Indian Classical Dance
Bharatanatyam Dance
Bharat Natyam is he glorious dance style from the southern state of Tamil Nadu. One cannot hazard a guess as to when it arouse out of the soil of the dravid Culture. One finds references dating from the first few centuries of Christian era to a very vigorous system of dance and music being practiced at the highest professional level in the Dravida country.
The earliest reference to systematized dance, referred to as Kuttu, is to be found in the great Tamil epic Shilappadikaram, written in all probability in the 3rd and 4th century A.D. Shilappadikaram is a treatise on the threefold classification of the Tamil Language – Literary Tamil, Music and Drama. It is however clear that this epic comes later than the natyashatra since it shows an awareness of the Natyashatric Practices.
Today’s Bharat Natyam is the end product of this great tradition. It had several names like Chinna Melam, Sadir, Dasiattam etc. it was also called “Bharatam” not after sage Bharata, rather the term is derived from three essential facets of the style “Bha” from “Bhava” (Mental state or emotion). “Ra” from “raga” (Musical mode) an “Ta” from “tala” (time measure).
Bharat Natyam is designed as a votive offering to be placed at the feet of the lord. As such it remembered that most of the items are either religio-philosophical in nature or are in nature or are in the form of straight forward bhakti lyrics in praise of the glory of the lord. But it also has items which are secular in nature. It is intended as a solo presentation but may have more than one dancer occasionally.