Natya – Class 7 Arts Chapter 14 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 7ArtsChapter 14NCERT book: Kriti - Arts Class 7

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 14 of the NCERT Class 7 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 14: Natya (Dance and Movement)

Introduction

Natya is storytelling through performance. A story becomes a natya when it is combined with dance and choreography, dialogues, songs and musical instruments, costumes and make-up. In this final dance chapter, you use everything you have learnt — steps, rhythms, navarasa, body movements, hastas, jumps and spins — to turn a story into a performance.

Key Ideas

1. The story: Krishna and Kaliya

One lazy afternoon, Grandma tells the children the story of Krishna and the serpent Kaliya:

On the banks of the river Kalindi lived the monstrous serpent Kaliya Naag, who frightened everyone. Birds would not fly over the river, and children were scared to play there.

Little Krishna climbed the tallest tree and played his flute. The music was so sweet that Kaliya rose from the river, swaying, his anger forgotten.

Krishna leapt onto Kaliya's hood and danced. Kaliya calmed down, birds sang again, animals came out, and the children cheered. Kaliya slipped away, never to trouble anyone again.

Grandma's message:

Through music and dance, even the wildest heart can be calmed. Natya isn't just for entertainment. It teaches, it heals, and it brings peace.

2. Salutation and benediction

All traditional performances begin with a salutation seeking blessings and end with a benediction and a bow of thanks to the audience.

Salutation — a Devaranama by Purandara Das (Kannada):

Gajavadana beduve gowri tanaya, trijaga vanditane sujanara porevane…

O elephant-faced god (Ganesha), son of Gowri (Parvati), worshipped by the three worlds, protector of good people — I pray to you.

The last line asks Lord Vishnu (Purandara Vittala), who has a lotus in his navel (Sarasijanabha), to shower blessings so that the singer always remembers him.

Benediction:

oṁ sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ, sarve santu nirāmayāh, sarve bhadrāṇi paśhyantu, mā kaśhchidduḥkhabhāgbhavet

May all living beings be at peace; may no one suffer from disease; may all see goodness; may no one suffer from sorrow.

Grandma explains that the bow at the end thanks the audience — natya is about the connection between performers and watchers.

Activities in the Chapter

Activity 14.1 – Planning the Performance

Work in groups. Plan these parts:

Movement selection — include:

Steps

Rhythm and different beats (5, 6 and 7) for suitable scenes

Navarasa — for example bhayānaka for the children, raudra for Kaliya, veera for Krishna

Body movements — upper and lower torso, hip movements

Hand gestures, animal hastas, jumps and spins

Sections of the natya:

Salutation — a prayer dance

Dance of Krishna and friends

Kaliya's movements and the children's reactions — twisting and circular hip movements for Kaliya; how will the children show fear?

The fight between Krishna and Kaliya — which steps, rhythms, jumps, spins and hastas suit a fight?

Celebration after Kaliya's defeat — use a song or bandish from music class

Benediction — compose it using hastas

Music selection — decide which sections need percussion or vocals; choose music used traditionally in your region.

Costumes and props — for example a peacock feather, a flute, a dhoti for Krishna, a blue dupatta to show the river, and masks for animals.

Activity 14.2 – Practise and Presentation

Join each group's movements and perform the whole story as a grand finale.

Key Terms

Natya — storytelling through performance (नाट्य)

Choreography — arranging dance movements (नृत्य-संयोजन)

Salutation — opening prayer seeking blessings (वंदना)

Benediction — closing blessing (मंगलाचरण / आशीर्वचन)

Devaranama — Kannada devotional song (देवरनाम)

Navarasa — the nine emotions (नवरस)

Bandish — a composed musical piece (बंदिश)

Prop — an object used on stage (रंगमंच सामग्री)

Costume — clothes worn for a role (वेशभूषा)

Enactment — acting out a story (अभिनय-प्रस्तुति)

Percussion — rhythm instruments (ताल वाद्य)

Artists & Traditions Mentioned

Purandara Das (Devaranama, Kannada); the tradition of opening salutations and closing benedictions in Indian natya.

Connect to Your Life

Think of how your school assembly begins with a prayer — the same idea as a salutation. Which story from your region could you turn into a natya?

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the salutation or the benediction — both are part of the Indian natya tradition.

Using the same rasa for every character — each role needs its own emotion (fear, anger, courage).

Choosing props that don't match the story — the book suggests simple symbols, like a blue dupatta for the river.

Let's Reflect

Which section of your natya was the most fun to create?

How did combining dance, music and costumes change the story for the audience?

What did working as a team teach you?

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Natya is storytelling through performance, combining dance, dialogue, music, costumes and make-up
✓The Krishna–Kaliya story shows how music and dance can calm even the wildest heart
✓Performances begin with a salutation (e.g. Purandara Das's Devaranama) and end with a benediction (sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ)
✓Planning a natya means choosing movements, rasas, sections, music, costumes and props
✓All earlier dance skills — beats, navarasa, hip movements, hastas, jumps and spins — come together in natya

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Read the Krishna–Kaliya story aloud dramatically, as Grandma does, before planning
→Allow regional stories and languages, as the book's note to the teacher suggests
→Teach the salutation and benediction with their meanings before choreographing them
→Assign each group one section (salutation, Krishna's friends, Kaliya, the fight, celebration, benediction)
→Map rasas to characters on the board: bhayānaka for children, raudra for Kaliya, veera for Krishna
→Make simple props together: flute, peacock feather, blue dupatta river, animal masks
→Hold a final rehearsal and a grand-finale performance for another class or parents

📋 Assessment Questions

Can the student explain what natya is and name its elements?
Can the student retell the Krishna–Kaliya story in order?
Can the student explain why performances begin with a salutation and end with a benediction?
Does the student choose suitable rasas, movements and props for a character?
Does the student collaborate actively in planning and performing the natya?

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