Karanas are the 108 key transitions in the classical Indian dance described in 4th Chapter named "Tandava Lakshana" of Natya Shastra. Karana is a Sanskrit verbal noun, meaning "doing".
Description
Natya Shastra states that Karanas are the framework for the "margi" (pan-Indian classical) productions which are supposed to spiritually enlighten the spectators, as opposed to the "desi" (regional folk or pop dance) productions which can only entertain the spectators. "One who performs well this Karana dance created by Maheswara will go free from all sins to the abode of this deity," states Natya ShastraNatya Shastra translated by Manmohan Ghosh 2002 Chowkhamba Press, Varanasi - Page 75.
Some of the well-known interpretations of karanas are by Padma Subramanyam that were based on 108 brief movement phrases describing specific leg, hip, body, and arm movements accompanied by hasta mudras described in the Natya shastra and other scriptures, and from depictions of the movements in sculpture in five South Indian temples, notably the Chidambaram temple which contains depictions of the full set. Padma Subrahmanyam has written a book called Karanas-Common dance codes of India and Indonesia, based on her research of karanas from the temples of Prambanan(Indonesia), Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Chidambaram, Thiruvannamalai, and Vriddhachalam. In the 20th century, she was the first dancer to reconstruct the Karanas as movements, which were considered mere poses earlier.
Some other Bharatanatyam gurus, such as Adyar Lakshman (Kalakshetra school), as well as the Kuchipudi gurus Vempati Chinna Satyam and C.R.Acharya have also attempted to reconstruct all the 108 karanas, which were often significantly different from Padma Subrahmanyam's interpretations so much so that even on the chari (leg movement) level there was no agreement as to whose interpretation is correct. Due to the significant variations in the depictions, most traditional Bharatanatyam schools considered Padma Subrahmanyam's style, which incorporated Karanas as incorrect, which forced her to name her own style as Bharatanrityam rather than Bharatanatyam. Many of Padma Subrahmanyam's disciples, such as Bala Devi Chandrashekar (SPNAPA Academy of performing arts) - Sujatha Mohan (Padmashree Nrithyalaya), Uma Sriram, Jayashree Rajagopalan, Dominique Delorme (France) and others are teaching the 108 karanas based on Subramanyam's research.
There used to be devadasis who performed all the 108 karanas. Still, now in most contemporary Bharatanatyam or Odissi schools, only a small number of karanas and their derivatives have been transmitted by parampara up to date.
Apart from that, performing of the same Karana differs greatly across different classical Indian styles. Currently, as regards the exact technique, there are no established standards and no universally agreed-upon interpretations of the texts and sculptures.
List of 108 Karanas
Talapuṣpapuṭam Vartitam Valitōrukam Apaviddham Samanakham Līnam Swastikarēchitam Manḍalaswastikam Nikuṭṭakam Ardhanikuṭṭam Kaṭīchinnam Ardharēchitam Vakśaswastikam Unmattam Swastikam Pṛṣṭhaswastikam Dikswastikam Alātam Kaṭīsamam Ākśiptarēchitam Vikśiptākśiptam Ardhaswastikam Añchitam Bhujaṅgatrāsitam Ūrdhvajānu Nikuñchitam Mattalli Ardhamattalli Rēchitanikuṭṭam Pādāpaviddakam Valitam Gūrṇitam Lalitam Daṇḍapakśam Bhujaṅgatrastarēchitam Nūpuram Vaiṣākharēchitam Bhramaram Chaturam Bhujaṅgāñchitam Daṇḍarēchitam Vṛśchikakuṭṭitam Kaṭībhrāntam Latāvṛśchikam Chinnam Vṛśchikarēchitam Vṛśchikam Vyamsitam Pārśvanikuṭṭakam Lalāṭatilakam Krāntam Kuñchitam Chakramaṇḍalam Urōmaṇḍalam Ākśiptam Talavilāsitam Argaḷam Vikṣiptam Āvartam Dōlāpādam Vivṛttam Vinivṛttam Pārśvakrāntam Niṣumbhitam Vidyutbhrāntam Atikrāntam Vivartitakam Gajakrīḍitam Talasamsphoṭitam Garuḍaplutam Gaṇḍasūchī Parīvṛttam Pārśvajānu Gṛdrāvalīnakam Sannatam Sūchī Ardhasūchī Sūchīviddham Apakrāntam Mayūralalitam Sarpitam Danḍapādam Harinaplutam Prēnkōlitam Nitambam Skalitam Karihastam Prasarpitam Simhavikrīḍitam Simhākarṣitam Udvṛttam Upaśṛtam Talasaṅghaṭṭitam Janitam Avahittakam Nivēśam Ēlakākrīditam Ūrūdvṛttam Madaskalitam Viṣṇukrāntam Sambhrāntam Viśkhambam Udghaṭṭitam Vṛśabhakrīḍitam Lōlitam Nāgāpasarpitam Śakaṭāsyam Gaṅgāvataranam
See also
Kuchipudi
References
External links Padma Subrahmanyam, "Bharatha Natyam - Classical Dance of the Ancient Tamils. The Role of Dance Sculptures in Tamilnad (1968) P. Subrahmanyam's introduction, with pictures illustrating 108 karanas.