414

CHAPTER X

Bhagavata Mela Hataka

Historical Background :

South India came under the influence of Vijayanagar as early as 1358 A.D. when the victorious campaigns were male by the rulers in to the South. The presence of numerous epigraphs that are found scattered all over the country bears ample testimoney to the overlordship of Vijayanagar Empire from about the third quarter of the 14th century! Narasa Nayaka * s

expedition to the South and his victories over the Chela and Pandya kings is well recorded* The Cholas and the Pandyas became feudatories of the new power. Vith the accession of Krishnadevaraya a new epoch began i n the history of South India* He reconstituted and reorganised the Southern principalities*

Tradition says that the Tan;) ore layakas were firstappointed to the regular charge of the Ghola country byVijayanagar Emperor Achyutadevaraya whose accession period isrecorded in the year 1529 A.B. 'Tanjavuri Andhra RajuluCharitra* mentions that Sevappa Nayaka married the sister ofAchyutadevaraya * s wife and was appointed to the governorshipof the Chola country which was given away as dowry to Murtimamba

2whom Sevappa married • Thus on account of the royal patronage he rose in to power. Sevappa Nayaka* s rule began from 1529 A.B. and he soon converted Tanjore in to an independent principality by founding the dynasty of the Nayakas of Tanj ore which held sway for about 125 years, fortunately all its members were

great patrons of learning and art, some of them being themselveswriters and composers of no mean merits*

Sevappa Bayaka was also known as Chinna Seva,Savanrpatiand Sevabhupa in Sanskrit and Sira Seva in Tamil. He was thesuccessor of Vira Jfarasingaraya in the governorship of theChola country* He ruled for nearly forty years ( 1532 to 1572'A.D)luckily his rule was not marked by any notable^ event or warsand it was one of comparative prosperity and peace* This isbest seen in his works of charity and magnificent buildings. Heremained a loyal feudatory of the emperor. The Vijaynagar kingshad full control over their feudatory Nayakas right from thebeginning* The great minister Govinda Eikshita in his introductionto the Sangitasudha speaks of Sevappa* s loyalty with the biruda -

3Kamata Sinihasana Karya duryahe . It appears that the neighbouring Hpyaka rulers of Madura and Ginjee too were holding him in high esteem and there apparently existed happy and friendly relations between them.

nothing more is known of Sevappa *s reign except his works of charity and public utility* He constructed temples, repaired numerous tanks and founded agraharas. There is a record referring to his repairing the Sivaganga tank at Tanjore and

4the fort . He is best known for building the magnificent tower (Gopura), composed of eleven storeys of the Arunachaleswara temple at Tiruvannamalai• We came across his other wozks in

KRaghunathabhyudayam and Sangitasudha • Sevappa is said to have constructed the massive prakaras with temples at Triddhachalam

and Canjeevaram and covered the vimanas of both the Tirupati and Srisailam temples with gold. In the Ghola country his benefactions impartially extended to both the Siva and Visnu temples situated on either side of the holy Kaveri river.

6Besides he made gifts of villages and precious jewelsto the gods and provided for the feeding of the Brahmins.These gifts ape also mentioned in Vijayvilasam and the Raja-gopalavilasam compositions. The Tanjavuri Andhra fiajuluGharitamu also mentions of his building of the gopuras andprakaras. The gifts made to these temples and the largecontributions made to Siva and Visnu temples show Sevappa* spatronage to these two leading religions. A spirit oftoleration was largely developed by the Tanjore Nayakas whowere Vaisnavas by religious persuasion. The patronage givenby him to the ladhsta religion is also seen in his grants madein A.D, The great ladhva teacher Vijayindra TirthaSripada received a grant of a village from the Nayaka. In theBhakti movement and development of Kuchipudi dance-drams, wehave referred to the connection of Siddhendra Yogi with the

7Madhva teacher and math at Udipi . Sevappa also patronised various festivals and made provisions for their celebrations.

It was during the rule of Aehyutappa Fayaka that the present day village Meli.ttur was given as a gift to nearly 500 Brahmins for perpetuating their art of dance-drama dnd prompting art and learning in general. Though we do not come across any

epigraphieal record inscriptions or local record like oneas * oass „ KuoMpua, W> * is

most probable that such as gift was made for, it was common todonate away village - agraharams to Brahmins on religiousgrounds* In the time of Sevappa Nay aka too such gifts have

9been recorded*

Aehyutappa Hayaka appears to have started his career as co-regent with his father at least from 1560 A.D. as is best seen in his epigraphs; and the literary evidence records that he was appointed as Yuvaraja by his father in the latter part of his rule. He seems to have been named after Achyutaraya the Vijayanagar emperor, by Sevappa in gratitude to the Raya who was responsible for the foundation of the fanjore Nayaka line* Aehyutappa Nayaka was also known as Chinna Sevva Achyutaand Seva Achyuta* He had for his minister the famous Govinda Dikshita. It is said that his achievement was similar in character and effect to that of Madhava Yidyaranya, in shaping and laying the foundations of the internal and foreign policies of fan;) ore Nayakas. _ .

Aehyutappa had a long reign of fiftythree years (1560 A.D. - 1614 A.D.) In his last days, following foot-steps of h|s father, he also abdicated the throne in favour of his son. He was a powerful ruler endowed with keen intellect and a faculty for quick decision. He was a fortunate ruler for his minister was a pant master in knowledge of the Sastras and Aehyutappa earned name as a past master in the art of warfare.

However, he waw deeply religious and we gather from Sangitasudha that even from his boyhood he had been a great devotee of Lord Banganatha. But his single hearted devotion to Banganatha did not deter him from extending a liberal measure of his patronage in 4>ther creeds; and his numerous gifts made to Siva and Visnu temples and to the Madhva teacher, Yijayindra Tirtha are remarkable instances of the catholicity cf his religious outlook and his b»oad mindedness. Achyutappa came to the throne when there prevailed peace and calm around. Though in his last years the land became involved in throes of the great war of succession to the imperial throne•

Achyutappafs patronage was impartially and generally extended to the three prominent faiths of the laid, namely, theSiva. Vaisnava and Madhva and this is mentioned in the epigraphs andin the literature as well. The gift made to Vijayindra Tirtha bySrirangaraya on the request of Sevappa layaka appears to have been been made by Achyutappa himself very early, perhaps soon after his appointment as Yuvaraja.

The king was greatly supported in his patronage ofreligion, learning and art by the able minister G-ovind Dikshita.His proficiency in the Sastras was praiseworthy* The existence of numerous villages and streets besides other memorials named after him, stand testimoney to his greatness and to the regard whichthe people and the rulers had for him and his personality. The villages of Govindapuram, Govindakudi, Ayyampet and the streets known as Ayyankadai street in Tanjore, Yagasalai street in Kumbhakonam and tanks such aw Ayyankulam, all these -monuments commemorate his name. He was an orthodox Brahmin.

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Advaitin and we gather from the Bhagavatars of the Kuchipudi dance-drama and exponents of Bhagavata Mela Hatakas and the residents of lelattur village that they are all Smarta Advaitins. fherefo^e it is highly probable that he must have favoured and supported the Bhagavatars of Melattur village in perpetuating and propagating their art of danee-dramas.

Govinda Dikshita wa3 a renowned author. .He was very proficient in the science of music and may well be called thefounder of Karnatak Music. Venkatamakhi says that the Sangitasudha was in reality written by his father.J Both Yagnanarayana Dikshita and his brother Venkateswara Dikshita were good musicions and the latter is given credit for his standard work on-music the Ghaturdandiprakasika wherein he had 1 reduced the old twenty two svaras to twelve and designed the present vina instrument

aadapted to the twelve svaras. ' It appears that Venkatamakhi was the author of the Melakarta that is in vogue at present in Southern India.

This was the period of great historical importance in the Karnatak Mr sic when the art of Kuchipudi dance-drama was having its off shoot being planted in the Tamil country under the rule of Hayaka Kings. After the death of Aohyuta— devaraya of the Vigayanagar empire in 1542 A.D., the Vi^aynagar empire was convulsed by serious internal disorders for sometime. Ultimately, Bamaraya, the son-in-law of the famous Krisna— . devaraya emerged triumphant from the civil war and virtually

became the emperor of Vijayanagar. She nephew of the late monarch was Sadasivaraya (1542-70 A.D.) Achyuta Hamaraya better known in his tory as Aliya ramaraya, was an extremely able and valorous administrator and statesman and he raised the empire to the highest watermark of glory. But at the historic battle of Salikota (1565 A.D.) the empire, received a stunning blow from which it never recovered. Hamaraya died on the battle field* His brothers could not continue to govern the kingdom safely any more from the city of Vijaynagar. Hence they left it to its fate and fled Southwards to Penugonda. Ihe defeat of falikota was the beginning of the decline of the illustrious Kingdom of Vijaynagar founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1556 A.D.

In wake of the decline of the Vijaynagar empirefollowed the migration of many Andhras in to i.—, familnadu andespecially to Tanjore which for centuries had already earned thefame as a seat of culture* Shis migration appears to have begMn

14as early as the 14th century when Kamparaya, the son of Bukka I led his famous expedition against the tiny kingdom of Madura which was then under the control of a Muslim ruler. Among the immigrants were both Andhras and Karnatakas.

A similar wave of migration swept over the Tamil province in the 16th century when both the Tan;} ore and Madurakingdoms came to be establihhed, with high dignitaries of Andhra origin as their rulers* namely Sevappa Nayaka in Tanjore and Vishvanatha Hayaka in Madura* The immigrant from Andhra

421

country came over to Tamil country with their families tosettle down. This historical fact accounts for the large

15number of Andhras in this region even today. Among the people who left Andhra Pradesh after the decline of the Tijaynagar empire a number of Brahmin families also migrated. Many Brahmin families of different sub-sects, Niyogi Brahmins and Vaidiki

(UluLjLjCliil UJL lilwUi l» ttUUft «Cw w Vct»L duMiU fl> CUTqm>w W ULl wX IS Dw e wAwU» JL£L

Tanjore District. In the course of time these families as well as other castes who migrated to the South acquired landed property.

It is highly probable that the Brahmin Bhagavatars who migrated during this period settled in Tanjore and nearby areas. Sevappa Kayak and his son Achyutappa Nayaka apparently wanted to introduce the Kuehipudi dance-drama tradition and encouraged it in Tamil country as well. Among their various endowments during their reign was the village of Melattur.

During this period and the succeeding period of Vijayaraghava Kayaka (1572-1673 A.D.) great masters of music and dance flourished under the royal patronages. As we}/have seen the two most important works on classical Kamatak music namely Samitasudha and Chaturdandiprakasika were produced.It was during the time of Vijayaraghava Kayaka that the great composer poet gshetjayya emigrated from Muvva near Kuchioudi to the south and his hundreds of padams contributed to the

422

enrichment of the music and abhinaya* , It was the time when

Tirthanarayana Yogi's Krsnalilatarangini inspired other

Vaggeyakaras to model their works on his opera and the tradition

of dance-drama received a great impetus* She tradition of dance-drama that developed at BSalattur also known as

Aehyutapuram came to he known as EMI.

larayana Tirtha Yati j

Narayana Tirtha, the author of Kri shnalilatarangini,as his suffix Tirtha shows was a Sanyasinj he was of advaitic

persuasion* The Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition and theBhagavatars maintain that Siddhedra Yogi the founder of the

Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition was a disciple of larayana

firtha. In determining the definite historical date we have

to fall hack upon the legends woven round their lives and works**

like Sadasive Brahmin and the later fyagaraja,

Napayana Tirtha was a Telugu Brahmin. As we have already seen

the fall of Vijayanagar empire resulted in to the migration of many families of talents and attainment, authors, poets,

musicians, dancers and dance masters who left the hanks of the

Krsna and the Godavari in Andhra and sought the hanks of Kaveri* Narayana. Tirtha might have been one of them and it is in the Tan;)ore District that he became famous, that he lived and

worked and finally attained Samadhi* The village hallowed by

his stay is Yarahur and the village sanctified by his samadhi

is Tiruppunturutti*

423

Narayana Tirtha was a Paramahamsa Parivra^aka of

the Tirtha Sampradaya. He was a great scholar in many Sastras

and was initiated sanyasa by one Siva Bamananda Tirtha.

Legend has it that Narayana Tirtha* s former name before he took

sanyas was Govinda Sastri, He was an Andhra Brahmin of the

Bharadwaga gotra, belonging to Apastambha Gotra, Krsna Yajus Shakha. His sumame^house name) was Tallavajjhala .

ANarayana Tirthwas very fond of music and used to

sing about Lord Krsna in eostacy. His Bhaktr'i ms remarkable. Narayana Tirth«t's native place was Kaja, a village near Guntur

on the road between Guntur and Vijaywada. He did not have any

children as he took up Sanyasa early in his life. His father*s

name was Nilakanta Sastri. His brother*s family is still

continuing in Kaja and other parts. They all revere Narayana

Tirtha and there is a tradition in the family that all its17

members should learn at least three songs from Krisnalilatarangini.

The legend about Narayana Tirtha*s taking to

Athura Sanyas is similar to that of Siddhendra Yogi. His

wife Achamroa was a very pious lady and her parents* house was

on the southern bank of the Krishna river, an agraharam called

Ginjupalli opposite the famous Yedadri Nrisimh Kehetra. On

his way to his father-in-law’s house, once when he was crossing

the river suddenly in the mid-stream he was overcome by

exhaustion and thought that his end had come near. He prayed

to Krsna with the Pallavi and anupallavi of the song beginning

424

Wife 'Raksa' word in the first Taranga. He decided to take

Athura Sanyasa which can be done by uttering three short

sentences and a token removal of the Sikha and the Sacred thread.

After doing this he soon touched the ground and crossed the

river safely to the other side.

lor us, Harayana Tirtha's importance is on account of

his master-piece Krsnalilatarangini. Harayana Tirtha later

on went on pilgrimage and appears to have travelled all over

Andhra Pradesh, as is evident from the Tarangas of the said work.

In the VI Taranga there is a reference about Harasimha Temple18on Sobhanadri Hill.

But therei is no reference to Kuchipudi in the Krsna

district from which place the art of dance-drama is supposed

to have branched off at Melattur. However there is a continuous

tradition persistently current among the Kuchipudi Bhagavatars

that Siddhendra Yogi, the founder of the Kuchipudi dance-drama

tradition was a disciple of Harayana Tirtha. As we have noted

earlier there is hardly a Kuchipudi dance-drama enactment

where one does not find the presentation of Tarangam from

Kr snalilatarangini. We cannot say definitely if there were

two Siddherdra Yogis or one only. And if we agree to the fzct

that Siddendra Yogi was the follower of Marayana Tirtha, then

the date of Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition has to be brought

down to a later date.

Whatever may be the case, it is a fact that Krsnalila-

tarangini exercised a far reaching influence on the composers

425

of dance-drams. As to how Barayana Tirtha came to the Tan^or© area, we do not hare any authentic information. Bit we have a traditional story told about this* One night in the village called Badukkaveri, in an empty mandapa, a sanyasi afflicted with severe stomach ache was undergoing acfcte pain. He was none else but Barayana Tirtha. He had a dream in which it was suggested to follow the animal on whom his eyes would fall in the morning* When it dawned and the recluse opended his eyes, they fell on a boar which was standing in front of him. The animal reached the village Varahur otherwise called

IQBhupat ira«j puram after a Tanj ore king . In that village wasa temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara. It then struck BarayanTirtha that it was Lord Hari once incarnated as the great boarwho a had again out of his compassion for him showed himselfas the boar and brought him to that temple* He stayed thereand worshipped the lord* This story is narrated in more orless these details in the opening part of the chapter I verses70-96 of the poetical work Sikyoteava Prabandha of BarayanaKavi of Yarakur ( 1868-1935 A.D.) There is also a Sanskrit

Stotra on Lord Yenkatesa at Yarahur available in print where20again the above mentioned^ episode is touched upon. .

The village Bhupatirajpuram acquired the name Varahur because (Varaha) a boar had brought him there. Barayan Tirtha stayed on and got cured of his ailment. It was here, that Barayana Tirtha completed and dedicated his musical play on the story of Lord Krsna from birth up to the marriage of

426

Eukmini, the Krsnalilatarangini or the liver of the sports of

Lord Krana. The dedicatory, song at the beginning mentions

Sri Varahapura Venkatesa'. That this village of Varahur was a

centre of anisic and dance in the times of Nayaka Kings of. Tanjore (17th century) is attested by the fact that the

celebrated composer of dance-padas Kaetrayya visited it and has

also mentioned it in his padas.

Narayana Tirtha established a Bhajanasampradaya in

Varahur. His followers sang, canoed and rendered in to gestures

his musical play on the lord and celebrated the festival of

Krsna every year at the time of Janmashtami* The performance

of Uriyadi meaning enactment of Krsna stealing butter placed

on top of a pole, as part of this festival attracted a large

concourse of people*i

Prom this account we gather that Narayana Tirthai

was one of those who augmented the Bhagavata tradition in the

Tanjore District and spread the cult of adoring the Lord with

song and dance* There are three verses of praise on Narayana

Tirtha that are sung at the outset in BhaJanas* followers of

this Hhajana tradition would with tambur and chipla In hand and bells (gajjai) on feet, go about singing the Lord*s praise

and dancing* Of the celebrated Bhagavatars of Varahur were

Varahur Panju Bhagavatar and Varahur Gopala Bhagavatar and a

portrait of the latter in typical constume, is still « -

worshipped by the votaries of Bhajana* In addition to the

musical and dramatic treatment of the story of Krsna, Narayana

Tirtha, as a Sanskrit writer* has composed a devotional poemon the same theme* Baribhaktisudharnava. One of the prayer-versesat the opening of this poem forms part of the preliminary

21songs sung in the beginning of Harikathas even today.

Narayana Tirtha attained Siddhi at the village of Tiruppunturatii* seven miles to the east of Varahur where at his Samadhi an annual festival is still held.

The Krsnalilatarangini is one of the numerous worksthat rose in the $ake of the Gitagovinda of Jayadeva andmay be acclaimed as the only one among such works to have gainedor maintained a comparable musical status. It is written inperfect literary Sanskrit, a fact to be specially noted beoause*in the next age* though Sanskrit was handled for musiccompositions and though even while Telugu was handled* it wasa style dominated by Sanskrit, the grammatical and literaryequipment of composers became a secondary qualification. Thediction in the Tarahgini is fine, figures of speech including'Slesa* are employed, and the songs are replete with ideas fromthe Upanisads. The composition is in twelve Tarangas and thesongs are linked with verses and varied by prose, gadyapassages. It is composed as a regular dance-drama and thereare directions that such and such a context is being sung and

Igesticulated in the coming piece and so'on. There are also set rhythm syllables or prayers of the Jfajfninapatnis in the third Taranga, and the composition on Basakrida in Bata and Dhruva

428

tala in the seventh Taranga. There is also a suladi composition* As a matter of fact the rehabilitation of the Bbajana and Bhagavata tradition which put forth these blossoms of the arts of music dance and composition reflect a cultural heritage whose unity could be seen from the Kaveri to Kamarupa.

The same Bhagavata tradition was responsible also for the cultivation of a dramatic art in which devotional stories composed in the form of songs and set to dance were sung and danced and interpreted in gesture by Brahmin devotees. This tradition which was maintained at the Kuchipudl village and which later on flowered in to a dance-drama tradition incorporating the classicism of the tenC&of Bharata’s, Natyasastra spread to Tanjore under the benevolent rule of the Nayaka Kings. The gift of Achyutapura village now known as Melattur to Brahmin families during the reign of Achyutappa and the cultivation of the art of dance-drama augur a fine period of this tradition in the South. The succeeding king Baghunatha Nayaka (1600-1634 A.D.) was the most illustrious of the Tanjore line of the Nay aka.

His rule was one of peace as it marked the revival of and development of the many sided cultured activities for which Tanjore had been famous through the ages, literature and art flourished side by side j and Tanjore became under him the greatest seat of learning and culture of the time in South India and as well as the home of Karnatak music.Raghunath himself was a great scholar and the author of

42922 r~~'"numerous works in Telugu and also a musician of hi gh

-- *

repute. He was given the distinguishing epithet of Abhinava Bhoja. Several poets flourished at Tanjore under t his royal patronage* The poets of the age have left behind glowing accounts of his rule and it is said that ik he was a great and powerful ruler wno may be favourably compared with the great emperor of Vijayanagar, Krishnadevaraya*

He maintained strict religious neutrality and though a Vaisnavite. honoured the Madhva Saint Sudhindra with Kanakabhisheka. His court was justly famous for two great women authors of rare merits s Bamabhadramba and Madhuravani* The former is the author of a Sanskrit ffiahakavya named Raghunathabhyudaya and the latter is reputed to be the author of a Ramayana Mahakavya*

It is evident that during this period of literary activity* the fine arts and cultural matters received royal patronage. Though we have no account of t what were the Bhagavata Mela dance-dramas enacted durirg this period* the fact that Yaksagana as a literary form was receiving a grSat impetus suggests that the tradition which flowered from Andhra Pradesh was being continued during the Nayaka rule also in Tanjore. Chemakuru Venkata Kavi the author ofVi.layvilasam dedicated to Raghunath Nayaka tells us that the great Nayaka took interest in theatricals and there was also a theatre in the royal palace in which plays were enacted in his presence. Raghunathabhyudayam of Vijayaragheva

430

Nayaka mentions that such plays were enacted in the palacee£ before the king, who was in the habit of holding very

23frequently seminars by learned pundits • This was the period when the Southern school of Telugu literature noted for its special contribution of the Yaksagana type of drama had its full flowering. In short a great encouragement was given to learning in all languages and in particular to Telugu and Sanskrit.

Raghunatha Nayaka was succeeded by Vijayaraghva Nayaka (1633 to 1673 A.D.) who was the last king of this line. He too was a man of considerable literary talent and was the author of Telugu Yaksagana Raghunathabhyudayam. It is written partly in prose and partly in verses. Rangajamma poetess belonged to his court. Her two works are Mannarudasa Vilasa and Usaparinayam. The king was a staunch Valsnava devotee and was under the influence of the great Vaisnava scholar gumara Tatacharya who was made the royal preceptor. The Tanjavuri Andhra Rajula Charitramu says that he used to feed daily about twelve thousand Brahmins2^-*. He is also said to

have made large benefactions to the tutelary god Rajagopalswami at Mannargudi which is in the vicinity of present day Malattur. Ksetrayya the great South Indian musician ami composer is said to have adorned his court and flourished in that period. All works by various poets, refer to his interest in theatricals and the enactments of various plays to his satisfaction. If it were so at the court Brahmin

431

Bhagavatars too who were pre seat log plays during Ms reign

must have been encouraged and at this point in the history

ef the art of Bhagavata Mela must have been carried on

without any hindrance. The most important contribution made

to the Southern school of Telugu literature durirg his reign

was the impetus given to the dramatic form of literature.

The later period of his reign was full of troubles

and costly wars which impoverished the land and denuded it

of men and wealth. The armies of Golkonda and Bigapur invaded Tang ore territory and plundered it2*\ Taking advantages

of Tang ore's decline Chokkanadha, the ETayaka of Madura

marched his armies in to Tangore territory in 1677 A.D.

Vigayeraghava and his son perished in the bettle that ensued./ ‘

In 1675 A.D. Venkogi, the brother of the celebrated

Maharashtrian leader Shi vagi occupied Tang ore and this put an

and to the layaka rule.

It was during this Nayaka rule that the village

Achyutapuram the present day Melattur was given as a gift

to Brahmins for preserving the art of dance-drama and the

king Achyutappa is given credit for the same. The succeeding

heirs of hisihave shown similar interest and the entire

period is known for the development of the fine arts. The

Maratha rule in Tang ore continued the patronage given to fine arts by the Nayakas and that brings us very close to

the recent history of Bhagavata Mela Uatakcttradition.

Ekogi the first Maratha ruler of Tang ore ruled

from 1676 to 1683 A.D. His successors also continued the

432

patronage to the Brahmins and the fine arts in general. Wehave reference to the sadir naotoh tradition of Bharatakatyamand the devadasi tradition while referring to the Kuravan^itradition and the Karavanji dance-dramas. The tradition ofBhagavata Mela Fataka at Melattur appears to be nearly fourhundred years old. However, some forms of dance-dramas werealso in vogue in Tamil ladu. The Chola inscriptions refer toa variety of d rama called Ariyakuttu which was played in thetemples and it is not difficult to see in this the BrahmanaMela and a Sanskritic, if not Sanskrit tradition of plays and

26performance . It refers to the * meeting in the theatreBatakasalai, of the temple at Tiruvidaimarudur in the Tang oredistrict, and arranging for Ariyakuttu before the god in thattemple by setting apart some land for Ki11imaraikkadan aliasTiruvelaraiceakkai who had to dance on seven occassions in

27the year.* Another important inscription at Tiruvadataraiin Tan^ore district refers to * meeting in the temple to grantland to Kumar an Srikanthan for acting the seven Ankas of theAriyakkuttu on festival days in the temple there. Provisionis herein made for tiae supply of rice floor, betal leavesand areca nuts, ghee for mixing collyrium and tumeric (for

■ 28the make-up) . To this Ariyakuttu also we can relate the still surviving tradition of BM.

The art of BMH of Achyutaparam or Unnathapuram as Melattur is also known must have spread to the other five villages in Tanjore district. These villages are

433

Soolamangalam, Saliyamangalam, Oothkadu, Nallur and Theperumanallur. Of course Melattur has from the earliest times, been the fountain head of the Bhagavata Mela art, dance-dramas of similar type have also been enacted in connection with the local vaisnavite temple festivals.

29We gather from recent researches that suchcustom has been in existence in many holy places. Shecustom haems to have oeen prevalent in Kivalur near Tiruvarur.Even before the time of Melattur Yenkatarama Sastri whosedance-dramas are performed to this day in Bhagavata Mela Natakatradition, in Oothakadu there existed some Telugu dramassaid to have come from Andhra Pradesh. In SaliyamanigalamPrahladan, Bukmangadan, Vipranarayana aM Sit a Kalyanam,which were performed once upon a time twice a year duringlamanavami,- Utsavam and during the local temple festival areclaimed to be older than compositions of Yenkatarama Sastri.Gollakalapam performed there definitely shows link withKuchipudi dance-dramas. During our visit to Tan;}ore we alsosaw at Theperumanallur recently a different version ofPrahlada charitram with Sanskrit Telugu and Tamil verses. AtKuttanur the Bhagavatars were staging Hukmangada in Tamil

30for seven nights .

These facts suggest two things that there was already in existence a tradition before the Andhras migrated to Tamil Nadu and also the link with Kuchipudi dance-drama

4 34

with, the enactment of the dance-drama like Gollakalapam.

However, there is not much of historical record

available to us regarding the tradition. The tradition as

stated must have been nearly four hundred year old at Melattur.

But the dance-dramas which are performed today and which were

performed as far back as any one can remember were all

composed nearly 175 years ago by Venkatarama Saetri a great

Telugu composer who lived in Melattur during the Maratha Kings of Ianjore namely Serfoji (1800-32 A.D.) and Shivaji (1832-55 A.D.)

In the biographical notes on musicians and

composers in his introduction to his monumental SangitaSampradaya Pradarsini, Shri Suobarama Dikshita says of

Malattur Venkatarama Sastri that he flourished in the time

of the aforesaid two kings and that he was a master in

composing in the Kaisiki Vrtti, the most graceful style of31poetie composition • In the text of above mentioned

Ihesauras of compositions, Subbarama Dikshita gives a the

well-known Svarajati in Useni in the version 1 Emandayanara'

in the name of the master composer of the 'Viriboni*

varna, Adippayya, and adds in the footnote that it has been

said that while the Dhatu is the work of Adipayya, the

Matu. the words were composed by the well-known Telugu

composer Melattur Venkataram Sastri, Adippayya is mentioned

by Dikshitar as having flurished under the Tanj ore kings Pratapsimha (1741-64 A.D.) and Tulaja II (1765-87 A.D.) The

old members of the Telugu dance-drama tradition in the

villages referred to above maintain that Yenkatarama Sastri

was an elder contemporary of the famous saint composer

Tyagaraja (1767-1847 A.D.)

In the prolouge to his Telugu dance-drama Venkatrama Sastri describes himself as belonging to the

Srivatsa gotra, son of Gopal Kri shna^ya and pupil ©f

Lakshmanarya. Gopal Krisna Sastri composed dance-dramas on

the lines indicated by their predecessor Harayana Tirtha the

author of Krsnalilatarangini. These dance-dramas are :

Sita Kalyanam, Dhruva Charitram, Gauri Charitram, Kuchela

Charitram, Draupadi Vastra haranam, Bukmini Kalyanam.

We learn from the Bhagavatars of the Melattur

village that these compositions were mainljt used for

Harikatha performances and not as dance-drama though they

were modelled on Krsnalilatarangini.

Yenkatarama Sastri, following the footsteps of

his father, has composed the following twelve dance-dramas

in Telugu . All of them were intended to be presented

as dance-dramas in the Bhagavata Mela technique. They are :

Prahlada Charitram, Usha Parinayam, Harischandra, M

Bukmini Kalyanam, Dhruva Chari tram, Mazkandeya, Bakmangada,

Bhasmasuravadham, Shivaratri Yaibhavam, Sita Kalyanam,

Gollabhama.

435

However from the productions and the manuscripts

436

in the village Melattur, Oothakadu, Soolamangalam and

Nallur the following plays have come to us as having been33composed by Venkatarama Sastri.

Prahlada oharitram, Usa Parinayam, Rukmini Kalyanam, Harischandra, Markandeya, Sita Kalyanam, Dhruva

Char it r a, Hariharavilas, Kamsavadha.

This seems to be more authentic and correct

list. The composition in the former list includes Sita

Kalyanam, Shivarathri Vaibhavam, Bhasmasuravadham and

Gollabhama. Out of these four dance-dramas Gollabhama

certainly seems to be belonging to the Kuchipudl dance-drama

tradition, Pereas Shivarathri Yaibhavam and Sita Kalyanam

must be compositions by some other author*

Prom the manuscripts in possession of Kalakshetra

too, only the nine dance-dramas have actually come to our

knowledge. The two performing groups at Melattur village

also do not have all the manuscripts with them. ’Melattur

Shri Larshmi larasimha Jayanthi Bhagavata Mela Natya Nat aka

Sangam' group led by Swaminatha, claims to have the

manuscripts of the following dance-dramas in addition to the above nine of the second list via. Parvatiparinayam, Yipranarayana ( a recent composition), ant Parijatapaharanam

by Narayana Tirtha.

Whereas the other group named Bhagavata^Natya

Yidya Sangam claims to have dance-dramas in addition to

43?

list-II, two more works vize Bhaktagauri and Bhamavijayam.

From this information it seems that there are only nine dance-dramas written fcy Venkatarama Sastri that have come down to us.

43SBepertoingpf Baagavata Mela Nataka

Having taken root at Melattur the Bhagavata Mela art gradually found support and encouragement at other villages and eventually its performance came to be associated with six villages

Ihe MH have been performed only at these villages and while the other five villages have at best manifested only sporadic spurts of enthusiasm to the art, Melattur is the only plaee wnieh has maintained a more or less unbroken tradition, fhe BUT since their inception have been intimately associated with religion, and throughout the span of four hundred years it has always been performed as a votive offering in temples and never for the purposeof entertainment. Each of the six villages, Melattur, Soolamangalam

}

Saliyamangalam, Oothakadu, lallur, and Theperumanallur has a temple which are all Yaishnavite and only once a year the dance-dramas are staged hereon the occassion of the annual temple festival of

Harasimha Jayantj, which falls in the month of May or June.

Brahladacharitram :Venkatarama Sastri was well versed in the Bhagavata and

the puranas. He had a thorough acquaintance with the technics e of music and dance. His dance-dramas are all based on the themes from the Bhagavata and the other puranas. Of all his plays frahladacharitram has been considered one of the finest. Hot only by virtue of the theme but also because of the excellence of the composition, the Prahladacharitram, shines as the foremost work of Yenkatarama Sastri and it is also the play which is most produced in the Bhagavata Mela tradition of the aforementioned villages.

439

The story is .based on the theme from Srimad Bfaagavata book■54seven chapter III to IX ; Saptamaskandha Adhyayas III to IX.

According to Srimad Bhagavata the story is as follows :

The Daitya Xing Hiranyakasipu wanted that he should be

invincible, ever youthful, immortal, unrivalled and the absolute

ruler of all the worlds. With this desire in his mind, he performed severe religious austerities, lord Brahma was pleased by hiSs

penance and asked him to receive boons frcsn him. The king asked to bestow upon him the boon to the effect that his death must not come from any being of Brahma’s creation; that he should not die

indoors or outdoors, during night or at day time. Brahma conferred the boon upon the king, who because of this invincible power began

to oppress the gods. Then there was a forewarning received by

him in form of Akashavani j * Though you have been made powerful by boons, yet I will slay you when you will persecute your own

son, the high-souled^ peace-loving and foe-less Prahlada.

Of his four uncommon sons, Prahlada was the youngest* He possessed many excellent qualities. He became a great worshipper of Lord Visnu. The king had employed mighty sage Sukracarya’s

sons Sand and Amarka to instruct Prahlada in the art of learning* Prahlada was taught to worship Hiranyakasipu as the Lord of the

world* But when he was conceived in the womb of his mother Lilavati, he had listened to Saint Harada's teachings imparted to Lilavati to worship Lord Yisnu. Therefore he became a staunch devotee of.

him.

One day Hiranyakasipu placing Prahlada fondly on his

440

lap asked him : ’What object do you think to be the best ?' Prahlada replied: 'It is best to enter the woods and then take refuge in lord SriHari'. These words were expressed in reverence to Lord Visnu. Hiranyakasipu laughed in derison and took to task Sanda and Amarka for not instructing Prahlada properly* After a few xdays the king once again asked Prahlada the same question and he found to his dismay that Prahlada was a staunch devotee of his enemy Lord Visnu. He was enraged at his own son’s devotion for Tisnu and ordered the asura servants to drive him off from his presence. He ordered him to be disposed off by various means such as poisoning his food, slaying him when unguarded and asleep etc. But it had no effect on Prahlada. Seeixg this the king ordered him to be thrown off from the mountain but Prahlada was received by Bhudevi and saved. The king was quite frustrated. He thought; •Sly son Prahlada seems to be invincible and immortal. I am not certain if my death will result from a quarrel with him or I will not meet death at all*.

Sand and Amarka the two preceptors tried their best to convert Prahlada. Instead the other children at the school came under the influence of Prahlada who explained to them the learning of Visnu*s greatness which he knew when he was in womb of his mother. Narada's preachings a were explained by Prahlada to his classmates. The preceptors were frightened and reported to the king about Prahlada* s unflinching devotion to Visnu.

The king ordered Prahlada and tried to pursuade him to give up worship of Lord.. Visnu. But seeing his singleminded

441

devotion he got wild at his own son and asked in anger : 'Speak out you wretchl What is your source of power?' Prahlada replied ' 0 father 1 He who is supreme God, who is the controller of everything including Brahma and other is the source of power to me. He is omnipresent and everywhere*. She king challenged the omnipresence of Visnu. Showing the pillar in front of him the king asked his son i 'If he is present everywhere, why then is he not existent in this pillar ?'* He struck the pillar with his sword and to his disbelief and shock appeared before him with a tertifie sound and thunder a form that was neither human nor beastly* It was a combination partly of a man and partly of lion ( Nara and Simha)*He had innumerable aims with sharp nails. The king attacked the figure to no avail* Lord Narasimha rent open with his mils the bowels of the king as easily as one would do it in a sport. Thus the king was killed. The gods from various quarters appeared to see the defeat of the Daitya King. They asked Prahlada to approach the terrible form of Narasimha and propitiate him. Prahlada calmly approached the Lord and prostrated before him offering prayers*The Lord was appeased and blessed Prahlada. He asked the devotee to receive the boons. But Prahlada desired none as he was unflinchingly attached to the great one with a singleness of purpose. After blessing him Lord Narasimha disappeared.

Peahladacharitram is mainly a Yirarasapradhananataka butwe see the other rasas also as the dance-drama progresses. Bharata

35specifically states that no play in its production can have one rasa only* It is further mentioned that if in an assemblage

442of the many states, sentiments, styles (vrtti} and local usages (pravrtti) in the production of a play any one item has -varied representation it should be considered the Dominant Sentiment and the rest the Transitory ones} that which stands on the principal theme of the play and is combined with Determinants, Consequents and Transitory states.is. the Dominant sentiment# It has to be represented with an exuberance of the Temperament but the Transitory states by mere gestures and postures for they are to support the Dominant Sentiment# Bharata observes that an equally full representation of a variety of sentiments does not please the spectators and such a variety is rare in practical life, but a mixture of different sentiments will however bring pleasure to the spectators when such is carefully represented.

In the following chart we have indicated the various events in the dance-drama reflecting the different rasas#

Rasas Events

Vira Hiranyakasipu' s entrance daru inhere he revealshis powerful personality and establishes his character#

Karuna

Bhayam

Srngara Lilavati, Hiranyakasipu*s wife's entrance daru and later on her conversation with Hiranyakasipu# However her pleadings take on to pathos for Hiranyakasipu*s follies#Lilavati's pleadings to Hiranyakasipu to spare Frahlada from punishment and not to have animosity with Lord Sri Hari#Hiranyakasipu ordering Raksasas to destroy the

443the sacrificial alters and harass the rishis, Raksasas destroying the sacrificial alters and causing repulsion*The preceptors Sanda and Amarka requesting Prahlada to repeat the name of Hiranyakasipu and Prahlada repeating only Yisnu's name*Prahlada*s miraculous survival from serpents, elephant's trampling, poieioning of the food, attack of the wrestlers, throwing him off the top of the mountain and Bhudevi's rescuing him* Narasimha's emergence from the pillar and the enticing verbal fight between him and Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada and Lilavati offering salutations to lord Harasimha and offering of the arati towards the end.

Though the dominant, sentiment is yira with Hiranyakasipu*senimosity with Yisnu, the various stages in the dance-drama reflectthe various rasas as indicated above. The Heroic (vira) sentiment

36has energy as its basis • It is created by determinants such as agressiveness, reputation of might and the like* Hiranyakasipu having obtained the boon from Brahma behaves in an agressive manner, he has won over the three worlds and the reputation of his might has been unchallenged. The various consequents such as firmness, patience, heroism, diplomacy are all employed by him while dealing with Prahlada. And there la enough scope of transitory staged.

Bibhatsa

Hasya

Adbhuta

Raudra

'Santa

like judgement, pride, agitation, energy, ferocity, indignation,

444

remembrance, censuring words* His patient efforts to convert

Prahlada and not to worship lari, cajoling, threatening, anger,

punishment etc. give sufficient scope for the delineation of

virarasa.

Prahlada's devotion being firm, his mother lilavati's

love for him brings in to play the pathetic sentiment (Karuna).

The determinants here are fear £f separation from the dear ones ,

eaptivity of Prahlada and various misfortunes that befall him.

The consequents such as shedding tears, lamenting the plight)

drooping limbs, project the sentiment with effect, the transitory

states of anxiety, yearning, sadness, dejection, fear, weeping and

loss of voice etc. are employed by the dancer to delineate this

sentiment. The Uttara-pratyuttara darus between Idlavati and

Prahlada are a fine .examplesof the Karuna rasa.

Bhaktl devotion being the main theme of this dance-drama,

it has been enhanced by the miraculous escapes of Prahlada,

whenever the punishments are accorded to him.

Adbhuta - the marvellous sentiment has at its b$sis the38dominant state of astonishment . The acts here are illusory t.)

and magical. When the serpents are let loose on Prahlada they do

not kill him. The elephant when let loose on him when Prahalada

is burried up to neck turns away, for Prahlada's head appears

to the elephant like head of the lion. The wrestlers whose

bodies when stretched are like mountains fail to attack Prahlada.

And when he is thrown off from the top of the mountain, Ehudevi

appears on the scene and rescued him* The consequents employed

445here are joy and uttering words of approbation as Prahlada is rescued everytime* The transitory states like horripilation, hurry, inactivity etc* are employed, and in the end there is joy, for, every time Prahlada is rescued,

Baudra the furious sentiment has as its basis the dominant state of anger, Bharata observes that it owes its origin to Baksasas,

•ZQa Danavas and haughty men . Its determinants are anger, abuse, insult, threatening, revengefulness and the like. Its actions are beating, breaking, crushing, cutting, piercing, taking up arms, fighting and similar deeds. This is represented on the stage by means of consequents such as red eyes, knitting of eye-brows, defiance, etc. The transitory states in it are represented by indignation, restlessness, fury, trembling, chokingof the voice and the like,

\

When Karasimha appears at the climax from the pillar it also causes bhaya the terrible sentiment. The sight strikes fear and later on the ensuing dialogues between Hiranykasipu and Harasimha embrace the entire gamut of anger, challenge and fight. However, in the dance-drama in Melattur village and the Hhagavata Mela Nataka tradition, the killing of Hir any aka s ipu and disembowling his entrails or piercing nails in to his body and renting open his stomach are not shown or enacted. It is symbolically suggested only that Hiranyakasipu is vanquished in the fight.But the impact all the same is very powerful. The verbal fight too is full of anger and energy. The delineation of rasa takes place through the challenge*

UGHasya the comic sentiment is employed here in a situational context. Prahlada's devotion is unshaking* The attempts by the preceptors to(cdyert)him on the side of his father fall flat.The comic sentiment (Hasya) has as its basis the dominant emotion

40 r—"of laughter . It is created by determinants such as showing use of irrelevant words, mentioning of different faults and similar other things. This is to be represented on the stage by consequents like the throbbing of the lips, opening of the eyes wide or contracting them and similar act. The transitory states in it are indolence and self-centred and centred in others. Here it is the latter, for it makes others laugh. Whenever the preceptors ask Prahlada to repeat the name of Hiranyakasipu, he repeats the name of Yisnu. The other classmates of Phahlada laugh at the futile attempts of the teachers. And so does the audience. The consequents like the throbbing of the lips, opening the eyes wide or contracting them are employed by the dancer performing the roles of the preceptor, every time Prahlada repeats name of Yisnu.Of course this sentiment is brought in for relief in the general scheme of the delineation of the rasa.

The Bhaya and Bibhatsa are discerned in minor way andthe dance-drama ends with 'santa rasa' as the Lord Narasimha

----^ _ -is\appeased) and there is victory of good over evil. The cathartic

Vd—''

feeling that the audiences go through is a unique experience. HARlfcfeABhRA NATAKA

Next to Prahlada Charitram in popularity is theHarischandra Nat aka in the Bhagavata Mela Nataka tradition at Melattur.

447It is enacted in two pacts on two consecutive nights and is a great favourite for its sentiment pathos - Karuna rasa with $h© t audience. It is a Karunarasa pradhan nataka.

The story is taken from the various Puranas. It appears■> 41

in Mahabharata Sabhaparva, JTaytttas. Purana, Visnu Purana and also Devi Bhagavata.

Harisehandra was the grandson of Hibandhana of Surya y&msa and son of Satyavrata or Trisahkuraja. He was made the king of Ayodhya during his father*s life time. He had hundred wives among whom Chandramati was the favourite and a great devotee. She

‘ l

begot a son by him named Lohj&as. Harisehandra was a great devotee

of the sage Vasistha.

Once upon a time Yasistha visited Indra. Devendra inquired if there existed on earth a really great man devoted wholly to truth and full of valour. Yasistha said that king Harisehandra was such a person. Yiswamitra challenged this and said that he would prove him not to be that great a person.

Yiswamitra thereupon arrived at the court of Harisehandra who received him with due respect. Then he asked Harisehandra for wealth to conduct a Yajna which Harisehandra readily offered.The sage having taken promise from the king asked him to keep the offering safe till he claimed it. In the meanwhile people come to

the king expressing their grief and anxiety at the ravages of the wild animals to the crops and the country. These were illusory and created by Yiswamitra only. The king went for hunting and

448returned tired after having driven the animals and went to sleep*

He had a bad dream that his Kingdom was destroyed and that he,

his wife Chandramathi and the crown prince lohitdas were exiled.

In the forest after taking the rest when the king woke

up two Matanga Kanyas sent by Viswamitra arrived on the scene

and entertained the king by playing upon the vina and by performing

dance. The king was pleased and offered them presents. Hot being

satisfied with the presents they asked for the royal umbrella

which the latter refused. On their asking that the king should marry

him, the king was enraged at their impudence and after chastising

them drove them away. The Matanga Kanyas went to Viswamitra and

complained against the king. The sage came to the court and

complained that his special golden dear, roaming in the forest

was taken by the king during the hunt, that his Matanga Kanyas

were insulted and beaten up and insisted that he accept the

girls as his wives. Thereupon the king said that he would rather

sell his kingdom than prove unfaithful to his queen by accepting

Matanga Kanyas. Viswamitra in order to test him asked for the

kingdom which the king gave away and went into exile with his

queen and lohitdaw.

Viswamitra sent his emissary Nakshattrayya to Harischandra

to collect his dues, the money left with the king in trust

earlier meant for the Yagna. Nakshattrayya tormented Harischandra to distraction. Seeing him so suffering Chandramati was greatly

troubled. Even lohitdas was tormented by Naksattrayya as he had

449put s/o,> handcuffs on gentle wrists of her son* Meanwhile they

arrived near a forest. Viswamitra created an illusory fire which

by power of her single-minded devotion to her husband Ghandramati,

after offering prayer to the fire, enabled all iso cross it unhurt.

While crossing it Ghandramati lagged behind and in order to

torment her Nakasattrayya made improper advances to her which

Ghandramati resented with repulsion and disgust*

When Harischandra was pressed for paying back the dues

to Viswamitra, Chandramati pursuaded Harischandra 4o se.il her

off to meet the debt. Harischandra was greatly tormented at the

thought but agreed to do so and auctioned her to Kalakanta for a

price. However Naksattrayya argued that the money thus obtained

only paid for his own labours and the debt to Viswamitra was not

cleared. Harischandra in order to clear off the debt agreed to

be auctioned himself and Naksattrayya and the queen were separated

and had to undergo great torture at the hands of their

respective masters.

Once Kalakanta ordered Ghandramati to send Lohitdasa to

the forest and oollect the darbhagrass. She was terribly worried for his well being but had no alternative except sending him to

obey her master's orders, lohitdasa on the way was bitten by a

snake in the forest and died. Ghandramati hearing of this tragedy

from the companions of her son was disconsolate. She bemoaned

her son's loss and asked permission to cremate him. After much

trouble Kalakanta allowed her to go. She took the dead body to

the burning ghat where she encountered the watchman who was none else but Harischandra.

450He waw appointed by Virabahu as a watchman of the cremation

ground on his behalf. Virabahu*s wife who had seen the plight of Harisehandra was very sympathetic to him and had pursuaded hef husband to let him work as a watchman. On seeing Chandramati lamenting and their beloved son dead Harisehandra was miserable.At that very time the king and the queen of Kasi sent their servants to find out their missing child. She servants going round the .city encountered ChandTramati at the cremation ground.

Viswamitra by his illusory powers managed to drop in her lap the jewels of the crown prince of Kasi. The servants carried her off to the king as the culprit responsible for the loss of the prince.

She king ordered that Chandramati should be executed. And Harisehandra the watchman of the burning ghat was asked to execute her. At dawn the next morning when Harisehandra was about to carry out the king*s orders, lord Siva and Parvati appeared surrounded by the Eishis and praised him for being such a staunch follower of truth. Shey blessed him and Chandramati. Lohitdasa was brought back to life. In the end the victory of truth was hailed by all including sage Viswamitra who too blessed the pious king, his devoted wife and the son lohitdasa.

She story is so moving that it touches the hearts of all members in the audience. Here undoubtedly the main dominant sentiment is the pathetio-karuna. She other sentiments like srngara, vira, hasya, bhaya, adbhuta, roudra, bibnatsa and santa toojappear in various measures on the various oceassions. She

following chart indicates the events when these sentiments are > /: ^ 1 *

'A i>

noticed.Rasa Events

¥ira

Sringara

Hasya

Bhava

Bhibhatsa

Roudra

Patraprauesa darn of Hariehandra. His going to the forest to drive away the wild animals etc. His love for Chandramati. Also sringara is rewealed by latanga Kanyas for the King. However he chastises them and chases them away.When King derides the Matanga Kanyas who implore him to marry them. There is a feeling of derison and also ridicule.The forest, the cremation, ghat the fire through which Ghandramati, the king and the crown prince have to walk through. Bhuta Pisaeha approach Harischandra to spare Naksattrayya for their meal.When Naksattrayya makes improper advances to Chandramati who is tormented by his uncouth behaviour. Also the description of the cremation ground, Harischandra* s plight as a watchman of the cremation ground.Yiswamitra*s anger at Harischandra; Naksattrayya'^ anger, Kalakant* s behaviour, Veerabahu's ill-treatment towards Harischandra; Harischandra kills Pisacha who comes and asks for Naksattrayya for meal*

A

Xx.

452

Adbhuta

Sant*

She golden dear created by illusion by Viswamitra, the fire in the forest and Chandramati, Harischandra and Lohitdasa’s crossing it, when in the end Harischandra as an executioner is about to kill Chandramati, the appearance of the Celestial beings, the presence of Lord Siva and Parvati and the sages.The blessing by Lord Siva and Parvati and the donouement wheat all ends well. She victory of truth over untruth prevails.

Karima : The pathetic sentiment is present throughout thedance-drama. It grows from the determinants such as afflication

42under a curse; separation from dear ones, loss of wealth, death, captivity, flight from one*s own place, dangerous accidents and any other misfortune. This is to be represented on the stage by means of consequents such as shedding tears, lamentation, dryness of the mouth, change of colour, drooping of limbs, being out of breath and the like. Transitory states connected with it are indifference, langour, anxiety, yearning, excitement, delusion, tainting, sadness, dejection, illness, inactivity,fear, indolence, death, paralysis, tremor, weeping loss of the voice and the like.

We come across the entire gamut of all these in this

dance-drama. There is a separation from the beloved ones when Harischandra and Chandramati are sold to two different masters? they loose their kingdom (loss of wealth); Lohitdasa is bitten

453

by snakeand meets death; the entire family has to go from place

to place, more on through forest, work at the cremation ground

and countless misfortunes meet them at every step*

When Haksattrayya puts handcuff* on Harischandra, the■^ejnejmbersw

king laments his present state and/his past life when only a

few days ago he was a king; Saksattrayya puts handcuffs on

iohitdasa and Chandramati requests him to spare her son such

tortures; when they have to enter the fire there is Akasvani that

only one person should enter it and offer sacrifice; Chandramati

decides to enter but is pained to leave Iohitdasa behind; as a

mother she is worried about his well-being after her demise, if

she were consumed by the fire*

She misfortunes hunt them and Harischandra has to sell

Chandramati* When Kalakanta buys her and the husband and wife are separated the^ lamentation of Harisohandra is heart-renting.

He wonders if they will ever meet again and surrenders to god's

will knowing fully well that this is the result of Vlswamitra's

wrath*

Later on Harischandra is sold to Virabahu* He has to

prepare meat, fish, out goats, deer, as he is an employee of a Chandala* He compares and contrasts his present plight with

his former life* As a king he wasp paid taxes and now he has to

collect dues and taxes for a Harijan and a lower caste fellow to whom he is sold* He is sent to the cremation ghat* Xhe

worst of the misfortunes await him there. Chandramati arrivesthere with the dead body of their own son, the servants of the

Kasiraja sear eh out Chandramati who is accused of killing

454the missing prince as the jewels of the prince are found in her lap; she is ordered to be executed and it falls on Harisehandra only to carry out the orders. This continuous succession of misfortunes causes karunarasa the pathetic sentiment.

When Lohitdasa is ordered to go to the forest to collect darbha grass and is bitten by serpent, Chandramati*s miseries are unbearable. Even before his death when at Kalakanta*s residence the child asks for milk, he is beaten up; Chandramati is not allowed to take rest and is kept constantly busy; her anguish when Lohitdasa has not returned home after picking grass is very well depicted in her 'Svagatoktis* like *what she is to do; birds have returned to their nests, cows have returned : Brahmins have begun performing Sandbyavandanams, all temple pujas are over still Lohitdasa has not retusned;* when she has to cany Lohitdasa* s corpse to cremetion ground her lamentation makes all weep who see the abhinya of the dancer; when after midnight Chandramati reaches the burning ghat for cremation Harisehandra does not recognise her. She tells him her story.He asks for identification. Chandframati was blessed by the

gods that only her husband could see her Mangalasutra the identification mark of her marriage. When Harisehandra is able to see it they rdalise that their misfortunes were multiplying; the accusation that she has stolen the jewel of the crown prince of Kasiraja and she is taken captive; Harisehandra is asked to execute her; all lead to an intense pathetic sentiment and the audience too while witnessing the series of events sheds tears.

455In the end when Gods intervene and all ends well the eathartie feeling is experienced.

It is one of the finest dance-dramas or Yenkatarama Sastri extolling the virtues of truth and faith in god. With the mixture of various rasas karuna is intensified and has found exquisite projection in this dance-drama.

This exercise could be extended to other dance-dramas also. In recent years Prahlada Charitram, Harisehandra Nataka (in two parts) Usa parinayam and Rukmini Kalyanam are presented more or less regularly. The other dance-dramas are revived oeeassionally. These dance-dramas also permeate a feeling of great devotion and exhort the audiences to follow the paRh of

truth and have unswerving faith in the Lord,

Technical Structure :All these dance-dramas are written in Telugu and have

similar technical structure as the dance-dramas of Kuchipudi.The governing principle of Krtta. Krtya and Katya also apply to these dance-dramas. The element of pure danoe Krtta, abhinaya to the songs recited and delivered by the dancers or the musicians Nrtya.and the dramatic mode Katya along with the Yrttis, pravrt&s. Dharmis are applicable in the same manner as we have observed in the dance-dramas of Kuchipudi. As a matter of fact these dance-dramas are an offtffcoot of the Kuchipudi' dance-dramas with a difference in the technique of^ance,. the style being that of what has come to be known contemporary Bharat Katyam technique.It is different in character than the rounded, embellished with

456

quick silver movements and spring like quality of pure dance of,

Kuchipudi Mrttai It is more austere, has geometrical form,

exquisite lineaments, arabesques, triangles, parabolas, horizontal

lines, verticle ones and has three Kalas performed in three tempos,\

Vilambita, Madhya and Iruta. It therefore lends a different

character to the technique and the form, The music too here is

austere and melodious, purely classical Karnatak. This could be

more appreciated when we take in to account the development of

the music in the time of Hayaka§ of Tanjore, the great VaggeyakardT*

presence like the Trinity of Karnatak music Shyama Sastri,

Muthuswami Dikshita and Tyagaraja. Tenkatrama Sastri as we have

already noted was a senior contemporary of Tyagaraja. The

flowering of the Karnatak School of Music during this period is

unparalleled.

Darus s Darus featuring in these dance-dramas are similar

to those in Kuchipudi dance-dramas. Ohe scheme here too is thesame. The patrapravesa daru, swagata dara,Ctfttra pra$uttar«5 daru

and the ordinary daru are used in the same manner as we have43noticed in the Kuchipudi dance-dramas. >

These dance-drams are also performed by all male dancers.

There are no female dancers. The sale dancers impersonate female

roles as is the case with Kuchipudi tradition. These dance-dramas

are also performed in front of a temple in the street. However

unlike Kuchipudi dance-dfamas they are performed once a year and

also at the six villages only. In recent years the tradition

has been surviving in Melattur only*

457MUSIC : Sagas, galas. Jatis :••HHMMiMMWaMiMWi WMBMMamaamiaii* *

The music used in the HOT is or the higher classical tradition* As mentioned earlier, Venkatarama Sastri had deep knowledge of music and he knew how to relate raga and rasa. In some of his dance-dramas such as Prahlada eharitram, he has ingeniously made use of the tlme-raga theory and arranged the sequence of his compositions in the play in such a way that the ragas relevant to the different hours of the night come to be used at their appropriate time, lor example at the conclusion of the play when lord Narasimha is taken in a procession to the temple at Melattur in the early hours of the dain, the Bhagavatars sing * kamalanayana puma purushottama' song in Bhupala raga which is the most appropriate time for the raga and gives a thrilling effect.

The dhyana slokas recited at the commencement of the play are in Nata raga. The first song of the todavamangalam beginning with the words 1 Jaya janaki ramana’ in Jampa tala is also in Mata raga* This is reminiscent of the custom of playing tunes in Mata raga by nagaswaram players in temple, before the deity is taken out in procession* As the staging of BIN constitues an important item of the temple festival, the use of this raga for the opening verses appears to have originated from the same tradition* It is also used in music and Bhajan concerts* The Konangi' s song * Konangi konangi rara konangi 1 used to be invariably in Kambho^i raga Adi tala in all BIN. The sahitya of the song was also the same in all the villages.

458

Hiranyakasipu's patrapravesa daru in Devagandhari raga

set to Adi tala with the words 'Yedalanamma Hiranya shrudindugo'

is an excellent example for portrayal of Vira rasa aptly suited

for the dignity of the A sura king.

Mlavati's entreaties to Hiranyakasipu in the daru in

Parasu raga with the words ' Inta kopamemi na sami* - is another

fine example of a well chosen raga suited for expressing the

mood which is a mixture of sadness and deep concern, fear and

earnest entreaty*

The use of Shanta raga for pathetic sentiment Kanina rasa

in the swagata daru of iilavati in Adi tala with the words ’Hari

midi vairamn nade* is very well chosen for its appropriateness

of the rasa projection.

Another example of pathos which is expressed very well

in raga Ahiri is Mlavati's svagata daru with the words n Bmani

ne tala dane', seeing Prahlada planished by Hiranyakasipu* Xt

brims with Karunarasa. fhe spirit of the raga combines with

the nature of the context to produce a very moving effect*

Ehudevi's patrapravasa daru in Bilahari Eaga is an

example of an apt choice of raga to express joy* As she appears

to rescue Prahlada the feeling of joy is well projected in the

daru beginning with the words ' Bhumidevi vedali* and it is well

appended with a tillana jati at the end.

fhe snakecharmer's entrance daru and the one which

describes his releasing the snakes on Prahlada (vevela pamulu)

459

are sung in Punnagavarali raga. The word Punnagavarali iB only a currupt form of Pannagavarali where the word Pannaga means snake. As is well known this raga exercises a great fascination over snakes and has been used from time immemorial to charm them.

A good instance where Puravakalyani raga is used to express two different sentiments is provided in the darus •Deva deva ide samaya maiya* and * kaduvadi gadagada mani* both in Tisram. The first daru expresses the sentiment of Bbakti. The climax of the play is reached at this stage, when Prahlada makes fervent appeal to Hari to appear from the pillar. As a matter of fact Purva Kalyani is the evening raga but its use does not at all appear out of tune with the spirit of the song though it is rendered in the morning around say 4 A.M. On listening it we are filled with a feeling of profound Bbakti when we hear it sung at this hour.

The second daru is the patrapravesha daru of Barasimha swarni when he bursts out from the pillar in the form of a man-lion thirsting bo kill Hiranyakasipu. The thrill caused by the appearance of the terrible form of Hari combined with the onomatopoeic sahitya such as fKad« vadi gada gada manif fills the on looker with awe and we seem to feel the earth actually trembling beneath us. Here Purva Kalyani is used for raudra rasa and appears very suitable. As the situation is one of vigorous action, the daru is in quick tempo which gives no room for indulging in pronounced ‘gamakas*. The tisra gati adds to the intensity of the situation.

460In Hara&handra nataka the main rasa being Karuna the

choice of the raga has fallen on those that portray the pathetic sentiment.

The use of Parasu for ganapati's patrapravesa daru seems to suggest the pathos that is to pervade the entire play.Beginning with the words ' Vaocanu Gananathudu Sri Vasudai' rendered in Parasu has a pathetic appeal, normally Parasu is not used for the commencing darus in any other play of Venkatarama Sastri.

The patrapravesha daru of Harischandra beginning with the words ‘Harischandra Maharaja vadigo arudencanamma* is aptly in kambhoji raga, in keeping with the pomp and f majesty of the king.

Venkatarama Sastri seems to favour Atana raga for the patrajgravesa darus of most of his heroines. Chandramati * s

aves^a daru is in Atana and begins with the words'Vedalanu Chandramati vibhuni cantaku nipudu*. We also noticedthat lilavati* s patrapravesha daru in PrahladCa Charitram and Use's in Usa parinayam are also in Atana raga*

When Naksttrayya puts handcuffs on Bohitdasa^s hands Chandramati bursts out in a wailing tone. The daru is set toPunnagavarali with the words ,’J4£yayama mikidi nyayama

/Naksttrayya nyayama* expressing pathetic sentiment Karunarasa with exquisite rendering. The choice of the raga isappropriate here.

The lamenting of Chandramati in a samvada darn with

IiOhitdasa in Ahiri also projects her anxiety for her child.

1Chinni tanayani vade danku chilukanubattuka*• When Harischandra

is sold to Virabahu chandala and is asked to do chores of a

menial, his eyes are full of tears. The choice of Mukhari raga

suits the oocasion for his pitiable condition t 'Jappana desala sala* He reflects that being a feshtriya and king he was respected

and paid taxes by other kings and now look at his plight.

Chandramati * s unhappiness knows no bounds when she

is accused of stealing jewels of Kasiraja’s son. She sings

in a daru in Yadukula kambodi raga ' Ye mi se yu tu nanu*,

that is an apt choice to express her agony.

The following ragas are used by Venkatarama Sastri in

the BMN.

At anaAbhogiAhiriBegadaBhairaviBhupalaBilhariChenjurutiBevagandhariBarabar,BhanyasiGhantaGowlipantaKapi,Kedargowla,KurinjiKalyaniKambhojiKhamas

Mukhari,Manji Maniranga

NilambariHadanamakriyaKataHatakurinjiFarasuPantuvaraliPurvikalyaniPunnagavaraliRitigoulaSahanaSankarabharanamSavexiSaurashtramSurutiSindhubhairavi Todi, Useni YasantaYadukula^.. Kambhoji

galas s 462She various talas employed in the Bili dance-dramas

are found in the solo exposition of sadir nautch Dasiattam - or what has now oome to be known as Bharat a Hatyam.

Chaturasra griputa (Adi), Chaturasra Rupaka, Khanda, Jhampa Misra chapu and Tisra Eka are commonly used. Rare and uncommon galas do not figure in these dance-drama. In Markandeya Charitram manuscript from Soolamangalam we come across a daru whose tala is indicated as Yavati gala, ghis is unusual and rare*

Misra ohapu tala and Chatursra griputa have been used more frequently than the other kinds in these dance-dramas.

Tisragati has bean very well handled in the darus in Purvafcalyani raga. We have referred to a fine example of it from Prahlada charitram. When Prahlada prays to Lord Hari to appear from the pillar with the words i 'Leva Leva' and when Narasimha bursts forth from the pillar with the Daru 'Kadu

ccccentuateXvadi gada' the situation is acacpked by the Tisragati of the tala of this daru. ghe other daru is Narasimha* s patrapravesa daru. The use of gisra gati heightens the effect of the onomatopoetic sahitya of the song.

Rythm is the founaation of all dance-forms in India.It has been developed in to an elaborate science. Yenkatarama bas'cri has used the talas keeping in vi%w its total effect for heightening the appeal of his composition, ghe *takita - ta ka dhi mi' rhythm figures invariably in all dance-dramas. Even

in those plays where the Misra chapu tala has not been used, we find that the akshara kala values for an averta of bhe other talas employed correspond to those of Misra chapu tala,

JATIS :The jatis afford an opportunity to the actor-dancers

to show their skill and virtuosity in the exposition of Irtta. These tala mnemonics are indispensable in any type of dance-dramas In all BMM the recital of jatis forms the commencing item.

The Ja£is are recited in tara sthayi shadja throughout in the MI presentation.

After the first line of the daru, pada or khandikarelating to important characters is sung, jatis follow* Theyare also recited at the end of each song to mark the conclusion,Daru and padas have been composed in all the three margas,ehitrajara, chitratama and atchitratama adopted in the Kritis,The talas of most of the daru, padas or other songs with whichelaborate Abhinaya has to be co-ordinated are reckoned in theohatuskala style, which allows great scope for slow movement.Of the degrees of the speed usually employed, vilambita layaand madhya laya are more frequentlgc used than druta laya. Inthe darus of the less important characters figuring in Hiedance-dramas the madhya laya is employed. Sometimes tempo isdoubled or trebled in the same piece to heighten the dramatic effect. There are no fixed patterns for these jatis (called the teermanams as in Bharat Bfatyam) and they are varied accordingto the discretion of the Bhagavatars and the dancing ability of the actors.

464A speciality of the Bbagavata Mela Nataka is that on

a character leaving the stage ' after dancing to the teeramana jatis the Bhagavata recites another set of jatis signifying the end of the scene or episode. These may be termed as ’antya* j at is and are not danced by any character. These offer an interesting parallel to the pundarikanas recited as Bhajans.

Jatis have been appended to certain darus by the author ♦

of the play himself. Such jatis are called makuta .iatis as they constitute the crowning portion of the composition. These jatis generally extend over two or four avartas and end in sets of five (kfaanda), seven (misra) or nine (sankima) tala syllables. The tillana jati securing after the Anupallavi of lilavati's patrapravesha daru in At ana raga Adi tala with the words •Yaccanidugo Lilavati ramani’ is an excellent example of this type.

ME I : Mai is a musical form oc curing in the BMU and consistspurely of tala jatis. This was the special feature of Soolamangalam tradition. After dancing to the patraprevasa daru, the heroine of the play performs dance to Alsrippu,Mei and Yamam. These dances are intended to provide an opportunity for the display of the performer’s skill in dancing, specially in Krtta. Mei which resembles Alarippu is recited in tara sathayi shadja and is in Adi tala. This musical form which seems to have been in vogue in the dance performances of earlier days haw become almost obsolete nowadays.

465Kaustubhams is a type or composition in which Jatis

are interspersed with the sahitya. These are used in the BMW and are recited by the Bhagavataras during the preliminary items proceeding the play* Similarly we come across a type of composition called Koutuka used in Yaksgana performances. It also consists of .iatis mixed with sahitya. It appears that Kautuka has similaralities with Kavutvams or kavitvams. forms part of the temple rituals and we see the presentation of them on the contemporary stage in a solo Bharata Natyam exposition. They are often dediG^&it'o Lord Nataraja and Kartikeya* dc

Musical instruments :

Mridanga for the percussion, is an indispensable instrument in the dance-dramas. Often Mukhavina is utilised. Tutti is used for drone* Now a days harmonium is also used* Cymbals, violin, clarionet are the other instruments which are used for musical accompaniment*

The following is the list of verses (metres) used in

BMff :Champakmala, choornika, Bvipada, Dvipadardham, Git am,

Gitardham, Kandam, Kandardham, lali, Mattebham, Padyam, Pratyaksam, Sisam, Sisardham, Slokams, Stotrams, Shardulams, tJtpalamala and Utpalardha.For explanation of these verses see dance-dramas section of Chapter on Technical structure*

Performance :Every year during the Narasimha Jayanti, the street

466leading to the temple is cleaned and a thatched pandal is

erected over this* A temporary stage is erected and this is

fitted with curtains and drop scenes. Illumination is provided

by using Patromax lamps and electric lights, formerly there

used to be no stage as such and the artistes had to perform

just on one side of the street and at the same level as the

onlookers. It is aid that illumination then was provided by big

earthen lamps which were installed atop, cut to size, trunks of

young plantain trees which were planted on the sides of the

street, flanking the iffipx>ovi®edl'd stage. There used to be no

curtains either, except for the stretched pieces of cloth which

was held before introducing the principal characters of the

dance-drama.

The dance-drama begins with the entrance of Konnangi

or a baffoon who dances about for a few minutes doing various

pranks and causes laughter. He attracts attention of the

audience and utters * Sadhu* *Sadhu* asking them to keep silence.

After Ms exist the musicians enter and slog Todayamangalam

beginning with the words * Jaya janaki ramana jay a vibhishana’

in raga Hata (this is similar to the proverb j ' adi nata antya

surata* in Kuehipudi village) and then they sing Prahlada

Pattabisheka Sabdam, if the play to be enacted is Prahlada

Charitram. They also recite several scintillating sollpkattus -

mnemonic syllables which are rhythmical. Then the Ehagavatars

are presented with sandal paste and flowers by an elderly

oitizen of the village as an offering of respect. These

467formalities are observed at the beginning during the enactment of Prahlada eharitram play and are not repeated lateron.

After these preliminaries are over a young boy of ten or twleve year old puts on a mash of elephant-head and presents patrapravesa daru of Ganapati. He performs a few dancing steps to the music and rhythm provided by the musicians who now sit in one comer. Sometimes this item is performed by a boy whose parents have taken a vow to present him on the stage. By his appearance in role of Ganapati the vow is considered to be fulfilled.

Then the dance-drama proper begins. We have already considered the various darus and how they are related to Dhruvas mentioned in the Hatasastra. The chief characters ' introduce themselves from behind the pieee of a oloth held by two stage hands. The characters sing along with the musicians and dance enacting abhinaya with appropriate hand gestures - hastas and facial expressions. The hastas employed are from Abhinayadarpana and the scheme of facial expression has at its basis the techQi.§ue** of abhinaya as laid down in the Natyasastra. These patrapravesa darus generally give description of the character. In musical terms the daru of Bhagavata Mela Hataka tradition of Melattur are similar to the bigger Iritis among classical compositions of the Karnatateqmusic.

The dance-drama progresses irom one scene to the next.The technique of dance as observed earlier is that of- Bharata Natyam therefore the words in the Nrtya aspect are expressed

468and interpreted by the dancer, acting in the familiar mode.

There are vachanams- prope dialogues. She Vacikabhinaya is an important feature of these dance-drama traditions. The dialogues give them a form ot d^rama along with the predominant elements of dance and music. Padyas, darus, sabdams, slokasj, ohumikas, vpada-varnas, sisams, sisardhams, kandams, kandardhams all appear in these dance dramas in the Kuchipudi tradition#

However there are no independent non-related items found in H form# In Iritta section some tines a character performs pure dance sequence like Alarippu of the Bharata latyam suite and occassionally Tillana* But other items do not appear and are not grafted to the main story for divertisement or entertainment* We have observed that in Kuchipudi dance dramas the dancer-actor presents items like Krsnasabdam or Dasavatara- sabdam even ufaen these items do not form part of the main theme. In Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition Tarangans are performed ' as divertissement. Such items have no place in BMN*

Therefore we also notice that an independent form of solo dance ekapatri abhinaya or in the technical terms of IS ekaharya lasyanga has not emerged from the larger technique of BMI. Bather than emerging from the lataka, it appears to be already existing in form of Bharatanatyam or sadimautch repretoire* In Kuchipudi we see the form emerging and taking shape in contemporary times at the hands of the lattuvanars

469

and achazyas who are polishing the technique with embellishments

and working out a repertoire on the lines of Bhatratanatyam suite#

The darus, sisams, sisardhamas, kandams, kandardhams,

solioquies and samyada darus-dialogues in poetic diction blend

with dance and abhinaya at every stage# The abhinaya also

appears to be more elaborate than the solo Bbarata Hatyam form.

On the whole it gives us an impression of remarkable synchroni­

sation of music, speech, dance and abhinaya producing a highly

aesthetic appeal which is aimed at <■ rasanubharyh - rasa realisation#

Bor, the technique of the IS is aimed towards that objective

and seems redacted in these traditions# Both the Kuchipudl

and Bhagavata Mela lataka traditions fairly approach that ideal

and succeed, when presented properly, in elavating the -

spectators to the world of emotional and aesthetic experience#

In BMN tradition we do not have the role of Sutradhara

impersonating the characters of Sakhi Madhavi, Dutika or Sakha

Madhava and the go-between# With the absence of this scheme,

the comments made by Sutradhara are also absent# In Kuehipudi

dance-drama tradition since the Sutradhara has a liberty to

comment upon the actions of the main characters, there is also

scope for humour and popular entertainment causing laughter

among the audience# In BMSF we notice a subdued tone, restraint

and dignity#

In Prahlada eharitram enactment of Kuchipudi danee-drama in the final sequence, Narasimha takes Hiranyakasipu on his

lap and enacts the ripping open of stomach and taking out his

470

entrails. In BUT such scenes are avoided. She scenes ofdeath and war| are narrated off stage and we observe that

the tradition appears more’ in conformity with the principles of

NS to avoid showing of killing and death on the stage. Regarding

aharyabhinaya and stage decor back drops and sometimes drop-scenes

are used. A stool becomes the throne, a bench and a ch$Ar are

used for similar purposes. Since the resources are of Natyadharmi

the suggestions are employed through descriptions in the songs45and the handgesture. The concept of ohitrabhinaya is

employed to suggest places and time. As a matter of fact, these concepts are inherent in the use of the hastas also. The'various

viniyogas (usages) of the handgestures cover an extensive field

and there seems to be very little or no need to fall back upon

realistic abhinaya or stages properties.

The constumes of the danees-actors are designed to

enhance their characteristics* The female character nowadays

put on ready made stitched costumes as used by Bharata Natyarn

dancers. The head-ornaments, ear-nose and other ornaments are

similar. The female character also wears a garland which is

kept in a peculiar position running from left shoulder to the

waist or sometimes they use it as a necklace like a garland.

The male characters use silken pyjamas, coloured dhoti, jackets,

long coat made of valvet, crown and other ornaments. These

are of course the influences of theatrical companies of the

late thirties. At one point in the past the costumes must

have been highly aesthetic. The use of jari, nylon and synthetic

471materials has become the order of the day. Masks are used in case of Narasimha and fir some Raksasa characters.

The use of electric lights, the coloured lights and the microphones has become inevitable. These are often quite elaborate robbing the asthetic beauty of the dance dramas.

PERFORMANCE OF FRAHLADA QHAEITR1MWe witnessed recently on May 12, 1976, during Narasimha

Jayanti the annual festival at Mellattur, enactment of Prahladacharitram by the old group,,. Earlier we had seen the performance in May 1970. We give here our impressions and the aetual proceedings of the play as they are enacted now.

The presiding deity at Melattur is called Sri Varadaraj a Perumal or Aehyuta Varadaraja. The festival is known as Vasantotsava. A big pandal is erected on the street in front of the temple and it covers the front yards of as many as fifteen houses on both sides of the street. At one end of the pandal a snail stage is erected facing the deity in the temple, a At about seven O'clock in the evening on the day of the performance the deity is installed in front of the dhvajaethambha of the temple. Jasmine garlands are placed on it and puja is offered. These garlands are later on worn by the actors taking roles of the main '-.character/,.! This custom of garlanding the deity is known as 'Vasantam'Sat^al' in

Tamil. This is done. «n everyday during the celebration of the festival. Towards nine o'clock in the night the whole pandal

472

is packed with children, wbmen, old people and eager spectators.

She dance-drama commences around ten o’clock. Two Bhagavatare

who conduct the nattuvangam and three singers and the

perussionists get t ready for their parts, formerly a

granthika or the reader of the prose-link in the story used

to remain present. Nowadays he is dispensed with.

The Bhagavatars first recite some ;)atis in the tara

sthayi shadja and say the pundarikams. Then dhyana slokas

sudd as Prahlada, larada, Parasara etc. are recited by them.

After this the Konnangi or baffoon enters dancing to a daru.

He then calls out for order and after saying ’Sadhu Sadfau*

meaning silence exists. He always performs some antics and

causes laughter* Then another jati is uttered by the

Bhagavatars* The first and the last songs of Todays mangalam are sung next.46 These benedictory songs are so called since

the days of Talappakkam Annayya (15th Gent. A*D.) his son and

grandson (Circa 1520-80 A.D.) Before beginning each song a

jati in the tala of the song to be sung isfaid first and then

the song is taken up* A sabdam follows this. The sabdam sung

in kamboji rags at Melattur is interesting as it contains an epitome of the whole story to be enacted, formerly the

musicians used to sing a Kaustubham which is not rendered any

more. Sometimes one or two songs not connected with the story

are also rendered.

These preliminary items being over, the argument of the

story called Adi Dvipada is sung in ragamalika. It serves as

473a piece of internal evidence relating to the pedigree of the author. A jati is then said in the tara sthayi. Instead of Granthika, the min conductor reads out the prose passage or vachana announcing the entrance of Vighneswara. After reading out he says a jati and the Bhagavatars begin to sing the Vighneswara patraprevesa daru, when a small boy donning the mask of Ganapati enters and executes a few steps. Then two Pandara Gurukkal (priests) enter and perform puja by breaking coconut and offering arati* Pu^a being over the Vighneswara makes an exit* The conductor says the vachana and announces the entry of the Katikamvadu or the herald* He enters dancing to the daru. The Bhagavatars ask him who he is, where he has come from to which he replies that he is the herald of Hiranyakasipu* He then requests the people to be orderly and exists dancing.

Then enters Hiranyakasipu in the first scene* Bilavati his wife enters next behind the cloth piece and also performs Alarippu and departs. Then Prahlada their son appears dancing to the daru* After his exist Sukracarya, the guru of the Asuras enters. Hiranyakasipu welecaaes him and pays his respects to him* The guru reminds him of the death of his brother Hiranafcsa at the hands of Hari. The icl^ promises to avenge his brother*s death* Then Lilavati enters and entreats him not to have engmosity with Hari* But he rejects her pleadings and sends the Mulabalaraksasas in different directions to oapture Hari* They return and report thatr inability to find out Hari*

474Meanwhile Hiranyakasipu sends Prahlada to school

giving strict orders to the A sura tutors Sanda and America, the sons of Sukracarya not to mention even the name of Hari. After a while the king sends for Prahlada to test the progress of his studies and finds out to his great wrath that Prahlada is all the time uttering Harinama. Therefore he decides to punish his son in different ways* iilavati repeatedly appeals to her lord to spare their son and forgive him hut Hiranyakasipu is firm and tries to do away with him. He orders the snake ehaimers to let loose serpents on him so that he may he bitten. But the poison has no effect* The king then makes several attempts to kill Prahlada hy administering poison in his food, sending elephant to trample on him, asking wrestlers to attack him and throwing him off the mountain top* At that time Bhudevi appears in the patraprevesha daru and performs Tillana* She rescues Prahlada*

Hiranyakasipu is besides himself with anger* He at last challenges Prahlada to show Hari* He asms him if he is everywhere, to which Prahlada says yes. Hiranyakasipu asks him if he is in the pillar before them to which also Prahlada says yes* Then a pillar is shown on the stage* Sto And behind stands the actor donning the mask of Barasimha* The king strikes the pillar and there we see the figure of Barasimha.

Hiranyakasipu then comes down on the ground level from the stage. The audience also gets up. They form two rows creating a passage that leads to the temple. The musicians

475and other stage hands throw a searf on the waist of the

actor playing role of Narasimha and hold him, lest he jumps

on the aotor enacting role of Hiranyakasipu• We saw the actor

in a trance and he appeared possessed. It is said that in

the past the actor impersonating the role of Jfarasimha was

possessed and in uncontrolled rage pounced upon the actor

playing the role of the king and killed him. In order to avoid

any untoward incident, the actual scene in which Lord Harasimha

tears open the stomach of the king is not enacted.

Instead an exquisite dialogue takes place between

Hiranyakasipu and Sarasimha. She air is electrified and the

audience thrilled* She children wake up from their sleep and

cling bo their elders. It is an exciting sight* In the

dialogues between the king and Harsimha Venkatarama Sastri

waxes eloquent and the text is replete with doetrines of Bhakti

and Tedanta. Sometimes members of the audience pay compliments

to the actor playing role of the king by saying *Sabash Sabash* for his histrjbnie ability*

Then the puja is offered to Harasimha, Flowers and

lamp arati are offered. The actor with the mask, Prahlada,

Bhudevi, lilavati all climb down from the stage and along with

Hiranyakasipu walk through the passage to the temple and go

round the deity in the inner temple, the Ebagavatars singing

a song in Bhupala raga * Kamalanayana purnapurasha* which is

the most appropriate raga for the morning and shows the

ingenuity of the composers to link up tlje raga and time

476relationship tor creating right atmosphere and the mood.It is early dawn. After offering deeparadhana to the deity, the actors go about the streets of the village receiving honours at every house. They offer arati and fold hands to the actors. Then the actors go to another temple in another street and pray to god and take off their crowns and costumes and mask. Sometimes the actor wearing the mask;, falls into a trance and after the removal of the mask remains motionless for a while when t water is sprinkled on him and he regains normal state.

The scheme of abhinaya is quite interesting. The hastas are used for padarthabhinaya. interpreting the words.Also the sancaribhavas are brought in to play. When lilavati sings the daru with the words •Harimitivairamu’ in Ghanta raga pleading to the king not to have enimosity with lord Hari, the dancer shows Hari with various hastas like tripataka, sikhara, cakra, Hari as lakshmipati, Hari in various incarnations, as Hama holding bow and arrows, as Krsna subjugating Kaliya serpent, lifting mount Govardhana, in Matsyavatara, Kurmavatara, Yarahavatara, swallowing the fire Havagni etc. The incarnation of larasimha is not shown as it is to take place at the end of the play.

Another daru beginning with the words ‘Emani ne ’ in Ahiri raga and Adi tala describes the insufferable pain caused to lilavati. She does not know what to do. She is anxious about the well-being of Prahlada. She laments if the child were to die what is the use of living ? The various

477

sancarie employed here by her are her attempts at committing suiciae* Should she place a noose around her neck and put an end to her life; or swallow poison or pierce a knife in her bossom. An interesting convention we observed was that when lilavati did abhinaya for talcing a knife and placing it on her heart, the main conductor got up and held her hand enacting as if he removed the knife from her hand.

Another memorable song is the prayer by Frahlada in

Purvi Kalyani raga set to Adi tala t . ’Leva Leva ide samaya vaiya* in the most touching manner when he requests Lord Hari to come out of the pillar. Some members literally shed tears at Prahlada* s rendering of this daru. fhe following daru when Harasimha reveals himself is quite thrilling with the words * Katru vati kata kata khataman phutami* that sounds*, like earth, shaking event at the appearance of Narasimha in roudrarupa.

All the stanzas are not recited because invariably the actor gets in to a trance and the stage hands including the musicians hold him and keep him under control.

This particular play ends in the small hours of the dawn. This is one play wnich is regularly performed at the Melattur village on Karasimha Jayanti and leaves an indelible impression on the viewers.

478

Harisohandra Fataka :

Another play we witnessed at Melattur was Harisohandra

Nataka in two parts. We have already referred to the story24in the repnrtoir section and the actors perform more or

less in. that sequence only, She first performance ends When

Chandramati prays to lord Agni when Akasvani is heard saying

that some one must sacrifice by entering the fire* Ghandramati

prays in raga Sahana saying that if her husband has not

deviated from the path of truth, if she is pativrata faithful

to her lord, she must.,* feel while entering the fire, as if she

had entered a lotus pond* nothing happens to her and she is

out of danger* She, Harisohandra and lohitdasa arrive at

Benaras, take holy bath and Chandramati renders a fine churnika

praying to lord Vishwanatha in raga Devagandhari s * Jaya

jaya Parameshwara, Jaya jaya indumouliswara** She second part

of the play is enacted on the second day with the episode

where Chandramathi tells Harisohandra to sell her off in order

to pay off h the debt of Visvamitra. The series of misfortunes

follow them. The final scene is veiy moving. When Chandramati

is brought to the cremation ground to be beheaded by

Harisohandra, she offers a prayer. She requests sun -

Suryanarayana not to set if she were a satij she prays to gods

that when Harisohandra strikes her with the sword and if he

has so far followed the path of Dharma, then the sword should

turn in to a garland. At that time the sword turns in te

a garland. At that lord Siva and Parvati, \Jke- sages

479Vasistha and Yiswamitra all appear* They then explain to them that the skull vraich Harichandra is holding is annapatra for food, darbha grass is only hair, the serpent which it bit Ibhitdasa is Yiswamitra. lakshattrayya is Agnideva, Kalakanta is Yaruna. They were only put to test by Yishwamitra. Harischandra is returned his kingdo, They all return to Ayodhya with great happiness. With benedictory verses and the phalasrati the advantages and merits one would achieve by witnessing the play and hearing the story of Harischandra, the play ends. Siva and Paravati and all actors go to che temple in a procession.The puja, flowers and arati are offered. This is the usual convention. At the end of the play whenever the Gods appear they are invariably taken round in a procession, arati and puja are offered, and the actors honoured from door to door.This is very unique of this tradition where almost all the spectators as it were become participants in the end, There is a fine blending of classical art, feeling of religion and a spirit of Bhakti making the entire enactment a thrilling experience.

The other two dance-dramas we witnessed were Rukmini Kalyanam and Usa Parinayam. Both are Sringararasapradhan natakas and are performed by the Bhagavatars in the same manner as described above* As the gods appear in these dance-dramas at the end offering of arati, flowers, puja and taking the actors playing roles of gods and goddesses in a profession are common features observed at the aid of the play.

480

Bhagavata Mela ¥ataka Dance-dramas at Theperumanallur Village

Since these dance dramas are performed during Vasantotsavam simultaneously at Theperumanallur also it was not possible for us to attend them at the said village. Also the danee-dramas are performed there not regularly but as and when the funds are raised there. In May 1970 we visited Theperumanallur and attended the rehearsal of Prahlada charitram conducted by the artists of the village. Their institute is named as Sankara Valiabari Sang am and they mount the dance-dramas after a few rehearsals. It appears that the tradition in this village is in a very attenuated condition.

There is a legend about this village that once upon a time a Maratha ruler in Tanjore ordered the Bhagavatars to produce the play Prahlada charitram at Tanjore in his presence The Bhagavatars explained that it was customary to perform before the lord only in front of the temple. However they had to obey the order. When the case containing mask of lord Harasimha was opened hundreds of scorpions sprung out causing panio in the court and the staging of the play was suspended. Since then the village came to he known as Theperumanallur#It is also known as Dakshina Kan chi as we gather from all songs recited during the play, in the end refer to it as Dakshina Kan chi. And the dance-dramas were staged only in front of the temple#

Their repertoire at present consists of only three dance-dramas : Ambarisa. Prahladacharitram and Bukmini

Kalyanam. One of these plays are compositions of VenkataramaSawtri. We examined the manuscripts with the help or the oldest living exponent I.?. Batesh Bbagavatar who is at present 83 years old andjis a Sanskrit scholar. He is the guiding spirit

behind the troupii. He recollected the names of some of the old Bhagavatars from the times of Maharaja Serfoji II (1798- 1833 A.D.) Their names are remembered with reverence : Venkataram Bhagavatar, Kriena Bhagavatar, Vaidyanath Bhagavatar and Ananta Krishna Bhagavatar. T.V. Nafesh Bhagavatar has rose in the line of one Subbar am Iyer whose son was T.S.Venkatarama Bhagavatar. T.V. Hatesh Bhagavatar is son of the latter Bhagavatar. He used to play all the roles when the art was at its peak in Theperumanallur. He remembers his contempora­ries like Govinda Bhagavatar, Anantha Subrahmanya Bhagavatara, Bamaswami, Subbaiah, Rajivlochanaiyya, Ramamurty Bhagavatar, Muvtuswami and Vaidyanath Bhagavatara#

The special feature of the dance-dramas at Theperumanallur is that they are enacted in Sanskrit, Telugu and also Tamil, first the slokas are rendered in Sanskrit followed by verses in Tamil. Prahladaeharitram has this order. There are also darus in Telugu. The Brahmins at this village as also in Melattur do not know Telugu. The audiencesalso do not know Telugu. But as the plays are written in Telugu by Venkatarama Sawtri, the tradition is of Telugu dance-dramas. This tradition is fast changing now. And-

482The play Prahlada charitram is divided in to 14 scenes. And it has one common song from Meallatur village. When Hiranyakasipu asks Prahlada if Yisnu is in the pillar, Prahlada says yes. And the prayer by Prahlada 'Deva Deva ide samayamayya' is also in Purvikalyani raga.

Another play Rukmini Ealyanam is of unknow authorship entirely in Tamil. The technique employed is similar to that seen at Melattur and is of Bharatanatyam mdde, The play Ambatfisaoharitram is also written in Tamil and is of an unknown authorship*

The plays open with Bhajan, Todayamangalam, guru- kirtanas, Divyanam lcirtanans, the Sutradhara appears, followed by Yidushaka. It is followed by Ganapati's entry* Up to this all dance-dramas have common features® Ambarisa too has many slokas in Sanskrit followed by its Tamil versions* There is no female character in Ambarisa play. It was revived after a lapse of thirty years in May 1976,

At present the troupe is led by one Gopalkrishnan who is twentysix year'old artist. His brother Ramachandran is thirtyfive years old. Both the brothers are married. Ramchandran’s son is named Ravi and is a talented artist.He take part of Prahlada. The other members of the troupe are : Muthumani who is a school headmaster and is interested in reviving the art. He has the manuscripts of these three plays. Another artist of note is B. Meenakshi Sundaram who is adept in roles of Lilavati and also plays the role of

483Narsimha, P. Narasimhan, Ramaswami, Master Shanker, Srinivasan, T.N. Subramanyan, K. Vishvanatha, T.T.Ramamurti,P* Balaeubramanian, K.S. Kashinath, T.R. Ganesan, Jayaraman etc. are other participants.

The musicians are Ramaehandran, R.K. Srinivasan (for singing) R. Va radar a;j an is percussionist, and Muthumani conducts Battuvangam and directs these dance-dramas.

Prom the rehearsals and a few excerpts that we saw, we feel that the art at Theperumanallur has suffered greatly. As a matter of fact a thorough training should be introduced if the art has to survive there. We also feel that the tradition of Telugu dance-dramas of Tenkatarama Sastri should be continued at these villages if it has to have an uniformity1

of text| diction, beauty of poem and music. The tendency to cater to popular tastes which has wrought havoc should be checked. Also the texts need proper editing and correct readings. Prom what we gathered and saw it appeared that the art has almost became extinct there.

Recent History sIn the history of revival of solo Bharata Ratyam and

the dance-drama form of BMR, the late E. Krishna Iyer, an advocate by profession, in earlier part of his career, in Madras has played a very important role. He was a disciple of the great Natesa Iyer of Melattur. To him goes the credit of preserving the art of Bhagavata Mela in present times. S*

484

Krishna Iyer studied solo Bharata Fatyam dance form also

under him. Batesa Iyer had several distinguished disciples.

But to B.Krishna Iyer goes the credit of making BMN known to

the people in general beyond the boundaries of Tanjore.

Earlier Dr. V.Raghavan had written articles and collected

manuscripts of these plays from Melattur, Nallur and Oothakadu

as far back as 1933-34 and wrote about it in Tamil and English about the tradition.^8

Batesa Iyer passed away in 1930. He had two daughters

but no son. In 1970 we met Kalyani imma at Melattur village.

He adopted one more daughter by name Padmasinibai. E. Krishna

Iyer was in touch with the members of the family of Batesa

Iyer throughout his life and did all that he could to make

art lovers aware about the glorious traditions of these

dance-dramas. He. was trained in music, drama and Bharat a

Batyam. He played a significant role in the revival of.

Bharata Batyam through his lectures, demo nstrations and even

performances when he used to donn female eostumes. He wrote

several scholarly articles. The Bhagavata Mela dance-dramas

today owe their position among the art of Tamil region mostly

to his efforts. In 1950 ailing with Eukminidevi, I. Krishna

Iyer visited Soolamangalam to organise the dance-drama festival

held there in connection with the annual festival of the

local temple of Sundararaja Perumal. But nothing substantial

has been done since then.

485However during 1950 to 1957 and till he died in

January 1968 E.Krishna Iyer made every effort to stabilisethe art at lelattur. He gathered support from various quartersand wrote extensively about it in various journals* He invitedthe Bhagavatars on the platform of the Music Academy, Madras

49in 1955 conference and drew attention of the experts committee to the art which could oe saved.

In Melattur it is said that at the time of Hatesa Iyer ten dance-dramas of Venkatarama Sastri were staged* Later on for over two decades there were no performances and the tradition virtually come to an end* It was revived again somewhere around 1930* In 1938 the present group of artistes at Melattur took over the formal enactment of the plays* from 1938 to 1942 they presented two plays every year. Prahlada charitram and Markandeya* from 1943 to 1951 they added two more plays : Rukm.iangada and Usa Parinayam* In 1952 Eukmangada was discontinued and Harischandra was presented*Since then the four dance-dramas Prahlada charitram, Harischandra, Usa Parinayam and Markandeya are being staged every year regularly. Sometimes one of the plays like either Markandeya or Usa Parinayam is not enacted* They have now revived Bukmini Kalyanam.

The most important Ehagavatara after ,the demise .of Fetesa Iyer in Melattur is Shri Balasubramanya Bhagavatar known as Balu Bhagavatara. He was born in 1897 in Melattur.

He received his training in the art from Shri Sitarama Battachariar, Shri ?aidyanatha Bhagavatar, Shri Muthu Kii shna Iyer and Shri Natesa Iyer, for several years Balu Bhagavatar as he is popularly known, has been the principal preceptor for the Bhagavata Mela plays. He has been a teacher in this art for many years. For his dedicated and sustained work in recognition of his services to the art he has received various titles and honours. The Central Sangeet Natak Akadami

honoured him in the year 1967. After Natesa Iyer*s demise with two assistants K. Subramania Iyer and P.K, Subbier, both musicians of high calibre, he was conducting the performances till last two year's.

The present day BMN group is led by G. Swaminathan, a highly talented actor whose enactment of Hiranyakasipu is a treat to watch. Others in the group who perform are N. Venkataraman, R. Nagarajan, R. Sundaram, D*.Krishnamurthi

Sharma and S. Natarajan. S. Natarajan is the gifted son of G. Swaminathan who is currently the driving force behind the group and takes ceaseless pains to keep the tradition alive#By profession he is an engineer serving at Tiruchirapalli but returns to Melattur. Religiously every year for rehearsals and mounting the dance-drama on board. R.IIagarajan at present works at Ernakulam and therefore his roles a"~re now performed by S. Natarajan.

G.Swaminathan’s family supports the troupe now knownas lelattur Shri Lakshmi Narasimha Jayanti Bhagavata Mela

487Katya Kataka Sangam. formerly there was only one group, later on some twelve years ago a group named as .Bhagavata Mela Katya Yidya Sangam was formed in 1964. Mr. V.D. Swamy a rich patron of Melattur village came forward to help with financial assistance. With the assistance from the late Krishna Iyer who was then secretary of the Madras State Sangit^f Katak Sangam, steps were taken in introduce improvements in the general presentation of the art. Mr. Swamy donated a piece of land measuring two acres, from 1964» on a spacious stage with a thatched roof, the dance-drams were performed in the open-air auditorium. She decorated deity was taken from the temple in procession through the streets and installed in an improvised mandapam about nearly hundred feet away in front of the stage. In between a vast crowd about 3000 people witnessed the shows night after night in cool comfort.

But by 1970 differences arose among the local artistes and they separated in to two groups. The older artistes were led by G.W Swaminathan and his son S. Katarajan. The other group has amateur dancers. In all fairness after witnessing the performances of both the groups it must be mentioned that the group led by G. Swaminathan is following the d tradition faithfully* The new group has artistes of mediocre calibre and needs a lot of training.

Mr. Y.D. Swamy is the president of the Bhagavata Mela Katya Yidya Sangam and R. Sethurama the secretary* The

488

following group of artistes take several roles in the dance- dramas put up by this troupe. Gopakrishna, Mahal ingam Yenkataraman, Sethuraman, Santhanam, Shivaramakri shna, Ramaswami, Kailasan. The music is in charge of P.K. Subbiar and the nattuvanar frcaa Tanjore Shri T.G. Bhava Pillai who used to provide accompaniment on Mridangam for Kuravanji dance-dramas at the Brihadishwara temple. Other Musicians I.Yenkatesa Iyngar and Badhakrishnan also from Tanj ore visit Melautur for rehearsals and asist in the production.

The differences are resolved in the « following manner between the two groupfc. The group tea' led by G. Swaminathan performs during the week of Barasimha Jayanti festival in front of the temple for three days or more* The month following is chosen by the other group. In this manner they have avoided the clash. In 1970 both the troupes used to perform on the same day. This caused difficulty for obtaining mask of Narasimha and installing of deity in front of the stage. The older group used to start the dance-drama a little earlier so that the other group San have mask of Barasimha by the time the old group completes the play* These factions were removed with an amicable understanding. low the groups perform separately at the interval of one month. Another development in recent times is taking Melattur dance-dramas outside Melattur. So far no dance-dramas of Yenkatarama Sastri by any traditional group were ever staged outside the six villages. In December 1970 we saw the dance-drama Harisehandra

489at Kelakhetra, Madras presented by Bhagavata Mela Natya Vidya Sangam and later on at the Krishnagana Sabha. However, these plays have not been staged anywhere else in the North*

The tradition of staging these plays at Soolamangalam, Saliyamangalam, Nallur and Oothakadu is defunct now* fill 1948 oecassionally the plays were staged. Otherwise now the art only survives at Melattur in quite an attenuated form, but one can still realise and imagine that at one time when the Bhagavatars were being supported by the produce from their fields and were self-relienf the art was practised according to the tenets of the NS* With the passage of time as the artistes began to seek ways of earning money by migrating to other places and villages, the art began to suffer* It is now a mere shadow of the past glory. The artistes return to Melattur a few days ago and rehearse during that limited period and stage the plays. Balu Bhagavatar is now too old and cannot be of any service to the either group* Perhaps with his demise and T.Y. Natesh Iyer of Theperumanallur the last links with Bhagavata Mela Nataka would snap*

The other four villages where the dance dramas were performed off and on provide valuable details regarding the

fiat . -rituals and the presentation* We have record^, here the information about the rituals and method of presentation at Soolamangalam, Saliyamangalam, Nallur and Oothakadu*

490

Soolamangalam :The tradition at Soolamangalam was in vogue since

last 110 years. The plays of Melattur Venkatarama Sastri were first enacted there in 1855 A.D. The performance of the plays have stopped in this village since 1941 and except for a brief spurt of activity in 1950 now the tradition is virtually dead there. During the period from 1835 to 1941 A.D. except for a gap of about 25 years, about v&iich details are not available, the rest of the period was marked by the staging of the plays every year. During the years 1835-75 A.D. there were two sets of performers - the Peria Settu ( the seniors) and the Cinna Settu (the juniors) who enacted dance-dramas on five days each. The Sukmangada Gharitram was staged on two days consecutivey. On the third ay day, the Markandeya Charitra was staged, while the Kumbesara kuravanji and the Prahlada Gharitram were enacted on the fourth and the fifth days respectively# She Kuravan.ii dance-dramasare of a different class but point to the commerce between various group of dancers and popularity of these forms and the fact that these traditions were at their aa peak as back as 150 years ago.

After 1910 A.D. the seniors and the juniors amalgamated and jointly staged the Pnahlada Charitram, Markandeya,Sukmangada and Usa Parinayam on four days annually#

■ A spucious pandal and a stage used to be erected in

491

front of the deity Sri Sundararaja Perumal on an auspicious day. On the days or the performance the mornings were marked by Samaradhana (feasting). In the evening at 6 O'clock after 'Vasantsattrala* the deity used to be taken round the prakara of the temple and it was brought to the pandal, There it was taken round three times. In the rirst round, the melavadyam (Nagasvaram, Otu, Tavil and Cymbals) provided the musical accompaniment. This eustom of the Brahmins carrying the deity ana taking it three times round pandal with graceful steps is known as * Patti Ulavadul' in Tamil, Then Tiruvandikkapu (oeremonial offering of diparadhana and puma kumbha before the deity) was offered to the deity in the centre of the pandal. Usually this was offered in temples by a Devadasi but at Soolamangalam a Brahmin Bhagavatar offered it. The deity was then installed on a raised dais in ths gopura passageof the temple facing the stsTge, The plays used to commence around 9*30 ar 10,00 p.m, and end at 6,00 a.m. Sometimes even at 7,00 a.m, on the last day of the Utsava, the 'Manual nir vilaiyattu* was performed ’in^the morning (sprinkling of yellow water on one another by the people of the village. It resembles the Holi festival of North India), In the afternoon the Vasanta Madhava puja was performed and in the evening, jasmine garlands placed on the deity and then they were removed. This was known as *Vasantam Kalaippadu' in Tamil, later on the deity was taken out in a procession on the streets and finally installed

492in its original place in the garbhagraha. The deity was not taken out of the pandal during the utsava period*

The preliminary items of the play consisting of the recital of the dhyana slokas, sipging of the Todayajnangalam and the Kaustubhams and the appearance of the Konangi and the singing of a sabdam were known by a collective name - *Melam Kattudal’ in Tamil*

The two talented and great Bhagavatars whose names hare been associated with Soolamangalam are Vaidyanatha Bhagavatara and his son Badhakrishnan Bhagavatara. They rose in the family of one Atmanatha Bhagavatara, who was a famous Bhagavata artist* His brother Khamas Krishna Iyer used to conduct four plays viz* Bukmangada, Markandeya, Prahlada and Usa Parinayam*

V&idyanatha had earned a great fame as a Harikatha performer. He was an expert in Natyasastra and a great musician. The other artistes who are e remembered to thewe days are Sitarama Bhagavatar, Swaminatha Bhagavatara, Sounderaraja Bhagavatar and S Doraiswami Iyer# Of these artistes Sitarama used to take female roles and was a fine dancer. He was also well versed in NS and used to do excellent abhinaya in role of Ohandramati* The nattuvangamof- Vaidynath Bhagavatara was of a very high standard and Mahadeva Nattuvanar of Tanjore, the grand father of Ponnaiah Pillai (1900-1940) used to admire it. These artistes were

493

all employed in services elsewere but used to return to Soolamangalam every year to rehearse and present the dance- damas-as a religious offering. People at Soolamangalam remember fondly Swaminath Bhagavatara for his unforgettable role of Hiranyakasipu#

After Vaidynath Bhagavatar the mantle fell on his son Badhakrishnan who tried his level best to keep the tradition going till the year 1951. Eminent musicians and artists, scholars and pundits used to visit Soolamangalam and stay there for five days witnessing the dance-dramas. The late flutist Sarabha Sastrigal, Tanjore Krishna Bhagavatara the well-known Harikatha performer, Mridangam Harayana Swami Appa and violin Sirukodi Kavil Krishna Iyer used to visit Soolamangalam specially. The special feature of the Soolamangalam plays was the handling of * Dhanike* varaam in Todi which was invariably performed by the female character after Patraprevesa daru. This varaam was not in vogue at Melattur, lallur and Oothakadu* The artistes ©f Soolamangalam were considered expert" in Bharata Hatyaau

Sounderaraja Bhagavatar, son of Sitarama Bhagavatara who used to take female roles was noted for his appearances in Markandeya charitram. He used to act as Kuravan (Deva Kuravan), in a splendid manner. He was also a famous Harikatha performer.

494

The music of BMN tradition at Soolamangalam was

considered its highlight and used to attract a number of

musicians. The ragas used by Venkatarama Sastri,in

particular^ ragas like Ahiri, Ghanta, Manji were handled with

great imagination.

Hadhakrishnan, Vishwanathan, M. Ramamohan, Sambasiva

are some more names known in the field of Soolamangalam

tradition. One Purushottam Sastrigal known for female

roles of Kayathu, Kdmavati and Mohini was a municipal

commissioner. Mr. Ramamohan was a cost accountant and is

now at Lusaka in Zambia. Loraiswami Iyer was a pleader.

During the second world war when rationing was

introduced government had introduced restrictions regarding

the feast. It had caused quite a set back as during the

Vasantotsavam and the days whin plays were performed the

participants and a lot of people used to have feasts and a

common ms community kitchen where all took meals free. Later

on due to this restriction the feasting was stopped.

Radhakrishnan Bhagav&tara with the assistance

of the late E. Krishna Iyer tried to revive the tradition

but after 1951 practically for want of patronage and lack

of funds the tradition had died down at Soolamangalam.

Radhakrishnan Bhagavatara now lives in Madras and is an

officer in Life Insurance Corporation. He has recorded

the music of the dance-drama Usa Parinayam for All India

495Radio Madras, He has in his possession three manuscripts of Venkatarama Sastri*s plays viz. Markandeya charitram,Usa Parinayam and Prahlada Charitram. She fourth max - manuscript of Rukmangada is of an unknown author.

Saliyamangalam :The tradition at Saliyamangalam is also completely

deed. Till 1950 the tradition was maintained there. The plays performed there were of.ene Panchanabhiswara Iyer, a composer who was contemporary of Venkatarama Sastri of Melattur. The preliminary items were performed in a slightly different manner. On the night of the performance at 9 P.M* the aeity was taken round the pandal with the Bhagavataras going in front of it. A sabdam by Kasinatha used to be sung first and then the third song of the Todayamangalam was rendered. After the third Ashtapadi a long jati was ree'Vted. Then a small girl dressed as a devadasi used to walk around the deity thrice, with a kuthu vilakku in hand and dance with abhinaya in front of the deity of a song in Anandabhairavi beginning with the words 'Veredikkeraraiya'. A jati marked the end of this dance. The Konangi used to appear and caused some merriment* later on the Bhagavataras and the accompanist used to assemble on the stage. The actual play coameneed at 10 P.M. The Todayamangalam songs were once again sung by the Bhagavataras and'the Adi Dvipada was read out by the Granthika.

496The plays enacted at Saliyamangalam. included

dialogues also in Tamil, This seems to be against the

tradition of BMN which were written in Telugu. But the

conductors of the dance-drama made these concessions to

make the plays more intelligible to the nones-Telugu speaking

section of the audience,

Ofrthakadu :

The tradition at this village too is dead. The

performances used to take plaee in this village in front

of the Kalinganartana temple. But after 1950 n© plays have

been performed there. The chief actors there were P,H.

Krishnamurti and Swaminatha Bhagavatara, Off and.on two* \

plays Kukmangada Charitram of Vehkatarama Sastri and Golla

Bhama of an unknown author used to be performed,:.;-:T!‘ •

The presidio deity in this village is called

Kaliyamardana Perumala, On the day of the performance the

deity used to be decorated in accordance with the special

characteristics of the hero of the play that was to be

staged on that night, for instance on the days when Hukmangada

charitra was to be staged, the God and the Goddess were

decorated as Rpkmangada and Mohini, On the days when

Prahlada Gharitram used to be enacted, the deity was dressed

as Lord Harasimha killing Hiranyakasipu,

After the ’Vasantam sattral' was over, the deity

was taken out in a procession out side the temple, to the

497accompaniment of Nagaswaram. Then the deity was taken round the inner yard of the temple. The Bhagavatars and the singers used to go in front of the deity. It was then carried in to the pandal facing the stage and taken round nine times inside it. At each of the four quarters, the hearers of the deity used to pause for a while when the Bhagavataras recited some slokas and pundarikams. Upacharam was offered to the deity which was then halted in the centre of the pandal. The Bhagavatars then sang the Kaustubhams, Pasuram, the third Ashtapadi, Todayamangalam, Heccarika, Kirtanas and Ula in front of the deity. They recited a jati at the end of each song. After naivedya and diparadhana, one Brahmin Bhagavatara used to hold a Kuttuvilakku (auspicious ornamental lamp) in hand and dance before the deity for sometime. Finally the bearers of the deity advanced towards the temple gate with dancing steps and placed'the deity in front of the dhavajastambho* This was known as M Swamipurappadu*. Unlike in Melattur instead of saying the names of the lord while reciting the Pundankams, 3atis whiih the pundarikams were said. This custom clearly shows that the dance element of the drama was kept prominently in view. After the aforesaid items, the enactment of the main play followed the same lines as in Melattur. An interesting feature of Markandeya charitram in Oothakadu was that Yama used to appear dancing on what is called a *false leg buffalo' a counter part of the well-known Tanjore horse or false leg horse, a form of popular dance 4 featuring in

498

processions. It is indeed the temple connecuion that enabled the art to live to this aay. Remarkable indeed was the enthusiasm of the votaries of this art. Roles were handed down as family properties. In the village Oothakadu there was a mortgage bond about hundred years old in which the heriditory owner of a Konangi, the religious clown, had pledged his role to another for some loan. Uhe dancers in whose families the roles were handed down returned to their villages for the occassion though they might have been employed in distant places.

Nallur :We have not been able to gather any information

about the performances at Hailur as the tradition is dead here nearly four decades ago. However, Bharatam Nallur Narayana Swaml Ayyar has won the legendary fame as a great exponent of the BMN tradition. He was a Sanskrit scholar and whenever he expounded the theory, one could hear the Bhavaprakasa, Rasamanjari, Abhinayadarpana and other works quoted : verses from Amaruka one could meet as he began to illustrate.

In his early days he used to play the leading female roles in the dramas in his village Hallur. Chiefly the role

of the celestial damsel Mohini in the play called lukmangada

eharitram and earned for himself the name Hallur Mohini,One of his chief merits was his ability to sustain the rhythm by

499

the work of the left foot as dexterously as by than of the

right. Though this dancer earned a name ior himself in the

role of Mohini the saying in these parts some decade bade

was Hiranyakasipu of Hallur, Lilavati of Oothakadu and Prahlada

of Melattur.

From this survey we notice that the dance-drama

tradition survives at Melattur village only and occasionally it is revived at The^perumanallur• Also at Melattur now

there are two groups and the performances are enacted twice

a year in order to facilitate each groups*

The tradition however cannot boast of its past glory

and the reasons for its deterioration are many* The dancers-

actors have to find out their living by migrating to distant

cities and therefore it is not possible for them to learn

the art regularly or rehearse it and master it* What has comea.es tKeti'cs

down heriditorily is performed with less and less artistes as

modern tastes have wrought havoc.

The Central Sangeet Nat,aka Academy and the Madras

State Nataka Sangam have been doing their best by doling

out grants to the groups. But such aid is not sufficient* It

is only spent in putting up the shows. There is no regular

workshop or a training institute, scholarship or a scheme to

make this art recapture its past glory. It might happen that

for want of right patronage and help and with the passing

of the old Bhagavatars who are repositories of knowledge the

500tradition would be lost in next two generations, though one group has made it hold to perform outside Melattur the staging of the play, the screaming ameaturism and very low standard of art, instead of helping others take interest in its revival, does more damage.

Kalyani Amma, daughter of Bharatam Natsa Iyer who knew the music of these dance-dramasand possessed the manuscripts of several dance dramas, has donated them away to Rukminidevi at Kalakshetra in the year 1965* She passed away in the year 1971. With her demise one of the last direct links with the traditional BIN dance-dramas has disappeared#

The manuscripts gifted to Kalakshetra include the following dance dramas s

Prahlada charitram, Bukmangada charitram, Harischandra Nat aka, Rukmini Kalyanam, Kamsavadham, Hariharg^jvilasam,Dhruva charitram, Markandaya charitram and Usha Parinayam.

Besides this KalyaniAmma also gave a manuscript containing Sahdas, Jatis etc.

With the help of Balu Bhagavatar and Kalyani Amma Rukminidevi has produced Rukmini Kalyanam, Rukmangada, Usa Parinayam and Dhruva charitram based a Telugu texts of Bhagavata Mela Natakas of Yenkatarama Sastri. Of course all these dance dramas are produced in Kalak'shetra dance-style and has an altogether different character. We have discussed these production in the last chapter.

501

^Besides these texts Shri S.Srinivasan of Saiiamangalam has donated the manuscripts of the following dance-dramas :

SIpranarayana, Rukmini Kalyanam and Rukmagada charitram.

Thus the tradition which is still surviving is finding its extension in to a form of dance-drama with its new developments* In the provess it has changed its original character considerably at Kalakahetra as there is less of emphasis on Vacikabhinaya though Vacikabhinaya is retained for dramatic moments. But the scheme followed in traditional dance-dramas has definitely undergone change to suit the tastes of the modern dance.'* connoisseurs.

502

BHAGAVATA MELA FATAKA

Notes :

1. VriadhagiriBan, ¥: The Nayaks of Tanjore pp 132. Ibid pp 93. Sangitasudha : Introduction el 28,(published in the

journal of the Music Academy^4. Annual Report of Archaeological Dept Southern Circle 1912-135. Raghunathabhyudayam Canto VI si 7-1Qj also see

Sangitasudha Introduction 28-336. 421 of 1928 registers a gift of villages to temple '

at Tiruvannamalsa? 27 of 1925 dated S 1497 comesL? from Muvalur in Tanjore Dist. It records sarvamanya gift of land ten velis for the maintenance of a choultry attached to the temple.

7. Infra page^S"}-see chapter on Kuchipuii dance-dramas.8. Infra pp X9. Infra pp^|(4| see also note above 6.10. 84 of 1905 dated 1583j see the Nayaks of Tanjore pp 5311. 380 of 1919 dated saka 1493.12. See Rukmini parinayam by Rajaehudamani Dixita.13. See Chaturdandiprakasika' ®atao raghunathendra

melavina nirupyate ... *14. Balendusekharam Khandavalli 'Nayaks of Tan j ore' pp 14-15,

A monogram published by Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi.15. She District Manual of Tanjore states that in the 19th

Century, there were as many as a hundred and fifty thousand Telugu speaking people in Tanjore Dist*

16. Kranalilatarangini : see Introduction pp 217. Article by Sivasankaraswami in the * Souvenir volume of

Vavilla Venkateswsra Sastri*s 60th Birthday Celebrations.

503

18. Krsanali1atanggini: Introduction pp 919. Raghavan, V: ' Shri Karayana Tirtha's pamphlet published

by Sri Karayana Tirtha festival celebration committee Tirupputurtti, Tanjore Dist. pp 4 also see Krsnalilatarangini

20. Ibid p 4 and Krsnalilatarangini Introduction pp 12-13*21. Dr Raghavan V : Pamphlet on Karayanatirtha.22. Sastri PPS 'Telugu Catalogue' 1933 in Tanjore Sarswati

Mahala library,23* Yriddhagirisan V The Kayaks of Tanjore pp 160-161.24. Ibid pp 160-161.25* Balendusekharam Khandavalli ; Kayaks of Tanjore pp 4226. 154 of 1895 South Indian Inscriptions iii 202.27. 120 of 1925 Inscription at Tiruvaduturai in Tanjore Dist.28. Kilakantha Sastri K.A: The Cholas, I Madras University

Historial Series Appendix Summary c£ Inscriptions.29. K Gomati : Music of the Krtya Katakas of South India 1950

Thesis presented to Madras University.30. Raghavan* Y : The Bhagavata Mela Nataka. J0ISQA June 1937

pp 167®31. Krishnamurty, B. Prahladacharitram Kirtanas of Melattur

Yenkatarama Sastri, published by Music Academy Madras.32. See MARG vol X Ko. 4 Sept 57 pp 3333* Raghavan, Y: Preface to Prahlada Charitram Kirtanas of

Mellattur Venkataram Sastri.34. Srimad Bhagavat English translation by Sanyal V#1 I

pp 613-6735. See KS, Ch. YII s1. 119-120.36. Ibid Ch YI si. 67-8837* Ibid si. 62-63.38. Ibid si. 75-76.

504

39. Ibid si. 64,65,6640. Ibid si. 49-5=41. Mahabharata Sabha Parva Adhyaya 12 i-13.

Varaha Purana 77-26;lisnu Purana 53-16Srimad Bhagavat 9th cento adhyaya 7Harivamsa 1-13-Devi Bhagavata 7th Skandha Adhyaya - 14 Agni Purana 2Mataya Purana Adhyaya 21-22 See also Markandeya Purana,

42. NS Ch. VI 62-63.

43* Infra Dhruvas - Daru pp 35 I

44. Iflfra pp.a:?^ \o| 145. FS Oh. XII and XXII,

46. Raghavan V. 1 The Bhagavata Mela Fataka,J0IS0A June-Dee. 1937.

47. Infra pp» g48. Raghavan, V: Brahmin Bhagavatars’ in Stridharma.

XIX 1935-37 Tamil - also article in JGISOA June-Dee.1937.

49. Journal of Music Academy 1955 Report.