Shakuntala: Unraveling the Cultural Significance of an Indian Mythological Icon

 

Indian mythology, with its plethora of captivating characters, offers profound insights into human nature, virtues, and complexities. Among these mythical beings, Shakuntala holds a special place as an emblem of love, purity, and resilience. Poet Kalidasa's magnum opus, "Abhijnanasakuntalam" (The Recognition of Shakuntala), further elevates her tale, endowing it with depth and cultural significance that transcends time. Shakuntala

 

The Mysterious Origins

The story of Shakuntala begins with an air of mystery surrounding her birth. Believed to be the daughter of the sage Vishwamitra and the heavenly nymph Menaka, Shakuntala's divine heritage imbues her with unparalleled beauty and virtue. Raised by the sage Kanva in a hermitage, she embodies the essence of ascetic values, making her an ethereal and enigmatic figure. Indian Mythology

 

The Fateful Encounter with King Dushyanta

One fateful day, King Dushyanta, while hunting in the vicinity, stumbles upon the entrancing Shakuntala. Her beauty and grace captivate him instantly, leading to a profound and mutual attraction. However, Shakuntala, grounded in her ascetic upbringing, hesitates to reciprocate immediately, creating an intriguing dynamic between love and virtue.

 

The Symbolic Bond: Love and the Ring

Despite the divine connection they share, fate intervenes, and the couple's love story faces numerous trials. Symbolizing their unbreakable bond, Dushyanta gifts Shakuntala a ring, signifying their commitment to each other. This simple yet powerful token serves as a reminder of their love and becomes pivotal in the tale's later developments.

 

The Curse and Ordeal

Shakuntala's story takes a tragic turn when she incurs the curse of the sage Durvasa. This curse causes King Dushyanta to forget her existence entirely, leading to a heart-wrenching separation. Thus, Shakuntala's ordeal exemplifies the harsh whims of destiny and the interplay of divine will and human agency.

 

Kalidasa's Literary Brilliance

Kalidasa, the renowned poet and playwright, immortalized Shakuntala's tale through his literary brilliance in "Abhijnanasakuntalam." The play delves into human emotions, evoking empathy and admiration for Shakuntala's unwavering devotion and resilience. It explores the themes of recognition and recollection, underscoring the power of memory in shaping our lives and relationships.

 

Shakuntala: A Symbol of Female Strength

In Kalidasa's rendition, Shakuntala emerges as an exemplar of female strength and virtue. Far from being a passive victim, she embodies resilience, patience, and unwavering loyalty. Her portrayal as a devoted mother adds layers of tenderness and nurturing love to her character, solidifying her status as an icon of Indian womanhood.

 

Transcending Time and Space

"Abhijnanasakuntalam" has transcended the boundaries of time and space, finding resonance in multiple art forms. Adapted and translated across cultures, it continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Shakuntala's story exemplifies the universal appeal of human emotions and the intricacies of love, making it a timeless exploration of the human condition.

 

Shakuntala in Contemporary Culture

Beyond the realms of classical literature, Shakuntala's cultural significance persists in modern times. Contemporary adaptations in music, dance, and theater pay homage to her enduring allure. Her iconic status in Indian mythology serves as a source of inspiration for artists, writers, and creators, keeping her legacy alive and relevant.

 

Shakuntala, the Indian mythological character, transcends time and space to become a symbol of love, purity, and resilience. Kalidasa's masterful rendition of her tale in "Abhijnanasakuntalam" elevates her to a pedestal of cultural significance. Her journey of love, separation, and ultimate recognition resonates with audiences across generations, making her an eternal icon in the tapestry of Indian mythology and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powada: The Rich Heritage of Maharashtra's Folk Theatre

 

In the vibrant tapestry of Indian culture, the state of Maharashtra stands out for its diverse artistic traditions. One such gem in its cultural crown is the traditional folk theatre form known as "Powada." Rooted in history and closely tied to the spirit of Maharashtra, Powada weaves together a fascinating blend of storytelling, music, and performance. With a history spanning centuries, this indigenous art form continues to captivate audiences with its unique charm and socio-political relevance.

Historical Origins and Evolution

The word "Powada" finds its origin in the Marathi language, where "povada" means a eulogy or a ballad. Historically, Powadas were heroic ballads that narrated the tales of valor, courage, and triumph of Maratha warrior heroes. This form of oral tradition can be traced back to the 17th century during the reign of the legendary Maratha king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The stories were often composed and recited by itinerant bards known as "Shahirs," who were skilled in combining music and verse to create powerful narratives. Powada

Over the centuries, Powada evolved from being solely a medium to extol the bravery of warriors to encompassing various themes, including social issues, historical events, and cultural nuances. This metamorphosis allowed Powada to connect with a broader audience and remain relevant through changing times.

Structure and Performance

Powada performances typically feature a single performer, often the Shahir, who holds the audience's attention with compelling storytelling and expressive singing. The Shahir's voice resonates with passion and emotion as he recounts the heroic tales or historical events. Accompanied by traditional musical instruments such as the tambura, dholki, and harmonium, the performer creates an immersive atmosphere that captures the essence of the narrative.

The performance begins with a traditional invocation, seeking the blessings of the divine, which is followed by a brief introduction to set the context of the story. The main narrative then unfolds, with the performer skillfully blending prose and poetry to evoke a powerful emotional response from the audience. As the story reaches its crescendo, the performance often culminates with enthusiastic applause and appreciation from the spectators.

Socio-Political Relevance

Beyond its artistic beauty and cultural significance, Powada has consistently demonstrated its socio-political relevance. Throughout history, Powadas have been instrumental in instilling a sense of identity and pride among the people of Maharashtra. By celebrating the valor and achievements of Maratha warriors and leaders, Powada helped in uniting communities and preserving a collective memory of their glorious past. Folk Theatre In India 

Furthermore, Powadas have been employed as a tool for social commentary, enabling artists to voice dissent and critique prevailing social issues. From advocating for social justice to highlighting the plight of the downtrodden, Powada artists have fearlessly used their craft to drive societal change and raise awareness about pressing matters.

Despite its deep-rooted historical significance, Powada faces challenges in the modern era. The advent of technology and changing entertainment preferences have posed threats to the survival of traditional art forms like Powada. Additionally, the limited exposure and support from mainstream media have made it difficult for younger generations to fully appreciate and embrace this valuable heritage.

To safeguard and promote Powada for posterity, concerted efforts are necessary. Government institutions, cultural organizations, and educational institutions can play a pivotal role in supporting Powada artists, providing platforms for performances, and conducting workshops to pass on the knowledge to the next generation.

Powada, the folk theatre of Maharashtra, stands as a testament to the state's rich cultural heritage and artistic prowess. From narrating tales of valor and heroism to addressing contemporary social issues, Powada continues to be an integral part of the socio-cultural fabric of Maharashtra. Preserving and promoting this traditional art form is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity to celebrate the diversity and splendor of India's cultural heritage. By embracing and cherishing Powada, Maharashtra can ensure that this centuries-old art form continues to inspire, educate, and entertain generations to come.

History of Indian Drama

  

History of Indian Drama has originated and developed from storehouse of Sanskrit in India. Indian drama has given its incredible impact and limit to perfection since ancient times. Drama is basically a form of performing arts, where stories are enacted by the utilisation of dialogue, music, signal and dance. Traditional Indian drama, which is highly influenced by the Hindu religion, was developed by local artists and performers and is not a replication of western influx. Bharata is traditionally considered to be the father in the history of Indian drama. The history of Indian Drama is deeply rooted in Classical Sanskrit Theatre, which is the earliest existing form of drama and theatre.

Ancient Indian Drama
History of Indian drama dates back to the ancient Vedic period. It then moves on to the classical theatre traditions, also influencing modern theatre, particularly the Hindi, Marathi and Bengali theatres down the line. Looking back towards the bygone historical path, the beginning of the ancient dramas owes to the Rig Veda for its monumental source material, together with Pururava, Urvashi, Yama and Yami, Indra-Indrani, Sarma-Pani and Ushas Suktas. Even the epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Arthashastra are instilled with specific techniques of dramaturgy. Sages like Valmiki and Vyas and Panini also had shed decisive light and Patanjali had heartily contributed in his Mahabhashya that there existed two dramas, namely, Kamsa Vadha and Vali Vadha. As such, the origin of dramas from the early Vedic Age is considered to be the most authentic and authoritative amongst all the later creations.

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Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards, Indian Drama & Theatre

  

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award is the most prestigious national award in performing Arts category in India. One of the significant activities of the Akademi has been to give appreciation and honors to artists as it would help in setting standards in these arts, and restore the art and artists to their rightful place in Independent India.

The award as of 2003 consists of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram (a shawl), and a tamrapatra (a brass plaque).The awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other conventional arts and puppetry, and for contribution/ scholarship in the theater arts.

History of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
The body of Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards is now more than fifty years old and the great body of practitioners, gurus and scholars in the performing arts honored by the Akademi characterize the nation’s uppermost achievement in music, dance and drama. The Awards in Hindustani and Carnatic music were instituted as early as 1951 and these were known as Presidential Awards. With the arrangement of the Akademi, the Awards came to be known as Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards, and the inauguration became the accountability of the Akademi. The Presidential Awards for 1952 and 1953 were next included in the list of Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards.

Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards
Most popular awards by Sangeet Natak Akademi are:

Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata): The most prominent and extraordinary honor of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) was limited to 30 renowned persons at any given time till last year. The first Fellow of the Akademi was elected in 1954, and till date, the Akademi has honored 123 renowned personalities as Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna).

Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards): Akademi Awards may be conferred on eminent practitioners, gurus and scholars of music, dance and theatre for sustained individual achievement of high professional order. The Akademi Awards may be conferred annually and the total number of Awards in a year shall not exceed 33. Each Akademi Puraskar (Awards) will carry an amount of Rupees 50000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) in cash, a Citation, an Angavastram and a Tamrapatra to be issued under the seal of Akademi and signature of its Chairman. Besides, they will also be eligible medical insurance cover up to Rupees One Lakh per annum.

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Indian Theatre Stages

  

Considered as one of the tradition of Indian culture, theatre since ages depicted the abundant tradition of the land. Right from the earliest days till the modern times, theatre happens to be one of the celebrated art forms in India. Although, the history of Indian theatre goes back to the mythological or the Vedic era yet it is during and after the medieval period theatre in India that gained its redefined structure.

History of Indian Theatre Stages
The Indian theatre has a belief going back to at least 5000 years. The first book on drama in the world was written in India. It was called ‘Natya Shastra’, the grammar or the sacred book of theatre by Bharat Muni. Its era has been placed between 2000 B.C. to 4th Century A.D. A long duration of time and performance is required for any art or movement to form its rules and notifications. Theatre with its appeal and art has always been the most important element in mouthing the unspoken. Theatre in India started as a storyline form, like reciting, singing and dancing becoming essential fundamentals of the theatre. This importance on narrative elements made theatre fundamentally theatrical right from the beginning. That is why the theatre in India has included all the other forms of literature and fine arts into its physical presentation: Literature, Mime, Music, Dance, Movement, Painting, Sculpture and Architecture - all mixed into one and being called ‘Natya’ or Theatre in English.

Indian theatre stages did not form in a day. The deep seated relation with folk drama forms like Kabigan, Kirtan and Baul songs, Chhau, Gajan, Jatra and Paalaagaan, which were then mainly performed in open grounds, paved the way of setting up Indian theatre stages. The sound of the orchestra, the rich-red-ruddy illumination of those footlights offered that contour to theatre whilst making it lot more contemporary. The famous Indian theatre stages amidst its pits, galleries and dais thus murmurs the tale of a changing tradition.

Indian theatre stages slowly became the platform to illustrate the unspoken whilst manifesting the realisms. Theatre which was once an artistic illustration of the varied aspects those were larger than life, gradually became more contemporary. Natya then broke the barriers of eposes and raslila and became the weapon to free the world from the clutches of absolute corruption and exploitation.

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Jatra, Bengali Folk Drama

  

Jatra is a famous folk theatre from Bengali theatre that is spread throughout most of Bengali speaking states of India including West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Orissa and Tripura. Lots of people, actors and actresses are involved in this form of art in West Bengal and other parts of India. Jatra is considered as a famous form of traditional folk theatre from the eastern region of India. It literally means a journey and hence, stylized delivery and exaggerated gestures and orations are some of features of Jatra.

Jatra is believed to have originated from ceremonial functions that are called before starting on a journey. There are also the other legends saying, that it developed from processions brought out in respect of different gods and goddesses. These processions often included songs and dances as its primary part. Jatra is a form of Indian folk drama combining acting, songs and music and dance altogether by the troop that is travelling from one place to another. In the earlier years, the religious values were well communicated with the help of Jatra to the masses. Jatra performances in West Bengal resemble the Tamasha of Maharashtra, the Nautanki of Uttar Pradesh and Bhavai Dance of Gujarat. Even if the birthplace of Jatra lies in religious landscapes, filled with different Bhakticults of Hinduism, but it is replaced by morally educative contents by the end of 19th century. As a result, during Bengal Renaissance, it gained entry into the urban theatres.

Various parts of Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana was also preformed. Later on, the Jatras were held beside palas, and sometimes even replacing it.

Origin of Jatra
The roots of Jatra may be traced back in at least the 16th century, in Bengal, where there was a famous form of singing called the Carya, which were characterized by the distinct use of language. This was a kind of musical drama, which was possibly prevalent during that time. Even Chaitanya (social reformer) and his followers contributed to a reawakening among the people and were responsible for bringing about a national integration in various parts of India at the cultural level, since Chaitanya himself played role of Rukmini in a drama. This drama was perhaps the beginning of the "Krishna Jatra". So he is respected as the predecessor of the contemporary Jatras of Bengal.

Development of Jatra
Mukunda Das (1878-1934) and his troupe, the Swadeshi Jatra Party, performed Jatras and represented colonial exploitation, patriotism and anti-colonial struggle, oppression of feudal and caste system etc through Jatra. During the 1940s, the socio-political content of Jatra superseded the religious-mythical theme. Apart from theme, major change that took place around this time was in the induction of actresses to enact female roles in the play. But the incident of Partition of India however, seems to have adversely affected Jatra as most of performances were performed related with historical plays, with a vague sense of nationalism and patriotism, or melodramatic social plays. Particularly popular during this period, especially in the southern district of Barisal, was Gunai Jatra. Gunai Jatra was based on the tale of a village maiden named Gunai Bibi. The tradition of religious tales continued, in the form of Bhasan Jatra and Krishna Jatra, both of which were dominated by songs and music in terms of its content.

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Ancient Indian Theatre Stages

 The Natyashastra by Bharata Muni depicts the mature form of a classical theatre of ancient India. Natyashastra is the most detail and elaborate of all treatises on dramatic criticism and acting ever written in any language. Bharata Muni here have discussed about a variety of topics in relation to the stage. The topics discussed in this work are: Mythical origin of theatre, its coming down to earth; construction of a play house, a stage, a tiring room and auditorium etc., ceremonies relating to the construction, preliminaries to a dramatic performance (ceremonies including songs, chants dances and instrumental music), choreographic elements (dance, gestures and movements of different parts of the body) and body in some conventional postures, costumes and make-up, classification of plays analysis of their structure, poetic aspects of plays and figures of speech in them, theory of music, metres of songs, chants, elocution, modes of playing instruments (Veena, flutes and drums) and Talas (time measure) to be observed during songs and playing of instruments, Roles and characters in plays (their classification, description and training of actors and actresses, members of theatrical troupes, and qualification of an ideal stage manager), criticism of a dramatic performance. Bharata Muni thus laid the foundation of the classical Theatre by composing the Natysastra.

Types of Playhouse
In Natysastra Bharata has discussed about three types of playhouse, oblong, square and triangular. These three have been further divided into large, medium and small. These measurements could be in terms of dandas or cubits, naturally giving us eighteen different dimensions of playhouse.

According to Natyasastra a regular theatre consists of three parts, the tiring room, the stage and the auditorium. The stage is required to have two Mattavaranis on the two sides. There was existence of permanent and temporary theatres in ancient India.

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Sangeet Natak Academy

  

The Sangeet Natak Akademi was set up in 1953 for the encouragement of performing arts. A surrounding up of Sangeet Natak Akademi is one of the chief recommendations of the National conference on Dance, Drama, and Music, held in New Delhi in 1951. The Sangeet Natak Akademi is India's nationalized academy for music, dance and drama and is the first National Academy of the arts set-up by the Republic of India. The Akademi became well-designed the next year, with the meeting of its first Chairman, Dr P.V. Rajamannar, and the arrangement of its all-India committee of representatives, the General Council.

History of Sangeet Natak Academy
The first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, inaugurated it on 28th January 1953 in a special function held in the Parliament House. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was then the Union Minister for Education at the inauguration of the Academy said -- "…It will be the aim of this Akademi to preserve our traditions by offering them an institutional form...”.

The Akademi's license of functions was prolonged along with the original lines in 1961, when the Sangeet Natak Akademi was reconstituted by the Government as a society and registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 (as amended in 1957).

Aims and Objectives of Sangeet Natak Academy
It acts as the national level for the following reasons:

Encouragement and development of Indian music, dance and drama.

To persuade the switch of ideas and enhancement of techniques among the dissimilar regions in observance to the arts of music, dance and drama.

Preservation of standards of training in the performing arts.

Revitalization, protection, documentation and spreading of materials as well as instruments connecting to various forms of music, dance and drama.

To publish literature on Indian music, dance and drama counting orientation works such as an illustrated dictionary or handbook of technical conditions.

To give acknowledgment to and if not assist praiseworthy, theatrical organizations.

To revive folk music, folk dance and folk drama in dissimilar regions of the country and to give confidence in the development of community music, martial music and other types of music.

To award prizes and feature and to give gratitude to individual artistes for outstanding achievement in the fields of music, dance and drama.

Functions of Sangeet Natak Academy
The academy functions as the head body of the performing arts in the country to protect and endorse the huge cultural inheritance of India expressed in music, dance and drama. It also works with governments and art academies in states and territories of the country. SNA recognized quite a few institutions over the years and these are as follows:

Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal.

Sattriya Centre.

Kathak Kendra, New Delhi.

Ravindra Rangshala.

Centre for Kutiyattam, Thiruvananthapuram.

Chhau Centre, Jamshedpur.

Northeast centre.

Felicitations of Sangeet Natak Academy
SNA also offers felicitations or scholarships to deserving organisations in the same field.

Scholarship to Cultural Institutions
This scheme is proposed to allow the Sangeet Natak Akademi to tender grants-in-aid to select cultural institutions occupied in the endorsement of performing arts, namely, music, dance and drama. The grants-in-aid scheme is to hand out chiefly two objectives, explicitly, to offer financial support to institutions engaged in training in the fields of music, dance and drama and to encourage production of new plays and ballets, etc.

Schooling and Preservation
The Sangeet Natak Akademi extends support to identify forms of Indian music, dance and theatre and also crafts associated with performing arts, mainly through specialized training program under renowned masters.

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Indian Puppet Theatre

  

India is the abode of puppet theatre from the inception, especially in the 5th Century BC. Puppetry or the puppet theatre is one of the ancient forms of entertainment in India. Although primarily it is used as a form of entertainment; yet its importance in conveying significant meaning cannot be denied. For centuries, Indian puppet theatre in one form or the other flourished in India, particularly in the villages.

Since ages, it has been an important part of folk culture depicting the folk traditions of India. From the ancient days, Indian puppet theatre therefore developed not only as an art form but also as an effort of conveying a lot whilst uttering actually nothing. India, which has a rich history of her creativity, has slowly become a name in the rich timeline of Indian natya with the emergence of this Indian puppetry as a typical visual art form. In Indian puppet theatre the puppets or the dolls comes alive, simulating life and reality whilst giving meaning to the creator's ideology.

History of Indian Puppet Theatre
History of Indian puppet theatre is long, enlaced with a rich past. The origin of puppetry somewhat dates back to the long gone era of the 5th Century BC. The chic dash was then missing; even the modish approach was not there; yet Indian puppetry as an enduring form of entertainment stood apart as an intense form of theatre since the historic days of ancient times. While some says Indian Puppet Theatre did originate in medieval India, other says that it was there throughout, typically as an art form even at the time of the Indus Valley civilization. Not only as an art form Indian puppet theatre at that epoch was an effort of illustrating the histories of great prince, princes, and mythological heroes and even unveiled the legendary incidents and also portrayed those eposes and stories from the epics. Puppetry was then chiefly a media for entertainment; an effort to teach the mass and guide the then society amidst its creativity and in the midst of its story telling aspects. It was during this time, in Indian puppetry two distinct forms were evolved; while one form was then chiefly evolved as the religious portrayal, the other form mainly made satire and farce as the central theme. It is with the colossal development of the religious puppetry, shadow puppetry evolved as a medium in epitomizing the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. It was much later; in the history of Indian puppet theatre, satire and farcical comedies became quite an important part in articulating the socio political set up of India.

Indian Puppet Theatre as an Artistic Visual Art
Indian puppet theatre as an artistic visual art is still vibrantly alive in a variety of style. The major types of puppetry that are practiced in different Indian states are: rod, string, shadow and glove puppetry. The puppetry is very popular in the states like Odisha, Rajasthan, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Sometimes the puppets are made with leather and the movements controlled by stick and often they are made with wood or cloth where the movements are duly controlled by strings. The string puppetry is prevalent in Karnataka and Rajasthan. Correct string movement is very important to make the puppetry a thriving entertainment. The string attached to the puppet's head goes over the operator's hands and fingers which again are linked back to the puppet. The operator controls the movement of each hand of the puppet by separate strings. In Indian puppet theatre, the puppets which are used are generally small in dimension. The large head accompanied with prominent eyes offers a magical charm to the puppets whilst sketching their personality.

Colours of Puppets in Indian Puppet Theatre
The colour of the puppets also determines the portrayal of character in Indian puppetry. To depict a royal character mainly a light coloured puppet with impressive moustaches is used whereas a gawk eyed and dark coloured puppet usually paints a negative character. The female figures hold their skirts or Sarees in their hands while dancing; thus showcase a vibrant show. The male puppets are shown as the ones who excel in fighting; they dash against each other strike, chase, wrestle and even fall dead whist offering life to the entire puppet show.

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