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Stage decoration and classical Bharatha Natyam
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Since the period of Sanga Maruviya period, dance has played an important role. From the ancient time music and dance were part and parcel of the Tamil heritage. Sculptures, paintings, and sketch drawings also played important roles in the life of ancient Tamils.
The ancient Tamil epic Silapathikaram is considered as the crown epic among the five important Tamilepics. Even Silapathikaram devoted a considerable part about the stage decor in the arengetra kaathai. It gives full information about the stage architecture and decor of that time. During that time, stages were temporarily built. Yet they followed scientific methods for the construction. Selection of land was an important matter.
It must be free from all the curses, and from all the evils. Strong and firm bamboos should be the pillars. Even the ancient epic Silapathikaram clearly indicates the length and width of those bamboo pillars. These pillars depicted the four caste system of that time, Brahmin caste, Kasthiriya caste, Vaishya caste and the Soothra caste.
Devotional art
Bharatha Natyam evolved out of Sathir. Today Bharatha Natyam is a deeply devotional art. In the Bharatha Natyam the stages are decorated with Ananda Thandava statue and is kept at the left corner of the front stage. But earlier dancers did not use the statue of Lord Nataraj on the stages.
They wanted to show the devotion and dedication to the lord through their performances without having a Nataraja statue on the stage.
But Smt. Rukmani Devi first introduced the use of decorated Lord Nataraja statue on the stage and she encouraged the worship of the Lord Nataraja. This indirectly reveals that this art originated from temple culture and the temple tradition. Later in all the performances the artists and the teachers started following the same tradition.
As the result in today’s all the classical Bharatha Natya recitals the decorated Lord Nataraja statue is placed on the left side corner of the front stage.
Among all the Thandavas of Lord Nataraja, Ananda Thandava statue is selected to adorn the stage. Because this Thandava reveals the Pancha Kirthiya Tholil of Lord Nataraja.
Pancha Kirthiya Tholil means the five important functions of the Lord. Creation, protection in two Thandavas, (bestow happiness and protection from sorrow), destruction, dispelling egoism, sins, and illusion, and bestow blessings, are the main five functions of the Lord. All these five were expounded in total six Thandavas.
But all these six Thandavas were finally expounded in one single Thandava namely Ananda Thandava. This Ananda Thandava becomes the seventh Thandava. All these seven Thandavas are collectively called Sabtha Thandava.
Survival
In the Ananda Thandava, the Lord not only performs the Pancha Kirthiya Tholil, but also bears and wears the Pancha Puthams - fire, water, earth, wind, and sky. These Pancha Puthams are important for the survival of the universe.
The statue of the Ananda Thandava Moorthy is related to dance (Natyam) because of this the Lord is called Nataraja, Adavalan, Adalarasan, and Ampala Koothan. And it is universally acknowledged as the symbol of Bharatha Natyam.
accompaniments
On the right side of the stage the accompaniments sit, which include the nattuvangamist, vocalist, leather instrument and thala laya instrument player namely the mirathangamist, string instrument player mainly the violinist, and wind instrument player flutist.
Their contribution to the art is very great. The accompaniments sitting on the right side of the stage also add beauty to the stage, besides this the side curtains, the back curtain decorations, and along with the decorated cutouts are also to a certain extent play an important role in the stage decor of the present classical dance recitals. It is a necessity that the decoration for the dance recitals should be handled with care.
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