In Hindu rituals 11, 101 are all auspicious numbers. Offerings are made to Gods in these numbers. So, I also took a break after my 11 weeks of blog writing! You don’t believe me? Ha-ha. The true reason is, my house got painted. Now, speaking about paints and also offerings, it reminds me of the colors used for the offerings for the various pillars constructed in the play houses. For the Brahmin stambha (pillar), white offerings symbolizing purity and knowledge were used, for Kshatriya stambha red offerings symbolizing strength and valorous exploits were offered and for vaisya stambha yellow offerings symbolizing gold were used. Vaisyas being tradesmen who dealt with gold, yellow color is justified.
Now, let us talk about the 3rd type of play houses. The play house as well as the stage is triangular in shape. One door is at the corner of the play house and the other door is at the back of the stage. The rest of the rules are the same as the square play houses. This play house carries the name, ‘Trayasra’. This brings us to the end of the 2nd chapter of Natya Shastra.
In the introduction of the English translation of Natya Shastra by ‘Sathguru Publications’, the time period of Natya Shastra is discussed in detail. One thing which caught my attention is the interpretation of the name Bharatha Shastra. Bharatha is a term used for an artist or performer and Shastra means rules. So Bharatha Shastra can be expanded as Rules for performing artists. The commentaries for the book were written in early centuries A.D. Then, is it not written by Bharatha? The feasible explanation can be this. Just as our 4 Vedas Natya Shastra might have been given to generations verbally without any documentation. Later on in early centuries A.D. it was documented by scholars. We can see the names of these scholars and discuss this in detail next week.
A few years back during a dance lecture, there was a discussion on Tandavam and Lasyam. Tandavam is the masculine, strong and powerful dance of Siva. Lasyam is the feminine, soft and garaceful dance of Shakthi. Don’t take it as Tandava is the dance of males and lasya is the dance of females. Why? Let me give you the examples. When Siva dances it is Tandavam. When Parvati or Shakti dances it is Lasyam. When Kali dances….? It is Tandavam. When Krishna dances with Gopikas…? It is Lasyam. It is the masculine or feminine nature of the dance form. Not the male or female dancer.
Maha periyava has given an explanation for colors which is recorded by Sri Ra. Ganapathy in deivathin kural. Brahmin is supposed to do yagnas which require careful handling of materials like ghee etc that are supposed not to be wasted. If he mishandles the materials by wasting etc, it will be shown clearly by his dress. So to make him aware of that consequences, white color is for him. Kshatriya who need to protect the kingdom, may involve in wars leading to blood if required.. so if his dress other than red color is bathed in blood, it may lead to distraction and prevent him from doing his duty.. And vaisya who does business has a major work of cow rearing.. turmeric is an important material, for cleaning cows.. so if any other color is worn by him, it will make his dress look dirty.. so yellow color for him.
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