About Bharathanatyam

Meaning of Bharathanatyam: Bha means emotion (Bhava), Ra means music (Raaga), Ta means rhythm (Taal) and Natyam means dance. Thus, Bharatanatyam is the dance that encompasses music, rhythm, and expression and strictly adheres to the Natyashastra. Bharatham is almost 2,000 years old, and believed that, it was revealed by Lord Brahma to Bharata, a famous sage, codified this sacred dance into Sanskrit text called the Natyashastra. The Natya Shastra is one of the treatises on Indian. The music of Bharatanatyam is based on Karanatic music. The song deliver d in Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada or Telugu during perform. It is the oldest Indian classical dance form originated in the Tanjore district of tamil Nadu and regarded as the mother of the classical dance of India. It was performed in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu and flourished in South India. The Bharatanatyamn performed by both men and women is widely considered as one of the oldest dances.

Description of Bharatanatyam by 2nd century CE is written in the ancient Tamil epic Silappatikaram, while temple sculptures of 6th to 9th century CE suggests that it was a well refined performance art by the mid-1st millennium CE. Thus, the word refers to a dance form where bhava, raga and tala are expressed. The Bharatanatyam performance consists of six portions: Alarippu, Jathiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam and Tillana.