| | Meaning | One Viniyoga (Use) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Pataka | Flag | Clouds, forest, river | | Tripataka | Three-part flag | Crown, tree, Indra | | Ardhapataka | Half-flag | Leaves, knife, back | | Kartarimukha | Scissors face | Scissors, separation, lightning | | Mayura | Peacock | Peacock, forehead tilak | | Ardhachandra | Half-moon | Moon, waist, a sword | | Mukula | Flower bud | Lotus, offering food | | Hamsasya | Swan beak | Painting, threading needle |
: Dance that conveys meaning through hand gestures and facial expressions ( Bhavam ). Items like Shabdam and Varnam fall here. bharatanatyam grade 3 theory notes
: The number of beats in a rhythm (e.g., Tisra = 3, Chaturasra = 4). | | Meaning | One Viniyoga (Use) |
| Aspect | Nritta (Pure Dance) | Nritya (Expressive) | Natya (Drama) | |--------|--------------------|---------------------|----------------| | Focus | Rhythm & Technique | Emotion & Mood | Story & Character | | Meaning | No meaning | Has meaning | Dialogue/Play | | Example | Jatiswaram, Thillana | Shabdam, Varnam | Dance drama | | Hand gestures | Rhythmic use | Conveys ideas | Role-play | | Aspect | Nritta (Pure Dance) | Nritya
Don't just learn the names; learn the Sanskrit verses from the Abhinaya Darpana .
The modern form was regularized in the early 19th century by the Thanjavoor Brothers (Ponnayya, Chinnayya, Sivanandam, and Vativelu). 2. The Three Foundations of Dance