Bharatnatyam Dance

Bharatnatyam is a major form of Indian classical dance, this form of dance originated in Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Sadhir Attam, this form of dance flourished since he ancient time, it was particularly popularized because of its ability to propagate and express religious themes and spiritual ideas, themes like Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism are prominently expressed through this dance form.  Bhatarnatyam originated in the state of Tamil Nadu in the Tanjore district.

An important point to note is that this dance form is considered the mother of every Indian classical dance form, it is famous for its expressive gestures and excellent footwork. Another important point is the Bharatnatyam dance form which includes nrita, nritya and Natya. 

The etymology of the name of the dance form has an association with the Tamil language, the name when studied have meaning origins of which can be traced back to Dravidian origins. It can be understood by the example, Bha in Bhavam refers to the expression, Ra- Ragam means music, while the Ta- Talam means to beat or rhythm and Natyam refers to the meaning of dance.

As we have discussed what Bharatnatyam is, we have an overview of the ancient dance form and understand the reason behind associating the dance form with the cultural heritage and history of the nation. It is well established that the dance form is an ancient dance to further assist the argument or evidence of description of Bharatanatyam is found in 2nd century CE, in the ancient Tamil epic titled Silappatikaram. Apart from this, there are other pieces of evidence to validate the arguments, the sculpture of the dance form is found in the temples of the 6th to 9th-century CE. The mention of the origin of Bharatnatyam is also found in ancient texts of Natya shastra.

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History of Bharatanatyam

As discussed earlier, Bharatnatyam originated in the state of Tamil Nadu, the theoretical representation of this dance form is found in the ancient Hindu texts and Natya shastra. While studying the topic it is important to note that the dance form was performed exclusively in the Hindu temples till the ban by the British government. It was after this the dance was popularized among diverse communities and regions as part of a protest to preserve the cultural heritage of the country. 

Let us now look into some of the Bharatanatyam information related to its history. It has already been described that the historical evidence is found in the texts like Natya shastra but apart from it, there are some direct mentions of Bharatnatyam dance forms in texts like Tamil epics Silappatikaram, which dates back to the second century. Another direct historical reference is mentioned in the Manimegalai, which dates back to the sixth century.

The text of Silappatikaram mentions a story of a dancing girl named Madhavi. The text mentions the dance routine which is titled Arangatrau Kathai of Madhavi.

Another historical reference about Bharatanatyam dance is seen in the carvings of the temple Kanchipuram's Shiva temple. The archaeological studies have confirmed that the engraved art form is dated back to the 6th to 9th century CE which further helps in understanding the origins of Bharatanatyam.

Colonial ban, Decline and Uprise

The dance form was banned during British rule in India, the ban was seen in the 19th century, while the classical dance forms of India including Bharatnatyam was discouraged by Christian missionaries. The "anti-dance movement" was launched by the British missionaries in 1892, following that the complete ban of Bharatanatyam dance form in temples was made in the year 1910 by the Madras Presidency of the British Empire, it is important to note that the dance was exclusively performed in the Hindu temples. 

Following the ban, there was a decrease in the popularity of the Bharatnatyam dance form. But it soon became a part of a protest which was aimed to regain cultural dignity and preserve the heritage associated with ance forms. One of the prominent names in the protest to revive the dance form was the classical art revivalist, E. Krishna Iyer. He supported the protest and was arrested on the charges of nationalism, the movement was also supported by some foreigners. One such prominent name is Esther Sherman who moved to India in 1930, she learned the classical dance form, she later changed her name to Ragini Devi. 

The dance form followed a large uprise in popularity and supporters during the Independence struggle of the early 20th century, This was marked as a period of cultural ferment which encouraged people to reclaim their culture and rediscover history. It was during this time that the dance forms like Bharatnatyam expanded out of Hindu temples and was revived as a mainstream dance. The important artists that contributed heavily to this movement included names like Rukmini Devi Arundale, Balasaraswati and Yamini Krishnamurti.

Music and Costumes of Bharatnatyam Dance

The Bharatnatyam dance is performed on Carnatic classical music. Although the modern revival of the dance form has given it some leniency with respect to music the original dance form was based on Carnatic music. The major instruments used in the dance form includes the following,  

• Mridangam

• A pair of cymbals

• Veena, 

• Violin, 

• Ghatam and 

• Flute 

The language used during the recitation of verse may be Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu. The costumes used for the dance performance includes the 'Paijama' or Dhoti. The top jacket is made of Kanchipuram silk and Banaras silk. Women who primarily perform the Bharatnatyam dance, wear a tight-fitting bodice of the same colour and material as the dhoti.

The Repertoire of Bharatnatyam Dance Form

It is important to understand the repertoire of the Bharatanatyam dance form, it can be divided into three parts: Nritta, Nritya, and the Natyam, each of them is described below.

• The Nritta performance is abstract, fast and rhythmic, its emphasis is on the motion, form, speed, range and pattern. It is defined as a technical part of the performance, it consists of no interpretation or storytelling.  

• The Nritya is a slower and expressive perspective of the dance form.it is associated with some kind of storyline or message interpretation in the performance. 

• The Natyam is a team performance, it is essentially defined as a play that is performed within the rules of the dance form. 

In conclusion, Bharatanatyam is among the oldest classical dances in the country which represents the cultural heritage and history. Although it has seen a decline in popularity it is now revived and there is continuous work done to understand and promote the art form. The Bharatnatyam is the state dance of Tamil Nadu.