Kalaikal Creative Arts

A Brief History on the Origins of Bharatanatyam

Posted by Dela M - 587 days ago

 

Bharatanatyam, believed to be one of India’s oldest dance forms continues to captivate audiences around the world.

Ever wonder about its roots?

This beautiful art form originated in Tamil Nadu (South India) and was performed by a group of community temple dancers known as the Devadasis. The Devadasis were artists who were trained in music, dance and literature and dedicated their lives to serve the temple deities as their wives. (The Devadasis were married to the Hindu Gods)

Unfortunately, the colonization of India meant the influence of Victorian culture and due to the fact that the Devadasis did not adhere to the values and customs of the British, they were no longer allowed to practice their divine routine.

This was almost the end of Bharatanatyam, until the educated elite in India expressed a renewed interest in the country’s rich culture and antiquity in the 1930s. E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi, both pioneers of Bharatanatyam sought to revive this beautiful dance form through their efforts sown with admiration for the art form.

E. Krishna Iyer took Bharatanatyam out of the private walls of the temple to the public stage and Rukmini Devi, the first woman of the educated elite to learn the dance was responsible for it being recognized as a respectable art form. Thus, from this point on modern India embraced Bharatanatyam as a part of its cultural identity.

Moreover, the present form of Bharatanatyam was documented by the Tanjore Quartet. The four brothers by the names of Chinnayya, Ponnayya, Vadivelu and Sivanandan sought to codify this graceful dance form, and have made it possible for everyone to learn this incredibly complex and beautiful mode of expression.

Today, dedicated dancers of this art form grace their audiences with their Bhava, Raga and Tala. However, the expressions and movements are best performed by dancers who possess a deep understanding of the value, meaning and cultural history of what the Devadasis dedicated their lives to.

We’d like to know who you think makes a better dancer? Do you believe that one of the sexes is better at capturing the essence of Bharatanatyam, and successfully conveying the multiple messages of Hindu mythology through this dance form than the other?

What are your thoughts?

 

Dela Muhundarajah is a fourth year undergraduate student at York University pursuing a Specialized Honours in English. She is on the Student Council for Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at York, and is the submissions editor for Existere: Journal of Arts and Literature.
  • Yarlini T

    I think dance is an art that can be mastered by both sexes. As per the issue of gender variation in Bharatanatyam, I personally think that as long as the individual is able to convey their love and passion for this art form in their dance, they will excel regardless of culture, creed or sex.

  • Irockmyworld08

    I think that both sexes can equally master the dance form. It just depends on the person, whether he/she is willing to learn this wonderful art form. Some people might think that men cannot do expressions and is better in dancing nritta items and vice-versa for ladies. In my opion I do not think that is true. The dancer, whether it is a male or female, just has to put himself/herself into the character’s shoe and understand what the character in the dance item is going through. He/she wil be able to convey the meaning of the dance item easily and the others will understand too!