Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam -terms associated

Solution

• Bharatnatyam derives its name from ‘Bharata Muni’ and ‘natyam’ which means dance in Tamil. In the early 19th century , four dance teachers of Thanjavur namely: Chiniah, Ponniah, Vadivelu and Shivanandam (Tanjore Quartet) defined the elements of Bharatanatyam recital. They are as follows: • Alarippu: It is an invocatory piece of performance which includes basic dance postures and is accompanied with rhythmic syllables. It is meant to seek the blessings of God. • Jatiswaram: It is the basic dance steps and is devoid of expressions, it includes the different poses and movements. • Shabdam: The dramatic element with expressed words, which includes the abhinaya in the song. It is generally in praise of the glory of God. • Varnam: It is the basic dance step component and is a combination of dance and emotions, and is the most important part of the whole performance. It is synchronised with tala and raag, to express the story. • Padam: It refers to the mastery over the expression of the spiritual message, by the artist. Music becomes light, dance becomes emotional. • Jawali: These are short lived lyrics performed at a faster tempo • Thillana: The concluding stage of the performance, and comprises pure dance with exuberant movement and intricate rhythmic variations.