publish research on Indian performing arts; to revive and preserve folk traditions in different regions; to sponsor and encourage festival, seminars and conferences; to give recognition to individual artists for outstanding achievement: to foster cultural contacts between different regions of the country and with other countries; and to cooperate with similar Akademis, institutions and associations for the furtherance of these objectives
With respect to theatre, the SNA holds workshops for playwrights; funds interstate cultural exchange programmes; funds research in the traditional performing arts; offers financial support to cultural institutions; organizes festivals of modern theatre, traditional performance, shadow theatre, marionette theatre and other forms of puppetry: gives awards and fellowship to distinguished artists: collects audiotapes, videos and photographs; and maintains an audiovisual archive as well as a library.

In the modern period, Pt. V.N. Bhatkhande popularised the Time theory based upon 24 hours. He divided 24 hours into two parts. The first part commences from morning 12 to night 12 and second part from night 12 to morning 12 The first part also known as 'Purva Bhag' and Purvang Vadi Ragas are performed during this time. The second part also known as 'Uttar Bhag' and Uttarang Vadi Ragas are performed during this period. This Purvang vadi ragas have their vadi swara in the Purvang, the Lower Tetrachord and Uttarang Vadi raga have their vadi swara in Uttarang, the upper tetrachord.
He also created, three categories based upon, 'swaras' and 'time'. The first category is of 'Re-Dha Komal also known as Sandhi Prakash ragas, the second category is of 'Re-Dha Shuddha' and the third category is of 'Ga-Ni Komal'. Shuddha Madhyam also plays an important role. Morning Sandhi Prakash ragas have the usage of Shuddha madhyam and evening Sandhi Prakash ragas use Teevra Madhyam. Madhyam is also known as Adhwadarshak Swara. In the vast area of Ragas, fitting all into time frame under these categories is a scholarly task.

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A Kuchipudi performance traditionally is a night performance, when rural families return from their farms and are free of their daily work. It has been performed in or next to a Hindu temple, and the stage lit by the yellow lights of castor oil burning torches. The dance-drama begins with an invocation (melavimpu, puvaranga). This may be an on stage prayer to Ganesha, the Hindu god of good beginnings, or may be an invocation expressing reverence to various Hindu gods, goddesses, earth, or one's guru (teacher).
The conductor of the performance enters and plants an "Indra's banner" staff, then introduces all the actors and the characters they play, who are revealed behind a curtain, and when each actor arrives, colored resin is thrown into the flame of one or more torches for dramatic color effects and audience's attention. Each actor performs a short dance called the Pravesa Daru accompanied by a short musical piece, as the vocalist describes his or her role. The conductor is typically present throughout the performance, on the stage, explains the play, talks and humors the audience.
After the actors have been introduced, the nritta part of the Kuchipudi performance starts. The actors presents a pure dance (jatis or jatiswarams), performed rhythmically to a musical raga, and these are called Sollakath or Patakshara. A basic unit of dance in Kuchipudi is called an adugu (or adugulu), and these correspond to the karana in Natya shastra. Each basic unit combines hand and foot movement into a harmonious sthana (posture) and chari (gait), that visually appeals to the audience wherever he or she may be sitting. Each dance unit, according to the ancient text, is best performed to certain recitation of mnemonic syllables and mucisal beat. A series of karana form a jati, formalized originally as an oral tradition through Sanskrit mnemonics, later written, and these form the foundation of what is performed in nritta sequence of Kuchipudi.
Thereafter comes the nritya, the expressive part called abhinaya, and this is the heart of the play. The actor-dancer uses hand mudras and facial expressions inspired by the sign language in ancient Sanskrit texts, with an exacting footwork, to communicate the underlying story to the audience. A solo play or solo part of the performance is called a Shabdam, and this may be set to a poem, a verse or a prose. A varnam combines dance with mime in order to draw out and express the rasa (emotional state), and this can be solo or group. Parts set to poetry that are love lyrics or express deeper sentiments are called a padam, and this part constitutes expressing the emotional, the allegorical and the spiritual aspects of the play.

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'Anga' has a significant position among ten pranas of Tala. In modern Talas, vibhag comprises two, three, four or five matras whereas in ancient Talas we do find vibhag containing even one matra. In ancient marg and indigenous Deshi Talas, we find the application of eight Angas. Anudrutam had the symbol of '∪' and contained 1 matra.
Druta used to be symbolised by 'Ο' and its value continued to be of 2 matras. The sign of Druta viram was '४' and it contained 3 matra kal. Laghu had the sign of '|' and 4 matra kal. The sign of laghu viram is 'T' and it has five matra kal. The symbolic figure of Guru is '∼' and if contains eight matra kal. Plut bears the mark of '∼' and it has 12 matras. The symbol of Kakpada S is 'T' and its kal is of 16 matras. In the modern times all these Angas are in practice in Dakshin Tala system.

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Evam Indrajit as a play in the Absurdist Tradition

It is a typical absurd play such as Eugene Ionesco's Amedee in that it exemplifies the hollowness and futility of a pseudo-modern existence. The play keeps on echoing that "our existence is a pointless particle of dust". Therefore the play is unconsciously coloured with Satrean Existentialism. The theme is evolved through the dreams, despair and disillusionment of the protagonist Indrajit.
The theme of identity crisis is echoed by the very title "And Indrajit". He is ... "And Indrajit", a part of the whole. "He" is described in terms of society, and not in terms of his own existence. He prefers to be called Amal, Kamal or Vimal, and conforms to the dictates of society or the doctrines of tradition. His identity is yet again questioned by his teachers by a mere roll number and he can therefore easily pose as Amal and answer his roll-call.