Indian dancing

THE LANGUAGE OF GESTURES

figuration, bhava is more earthly, for it is concerned with creating a mood through physical media.

Rasas express the beginning of a sentiment while bhavas complete ot round it off either through the agency of mana, the brain, ot of the sharira, the body, or through an action such as the throwing of a stone.

Bhavas may be of four kinds:

(a) Vibhava, which is again subdivided into abalambanam, and its accessoty wdipan. Thus, love in the Radha-Krishna dance may be expressed through the former, while the latter helps the mood with the external aid of a moonlight setting.

(b) Anubhava expresses the effect of a mood such as the ravages of anger or sorrow, or the rapture of love.

(d) Sattwikbhava consists of eight standardized movements to exptess such emotions as joy, fear, or disgust.

RASAS AND BHAVAS: THEIR CONNECTION: Every rasa has its accompanying bhava. Altogether there ate nine rasas, or sentiments, with an equal number of complementary moods:

Rasa (Sentiment) Bhava (Mood)

1. Svingara (Exoticism) Rati (Love)

2. Raudra (Fury) Krodba (Anget)

3. Veera (Valour) Utasha (Bravery)

4. Hasya (Satire) Hasya (Mirth)

5. Karuna (Pathos) Soka (Compassion)

6. Vibhatsa (Disgust) Jugupsa (Avetsion)

7. Adbbuta (Wondetment) Ascharya (Amazement) 8. Bhayanaka (Feat) Bhaya (Fright)

9. Shanta (Serenity) Shama (Peace)

Arjuna Kirata, the famous Kathakali drama based on an episode from the Mahabharata, ptovides an excellent illustration of the connection between rasa and bhava:

The warrior Arjuna, perceiving one of the Kauravas from the enemy side kick his son, who has been fatally wounded, is seized