CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA

SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY , MINISTRY OF CULTURE APPROVES CLASSICAL DANCES

DANCE FORM FEATURES IMAGES

MANIPURI DANCE  

- A basket of arts ie., many dances or stylysed dances of  

Manipur collected in it .

- The dance in Manipur is associated with rituals and  

traditional festivals, there are legendary references to  

the dances of Shiva and Parvati and other gods and  

goddesses who created the universe.

- The principal performers are the maibas and maibis  

(priests and priestesses) who re-enact the theme of the  

creation of the world

- 3 Dances ; All originated from Lai Haroba (actually a  

festival) ie., all Manipuri dances sprouted from it .

a) Rasleela Dance  

b) Sankirthana

c) Thangtha

a) RASLEELA DANCE  

- Developed by KingBagyachandra in 18th century.

- Theme ; Mythology , Radha-Krishna Love.

-5 types of Rasleela is there ; first 4 are related to 4  

different seasons.

I. Maharas

II. Khunjaras

III. Basantaras

IV. Diva / Goparas

V. Nityara ; performed at any time

- Costume of Manipuri dances ; KumilSarvangabhinaya ; entire body is used all Manipuri  

dances

- Manipuri dance is based on Pancharas (no navaras).

- Rasleela is compared to Solar system.(Krishna at the  

centre and Gopis rotate around).

- Ankle bells are absent .

b) SANKIRTHANA

- Congregational singing along with Dance(Group  

Dance)

- UNESCO INTANGIBLE HERITAGE LIST  

- Mythology ; Radha& Krishna  

- Performed at all social and religious life of Manipuri  

Hindus.

- Musical instruments likepung (Drum) and kartal  

(cymbell) .

- Based on this it is called PUNGCHOLAM (performed  

only by men ).

Singing asssociated with sankirthana :-nat ., open

THANG THA  

- Martial arts of Manipur and dance using weapons.

- Mockfights are also there.

- Performed by both men and women

- Rabindrnath Tagore adopted lasya style of Manipuri  

dance in his Bengali dance dramas.

SATTRIYA DANCE

- Developed by vaishnnava saint Shankaradeva in 15th

century.

o Movement was calledNeo Vaishnavaite  

movement.

- Sankradevadeveloped Ankiya Nat ( a dance form  

sattriya developed from this) a performing art or one  

act play .

- It was preserved in Sattras. VaishnavaMaths of Assam  

are sattras and because of this the name sattriya.

- Influenced by traditional dances of Assam

- Borgeet ; music associated with sattriya .

o Based on classical ragas.

- Traditionally it was performed by Male Monks  

calledBhokots (now females also perform)

- Costumes are made of local silk of Assam. PAT SILK

mainly white and red in colour .

- Sandalwood paste is always on the forehead.