One of India's oldest classical dance forms, Bharatanatyam, was performed in the temples of Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, this dance was not only an art but also a form of worship, a language of the faith, and a way of expressing stories.

Today, it has grown and reached across the globe, but even then, it remains a divine dance form. Students who have been eager to learn this dance form are enrolling in offline or online dance lessons. Below is a glimpse of its exciting history, from temple sanctuaries to the world's stage. 

1. Ancient Origins

Bharatnatyam art originated more than 2000 years ago as Sadhir Attam and was practiced and performed only in temples. The devadasis (temple dancers) dedicated their lives to the dance of prayer and gift to deities. 

Their dance moves convey messages associated with Hindu gods and goddesses. 

They enacted scenes derived from epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Every twist, turn, and face (or mudra) in Bharatanatyam has a specific message—a significance felt by both dancers and the audience.

This is why they have managed to keep Bharatanatyam going and take shape for other generations. 

Perhaps the best revelation by Dance Scholar Sunil Kothari was his remark about Bharatanatyam, “It is not just dance; it is divinity in a language-like form, beyond words.”

2. The Colonial Era and Revival

The British colonial era had several problems regarding this. The devadasi system was tainted, and even the temple dancers of Bharatanatyam were banned from performing in temples. 

However, it was again brought into practice in the 20th  century by leaders like Rukmini Devi Arundale and the Late E. Krishna Iyer, who spread the abstract concept of the dance form with a highly spiritual message. 

They brought the art form to mortuary arches and altered it so that the secular world could sustain itself outside the temples.

3. Bharatanatyam in the Global Context

Today, Bharatanatyam has become a recognized dance form internationally with many complex, beautiful, and spiritual impressions. 

However, it is still traditional even in today’s stories and looks broader in its appeal. 

Contemporary performers keep using Bharatanatyam to portray today’s story and highlight social issues, hence appealing to many.

Bharatanatyam focuses on the beauty of its movements, which commands respect and calls out to the spirit. 

Even when performed outside the temple, the soul of Bharatanatyam is always devotion or bhakti, and the gestures also speak across space and time, conveying basic human sentiments.

The experts say that whenever this dance form is practiced in an auditorium in New York or any temple in Chennai, it conveys the same spiritually charged message that makes it timeless.

4. Final Thoughts

The stage growth of Bharatanatyam from the temple sanctum to the world stages is a rich testimonial. 

With a quote from Rukmini Devi Arundale, a pioneer in retrieving Bharatanatyam, art should be defined as “The art in its real terms is the representation of spirit in the domain of the infinite.” 

Bharatanatyam, which is all about spirituality, tradition, and flexibility masked in an overly aesthetic form, has remained a wondrous form of art that has created wonders for audiences for centuries.

To learn this excellent art form, join the Spardha School of Music now for the best online dance lessons!