A TALE OF TWO CULTURES

River Study

Tiger Class of Nythe Primary School visited the river Cole near Coleshill to carry out a river study.

 The students measured the width and depth of the river. They measured the speed of the river and did a field sketch of a meander. They used nets to catch small fish and then they put them back!

In the afternoon the students visited the old mill to see how water was used to provide the power to grind wheat to make flour.

Finally, they made fish from willow branches.

The Indian Dance

The legacy of dance in India is very old and rich. The statuette of the dancing girl, one of the most famous relics, dates back to 6000 B.C. Dance pervades poetry, sculpture, architecture, literature, music and theatre. One reason for its popularity in India is the worship of Lord Shiva, one of the Holy Trinities of the Hindu mythology. It is said that His cosmic dance encompasses the processes of creation, preservation and destruction- the ultimate principle on which Hinduism rests. One can see the dancing Shiva at the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram in South India. In addition to this, the themes chosen are mostly from mythology like the story of Ramayana and Krishna and Radha ’s relationship. The dances contain methodical training of different kinds of postures, the mudras or hand formations and different expressions of emotions or rasas. Movements coordinate with the appropriate emotions. The attire and ornaments are special for each type of classical dance. Dancers use the dancing bells or the ghungroo tied to their ankles; these bells give a pleasant sound that coincides with the syllables given on the percussion instrument (like Mridangam, tabla, pakhawaj, naal) for foot work by the dancer. The syllables are accompanied by the vocalists, and instruments such as violin, flute.

 Bharata Natyam

Name of the Dance 

·         Bharata Natyam

Form and its Meaning 

·         Bhava (expression), Raga (musical mode), Tala (rhythm),  Natyam (dance) together  make BHARATA NATYAM

State of Origin 

·         Tamil Nadu

Famous Exponents 

·         Bala Saraswati,  Malavika Sarukkai,  Prema Vaidyanathan,  Mallika Sarabhai

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used 

·         Mridangam(drum), nagaswaram (long pipe horn made from a black wood), the flute, violin and veena (stringed instrument  and a pair of cymbals

Costume 

·         Dancers wear costumes made of silk saris with gold zari embroidery designs. The pleats in these costumes open beautifully when the dancer forms a particular posture especially half sitting and full sitting.

Dance Style 

·         Bharatanatyam is performed with the knees of the dancers bent. The dance emphasizes on the hand movements to convey different kinds of emotions to the spectator. The technique of Bharatnatyam consists of Ntya, Nritta and Nritya. Natya is the dramatic art which is the language of gestures, poses and mimes (Abhinaya). Nritta is the rhythmic and repetitive elements in the dance. The Nritya is a combination of Nritta and Natya. Abhinaya(mime)  is another important aspect of the dance form. It consists of expressions and the expression is never overdone.

Odissi

Name of the Dance

·         Odissi

Form & its Meaning

·         Derives its name from Orissa

State of Origin

·         Orissa

Famous Exponents

·         Kelucharan Mahapatra, Madhavi Mudgal, Sonal Man Singh

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Pakhawaj, flute, Manjira (metal cymbals), Sitar and Tanpura

Costume

·         The dancer wears a nine-yard sari woven from silk, usually in bright shades of orange, red or green, a richly embroidered blouse, a frill around  the legs and a tassel worn around the waist. The dancer also wears a decorative headpiece which is shaped like flowers.

Dance Style

·         Odissi closely follows the tenets laid down by the Natya Shastra. Odissi dance style had been set on a very distinctive method of body manipulation. The Odissi dancers use their head, bust and torso in soft flowing movements to express specific moods and emotions. In no other clasical dance form , is seen such a close relationship between the art of dance and the sculpture. Especially the 'Tribhangi' which divides the body

Kuchipudi

 Name of the Dance

·         Kuchipudi

Form and its Meaning

·         called after a village in Andhra Pradesh

State of Origin

·         Andhra Pradesh

Famous Exponents

·         Raja and Radha Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Swapna Sundari

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Mridangam, violin, and clarinet

Costume

·         There is not much of a difference between Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi costumes. The centre pleats that come in Bharatanatyam costumes are also used in Kuchipudi , the only difference is the ‘Katcham’ that comes at the back of a Kuchipudi costume.

Dance Style

·         Kuchipudi is a perfect amalgamation of "Nritta", "Nritya" and "Natya". The Nritta consists of a song; the Nritya or "Sabdams" includes the interpretation of the song through dance and Natya combines both into a complete dance drama having a storyline and characters. The Kuchipudi dance form uses a lot of fast rhythmic foot movements. Kuchipudi dance style is somewhere between the classical dance style of Odissi and that of Bharata Natyam. 

·         There are certain types of steps that are unique to Kuchipudi. Especially there is the Tarangam in which the dancer must dance upon a brass plate, placing the feet upon the raised edges. The dancer has to move the plate with proper balance.

 Kathak 

Name of the Dance

·         Kathak

Form and its Meaning

·         ‘Kathakar ’ or Storyteller

Origin

·         North India

Famous Exponents

·         Uma Sharma, Shovana Narayan, Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Tabla

Costume

·         The dancer wears a flared ankle length dress (long skirt) over a tight trousers, a blouse, a veil and a cap The ornaments consist of gold and silver for head, neck, arms, hands fingers, waist and feet  and small ankle bells.

Dance Style

Kathak dances are performed straight-legged under the weight of more than 100 ankle bells and the ankle bells worn by the dancers are skillfully controlled. In Kathak dance the emphasis is more on footwork as against hand formations. Kathak dance can be performed by both men and women. Kathak is characterized by rhythmic footwork, spectacular spins, and the dramatic representation of themes from Persian and Urdu poetry alongside those of Hindu mythology.

 Mohini Attam

Name of the Dance

·         Mohini Attam

Form and its Meaning

·         Means dance of the attractive maiden

State of Origin

·         Kerala

Famous Exponents

·         Bharati Shivaji, Kanak Rele, Shanta Rao

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Mridangam

Costume

·         The costume is mostly white or cream white in color stitched out of a sari. The border of the sari is in golden color

Dance Style

·         Mohiniattam is a solo female dance. The dancer  sways rhythmically from side to side with smooth and unbroken flow of the body movement. The Mohiniattam dance focuses mainly on feminine moods and emotions. Usually, the theme of Mohiniattam dance is "sringara" or love. The subject of love is depicted through abhinaya, subtle gestures, rhythmic footwork and lilting music. The legend of Vishnu as "Mohini", (the enchantress) forms the core of Mohiniattam dance.

 Kathakali

Name of the Dance

·         Kathakali

Form and  its Meaning

·         Story-play/Dance drama

State of Origin

·         Kerala

Famous Exponents

·         Kalamandalam Murali, Kalamandalam Gopi, Guru Raghavan Nair

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Chenda, Maddala (drums)

Costume

·         The dancers are usually men, who wear voluminous and bulky skirts, elaborate masks and headdresses with vivid painted faces. The colour of the paint depicts the characters they portray.

Dance Style

·         Kathakali ranks high among the Indian dance forms, since it is a dramatic performance in which, the actors do not speak or sing, but interpret their emotions through natural and impressive gestures and mudras, graceful and rhythmic movements and pleasing choreography. It is a male art and the dancing is mostly of the masculine type. This also lends Kathakali its universal appeal. Another distinct feature of Kathakali is its elaborate costume and make-up. The themes of the Kathakali are religious in nature.  They typically deal with the ancient scriptures - Mahabarat, the Ramayana and the Puranas.

Manipuri

Name of the Dance

·         Manipuri

Form and its Meaning

·         Derives its name from the brilliant valley of Manipur (the jewelled city)

State of Origin

·         Manipur

Famous Exponents

·         Singhajit Singh and Charu Siya Mathur

Beats/Percussion/Instrument used

·         Pung (the Manipuri drum),  flute, conch shells and a trumpet-like horn, stringed instruments and metallic instruments like the cymbals (known as kartal)

Costume

·         The costumes are very picturesque. The headdress consists of a tight-fitting conical cap of black velvet or other material, trimmed with a border of synthetic pearls, under a thin white veil. The blouse is a tight fitting garment usually made of velvet and below it lie the twirling flounces of a sequined wide bordered skirt that catches the eye.

Dance Style

·         The Manipuri dance is one of the purest, softest and mildest dances. The movements of the body, feet and facial expressions in the dance are delicate and show complete devotion to God. The most striking part of the dance is its colorful decoration, lightness of dancing foot, delicacy of abhinaya (drama), lilting music and poetic charm.

Questions:

1. In the Indian classical dance what is the mudra?

a. foot work b. dance syllables c. the beats from the percussion d.hand formations

2.Among the following which one is not one of the navrasas?

a. raslila b.kroda c. hasya d. shokh

3. Among the following which percussion instrument is used in kathak?

a.tabla b.mridangam c. maddalam d. dholak

4. Who among the following is not an exponent of the Bharatanatyam dance form?

a. Padma Subramanyam b. Balasaraswati c. Birju Maharaj d. Hemamalini

5. Find the mismatch:

a. Kathak-Sitara Devi b. Mohini Attam-Indirani Rehman c. Manipuri-SingajitSingh

d.Odissi-Sonal Mansingh

6. The kalbelia folk dance belongs to which state?

a.Haryana b. Punjab c. Gujarat d. Rajasthan

7. Find the odd one out:

a. Ghoomar b.giddha c. Bhavai d. kachri gori

8. Which among the following is not a folk dance form of Tamil Nadu?

a. Kummi b. veeragasse c. kolattam d.karagattam

9.Which of the following is performed by Buddhist monks of Ladakh?

a. Bihu b. dalgati c. chaau d. the mask dance

10. Of which state is ‘tamasha ’ a folk dance?

a. Uttar Pradesh b. Karnataka c. Madhya Pradesh d. Maharashtra.

Nythe Primary School 

Eagle Class Y4/5

A Tale of 2 Cultures

Series of 3 ‘quest style’ sessions to take place during the first few days of term 1 to introduce the Geography topic: Tale of 2 cultures and Y4 Literacy unit: Non-fiction recounts – Newspapers and magazines.

Activities to be reading based tasks to enthuse children about their Geography topic, literacy unit and enjoyment of reading.

Session 1 

1. Children walk into class. Teacher to ask children to help her read a strange email that she has received. Open email:

2. Children visit the scene (outdoor classroom) and use clues to work out who has been kidnapped. Clues:

Indian dress

Wild fruit and vegetables

Tiara

Jewellery

Branches on the floor

Diary

Discuss:

Who do we think has been taken?

Where is she from?

Where does she live?

Is she rich or poor?

3. Bring back all clues from the scene to the classroom and find a large envelope with ‘To feathered detectives’ on the front. Ask one of the children to pull out a letter and ask a volunteer to read the class. Volunteer to read a letter from sergeant Eagle saying he has been sent a letter from a vulture called Sampathi. He heard a woman’s calls for help so he flew towards the cries and has described everything he saw. Child to give out the copies of the witness statement, written by the vulture, describing who he saw. Children highlight important information and match the description of the criminal with mug shots of suspected demons.

4. As a class, discuss which demon they think has taken the victim. Label the picture with quotes from the letter.

Session 2

1. As a class, discuss what they think they should do next to work out more about the victim and where the demon might be. Look at the clues again from last week. Ask a volunteer to open the diary and see if anything has been written in it. There is an entry! Children read diary entry in pairs and work out more information about the monster and who he was going to kidnap and why.

2. As a class, write a letter to Sergeant Eagle explaining what extra information we have learnt about the victim and monster.

Session 3

1. Children walk into class to find another letter addressed to the ‘feathered detectives’. Volunteer open it and give copies of the same letter to the class to read. Children read independently and then discuss what has happened.

(It is a letter from Ravana explaining that Sita will be marrying him and if she refuses, she will be eaten).

2. Ask children to look back through the letter/ envelope to work out where Sita is being kidnapped. Draw their attention to the postage stamp. Q: What does it say? A: Lanka island. Has anybody heard of this island before?

A monkey is to be placed within the topic display with the label ‘Lanka’ on his T shirt and a voice recorder under his arm. If children haven’t noticed this before, ask children to hunt the classroom to find anything that might have any sort of connection with Lanka.

3. Put the voice recorder in the teacher’s computer. Play the recording to the class.

Recording to be the monkey explaining that he is called Hanuman and he is no ordinary monkey, he is son of the God of the wind. He is able to get to the island called Lanka with one big jump. For the feather detectives to get there, they must work together to cross a bridge.

4. Class to go out onto the playground to the edge of the football pitch. Teacher to have previously set up an Indian lady doll on the stage, a large picture of Ravana  stuck to the wall and benches leading from the football pitch to the stage. Draw children’s attention to an envelope on the bench. Ask a volunteer to open the envelope - It is a letter from the monkey army with 2 arrows. The monkey army have built a bridge for the feathered detectives to save Sita. In order to save Sita, they must complete 3 tasks, in order to crack a code to enter the island and shoot the arrow into Ravana’s heart.

-          Task 1:  Divide themselves into 2 equal armies and stand on the bridges. One arrow to be held by each army.

-          Task 2: Without any of their army falling into the water, order themselves alphabetically according to their names.

-          Task 3: Without any of their army falling into the water, order themselves in height order.  

 Ask children to pass the arrow to the front of the army, put it in Ravana’s heart and save Sita!

 Read the story to the class: Rama rescues Sita from Hindu Stories by A Ganeri.  

ANNUAL DAY 2011

On January 31 2011, the students of RPVV, Tyagraja left no stone unturned to make the school’s Annual Day a day worth remembering. The students of the School displayed their artistic talents through a lot of cultural activities. The Principal, Ms.Sumeeta Bahl accorded a warm welcome to the Honourable Chief Guest for the day, Ms. Kunti Aswal, Education Officer (Zone24). Others present were Mr. Tanwar, Supervisor Sports and Parent Representatives. School Principal, Ms. Sumeeta Bahl welcomed the guests and motivated students to excel in every good field of life.

The function commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest, the Principal and all the eminent guests present. The Cultural Extravaganza had a perfect beginning with Saraswati Vandana invoking the blessings of Goddess Saraswati. The enchanting musical programme, ‘The Alphabets’ by the budding young stars of Class VI was a great visual treat! The highlight of the day was Kuchipudi performed by Alekhya of VIII A. The Chief Guest lauded the efforts of RPVV, Tyagraja in providing a platform for the children of tomorrow to showcase their talent. They also congratulated the students on their extraordinary performance. 

Thereafter, the guests awarded those outstanding students who showed their brilliance in sports, academics and non-academic fields.

The day also marked the release of the School Magazine, ‘Utkrishti’.

FOLK  DANCES  OF  INDIA

 In this Project, we will be talking about the various Indian folk dances and their dance. The folk dances of India are performed on special occasions such as, arrival of seasons, birth of a child, a wedding and festivals to express joy and happiness. These dances are, therefore, also considered to be auspicious.

Almost all the regions of the country have their specific folk dance, which is a wonderful way to show case their culture and tradition. The folk dances are not as complex as the classical dance forms. They are extremely simple with minimum of steps; yet they are very beautiful, because of the rawness in them and because they are full of energy and vitality. The Indian folk dances are a definite asset to the cultural heritage of the Nation.

The most interesting part of a folk dance is the dresses required for the performance. Every folk dance has its own specific costume which are very bright and colorful, and traditional jewellry, which differs from dance to dance. These give a folk touch to the dances. 

 RAJASTHAN

1.       KALBELIA 

‘Kal’ means snake and ‘beliya’ means friend.

The Kalbeliyas, a snake-charmer community from Rajasthan performs the Kalbeliya dance, one of the most sensuous dance forms of Rajasthan. They rely heavily on this dance for their living.

The dance costume is very attractive. The women wear long black skirts decorated with silver ribbons or ‘gota’ (silver ribbon), danglers, bead strings, traditional bangles.

The flexible bodies of Kalbeliyas, especially that of their women, are compared to the sleek and flexible bodies of snakes. As they spin in circle, their body sways like that of a snake to the accompainiment of pungi, dufli and plaintive notes of the "been" - the wooden instrument of the snake charmers.  As the beat of the dance increases in tempo, there is an increase in the pace of the dance. The women dance with their veil covering their faces. Spinning around is the main act which they do with all their flexibilities.

This dance is performed somewhere around the festival of Holi.

  2.        CHARI

 This dance signifies goodness and is also known as a welcome dance.

 This is a famous dance of females belonging to Gujjar community of Kishangarh.

Ladies wear big nose rings, gold ornaments, armlets and other ornaments.

Pots with lighted lamps are balanced on the head with graceful hand movements. These pots are kept ignited with cotton seeds dipped in oil. The lit pots look beautiful in the dark night. It is amazing how these performers move effortlessly on the floor and do not seem at all conscious of a potential danger of being burnt at all!

Instruments played during the dance are dhol, bankiya and thali.

This dance is performed by women to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a male child.

3.  GHOOMAR

This is a folk dance of Rajasthan.  It derives its name from 'ghoomna', (its characteristic spins).

 This is basically a community dance for women which display the spectacular colours of the flowing 'ghaghra', the long skirt of the Rajasthani women.

In Rajasthan, Ghoomar is performed to the songs of valour and victory and on auspicious occasions.

GUJARAT

1.       GARBA

 Garba is a popular folk dance of women in Gujarat.

The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garba and Deep ("a small earthenware lamp"}. Many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp. The circular and spiral figures of Garba have similarities to other spiritual dances.

It is a circular form of dance performed by ladies on nine nights of Navaratri, Sharad Purnima, Vasant Panchami, Holi and such other festive occasions. The actual performance begins at night after the women finish their house hold work. All gather at street corners.

The basics of the dance are singing and clapping rhythmically while going round either a lamp (the Garba Deep) or an image of Goddess Amba placed in the middle as an object of veneration.

The rhythm is kept by a Dholi or drummer who sits in the centre. Damru, Tabla, Nagara, pot drum, percussion, Ektaro, Ravan hattho, Jantar, Pavo, shehani, murli, turi, and taturi are some of the instruments used.

The costumes consist of a short coat called Kedia with tight sleeves embroidered at borders and shoulders, tight trousers and colourfully embroidered caps or coloured turbans and a coloured waist band. 

2.       DANDIYA

 Dandiya are performed during Navratri evenings in Gujarat.

This dance represents the staging of a mock-fight between the Goddess Durga and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king. The sticks of the dance represent the sword of Durga. ‘Dandiya’ or sticks are about 18" long.  

It is performed by a group of men and women who move in circles to measured steps, marking time by colorfully decorated sticks called Dandiya.

Each dancer holds two, although some times when they are short on Dandiya they will use just one in right hand. Generally, in a four beat rhythm, opposite sides hit the sticks at the same time, creating a nice sound. One circle goes clockwise and another counter clockwise.

The main difference between the 'Garba' and 'Dandiya' dance performances is that Garba is performed before 'Aarti' (Prayer) while Dandiya is performed after it. Garba is performed by women while Dandiya is performed by men and women. The circular movements of Dandiya are slightly more complex than that of Garba.

The women wear traditional dresses such as colorful embroidered choli, ghagra and bandhani dupattas dazzling with mirror work and heavy jewellery. The men wear special turbans and kedias. 

The dhol  is used as well as complementary percussion instruments such as the dholak, tabla and others.

PUNJAB

 1. BHANGRA

Bhangra is a lively form of folk music and dance that originates from Punjab. It is performed to  celebrate the success of the harvest. People perform Bhangra on the day of Baisakhi, April 13. Bhangra is considered the King of dances because it is a lively, powerful dance. 

During Bhangra, people sing Punjabi lyrics and one person plays the the dhol (drum). The dancers begin to move in a circle around the drummer, who now and then lifts the two sticks, with which he beats the drum. This is a signal to the dancers to dance to a higher tempo of movement. One of the Bhangra's moves is to dance on one leg. Bhangra also includes tricks and acrobatic feats in its performance.

The costume of a Bhangra dancer consists of a bright, coloured Patka (turban) on the head, a lacha or lungi of the same colour, a long tunic and a black or blue waistcoat and ghunghroos on the ankles. Some dancers also wear small rings in their ears.

In addition to a drum, chimta (musical tongs) and burchu (sound of the beats from earthen vessels) are used. Damru (hand-drum) is also used in Bhangra.

2.       GIDDA

Gidda is performed exclusively by women.  During Lohri (13^th January), the Punjabi women express joy through the Gidda. Songs are sung while dancing.

The dance is derived from the ancient ring dance. One of the girls plays on the 'dholki' (drum) while others form a circle. While moving in a circle, the girls raise their hands to the level of their shoulders and clap their hands. Rhythm is generally provided by clapping of hands. The movement of the feet is quick in its faster parts.

The traditional dress during Gidda dance is ‘choli’ (short female style shirt) with ‘ghagra’ or ‘lehnga’ (loose shirt up to ankle-length) or ordinary Punjabi Salwar-Kamiz, rich in colour, cloth and design. The embroidered 'duppattas' and heavy jewellry of the participants add to the richness of the dance.

 A ‘dholak’ (drum) accompanies a Gidda.

MAHARASHTRA

1.       LAVANI

The word Lavani originates from ‘Lavanya’ (beauty).

Earlier, this art form dealt with matters such as society, religion, politics, romance, etc. Lavani was also used as a form of entertainment and morale booster to the tired soldiers.

Lavani is a combination of traditional song and dance performed to the beats of 'Dholak', a drum like instrument. Dancing is inseparable from music. They are sung in a quick tempo.

This Dance is performed by women wearing nine-yard saris.

 2.   TAMASHA

 Tamasha is one of the most important folk theatres of Maharashtra. The word Tamasha is Persian and means fun or entertainment.

 This dance form developed in 16th century. The love songs ('Lavanis') are the heart of Tamasha and are very popular.

Instruments used are the ‘Dholki’ (drum), 'Tuntuni' (a single string instrument), 'Manjeera' (cymbals), 'Daf' (a tambourine-like instrument with a single leather surface), 'Halgi' (smaller Daf), the metal triangle called 'Kade', the 'Lejim' (an instrument with a jangling sound), the Harmonium and 'Ghunghroos' (ankle bells).

 ASSAM

1.       BIHU

 The Bihu dance is a folk dance from Assam. This dance is related to the festival of Bihu.

This joyous dance is performed by both young men and women, and is characterized by brisk dance steps, rapid hand movement, and a rhythmic swaying of the hips in order to represent youthful passion.

Dancers wear traditionally colourful Assamese clothing like Dhoti, Gamocha and Chadar, Mekhala.

Songs sung in Bihu are woven around themes of love and often carry erotic overtones.

JHARKHAND

1.       CHHAU

Chhau is the folk dance of Bihar depicting enormous vitality and virility. Some believe that the word 'Chhau'

comes from the Sanskrit root 'Chhaya' meaning shade. Others believe that since masks forms an important

feature of this dance, it is called 'Chhau', which means mask.

The dance form includes certain steps which is a system of exercise. All the performers hold swords and

shields, while performing this exercise.

This folk dance depicts nature and the animal world such as Sagara Nritya (ocean dance), Sarpa Nritya

(serpent dance) and Mayura Nritya (peacock dance). Themes taken from mythology and everyday life also

form an important aspect of Chhau dance.

Chhau dance is a dance full of vitality and robustness. During the performance the entire body is employed

as a single unit. The legs form an effective means of communicating the expression. Although the face is

covered by mask, it mysteriously expresses the feelings to be communicated.

The musical instruments used are the Dhol (a cylindrical drum), Nagara (a huge drum) and Sehnais (reed

pipes). Mainly a male dominated art, Chhau has, however, in recent years, been performed by women.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_India

·         http://dances.iloveindia.com/folk-dances/index.html

·         http://www.indianfolkdances.com/

·         http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/nritya/folk_dance.html

·         http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-dance/folk-dances/index.html

·         www.dancesofindia.co.in/

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