Abismrita Chakravarty
The monastic institutions that belong to the Neo-Vaishnavite tradition of Assam, called sattras, have been critical in preserving a rich cultural heritage and oral tradition. The monks (bhakats) have used the medium of dance, drama and music to disseminate the religious spiritual ideas and are…
in Module
Dadi Pudumjee is a noted puppeteer known for his experimental use of puppets in forms of dance and theatre. In this interview, he speaks about his early interest in puppetry, his formative years at the National Institute of Design and the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, where he began to learn…
in Video
Sindhuja Parthasarathy
in Image Gallery
Editor: Priya Sarukkai Chabria
The incredible diversity of cultural practice and the bewildering plurality of aesthetic style and sensibility across South Asia might presuppose an indecipherable state of ongoing chaos. But there is, possibly, an invisible thread, an intangible pattern and purpose running through it.
Through its…
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Abhijit Chakraborty
in Image Gallery
Dr Manorama B. N.
The concept of jewellery is an ancient one as is evident in the excavation samples from the sites of ancient civilisations, such as the Dancing Girl bronze statue belonging to the Indus Valley Civilisation. This desire to adorn oneself with jewellery is, however, not confined to any given class or…
in Overview
Ram Bhat N.
Ram Bhat (RB): Namaskara Radhamma. The gejje (anklet) is a significant part of both Bharatanatyam and Yakshagana, and generally we use the anklets available in the market. You and your husband, the late Raghavacharya, mastered the art of making these anklets traditionally. Could you tell us how it…
in Interview
Dr Manorama B.N.
For any Indian classical dancer, except may be for the Manipuri performer, his or her ghungroo is a special and sacred ornament. This is particularly true of Yakshagana artistes in Coastal Karnataka. Every year when their annual tour begins, the Yakshagana artistes gather at the temple of their…
in Video
Dr Manorama B. N.
in Image Gallery
Dr Manorama B.N.
The Sanskrit equivalent of ornament is bhooshana; the verb bhoosh means ‘to adorn or decorate with'. Indian classical dances, with the exception of Manipuri, often involve heavy foot work displaying complicated patterns of rhythm. The ghungroos or anklets worn by the dancer, of course, add to the…
in Module