Bharatha Natyam has a spiritual history behind it. It is a Tamil classical dance form, which was fostered in the Tamil country many centuries ago. This ancient dance form is a part of Tamil heritage and culture. Above all, it is totally based and linked with spiritual Hindu philosophy and the Hindu way of life. The majority of the Tamil community all over the world preserves and protects this art form with utmost devotion and dedication. Even the expatriate Tamil community has carried the religion, language, literature, music, paintings, sculptures, and social customs with them to the migrated lands. This dance form is completely based on well-established Carnatic Music.
The present-day Sri Lankan Bharatha Natyam borrows some ideas from other classical and folk dances, which in the end, the pure traditional classical dance form Bharatha Natyam, lose its essence and sense. Moreover, competitions are arranged to perform this divine classical dance at various levels. One of the reasons being, that most of the student community and parents are very much keen to win a certificate or a medal. Nowadays many boards and organizations conduct examinations and competitions, though a majority of them are unrecognized.
Similarly, Bharatha Natyam artistes are longing for unrecognized titles and awards, which are awarded by unauthorized individuals, as well as by certain unauthorized bodies without proper registrations. Most of these emerging artistes are satisfied with this fake publicity. Due to these various diverted attractions, the present students have lost their interest in the stage performances. The stage performances are definitely a must to improve their own standards and creativity. Dance is a performing art, but unfortunately, the present generation students’ attitudes and approaches are changed. Many dance teachers introduce numerous fusion and mixed assorted dances into this pure classical Bharatha Natyam to attract a mediocre level audience. This is one of the main causes that our country has failed to produce at least a few professional Bharatha Natyam artistes in the Sri Lankan art world.
Earlier the traditional Gurus conducted the art, not based on time limit and prescribed syllabus, but they impart the art with utmost dedication according to the level of understanding, personal ability, talents, age, involvement and different category of skills of the student community. The earlier generation students studied in the ancient Gurukulams. They learnt the art under the same teacher in the same style for several years. Hence, this efficacy on part of the teacher ultimately produced a considerable number of outstanding artists in the art world.
From the 1940s till today Bharatha Natyam is widely practising in Sri Lanka. But in the earlier generation, a substantial number of outstanding Bharatha Natyam artistes were in the performing art field. But today, most of the yesteryear performers have simply turned into dance teachers and have given up their stage career. This is also one of the main causes of the decline of experienced and professional artistes in the Bharatha Natyam art world of Sri Lanka.
Present Sri Lankan Bharatha Natyam teachers are the products of the fine arts institutions. After the art has moved to the institutions, the methodology of teaching took a new turn and a new dimension. The students in the fine art institutions study the art not under one teacher as in Gurukulams. It means that the same art is imparted by numerous types of dance teachers at different stages in fine art institutions. Numerous teachers handle the same art in different ways. Their ideas, approaches, views and interests differ from one another.
Ultimately, the interest of the students gets disturbed and distorted, affecting the students’ psychology. As a result, these external factors sometimes affect the excellent dance career of the youngsters.
Most of the present generation dancers pay more attention to pure Nirtha, (Adavus or steps) which is essentially mechanical. Not much consideration is paid to the important feature of the dance, called Nirthya (facial expression, or Rasas emotional involvement).
The majority of the teaching community of Bharatha Natyam, all over the world have no deep involvement, dedication or knowledge of the Hindu philosophy. Since this art is purely based on Hindu philosophy and Tamil culture, most of the teachers fail to impart the art or induce or inspire the art among the students effectively. The present-day dance classes are very much commercialized, having more than thirty to thirty-five students in one class, where no proper attention is paid by the teachers. This too contributed towards the decline in the standard of Sri Lankan Bharatha Natyam. Sadly, some Bharatha Natyam artistes adorn themselves with Bharatha Natyam costumes, make-up and display a mixed variety of dances under the label and name of the Bharatha Natyam! Ultimately they destroy the real sense and essence of the art.
Sadly, the above-said facts show why Sri Lanka failed to produce a significant number of outstanding performers in the field of Bharatha Natyam.
Add new comment