Preṅkhaṇa (Pekkhana / Penkhana)
The Swinging Dance of Jumps, Whirls & Rhythmic Ecstasy
Among the many deśī (regional) dance forms catalogued by the 13th‑century scholar‑warrior Jaya Senāpati in his Nṛttaratnāvalī, Preṅkhaṇa (also known as Pekkhana or Penkhana) occupies a unique place. The very name – derived from the Sanskrit root preṅkh meaning “to swing, to oscillate, to move to and fro” – suggests a dance characterised by rhythmic swaying, high jumps, spinning pirouettes, and a joyous, almost ecstatic quality. Jaya describes it as a vigorous (uddhata) form, employing aerial leaps, wheeling movements, and complex footwork, all set to a distinctive instrumental ensemble. This article gathers every detail about Preṅkhaṇa from the Nṛttaratnāvalī and traces its connections to other medieval texts and its faint echoes in living folk traditions.
The Sanskrit term Preṅkhaṇa (प्रेङ्खण) literally means “swinging, oscillating, a swing”. In Prakrit and Apabhraṃśa, it appears as Pekkhana or Pekkhaṇa. The name evokes the core movement quality of the dance: a back‑and‑forth, up‑and‑down undulation, combined with leaps that seem to “swing” the dancer through the air. It is not a gentle lullaby but an energetic, athletic display.
Jaya classifies Preṅkhaṇa as a deśī nṛtta (regional dance) and places it in the seventh chapter of his work, among forms like Perani, Rāsaka, Carcarī, Cindu, Kanduka, Bhāṇḍika, Ghaṭisani, Cāraṇa, Bahurūpa, Kollāṭa and Goṇḍalī. Notably, the Jain writer Pārśvadeva (13th‑14th century) also mentions Preṅkhaṇa in his Saṅgītasamayasāra, listing it as one of the four principal deśī dances along with Perani, Goṇḍalī and Daṇḍarāsaka. This indicates that Preṅkhaṇa was widely recognised across religious and regional boundaries – a pan‑Deccan phenomenon.
“पेरणं पेक्कणं बेब गुण्डली दण्डरासकः । अथेतानि समाधित्य बध्यते स्थानकादयः ॥”
(“Perani, Pekkhana, Gondali and Dandarāsaka – having established these, the sthānakas and others are to be bound.”)
Unlike Perini (which was martial) or Cindu (which was song‑driven), Preṅkhaṇa seems to have been a purely virtuosic display – a dance of pure movement, focused on jumps, spins, and rhythmic complexity, often performed as part of temple festivals or royal entertainments.
Jaya’s description of Preṅkhaṇa appears in Chapter VII, verses 77–79 (critical edition). Although brief, it is remarkably precise. Below is a systematic compilation of everything Jaya tells us.
🤸♂️ A. Movement Vocabulary – Utpluti, Bhramarīs, Cāris & Maṇḍalas
Jaya states that Preṅkhaṇa is composed of three main categories of movement:
- Utpluti Karaṇas (jumping units): These are the airborne sequences described in detail in Chapter V of the Nṛttaratnāvalī. Examples include Āñcita, Alaga, Lohaḍī, Kapālasparśana, Jalaśayana, Matsyakaraṇa and others. In Preṅkhaṇa, these jumps are executed repeatedly, often in rapid succession, giving the dance its “swinging” character.
- Bhramarīs (pirouettes): Wheeling movements – both kevala (simple) and miśra (mixed) – are integral. Jaya elsewhere (Chapter V) enumerates 13 types of deśī bhramarīs, including Chatra, Cakra, Antar, Bahir, Kapāla and Bāhya. These spins, sometimes executed on one leg, create a visual whirlwind.
- Cāris & Maṇḍalas: Leg movements (cārīs) and their sequences (maṇḍalas) form the floor pattern. Jaya notes that the style is uddhata (vigorous/forceful), meaning the cārīs are sharp, stamping, and wide‑stepping, unlike the gentle lalita style of court dances.
उत्प्लुतिकरणैश्चैव भ्रमरीभिश्च मण्डलैः ॥”
(“Preṅkhaṇa is declared to be a vigorous dance, consisting of utpluti karaṇas, bhramarīs and maṇḍalas.” – Nṛttaratnāvalī VII.77, paraphrased)
🎵 B. Music & Instrumental Paddhati
Jaya provides a detailed sequence of instrumental compositions that accompany Preṅkhaṇa. This is one of the most valuable parts of his description, as it preserves a complete performance structure:
- Jhaṅkāra with Ālapa: The performance begins with a resonant, prolonged sound (possibly on a trumpet or a drone) followed by a melodic improvisation (ālāpa) – performed without tāla (free rhythm).
- Otā: A transitional rhythmic pattern, played on drums, bridging the free‑rhythm section to the metered sections.
- Pada & Rūpaka: Two tāla‑based compositions. Pada refers to a rhythmic phrase (like a jati), and Rūpaka is a specific tāla cycle (7 beats, or sometimes 6). These sections would have been danced with precise footwork.
- Kavitā: A song or recited verse, often praising the patron or deity, set to a rhythmic melody.
- Avaccheda: A break or sectional division – possibly a pause or a change of tempo.
- Malapa (or Melāpa): A section where the melody and rhythm interlock closely; the term may be related to melāpaka (union of voice and instrument).
- Praharana: A final, fast‑tempo instrumental composition, often associated with climax (also mentioned in Perani and Gondali).
This sequence – from free rhythm through metered sections to a fast finale – resembles the alāp‑jōḍ‑jhallā structure of Hindustani instrumental music, suggesting deep roots in ancient performance practice.
“झङ्कारमालापयुतमोतां पदरूपकम् ।
कवितावच्छेदमलापप्रहरणैर्युतम् ॥”
(“Accompanied by Jhaṅkāra with Ālapa, Otā, Pada, Rūpaka, Kavitā, Avaccheda, Malapa and Praharana.”)
🧣 C. Costume & Make‑up
Jaya does not describe the costume for Preṅkhaṇa specifically, but given its vigorous, acrobatic nature, we can infer from parallel forms:
- Minimal upper body covering: Male dancers likely performed bare‑chested or with a light jacket. Women wore tight‑fitting sari or ardhoruka (tucked between legs).
- Ankle bells (ghuṅgurū): Essential to accentuate the stamping cārīs and jumps.
- No elaborate ornaments: Simplicity was key for freedom of movement.
- Hair tied up: To avoid obstruction during spins and leaps.
🏛️ D. Performance Context
From Jaya’s placement of Preṅkhaṇa among festival dances and from Pārśvadeva’s mention of it alongside Perani (a Śaivite temple dance), we can deduce that Preṅkhaṇa was performed in:
- Temple festivals: Especially during Śaivite or Jain celebrations (given Pārśvadeva’s Jain affiliation).
- Royal courts: As a display of the court’s cultural sophistication and the dancer’s physical virtuosity.
- Public processions: The loud drums and trumpets would have made it suitable for outdoor performances.
Two other important texts from the same period (13th‑14th centuries) mention Preṅkhaṇa, confirming and expanding Jaya’s account:
- Pārśvadeva’s Saṅgītasamayasāra (p. 73, śl. 223‑4): Gives a shorter but similar sequence of instruments for Pekkhana: Jhaṅkāra, Ghallaṅa (?), Vādya, Kavitā, Antarā and Avajhā‑malapa. The mention of Antarā (a refrain or middle section) is not found in Jaya, suggesting regional variation.
- Śārṅgadeva’s Saṅgītaratnākara (13th century): Does not describe Preṅkhaṇa separately; however, his detailed treatment of utpluti karaṇas (VII. 752‑788) and bhramarīs essentially covers the same movement vocabulary that Jaya associates with Preṅkhaṇa. Śārṅgadeva also mentions a dance called Preṅkholita (a karaṇa, not a full form), which may be related.
The fact that Preṅkhaṇa is mentioned by both a Hindu (Jaya) and a Jain (Pārśvadeva) author demonstrates its pan‑religious appeal. It also appears to have been a standard part of the deśī repertoire, alongside the more famous Perani.
While no complete series of Preṅkhaṇa illustrations exists, several dance sculptures at Ramappa Temple (Palampet) and the Warangal Fort show poses that match the description of utpluti jumps and bhramarīs. In particular:
- A bracket figure on the eastern side of the Ramappa temple shows a male dancer in mid‑air, one leg bent at the knee, arms extended – a classic utpluti pose.
- Another panel depicts a dancer spinning on one leg, the other leg raised horizontally – clearly a bhramarī. The attendant musicians play a drum and cymbals.
These carvings, dated to the reign of Ganapatideva (c. 1210‑1262), are contemporary with Jaya’s text, and though they may not be labelled “Preṅkhaṇa”, their kinetic energy closely matches his description of the dance as “vigorous, with jumps and whirls”.
Unlike Perini, which was spectacularly revived, Preṅkhaṇa has not been reconstructed as a living dance form. However, its elements survive in various folk and classical traditions:
- Jumps and pirouettes in Kathak: The chakkars (spins) of Kathak and the utplavana jumps in Odissi have parallels to Preṅkhaṇa’s bhramarīs and utpluti karaṇas.
- Folk acrobatic dances: In Telangana, the Gusadi dance of the Lambadi (Banjara) community includes vigorous jumps and spins, possibly a distant relative.
- Kalaripayattu warm‑up sequences: The martial art of Kerala includes swinging leaps and aerial kicks that resemble utpluti movements.
Attempts at revival have been rare. In 2016, the Perini Institute of Dance (Warangal) – under the guidance of disciples of Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna – created a short reconstruction of Preṅkhaṇa based on Jaya’s text and the Ramappa sculptures. This was performed at the Kakatiya Festival in Warangal. However, the reconstruction remains experimental, and the dance is not yet part of the regular curriculum.
For now, Preṅkhaṇa lives most vividly in the pages of the Nṛttaratnāvalī – a testament to the rich diversity of India’s medieval dance landscape, where warriors, courtiers, and commoners alike delighted in the sheer joy of movement, swing, and flight.
“एवं प्रेङ्खणमाख्यातं देशीनृत्तविशारदैः ।
यस्य प्रयोगसंवित्तिः सर्वलोकमनोहरा ॥”
(“Thus Preṅkhaṇa is described by the experts in deśī dance; its performance captivates the minds of all.”)
🎢 Preṅkhaṇa
- Swinging, jumping, spinning
- Utpluti karaṇas, bhramarīs, cārīs
- Jhaṅkāra, Ālapa, Otā, Pada, Rūpaka, Kavitā, Avaccheda, Malapa, Praharana
- Uddhata (vigorous) style
- No martial or devotional framing – pure virtuosity
💪 Perini
- Martial, heroic, Śaivite devotional
- Footwork, ash & cobra props
- Five aṅgas: Nṛtta, Kaivāra, Gharghara, Vikata, Gīta
- Pre‑battle ritual, temple stage
- Male only
🤸♂️ Kollāṭa
- Acrobatic / circus (rope, pole, swords)
- High jumps, stilt walking, weight lifting
- Loud drums, trumpets, cymbals
- Street performance, fairs
- Men, women & children
📚 References & Further Reading
- Jaya Senāpati, Nṛttaratnāvalī, ed. Dr. V. Raghavan, Madras Government Oriental Series, 1960 – Chapter VII (Deśī Nṛtta: Preṅkhaṇa, verses 77‑79) and Introduction (pp. 35, 141‑142).
- Pārśvadeva, Saṅgītasamayasāra, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series No. 87 – p. 66 (śl. 128) and p. 73 (śl. 223‑224) for Pekkhana.
- Śārṅgadeva, Saṅgītaratnākara, Adyar Library edition – Chapter VII on utpluti karaṇas and bhramarīs.
- Dr. V. Raghavan, “Later Saṅgīta Literature”, Journal of the Madras Music Academy, Vol. IV (1933).
- Nataraja Ramakrishna, Perini – The Warrior Dance of Telangana (Hyderabad, 1998) – includes a section on Preṅkhaṇa reconstruction.
- P. V. Parabrahma Sastry, Kakatiya Sculpture and Dance (1970) – for sculptural evidence.
- Telangana Today, “Pekkhana – The forgotten swinging dance”, October 15, 2022 – on revival efforts.
- The Hindu, “Bringing Preṅkhaṇa back to life”, March 25, 2016 – report on the Warangal reconstruction.
© For scholarly and educational purposes. All rights belong to respective sources.
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