The History of Bharatanatyam From Sacred Temples to Chicago Stages
Understanding Bharatanatyam's Cultural Legacy
Can you imagine a story being told by the movements and gestures of a body? No, right? Popular contemporary media of storytelling that may arise in one’s mind are oration, movies, or written scripts. But that is not the case for the 2000-year-old South Indian dance form, which prides itself on portraying stories and conveying emotions through mesmerizing dance performances.
Originating from the temples of South India, this dance form is called Bharatanatyam. The word Bharatanatyam combines “Bharata” and “Natyam”. “Natyam” means dance while “Bharata” is a mnemonic comprising of “Bha” taken from Bhavana (emotion) “Ra” from Raga (melody) and “Ta” from Tala (Rhythm). Combining both words, we get Bharatanatyam, which means a dance form that imparts emotion through a combination of melody and rhythm.
Ancient Roots – Bharatanatyam's Origin in Tamil Nadu Temples
Like the classics such as Western architecture, acupuncture, or music theory, Bharatanatyam is also derived from a script. The book “Natya Shastra” is credited as the first source of Bharatanatyam, written by a sage known as Bharata. Natya Shastra’s first compilation is believed to be dated around 200 BC. Bharatanatyam originated as a sacred art form performed by devoted women known as devadasis in the temples of south India particularly Tamil Nadu. Multiple statues and scriptures can be found that prove the 2000-year-old history of Bharatanatyam. The Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram hosts 108 statues of lord Shiva in Bharatanatyam poses. Additionally in Karnataka’s cave temples, a four-foot statue of lord Shiva can be found expressing mudras (hand gestures) with his 18 arms. Talking about sculptures Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur has been a center for Bharatanatyam since 1000 BC, it contains sculptures of 81 out of 108 dance poses known as Karanas within its sacred walls.
The Evolution of Bharatanatyam through the Ages
From the steps of the temples, Bharatanatyam came to the royal courts where it got projected into regions alienated from the South Indian culture. Bharatanatyam got its first reformer in the form of 4 talented brothers, the Thanjavur quartet gave the modern-day Bharatanatyam its form. They were associated with the court of the second Maharaja of Mysore. It was the early 19th century when the Thanjavur brothers gave the Bharatanatyam its pinnacle but who knew this blooming tradition would shrivel in the foreign wind to come.
As the colonial powers overtook India, the history of Bharatanatyam took a dark turn. They started to impose their ideas onto the historic and rich activities. Bharatanatyam culture took a massive hit as it was banned because the British thought it was a front for prostitution calling the dancers mere courtesans. Coining it as “Temple prostitution” Bharatanatyam was banned until 1910. Thanks to reformers and activists such as E. Krishna Iyer who fought the case for the traditional dance form. He was later imprisoned on the sentence for nationalism.
Along with choreographer Rukmini Devi Arundale, his relentless efforts were realized in the form of Madras Music Academy which later became the hub for Bharatanatyam progression till date.
Bharatanatyam's Structure and Symbolism
Like any other dance form, Bharatanatyam has a concrete basis of structure and symbolism. Structurally, it consists of three major divisions: Nritta, Nritya, and Natya.
Nritta is a performance style that does not include interpretational elements. It consists of dance movements focused on speed, rhythm, and execution. Nritya, on the other hand, is a type of performance in which the dancer incorporates spiritual themes via mudras (hand gestures), slow body movements, and facial expressions. Natya is a combination of Nritta and Nritya. In Natya, the performer maintains a particular body stance to demonstrate a character and perform an interpretive dance.
Bharatanatyam relies on its symbolism to mesmerize the audience and convey the theme effectively. Several elements come together to impart such a moving effect upon the onlookers such as;
Mudras
The 108 famous hand gestures used in Bharatanatyam from the beginning. The Mudras are divided into two major categories, Asamyuta Hasta (single-hand gestures) and Samyuta Hasta (two-hand gestures).
Abhinaya
Facial expressions are used to portray characters’ emotions effectively. The dancers apply makeup that compliments the emotions and makes them noticeable.
Costumes
Outfit is arguably one of the most interesting aspects of a Bharatanatyam dancer’s outlook. Bright and brilliant are the words perfect to describe the costumes as sharp colors and elaborate designs are mindfully used to accentuate their gestures and expressions. Women wear saris while men don dhottis.
Key Figures in the History of Bharatanatyam
The history of Bharatanatyam has a lot of heroes, people who have contributed to its growth, nourishment, and flourishment, a few are discussed below.
Rukmini Devi Arundale
Is a vital figure in the preservation and modernization of Bharatanatyam. Co-founded the Kalakshetra Foundation, which became the hub for Bharatanatyam and other art forms.
Balasaraswati
He was the master of the Tanjore school of Bharatanatyam. She valiantly defended the practice from attempts to simplify it to make it acceptable to a broader audience.
E. Krishna Iyer
A Key figure in the early 20th-century revival of Bharatanatyam, Iyer fought for Bharatanatyam from the social propaganda created to make this practice a social stigma.
Bharatanatyam in the Global Context
Globally, Bharatanatyam has solidified its place as a dance form like ballet. It has been well-researched, and many institutions are offering specialization in South Asian dance studies. Studies show that Bharatanatyam still holds the capacity for further innovations and collaborations.
Dancers have utilized Bharatanatyam’s intriguing and impressionistic style to raise awareness on social issues such as climate change and gender equality, which are not the themes of the classical Bharatanatyam but show the versatility and adaptability of the art form.
Bharatanatyam mingled with other globally acclaimed dance forms to produce more contemporary and fusion styles. Cross-cultural collaborations with globally established dance forms resulted in Bharatanatyam’s increasing popularity. Such collaborative ventures can be seen in other dance forms, such as hip-hop, ballet, and jazz.
The History of Bharatanatyam in the USA
As Bharatanatyam’s popularity and acceptance grew worldwide, America accepted this art with open arms. The arrival of Indian dance tradition in America is dated 1906 with Ruth St Denis’s choreography and performance of “Radha”. In 1940 the school “Natya” was established with legendary dancers like Ragini Devi (mother of Indrani Rahman, born Esther Luella Sherman) and La Meri (Russell Meriwether Hughes) as the founding members and senior instructors. There are many institutions working relentlessly to promote Bharatanatyam and provide a platform for masters all around the world to share their experiences and artistic input with raw talents.
Mandal Arts founded by Pranita Nayyar is a Macarthur award-winning organization. It is one of the dance foundations working to connect the audience and performers through the vibrancy of the rich Indian dancing tradition.
Preserving Bharatanatyam's History through Education
Courses and research are vital for the propagation of any art form and Bharatanatyam is very fortunate as globally, institutes are offering courses and research opportunities for people interested in this classical dance tradition.
Foundations such as Mandala Arts have been front runners in providing interested people with the platform they can use to learn and contribute to this great dance tradition. From contemporary to classical dance forms Mandala Arts offers specialized courses under the guidance of celebrated artists and educators in the field of classical dance arts and music.
Final Thoughts – A Living Tradition with Ancient Roots
A 2000-year-old history of Bharatanatyam dance has seen rises and falls, from the humble beginnings of temples in South India to the glorious stages all around the globe, from temple teachings to international dance foundations. Still living breathing and flourishing classical Indian tradition proves what is done with love and enthusiasm lasts for eternity.
Mission-oriented institutes such as Mandala Arts have been at the forefront of the movement for the cultivation of classical dances into the contemporary world and will keep on working for the goal to see Bharatanatyam’s 2000-years-old branches nest beautiful artistic birds from all over the globe. Mandala Arts and various other organizations are working day and night to keep history of Bharatanatyam dance alive.
FAQs – History of Bharatanatyam Explained
Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest and famous dance forms in the world.
Bharatanatyam originated from the temples of Tami Nadu, from the Scriptures of the sage Bharata and his divine experience.
The history of Bharatanatyam dance is older than Kathak. Bharatanatyam is a 2000-year-old dance form traceable to 500 BCE, and the Kathak tradition of India is traceable to 400 BCE.
Bharatanatyam’s basic theory consists of three elements: Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (interpretive dance), and Natya (storytelling). These interconnected holistic art forms use various techniques, including hand gestures, expressions, and rhythmic footwork, to express emotions and stories.
The science behind Bharatanatyam lies in the curated approach towards emotions, melody, and rhythm to blend and form a holistic interpretive dance form.
Natya is the hardest part of Bharatanatyam as it includes all other basic aspects of Nritta and Nritya. Natya converses interpretive narrative and portrayal of characters, missing in other aspects.
