Transformational Embodiment in Kṛṣṇanāṭṭam of Kerala

Abstract

The article "Staging the sattra: Sattriya dance, Classicisation and the Vaishnavite monks of Assam" by Georgina Pope investigates the evolution and diversification of Sattriya dance following its recognition as an "eighth major dance form of India" in 2000. Pope highlights a "classicisation" process that led to a split between the dance as practiced by Vaishnavite monks (bhakats) within their sattras (monasteries) and a newer, more publicly oriented form. The author challenges prevailing narratives that portray Sattriya as solely confined to monasteries before its "revival," arguing that sattriya arts have a long history of proselytization through audience-focused performances like bhaona (Vaishnavite dramas). Through ethnographic fieldwork and performance analysis, the article meticulously compares two versions of the same dance, "Cali Nach," demonstrating how the "auditorium version" (the classical form) incorporates elements extracted, rearranged, and adapted from various traditional sattra practices, differing significantly from the "namghar version" (the traditional monastic form). This comparison reveals how external pressures for "classical" categorization have influenced and reshaped internal performance practices, creating distinct repertoires for ritual and public presentation.