History of Bharatnatyam

                                  History of Bharatnatyam 

Bharatnatyam is one of the most popular classical Indian dances. Bharatnatyam is more popular in South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Bharatnatyam dance is almost 2,000 years old. 


It is believed that bharatnatyam was revealed by Lord Brahma to Bharata, a famous sage who then codified this sacred dance in a Sanskrit text called the Natya Shastra. The Natya Shastra is one of the fundamental treatises on Indian drama and aesthetics. Natya Shastra divides dance into two distinct forms- nritta, and nritya. In nritta, focus is on mastery of abstract hand gestures and movements, whereas the dancer employs a complex system of hand signals and body language to depict emotional expressions in Nritya.

It is believed that Bharatanatyam is occurred by the  vibrations of elements in the universe.

God Indra appealed Brahma to conceive aesthetic and recreate the same to be able to be accessed by Gods/Goddesses, demons and humans.

Bramah took words from RIG veda, Abhinaya from YAJUR veda, music from SAMA veda and rasa from ATHARVANA veda, and created the fifth veda/ NATYA VEDA or GHANDHARVA VEDA.

After creating, Brahma gave it to Bharata muni who had 100 sons. Only then Bharata muni realised Bharatnatyam is incomplete without women.

Bharata Muni now has his job to perform before Lord Shiva, all Devas and Danavas (demons).

In this performance, Indra was the organiser, Vishnu took to set up the stage, preceptor was sage Bharata, Narada played music, Swathi conducted Orchestra for the choreography of Bharata Muni.

The performance consisted of:

1. Amrita Manthana or Churning of the oceans.

2. Tripura Daha or Burning of 3 Abodes.

Bharata Muni then asked Lord Shiva for dance instructions. Shiva agreed to perform his famous Thandava consisting of all 108 Karnas.

Thandava was performed with the help of Saraswathi on veena, Indra on flute, Brahma on cymbals, Vishnu on Drums and vocal cords by Lakshmi. So it is shown that Bharatnatyam needs all kinds of instruments to perform.

After this performance Shiva  felt that the dance is incomplete without soft expressions, and decided to teach Parvathi the art - Lasya.

Now both Shiva and Parvathi taught Thandava and Lasya to Lord Muruga, Vinayaka and Usha (Sun God's wife) . It then passed down to Brahma, Indra, Nandhini, Gana, Tandu and other Devas.

Meanwhile Usha shared her knowledge to Kshatriya women from North, Vaishya from middle and Gopikas from Dwaraka.

Sukrachariyar systematised Abhinaya sastra and created MUDRAS to depict, animals, birds, God's and demons. Valmiki Rishi then recorded this whole knowledge on Rasa Bheda and Nayaka Bheda.

This is the history of Bharatnatyam how it was found and how it developed in the ancient history.

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