What Is Bharatanatyam?
Bharatanatyam is one of India's oldest classical dance forms, originating in the temples of Tamil Nadu. Its name is a compound of Bharata (often linked to the sage Bharata Muni who wrote the Natya Shastra, the ancient treatise on performing arts) and natyam, meaning dance in Tamil. For centuries, it was performed exclusively by devadasis — women dedicated to serving deities in temples — before it evolved into a widespread performance art embraced across the world.
The Three Pillars: Nritta, Nritya, and Natya
Understanding Bharatanatyam begins with knowing its three core elements:
- Nritta: Pure rhythmic movement — footwork, body positions, and hand gestures performed purely for aesthetic beauty, without narrative meaning.
- Nritya: Expressive dance where gestures (mudras) and facial expressions (abhinaya) convey emotion and tell stories, often from Hindu mythology.
- Natya: The dramatic element — structured performance that combines dance, music, and mime to portray a complete story or theme.
The Language of the Hands: Mudras
One of the most recognizable features of Bharatanatyam is its intricate hand gestures, known as hasta mudras. There are 28 single-hand gestures (asamyukta hastas) and 24 combined gestures (samyukta hastas), each carrying specific meanings. For example:
- Pataka (flag) — fingers together, thumb bent — can represent a river, forest, or night sky depending on context.
- Mayura (peacock) — mimics the bird and is used to depict Lord Murugan or the act of applying eye make-up.
- Anjali — both palms pressed together — denotes greeting, prayer, or reverence.
A Typical Margam: The Concert Format
A full Bharatanatyam recital follows a format called a margam (meaning "path"), which has a traditional sequence:
- Alarippu — an invocatory piece that warms up the dancer's body
- Jatiswaram — pure rhythmic sequences set to music
- Shabdam — first introduction of expressive storytelling
- Varnam — the centrepiece of the recital, combining nritta and nritya
- Padam — a slow, deeply expressive piece focused on emotion
- Tillana — a fast-paced, joyful finale of pure dance
The Role of the Guru
Bharatanatyam is traditionally learned through the guru-shishya parampara — the teacher-student lineage. The relationship between a student and their guru is considered sacred. Most dancers begin training between the ages of five and eight and spend years mastering the foundational posture, the araimandi (half-sit), which forms the base of almost every movement.
Why Bharatanatyam Still Matters
Beyond its artistic beauty, Bharatanatyam is a living archive of South Indian spirituality, mythology, and poetry. Every performance is an act of devotion — naivedyam offered not just to an audience but to the divine. Today, the dance form is practiced and taught across continents, and its global reach is a testament to the timeless power of its expression.
Whether you are a curious observer or someone considering learning, Bharatanatyam offers a doorway into the heart of South Indian culture that no textbook can fully replicate.