The Bayaderes: Deveneyagorn, Ramalingani, Savaranim, Tille, Veydoun, Ramgoun, Amany, Savundiroun

Item data

Title

The Bayaderes: Deveneyagorn, Ramalingani, Savaranim, Tille, Veydoun, Ramgoun, Amany, Savundiroun

Collection

Prints depicting dance
Theatrical dancers, singly or in pairs
The bayaderes

Names

Moore, Lillian (Donor)

Date / Origin

Date Issued: 1838 - 1839
Place: London
Publisher: F. Glover

Library Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Shelf locator: *MGZFX Bay 1

Subjects

Devadāsīs
Dancers -- India -- 19th century
Dance -- England -- 19th century
Musicians -- India -- 19th century

Genres

Prints

Notes

Content: For more information on the Bayaderes and their European tour, see Dr. Kusum Pant Joshi's article "1838: South Indian dancers tour Europe," Hinduism today, Jan./Feb. 2009.
Acquisition: Gift; Lillian Moore, 1967.
Biographical/Historical: Western Europe's fascination with bayaderes, or Indian temple dancers, began several decades before authentic Indian dancers appeared there. The very term bayadere derives from the Portuguese "bailadera" or female dancer; the Indian term is devadasi. The Indian troupe known as the Bayaderes was commissioned by the French impresario E.C. Tardival for a tour of France, England, Germany, Austria, and Belgium in 1838. Its members, who were linked to the temple of Thiruvanthipuram near Pondicherry, included five female dancers and three male musicians. Tille Ammal, the senior dancer, was thirty years old; Amany, Saoundiroun, and Ramgoun were in their teens; and Veydoun was a child of six. The musicians were led by Ramalinga Mudali, who sang, chanted, and beat time with cymbals; Savaranim played the bamboo pipes and Deveneyagorum played the drum. Their tour took them to the Théâtre de Variétés in Paris, where they were reviewed by Théophile Gautier; the Theatre Royal Adelphi in London; and other venues, including a command performance before Louis Philippe of France. They were highly popular, although some spectators professed to prefer Europeanized versions of Indian dance, such as Filippo Taglioni's Le dieu et la bayadère.

Physical Description

Lithographs
Extent: 1 print : lithograph, black & white ; 33 x 27 cm or smaller

Abstract

Depiction of theatrical performances by the Bayaderes, a troupe of authentic Indian dancers and musicians. In this print published by F. Glover, the performers are identified by name in a caption below the image. The three male musicians play their instruments at left; in the foreground, two female dancers, Ramgoun and Savundiroun [i.e., Saoundiroun] dance with daggers in both hands; the three other female dancers, Tille, Veydoun, and Amany, stand in the background. The print includes westernized versions of Indian statues in the background.

Identifiers

NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b19759014
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): a0d5cc70-4152-013d-3dac-0242ac110003

Rights

The New York Public Library believes that this item is in the public domain under the laws of the United States, but did not make a determination as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. This item may not be in the public domain under the laws of other countries. Though not required, if you want to credit us as the source, please use the following statement, "From The New York Public Library," and provide a link back to the item on our Digital Collections site. Doing so helps us track how our collection is used and helps justify freely releasing even more content in the future.

Type Of Resource

Still Image

Date Issued

1838

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