KANDYAN DANCE forms
Subashini Pathmanathan
Naiyandi dance is one of the dance forms of the Kandyan dance.
Naiyandi dance includes wide steps and narrow steps. The leg positions
are sometimes closer to each other and sometimes the gaps between the
two legs are wider. Yet the dance has its beauty and graceful movements.
In Tamil the word Naiyandi is still in use. In Tamil culture there is
a collective orchestra called Naiyandi Melam. This Naiyandi Melam is
still much popular in Tamil areas of Sri Lanka and India. It includes
two Nagaerswara players and one Thavil player (temple drum). And beside
these another drum called Pamba is also included in the orchestra.. This
drum Pambai is played by two drum players. Another drum named Kirikatti
is also played by a single drummer in the Naiyandi Melam. The Naiyandi
Melam musical records are freely available in the shops.
In Naiyandi dancer wears white costumes; the chest is covered with
rows of bead chains. This dressings resemble some of the Indian
classical dancers. This particular neck ornament is made out of
beautiful beads. Besides these, they wear long silver chains and
ear-stud pendants. They also wear shoulder bands, and turbans.
Turbans, ear stud pendants, jingling bells, and anklets are also worn
by the some of the male classical Indian dancers too. The Naiyandi dance
was earlier practised in the royal courts. The steps are narrow and vast
like Kathakali.
This Naiyandi dance was practised in the royal courts like Kahakali
in olden days. Even the Manipuri male dancers also carry drums like
Kandyan Ves dancers and also they wear turbans. The Manipuri male
dancers also wear white colour costumes and turbans.
Another Kandyan dance form is Udekki.This Udekki dance was named
because of the instrument Udekki is used in this dance form. In Udekki
dance is another category of dance, which is derived from the drum name
Udekki. In Tamil Udekki is known as Udduku. In Sanskrit this is called
Damru. In Bharatha Natyam and in Hinduism this particular variety of
drum has a special place, because the Thandava Murthi Lord Nataraja
(Lord Shiva) in the Sabtha Thandavams as well as in the 108 Thandava
Karanas holds the Udduku (Udekki) in his right hand. In other words this
drum Udekki is always found in the right hand of the Thandava Murthi
Lord Nataraja.
According to Saiva Saint Thirumulanar's Thiru Manthiram all the
creations originate out of the sound of the Udukku.
One line of the sacred verses of Thiru Manthiram indicates that out
of the sound of Udduku all the creation takes place in the universe.
('Thotrum Thudi Thanil' means that all the creations originate from the
sounds of the wind instrument Udukku). This Udduku also plays an
important role in Hindu rituals. Still the magicians and fortune tellers
also use this instrument. And this particular instrument plays an
important role in the Tamil folk dances as well as in the Tamil folk
music.
The shape of the Udekki is like an hourglass and the length of the
Udekki is almost seven and half inches. It is a portable and small drum.
It is believed that the two drum skins are given by the Lord Iswara and
the sound for the drum is given by the Lord Vishnu. And it was also
further believed that the Udekki was made according to the instructions
of the Lord Sakra.This drum symbolizes speech and magic.
Pantheru is another Kandyan dance form. The Pantheru dancer carries
the instrument called Pantheruwa.This Pantheruwa instrument is used in
turning and twirling, and changing from one hand to another hand. The
dancers dance with another drum instrument called Geta-bera. It is said
that Pantheruwa is an instrument connected to the worship of Goddess
Pathini cult. It is decorated with small cymbals and these cymbals are
attached in regular intervals around the instrument. Earlier it was said
that the Sinhalese Kings employed Pantheru dancers to celebrate their
victory in the battlefield.
The costumes used in this dance form are almost similar to the Udekki
dancers. They wear a handkerchief around the waist. This almost resemble
the male dancers of Tamil folk dance Thevarattam.The male Tamil folk
dance Thevarattam dancers also use handkerchiefs around their waist. But
the dancers wear white pleated garments and their chests and their necks
are decorated with beads. The shoulders are covered with shoulder
kavasams, (shoulder plates).To adorn their ears they wear ear pendants.
Similarly for the hands armlets and bracelets are worn.
For the feet they wear jingling bells and anklets. This particular
dance form was earlier served for the purpose of military band. Such
type of dance was also danced earlier in Tamil culture. According to
ancient Tamil literature Mun theer kuravai, and Peen theer kuravai,
dances were performed to celebrate the victory of the victorious king.
Hence the relationship of Naiyandi, Udekki, and Pantheru dance forms of
Kandyan dance has one way or other way are connected to Indian dance
forms. It is generally believed that all these dance forms were
originated in the south east Asian region.
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