Bharatanatyam is an Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of South India. Theoretical base of this form

traces back to ‘Natya Shastra’, the ancient Sanskrit Hindu text on the performing arts. Indian classical dance existed in

temples as a part of ritual worship and in the princely courts where dancers performed for patrons.

 

According to the Hindu tradition the name of the dance form was derived by joining two words, ‘Bharata’ and Natyam’ where

‘Natyam in Sanskrit means dance and ‘Bharata’ is a mnemonic comprising ‘bha’, ‘ra’ and ‘ta’ which respectively means ‘bhava’

that is emotion and feelings; ‘raga’ that is melody; and ‘tala’ that is rhythm. Thus, traditionally the word refers to a dance form where

bhava, raga and tala are expressed. 

 

In the 1920s Indian classical dance made a revival on the national and international front. E. Krishna Iyer founded the ‘Madras Music Academy’ and along with Indian theosophist, dancer and Bharatanatyam choreographer Rukmini Devi Arundale, he strivedto save Bharatanatyam from dying out.

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The four Nattuvanars namely Ponaiyah, Vadivelu, Sivanandam and Chinnaiya who are renowned as Tanjaore Bandhu and who

thrived in the Durbar of Maratha ruler, Sarfoji-II from 1798 to 1832 shaped up the modern day Bharatanatyam. Sri Dhandayudha pani pillai who is direct descendant of one of the brothers of Tanjore quartret is a very dame guru and nattuvanar. Meenakshi Sundaram

Pillai, a dance guru from the village of Pandanallur was a noted exponent of Bharatanatyam who is predominantly known for his

style referred as the Pandanallur school of Bharatanatyam. One of his students Rukmini Devi championed and performed the

Pandanallur (Kalakshetra) style and also remained one of the leading proponents of the classical dance revival movement.

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Balasarswati who was regarded as a child prodigy by Vidhwans and Pandits also joined hands in reviving the dance form. She was

a virtuoso of the Thanjavur style of Bharatanatyam. Other imminent Bharatanatyam artists include Mrinalini Sarabhai, Padma Subramanyam, Alarmel Valli, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Sonal Mansingh and the list goes on.