Indian Classical Dance and Her Sacred Links to the Ancient Hindu Temple

Abstract:

Indian dance is not an art by itself, it is a synthesis of all arts finding a unique expression through the body. For it is in dance that ‘a painter sees beauty of line and colour, the sculptor sees the grace and the form, the actor sees the portrayal of life, and the musician and poet alike see the very embodiment of poetry in motion. Thus, with all these blended in one dedicated body and soul, the dancer herself becomes the very expression of Nataraja, the greatest Yogi of all yogis, of whom it is described that His Angika or the movement of His limbs is the world around, the Vachika, the poetry of His dance, is the language within all speech, the Aharya, His costume and jewellery, are the moon and the stars, while the Satvika, the true expression, is the essence of Being, Shiva Himself. In Him is all united and in Him is all transcended by the divine spirit’ (Rukmini Devi Arundale). This forms the very essence of Indian dance, that which encompasses within its many folds the history, the philosophy, the religion, the art and architecture of the Hindu temple, which again has been a reflection of the historical, philosophical, spiritual and artistic elements of India and her people through the centuries.
Thus, exploring the sacred links of Indian dance with the Hindu temple, the article is a humble attempt to reiterate to the present day dancer the need to revisit, not once but repeatedly, the philosophy behind the dance itself as it is practised today, so as to be able to grasp the subtle nuances of Indian culture such that she is informed enough to appropriately portray its myriad nature through her interpretations in dance.