Pappu Venugopala Rao's workshop on Natyasastra aimed at widening the knowledge base of performing artistes
The zeal to delve into the details embalmed within the pages of Bharata's Natyasastra, the oldest treatise on performing arts with special reference to dance/drama and music, brought well-known scholar Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao to organise a six-day workshop for performing artistes to enhance their grip over classical dance, at Saptaparni.
“The objective behind this workshop is to facilitate the younger generation of dancers to access the knowledge and tradition that is enshrined in 36 chapters of Natyasastra. Dance academics do not take the student through all these chapters. Most deal with aangikam and touch upon a few other sections (maximum three) of the Natyasastra. This treatise is the base upon which any dance tradition across the country evolved. It has no parallel in world literature, barring perhaps the Greek drama tradition,” says the veteran scholar who is an adept in both Sanskrit and Telugu literature.
Natyasastra, he says, was said to be authored by Bharata in 2nd century BC. This hoary tradition is now alive only in three regions: Kashmir, Kuchipudi and Kerala in their drama/dance art forms. The Bhagavatars of Kuchipudi preserved it through their Yakshaganams while the proponents and practitioners of Kathakali followed the Natyasastra to the T. Similarly the dramaturgy of Kashmir preserved this tradition right from 10th century Abhinava Gupta's time.
Pappu Venugopala Rao quickly gives us a glimpse into what exactly constitutes the Natyasastra. “It is meticulous and minutely detailed work on dramaturgy where the author explicitly underlines the norms of stage construction, the pre-and present performance (entry-exit), the costumes and a host of other paraphernalia, apart from body kinetics(angikabhinaya). Nearly four chapters are devoted to Angikabhinaya, another four to Vachikabhinaya, six chapters dwell on music and one on ahaarya (costume). “In just one sentence, I can safely proclaim that there is no text on the subject to better this treatise,” he states. What was envisaged 2000 odd years ago still holds good and that is the universality of our tradition and its authors.
Since it is impossible to delve into the entire text, Pappu Venugopala Rao gave a power point presentation for two hours every evening, wherein he presented the major components of each chapter to the one score dancers attending the workshop for six days at a stretch. It is indeed remarkable to find genuine scholars come forward to elucidate such ancient, mandatory texts of arts and widen the vistas of the present generation of artistes to perform with deep sense of respect and carry the tradition forward.
Keywords: Pappu Venugopala Rao, Natyasastra
Ranee is absolutely correct to say that now "the hoary tradition is now alive" in Kashmir as much as in Kerala or in Andhra. In other words, Ranee wanted to highlight the fact that the tradition is... actually nearly dead. Many would be surprised by the claim that "the proponents and practitioners of Kathakali followed the Natyasastra to the T." They do try to make use of a few things described there, that's all.
The only place where they make the greatest use of Natya Shastra today is Bollywood. This is why we love watching our films or circus shows but hate going to Yakshaganams or witness the contemporary dramaturgy of Kashmir.
If the Sanskrit scholar is certain of his understanding of Abhinavabharati, why not publish the translation with comments instead of doing some introductory powerpoint presentation? Everybody can proclaim that there is no text on the subject to better this treatise, and many 4th Standard students can compile a powerpoint presentation.
Dear Akhila,
As a dancer I learnt the practical aspects from so many gurus based on the authoritative text Natya Sastra. It is such a vast and creative subject, when I attened Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao’s workshop I personally benefited a lot. The 36 chapters of Natyasastra , he being a scholar having in depth understanding summarized the whole thing covering all aspects in a simple format. Though he is not a dancer but his experience being worked with many performers, gurus and scholars could able to explain in a great manner. A doctor need not be a diabetic patient to treat the diabetes. In the same way his command on Sanskrit and English language, his passion, and his life experience gave rise to share his wisdom, personally being a performer and research scholar I immensely benefited by the Workshop. The time that we are living in many things are emerging, so much of evolution is taking place in all walks of life. In the art field also it is happening rapidly and I feel fortunate to be here now to be part of the whole process .I Look at the workshop in this perspective and definitely it is really beneficial. Looking forward to attend such things.
Dear Akila,
I may recall on this context one important point. A professor in
Medicine need not be a Doctor in practice. An editor of a newspaper
sometimes may not be a desk man or a proof reader or a make-up man of
the Paper. He does know all aspects of the newspaper. anyhow
demonstrative effect of any subject must be supported by theoretical
aspect of the subject. there is no demonstration without theory. Like
wise those who attended the classes are either Degree holders or
P.G.Students in Dance. When we are hearing a lecture on Natyasastra,
we as dancers need not require demonstration, because every aspects is
coming alive before the eyes, while we are following the concepts in
Natyasastra through a lecture. When it comes to Kashmir, from where
Abhinava Gupta emerges, the dancers of that place may or may not have
practicing the concepts formulated by Abhinava Gupta. Despite this
fact even today we draw inspiration from the concepts of Abhinava
Gupta & Natyasastra with much reverence.
To begin with, a very nice article summing up the workshop. Being a student of dance in both the performing and academic genres, and a participant at the workshop, it was indeed an intensive workshop.
Since I have been introduced to the Natyasastra off late, Dr Rao's workshop was more than an eye opener into the numerous possibilities for detailed study that one can go into with the Natyasastra. Also as he has rightly mentioned, most dancers touch upon the Angika aspects but an insight into topics like that of music and language was a very intriguing one.
Natyasastra is voluminous and so will be its study. One workshop is only an appetizer and I am tempted to take further sessions for a better and deeper understanding.
Dear Akila:
Thanks for the comment. Yes Dr.Padma Subrahmaniam is an authority not just on Karanas but on the entire Natya Sastra. I have been giving at least one day presentations in her Natya Sastra workshops.
Sometimes it is necessary to see Natya Sastra from the point of view of a theoretician and not a performer. I believe it makes all the difference. Kashmir gave us Abhinava Gupta and many texts dealing with Rasa Theory, prosody and poetics. Present day Kashmir is not what what I talked about.
It would be good to get the dancers' feedback and ask them if the six-day workshop has actually enhanced their grip over classical dance, and how. Dancers used to go to Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam to enhance their grip over classical (i.e. margi) dance as she was and remains THE authority on the karanas. I do not recollect how and when the name of Dr. Pappu Venugopala emerged among the genuine scholars come forward to elucidate ancient texts on dance. I am keen to know how Natyasastra's hoary tradition of dance threatre is now alive in Kashmir, where plenty of things changed since the times of Abhinava Gupta.
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