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{{Short description|Type of dance}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
'''Bhagavata Mela''' is a classical Indian dance that is performed in [[Tamil Nadu]],{{Sfn|Williams|2004|pp=83-84, the other major classical Indian dances are: [[Bharatanatyam]], [[Kathak]], [[Odissi]], [[Kathakali]], [[Kuchipudi]], [[Sattriya]], [[Chhau dance|Cchau]], [[Manipuri dance|Manipuri]], [[Yaksagana]] and Bhagavata Mela}} particularly the [[Thanjavur]] area.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/><ref name="FisherShay2009p388">{{cite book|author1=Jennifer Fisher|author2=Anthony Shay|title=When Men Dance:Choreographing Masculinities Across Borders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fIEh_Dsv9oQC&pg=PA388 |year=2009|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-973946-2|pages=388 footnote 10}}</ref> It is choreographed as an annual [[Vaishnavism]] tradition in Melattur and nearby regions, and celebrated as a dance-drama performance art.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79">{{cite book|author1=James R. Brandon|author2=Martin Banham|title=The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttnH5W9qoBAC&pg=PA79|year=1997|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-58822-5|pages=72, 79–80}}</ref><ref name=rubin139>{{cite book|author1=Don Rubin|author2=Chua Soo Pong|author3=Ravi Chaturvedi|title=The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=maGU4ziPQJQC&pg=PA139 |year=2001|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-26087-9|pages=139–140}}</ref> The dance art has roots in a historic migration of practitioners of [[Kuchipudi]], another [[Indian classical dance]] art,<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/> from [[Andhra Pradesh]] to the kingdom of Tanjavur.

The term ''Bhagavata'', state Brandon and Banham, refers to the [[Hindu]] text ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]''.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/> ''Mela'' is a Sanskrit word that means "gathering, meeting of a group" and connotes a folk festival.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Bruno Nettl|author2=Ruth M. Stone|author3=James Porter|display-authors=et al|title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&pg=PA874| year=1998| publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-8240-4946-1|page=874}}</ref> The traditional Bhagavata Mela performance acts out the legends of [[Hinduism]],<ref name=rubin139/> set to the [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] style music.<ref name=brandon10/>

{{Hinduism}}

==History==

The origins of the Bhagavata Mela are in [[Kuchipudi]], another more ancient classical Indian dance, found in [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/><ref>{{cite book|author=Projesh Banerji|title=Indian Ballet Dancing|url=https://archive.org/details/indianballetdanc0000bane|url-access=registration|year=1983|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-0-391-02716-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/indianballetdanc0000bane/page/42 42]–43}}</ref> The invasion of the region by Islamic armies led to the fall of a Hindu empire, which triggered the mass migration of Hindu performance artist families to Tamil Nadu in 16th century, where the dance evolved into modern Bhagavata Mela.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/> Prior to its fall, the court records of the Deccan region based [[Vijayanagara Empire]] – known for its patronage of the Indian religions and arts – indicate that drama-dance troupes of ''Bhagavatas'' from Kuchipudi village performed at the royal court.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=67-68}}{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=79-80}} The region saw wars and political turmoil, ending in the formation of Deccan Sultanates in 16th century.<ref name="Latif2010p71">{{cite book|author=Bilkees I. Latif|title=Forgotten|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-SCyobP0koC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-306454-1|pages=132, 71–74}}</ref> With the fall of Vijayanagara Empire and the destruction of temples and Deccan cities by the Muslim army around 1565, musicians and dance-drama artists migrated south, and Tanjore kingdom records indicate that some 500 such Kuchipudi artist families arrived from Andhra, were welcomed and granted land by the Telugu Hindu king [[Achuthappa Nayak]], a settlement that grew to become modern [[Melattur, Tamil Nadu|Melattur]] near Tanjore (also called [[Thanjavur]]).<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/>{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=67-68}} These families maintained their Kuchipudi-inspired dance drama culture, in a form called Bhagavata Mela.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/>

Kuchipudi declined and was a dying art in 17th-century Andhra,<ref name="Latif2010p71" /> but in 1678, the last Shia Muslim [[Nawab]] of [[Golkonda Sultanate|Golkonda]], [[Abul Hasan Qutb Shah]], saw a Kuchipudi performance and was so pleased that he granted the dancers lands around the Kuchipudi village, with the stipulation that they continue the dance-drama.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=The Dances of India: A General Survey and Dancers' Guide|last1=Massey|first1=Reginald|last2=Massey|first2=Jamila|author2-link=Jamila Massey|publisher=Tricolour Books|year=1989|isbn=0-948725-04-4|location=United Kingdom|pages=27}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=Kuchipudi: Indian Classical Dance Art|last1=Kothari|first1=Sunil|last2=Pasricha|first2=Avinash|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=2001|isbn=9788170173595|location=India|pages=33}}</ref> The Shia Sultanate was overthrown in 1687 by the Sunni Mughal Emperor [[Aurangzeb]].<ref name="Latif2010p71" /> In order to regulate public and private morals, as well as end un-Islamic practices,<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ahsan Jan Qaisar|author2=Som Prakash Verma|author3=Mohammad Habib|title=Art and Culture: Endeavours in Interpretation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hic3XnRU-VgC&pg=PA7 |year=1996|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-315-1 |page=7}}</ref> Aurangzeb banned public performances of all music and dance arts, along with ordering the confiscation and destruction of musical instruments in Indian subcontinent under control of his [[Mughal Empire]].<ref name="Eraly2000p408">{{cite book|author=Abraham Eraly|title=Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Mughals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04ellRQx4nMC |year=2000|publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-100143-2 |pages=408–409 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Mohan Khokar|title=Traditions of Indian classical dance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=prjnAAAAMAAJ|year=1984|publisher=Peter Owen |isbn=978-0-7206-0574-7|pages=51 }}</ref>

The Deccan region saw wars and political turmoil with Mughal imperial expansion ending the Deccan Sultanates by the end of the 17th century.<ref name="Latif2010p71"/> During this period, more Bhagavatar community families moved south, invited by the newly established Maratha rajas in the Kaveri delta, to settle in and around Kumbakonam. These families maintained their Kuchipudi-inspired dance drama culture, in a form called Bhagavata Mela.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/>

==Repertoire==
The Bhagavata Mela is traditionally celebrated in Hindu temple grounds or next to a temple, starting after dusk and through the night, and like the original Kuchipudi artists, male [[Brahmin]]s were the artists who played the role of men and women characters in the underlying story.<ref name="BrandonBanham1997p79"/><ref name="FisherShay2009p388"/> Modern productions include both male and female artists, and has evolved to show influences of both Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam – the main classical dance of Tamil Nadu.<ref name=brandon10>{{cite book|author1=James R. Brandon|author2=Martin Banham|title=The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttnH5W9qoBAC&pg=PA79|year=1997|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-58822-5|page=80}}</ref>

Like all classical dances of India, the Bhagavata Mela incorporates sophisticated gestures as sign language combined with intricate footwork and acting (''abhinaya'') to communicate a religious story with spiritual message.<ref name=rubin139/><ref name=brandon10/> These aspects of the Bhagavata Mela have roots in the ''[[Natya Shastra]]'', the ancient Hindu text on performance arts.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=67-68}} The performance includes ''Nritta'', ''Nritya'' and ''Natya''. The ''Nritta'' performance is abstract, fast and rhythmic aspect of pure dance.<ref name=koskoff955/> The ''Nritya'' is slower and expressive aspect of the dance that attempts to communicate feelings, storyline particularly with spiritual themes.<ref name=koskoff955>{{cite book|author=Ellen Koskoff|title=The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: The Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=73MO0eiQD_EC&pg=PA955 |year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-99404-0 |pages=955 }}</ref> The ''Natya'' is a play performed by a team of artists.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=33-38, 83-84, 207-214}}<ref name="NettlStone1998p516">{{cite book|author1=Bruno Nettl|author2=Ruth M. Stone|author3=James Porter|display-authors=et al|title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&pg=PA516|year=1998|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-8240-4946-1 |pages=516–521}}</ref> The roots of ''abhinaya'' are also found in the ''Natyashastra'' text which describes basic units of dance, the gestures and movements that connect with the audience and aesthetically arouses joy in the spectator, and transports the individual into a super sensual inner state of being.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=67-68}}{{Sfn|Tarla Mehta|1995|pp=3-5}}

The communication in Bhagavata Mela is in the form of expressive gestures (mudras or hastas) synchronized to music. The gestures and facial expressions convey the ''ras'' (sentiment, emotional taste) and ''bhava'' (mood) of the underlying story.<ref name="BajajVohra2015p82"/> Like other Hindu classical dances, the artist successfully expresses the spiritual ideas by paying attention to four aspects of a performance: ''Angika'' (gestures and body language), ''Vachika'' (song, recitation, music and rhythm), ''Aharya'' (stage setting, costume, make up, jewelry), and ''Sattvika'' (artist's mental disposition and emotional connection with the story and audience, wherein the artist's inner and outer state resonates).<ref name="BajajVohra2015p82">{{cite book|author1=Tanvi Bajaj |author2=Swasti Shrimali Vohra|title=Performing Arts and Therapeutic Implications |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2MRcCgAAQBAJ |year=2015|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-32572-7 |pages=82–84}}</ref> ''Abhinaya'' draws out the ''bhava'' (mood, psychological states).<ref name="BajajVohra2015p82"/>

The Bhagavata Mela stories are typically from the Hindu Epics or the [[Puranas]], with ''Prahlada Charitram'' being particularly popular.<ref name=rubin139/> The music is [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] style, and most of the underlying story is sung to the rhythm of the music while the dance artists perform.<ref name=brandon10/> The repertoire is aided by an orchestra of musical instruments, with [[mridangam]] (drum) and cymbals providing the beat, and flute, string instruments and harmonium completing the ensemble.<ref name=brandon10/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|author=Ragini Devi|title=Dance Dialects of India|url=https://archive.org/details/dancedialectsofi0000ragi |url-access=registration|year=1990 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0674-0}}
* {{cite book|author=Reginald Massey|title=India's Dances: Their History, Technique, and Repertoire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6MJ8jbHqIwC |year=2004|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-434-9 }}
* {{cite book |author=Tarla Mehta | title=Sanskrit Play Production in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l7naMj1UxIkC | year=1995| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1057-0 }}
* {{cite journal| last= Williams|first=Drid| title=In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing|url= http://jashm.press.illinois.edu/12.3/12-3IntheShadow_Williams78-99.pdf |journal=Visual Anthropology| volume=17|issue=1 |year=2004|pages=69–98 |publisher= Routledge |doi=10.1080/08949460490274013| s2cid= 29065670}}
* {{cite book |author=Indumati Raman | title=Bhagavata Mela - My Tryst With Tradition |url=https://www.indussource.com/product/bhagavata-mela/ | year=2018| publisher=Indus Source Books |isbn=978-9385509087 }}

{{Dance in India}}
{{Hindudharma}}

[[Category:Classical dance genres of India]]
[[Category:Sacred dance]]
[[Category:Tamil culture]]