‘Navarasa’: A mesmerising journey through the nine emotions of Bharatanatyam

An entrancing ‘Baithak’ or chamber concert at the Raw Mango Showroom in Banjara Hills recently featured the Bharatanatyam ballet ‘Navarasa’, created by Padma Shri Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant.

Rasa is an emotion felt by the audience — an experience they undergo when they watch a performance, painting, or any form of art. These rasas are classified into nine, as per Indian aesthetic theory. In the ‘Natya Shastra’ of Bharata Muni, each of these emotions is associated with a particular colour — ‘Roudra’ (red), ‘Bhayanaka’ (black), ‘Adbhuta’ (yellow), ‘Bhibatsa’ (dark blue), ‘Veera’ (orange), ‘Karuna’ (grey), ‘Shringara’ (green), and ‘Shanta’ (colourless). These form the basic tenets of Indian art — whether dance, music, or painting.

Usually, in a dance recital, the emotions are anchored to the lyrics or storyline. However, if the story is unfamiliar, the audience may not be able to grasp the emotion. Sometimes, an event is not strictly necessary to trigger a mood — it could be spontaneous laughter, anger, or tears. The challenge of conveying these rasas without a storyline inspired Ananda in envisioning this production. This was the genesis of the idea behind the ballet.

When the lyrics or ‘sahityam’ are omitted, pure music alone remains. The grammar of Bharatanatyam — pure ‘nritta’ — was explored through group dynamics to create visual framing that expressed emotions not limited to ‘abhinaya’ but encompassing the entire body as an instrument. The dancers began in pure white costumes, serving as a blank canvas on which various colours were projected using light. This visual imagery was masterfully designed by Surya Rao, creating a spectacular feat of lighting and imagination.

The Shankarananda Kalakshetra ensemble, led by Dr Ananda Shankar, included her disciples Sneha Magapu, Poojitha Namburi, Neha Sathanapalli, Srividya Sripathi, and Shreenidhi Ramaswamy.

The order of emotions was slightly altered, as Ananda felt that anger, rather than love, is a more immediate and striking emotion. Thus, ‘Roudra Rasa’ in ‘Atana’ raga began the performance with a powerful start. Using ‘Shikhara’ and ‘Pataka’ hastas, the dancers moved strongly. A fiery red glow bathed the stage — evoking images of a mob in riot, with pulling, pushing, and tugging movements symbolising collective fury.

‘Bhayanaka Rasa’ in ‘Lavangi’ depicted fear as experienced differently by each person. The dancers were instructed to respond to imagined fears — some appearing stunned, others seeking to escape — creating a vivid tapestry of reactions through slow movements and expressive ‘abhinaya’.

‘Adbhuta Rasa’ or wonder was portrayed as a feeling of awe through buoyant, jumpy movements, where each dancer expressed individual astonishment that merged into a collective illusion of amazement.

‘Bhibatsa Rasa’ in ‘Varali’ followed, expressing disgust. The dancers moved as though navigating through dirty water after a monsoon shower — carefully placing their steps, drawing their hands back with caution to avoid being sullied. The depiction captured the visceral essence of revulsion with grace and restraint.

‘Veera Rasa’ in ‘Amritavarshini’ showcased valour through grand, determined movements. Large, elaborate, and firm marching steps were performed both singly and in unison, giving the impression of a heroic procession, radiating courage and strength.

‘Karuna Rasa’ in ‘Dwijawanthi’ brought forth grief and sorrow. This emotion, difficult to portray convincingly, was visualised as a contagious wave of sadness moving from one dancer to another — expressed through circular turns and tender interactions. The scene captured the depth of human empathy and shared loss.

‘Hasya Rasa’ in ‘Kathanakuthoohalam’ lightened the mood with humour. Through ‘adavus’ involving bends and stretches that contrasted each other, the dancers created comic effects without slipping into caricature. A delightful vignette featuring puppets troubling their master added charm and wit to this segment.

‘Shringara Rasa’ in ‘Megh Malhar’ illustrated love — the state of being in love and the act of adornment. The dancers evoked subtle imagery of birds, bees, and blossoming joy, expressing tenderness and harmony without overemphasis, letting the emotion speak through graceful gestures and glances.

Finally, ‘Shanta Rasa’ in ‘Revati’ embodied peace and spiritual tranquillity. This concluding piece reflected meditative calmness, drawing the audience into stillness and introspection.

The music throughout served as a screen upon which the ‘nritta’ was projected, achieving the intended emotional impact to vivid applause. At the end of the performance, each saree used to signify the colour of a particular rasa was hung on a rack — the hanger holding all nine sarees, now a visual testament to the journey through emotion and art, standing as a symbol of completion and harmony. The music was composed by Prema Ramamurthy.