Have you ever heard of Bharathanatyam? Well, if you haven’t, let me tell you. It is a classical dance form of Bharat (India) which is beautiful and full of emotions. Let us take a deep dive into this graceful dance form.
History and Origin
Bharathanatyam is a part of the five basic ‘Hindustani Classical Dance’ forms which also include Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali. It was found over 2000 years ago in the temples of Tamil Nadu where it was performed as a beautiful ritual by women who were dedicated to the big temples. These females were called Devadasis and were considered married to the deities in the temple. They were skilled musicians and singers and they often combined dance, music and poetry in their performances while depicting mythological stories from the great epics.
These performances weren’t just dance, infact, they were special offerings to Lord Shiva who is called Nataraja in his dancer form. The ancient book Natya Shastra formed the basic guideline or rule book for all classical dances. Did you know Bharathanatyam was not called Bharthanatyam in the olden days? Around 300 CE when the dance form originated, it was known as Sadir Attam or Dasiattam. In 1800 the name changed to Dasi Nrityam, then coming to a stop with the name Bharathatnatyam from 1930 onwards.
Meaning of the Name
Bharathanatyam has many meanings that people have known for thousands of years. The first bit of the name Bharatha is a mnemonic containing ’Bha’ (bhava/emotions), ‘Ra’ (raga/melody), and ‘Ta’ (tala/rhythm). The second word Natyam means dance in Sanskrit, making the word Bharathanatyam. Thus the term Bharatanatyam means a dance that expresses Bhava, Raga, and Tala.
Steps in the Dance
There are seven very beautiful steps in Bharatanatyam. Dancing to depict the mythological stories from the great epics includes a bit of warming up and also the grand finale. The dance sequence begins with Pushpanjali, this is where the dancers hold out their hands and make a flower offering to the gods. The second one is called Alarippu where you warm up for what is to follow. In this step you dance to a fast and graceful rhythm. The next one is Jatiswaram which shows the stamina, body balance and precision of the dancer. Then there is Shabdam where the dance starts unfolding the story and ‘abhinaya’ starts. After that is Varnam where the story becomes complicated and deep emotions are exhibited along with complex dancing. The next step is Padam also known as Javali. This dance is all about varied emotions, moods and storytelling at its peak. The last step is Tilana where the dance is extremely fast and the most complicated to perform. Doing this dance often makes you pant like crazy and you need to be a pro to learn to dance for a long time continuously. This step marks the finale along with a final salutation to the gods.
Adavus
Adavus are usually a set of steps put together. Sometimes there are one, two, three or more in one set. The most simple ‘adavus’ are always taught first. They are Thattadavus and Nattadavus- a total of eight steps in each category. Thattadavu focuses on how your feet move in rhythm. Each of them has a different rhythm. So, like the first one you have to tap your foot one after the other, and there is first speed where it goes really slow, second speed where it goes a bit faster and third speed, this is the fastest speed. Sometimes the teachers make you memorise all eight of them and what the rhythm is for each one. All the time when you dance you have to bend your knees in a diamond shape which is called Aramandalam. It will hurt a lot for the first time but as you get used to it, it becomes normal.
Expressions
In Bharathanatyam, expression is the key to becoming a great dancer. You have to have really good expressions for people to actually understand the story. You can’t just dance with a plain face. To make a sad expression all you have to do is lift your eyebrows, keep a straight mouth and move your hand forward with your pointer facing upwards, so the posture looks like a L on both hands. Then, you lift the rest of your fingers slightly with the tips still facing down. You have now made a really pretty but sad pose. But unless you have the right expression, the sad pose may not look all that sad. Your expressions really change a lot in dance.
Costume and Jewellery
Bhartiya Natya Shastra (Indian Classical Dances) offers a riot of costumes and make-up with a lot of regional jewellery. Similar is the case with Bharathantayam. There are many different costumes for the varied subjects of dance. Usually for any genre kids wear a blouse on top and a long skirt on the bottom, with earrings and necklaces and sometimes fake hair. Their dress is called a ‘pavada’. Adult females wear elaborate tailor-made saris. The front of the sari is embellished with a specially pleated fabric that will open in a fan-like pattern when the dancer bends her knees or displays her more intricate footwork. ‘Ghunghrus’ are also worn around her ankles so the audience may hear, as well as see the dancers foot movements.
Several ornaments are also worn. The traditional South-Indian jewelry set worn in Bharatanatyam dance is known as Temple Jewellery, featuring distinct red and green uncut Kempu stones.
Instruments
Dancers always dance to music except sometimes when they are practicing. Music helps them dance to the beat and remember where each step is supposed to go in the song. When they use music, lots of different instruments are used. Some of them are: a mridangam, often used to emphasize the beats so the dancers know at what speed they are supposed to be going at; a violin, often used in sad bits to play soft lonely notes; a flute, mostly used for gentle emotional music; a veena, for devotional spiritual music and a nattuvangam, for a sense of rhythm along with the mridangam.
Bharathanatyam with its elaborate fanfare is the most popular Indian classical dance form and has been embraced the world over. It has delighted audiences for generations. Innumerable Bharatnatyam artists have spread it in all parts of the world and are continuously promoting the dance form through performances, lectures and experimental work. With the flexibility it offers, it has become one of the most dynamic dance forms that allows the performers to express themselves in their own imaginative ways. Hence, this classical dance form is advancing globally with a sturdy rhythm, overwhelming the people with its modernity infused with tradition.
Writer: Akshata Nair
Grade : 4 (Year 2026)
Place : Melbourne, Australia
