Flower garlands in Indian classical dances

Subashini PATHMANATHAN

Flower garlands play an important role mainly in the Indian classical dances as well as in the Indian folk dances. Flower Garlands also occupy a special place in the Hindu religious worship. Hinduism has its own influence among seven Indian classical dances and folk dances.

Garland making is a unique art. Natural flower buds, bloomed flowers and green leaves are used for garlands. Garlands are specially made for daily temple needs: idol decoration, daily poojas, and abihikams. More and more flower garlands are needed for special temple ceremonies and festivals. In each pooja fresh and newly made garlands are used for idol decorations. Different variety and different kind of flowers are used in temples. Colourful flowers are used for garlands. Meanwhile certain flowers are prohibited in Hindu temple use.

Selective dances

Plenty of flowers and flower garlands are more or less used in seven Indian classical dances as well as in certain selective Indian folk dances. A certain variety of leaves and grasses is also used for certain Hindu worship in its religious culture. For Lord Ganesha worship, garlands made out of Arukam grass are used. Similarly for Lord Vishnu worship, Thulsi leaf garlands are often used; and for Goddess Ambal worship Margosa leaf garlands and lemon fruit garlands are used. Vilva (Belly leaves) leaves are often used for the poojas and Archanais of Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva. Betel leaf garlands, raw vegetable garlands and garlands made out of different variety of fruits are used for Lord Anjaneyar (Hanuman) worship.

For garland making, generally different colourful flowers and variety of flower petals are mixed together and used. Normally white jasmine flowers, different variety of attractive colorful lotus flower petals, different variety of sunflowers and green leaves are combined and used for attractive garland making.

Besides, these flowers, orange colour kanagamparam flowers and yellow colour kondal flowers are often used for garland making. For garland making, not only the garland makers use the bloomed flowers but they also use the matured buds, many times.

Important dignitaries

According to Hindu Tamil tradition and culture, thick garlands are used to entertain and welcome the important dignitaries in the functions. These special guest flower garlands are different from temple flower garlands and dance flower garlands. Guest flower garlands are long and thick ones. In addition to give a grand touch or attractive look, to the guest garlands golden and silver threads are used.

Among the main seven Indian Classical dances, Bharatha Natyam and Kuchupidi use the maximum amount of flowers and flower garlands for hairdressing rather than other Indian classical dances. These two classical dance forms use variety of different colour combination of garlands for performances.

Mohini Attam is only using white colour flowers for hair decor. Mostly Mohini Attam uses one single white colour garland around the hair bun. Kathak, Manipuri, and Odissi dance forms are using limited amount of flower garlands. And these dancers are more or less used the white colour flower garlands, instead of multi colour flower garlands. Yet one of the most male dominating classical dance forms of India is Kathakali. It hardly uses any flowers or flower garlands for hair the dressing.

Usage of flower garlands for Bharatha Natyam and Kuchupidi are almost same. The flower garland decoration for Hindu brides is also as same as Bharatha Natyam and Kuchupidi. Bharatha Natyam evolved out of temple dance Sathir, and earlier the temple dancers were called devadasis. These temple dancers considered themselves as god's brides. That is why they decorated themselves as brides. Therefore, still in Bharatha Natyam, the same hair decoration tradition is adopted and followed. The Hindu brides also follow the same traditional hair-dressing of earlier temple dancers. Same style and pattern of garlands are adopted by brides and the Bharatha Natyam dancers as well. Yet for the stage practical dance performances, the garlands should be much lighter than that of the bridal garlands.

Beautiful combination

The Hindu brides as well as Bharatha Nayam dancers plaited their hair. The plaited hair is covered with a flower garland called Chadanagam, ended with kuncham made out of flowers. However, for Bharatha Natyam the Chadanagam is made out of beautiful combination of flower varieties. These flowers are tied with dried banana tree layer because it is lighter than hardboard. For Hindu brides the Chadanagam is also made out of natural flowers, and tied with hardboard.

The present generation dancers like to have different colour combination garlands to suit and match their costume colours. Earlier the dancers were using the natural flower, which added more aesthetic essence or value to art. However, today according to their dance costume colours, the dancers use artificial flowers.

These flowers are mainly made out of cloth, plastic or regifom (an artificial material). These flowers could be used more than once, repeatedly. In other words, one set of artificial flowers could be used for a number of programmes. Using artificial flowers is not a healthy or desirable measure; still these flowers are not heavy.

The dedicated and matured dancers prefer to have natural flower garlands. Meanwhile in some important and special items like Aandal, Meenakshi Kalyanam and Meenakshi Thaladu the dancers adopt special hair garland decorations. Hence the role of flower garlands play an important role in the overall Indian classical dances.