Folk Dance, Indian Folk Dance, Folk Dance Of India.

Indian folk dances

** Shaivite Tradition :

The Shaivite religious group abounds in frequent myths of Shiva and his consort Devi drama dance in their various demonstration. Unlike Vishnu, Shiva is seen approximately as a usual dancer performing for accomplishing an objective as also for pure artistic pleasure of his consort and devotees. The tradition hence reveres him as both, 'Adi-nratya-guru' - the first teacher of dance, and Natesh or Nataraja - the king of dance.

In him revealed both faces of dance - 'lasya' and 'tandava', of which all subsequent dance forms were offshoots. 'Lasya', the dance of artistic pleasure revealed beauty, grace, love and all tender aspects of existence. 'Lasya' is the mode that defined more of Shiva's iconographic forms - Kalyana-Sundara, Vrashavahana, Yogeshvara, Katyavalambita, Sukhasanamurti, Vyakhyanamurti, Chinamudra, Anugrahamurti, and Chandrashekhara

Devi, Shiva's differently named consort, is alluded to have performed dance in her manifestations as Kali - Mahakali or Shamshana-Kali, and Bhairavi. Devi had many other forms, each representing a particular 'bhava'. So did ten Mahavidyas and 'Saptamatrikas'. Each of such forms was modeled using the dance-mode in which its characteristic 'bhava' transpired. Thus, in modeling Devi's other forms, too, a alike dance-iconography was used.

** Vaishnava tradition

Vishnu or his representation resorted to dance only on a few instance, but in spite of, he is respected as the 'Adi-nratya-guru' along with Shiva and Kali. Vishnu resorted to dance once in his incarnation as Vamana, when in mere two strides he spanned three worlds and won for himself Trivikrama - conqueror of three worlds, or Vishnukrant epithet.

Vishnu as Krishna danced once to subdue venomous serpent chief Kaliya and many times for delighting 'gopis' - Radha in particular.

Indra had at 'Indrasabha' - his court, numerous dancing nymphs - Urvashi, Menaka being better known. Besides dancing, these nymphs were used for seducing opponents. The myth of Menaka seducing sage Vishvamitra and corrupting his fifty thousand years long penance is well known.

Copyrigth 2008 Enligthenmentdance.Net- All Rigths Reserved.