PAPER: 3

Detail Study Of Bharatanatyam, Devadasis-Natuvnar, Nritya And

Nritta, Different Bani-s, Present Status, Institutions, Artists

Module 1 Bharatanatyam, The Dance Of Bharata-India

India has several dance forms - classical, folk, tribal, ritual, film,
contemporary and modern. Classical dance is considered a higher
form of art. The major classical dance forms of India are
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Manipuri, Sattriya,
Odissi, Kathakali and Koodiyattam. Folk dance forms are practiced in
groups in rural areas as an expression of their daily work and rituals.
They are performed on religious or seasonal festivals. Some popular
dances are Bhangra of Punjab, RasLeela of Uttar Pradesh, Garba of
Gujarat, Ghoomar of Rajasthan, Bihu of Assam, Lavani of
Maharashtra, Pulikali of Kerala, Devarattam and Karakattam of Tamil
Nadu, Matki Dance of Madhya Pradesh, Dollu Kunitha of Karnataka.
For ceremonial or ritualistic dance, what comes to mind are various
kinds of Theyyam of Kerala, Kavadi Attam of Tamil Nadu. The
presentation of Indian dance styles in old as well as new films has
exposed the range of Indian dance styles to a global audience, the
most popular now being the Bollywood style with fast contemporary
choreography.

The most widespread, learnt and performed from among classical

forms is Bharatanatyam. It is pan Indian and global now. It is danced
by those who understand its music (Carnatic) or language (Tamil,
Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit) or even by those who don’t. It has a
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vast repertoire and outreach. It has a long history since 2nd century
B.C, with earliest reference found in Silappadikaram / शिऱऩददकारम.

The earliest period known to Indian history of which we have

recorded evidence is that of the Vedas and dancing was practiced at
that time. Dance finds mention right through Vedic literature and the
references reveal that not only was it a part of ritual – so common in
early societies – but also a popular mode of creation and a coveted
accomplishment. The next period that stands as a milestone in the
pageant of early Indian history is that of the two great epics
Ramayana and Mahabharata. Here too, we have ample evidence of
the existence of dance as an art, as an activity and as an adjunct to
ceremony. Next in importance are the Puranas whose compilation
began 1000 years before Christ and concluded about the 10th
century AD. Dancing was a well developed and systematized art even
in the time of the early Puranas. It was held in such high esteem that
there is a story in the Vishnudharmottara Purana which maintains
that to be a good sculptor or carver, it is necessary first to have a
thorough grasp of painting and to be a good painter, it is equally
necessary first to acquire mastery of dancing. Important among
other Puranas, which make mention of dancing are the
Brahmavaivarta, Skanda and Bhagavata. The Bhagavata Purana
merits particular attention for it carries a singularly elaborate and
vivid description of the pick of Krishna’s dances, the Rasa Lila.1

Bharata was a sage who postulated the fifth Veda, also called Natya
Shastra. One of the very early texts on whole range of Indian
literature, it is a monumental work devoted to drama, dance, music
and related arts and crafts and aesthetics. Written about 2nd century
AD, this contains in its 37 chapters, exhaustive material on practically
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every aspect of the performing arts – technique, presentation and
appreciation. The material has all been scientifically analysed and
systematized and presented in a thoroughly organized manner. This
obviously implies that the arts of dance, drama and music in India
must have evolved, developed and reached a high degree of
perfection and standardization even prior to the compilation of the
Natya Shastra. Technical treatises such as Abhinaya Darpana /
अशिनयदऩपण, Dasarupaka / दिरूऩक and Sangeeta Ratnakara /
संगीतरत्नाकर followed. Kalidasa who flourished about the 5th century
AD, delineates in his Malavikagnimitram / माऱविकाअग्ननशमत्रम on how
a dancer should perform – her deportment, her sense of timing, her
involvement with the rendering, her communication with the
beholder. Sudraka / िूद्रक wrote one play Mrichchakatika / मच्ृ छकटीका
(The little clay cart) where the principal character is a courtesan
Vasantasena, who by virtue of her profession, is also a dancer. Panini
/ ऩाणणनन (700 – 600 BC) wrote the Ashtadhyayi / अष्टाध्यायी, the
earliest manual of grammar and while commenting on the root
nrit/नत
ृ (to dance), refers to Silalin / शिऱाशऱन and Krisasava / क्रििासि,
said to be the authors of certain vital and codified postulates of
dance. Kautilya / कौदटल्य (4th c BC) wrote the first work on stagecraft,
the Arthashastra / अथपिास्त्त्र, and from this we learn that arts such as
dancing, acting, singing, playing on musical instruments and painting
were then under State control, which implies that it was the
responsibility of the State to maintain professionals in these fields.
All these authors and texts belong to northern India.2

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Turning to the south, the oldest among Dravidian languages is Tamil
and it has a literature that dates from the dawn of the Christian era.
The Sangam / संगम Age lasted from 500 BC to 500 AD. The
Tolkappiyam / तोऱकाग्पऩयम, Kuruntogai / कुरुन्तोंगाई and Kalitogai /
काशऱतोगाई reveal the existence of a number of dances, practically all
of which are of ritual nature. To the same period belong the great
epic Silappadikaram and its sequel Manimekalai / मणणमेखऱाई. Both
carry references to dancing, the former copiously, touching every
aspect of the art – technique, teaching, presentation, repertoire. In
fact, the story of Silappadikaram revolves around the infatuation of
Kovalan, a wealthy merchant, for a dancing girl Madhavi. Their
illegitimate daughter Manimekalai provides the theme for the
second epic named after her.3

The earliest architectural evidence of dance is found in Jaina rock cut

caves. Jaina prince Ilango Adigal / इऱांगो अडिगऱ of the Chera dynasty
is credited with composing the Tamil epic Silappadikaram. The story
of the anklet, with the central character of a dancer, Madhavi, is a
treasure trove of information on dance. The Natya-Ganikai / नाट्य-
गणीकई, as the dancer is called, is mentioned as having mastered
dance and the allied discipline of music for seven years before her
debut (arangetram / अरं गेत्रम) on a stage of prescribed measurements.
The stage is a simpler version of the stage mentioned in the Natya
Shastra, the oldest treatise on Indian theatre, of which dance was a
part. Even hand gestures are mentioned, not to speak of categories
like secular dance as differentiated from ritual dance, abstract dance
as separate from interpretative dance and of graceful movements as

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differentiated from their more vigorous counterparts – all of which
points to an actively evolving art. Santi Koothu / िांनतकूथु being the
equivalent of classical dance, while popular forms of entertainment
like gymnastics, puppetry and clowning were clubbed under Vinoda
Koothu / विनोद्कूथ.ू Dance was always referred to as Attam / आट्टम or
Koothu and in later years, Nataraja, the king of dance, came to be
known as Aadavallaan / आििल्ऱन or Kuthan / कुथन – a direct
derivation from those terms.4

Some scholars concur that Bharata was not one single person but
many who knew Bharata, India. And thus, these wise men
collectively prescribed the art of dramaturgy (natya, not nritya alone)
to all who would become its practitioners or followers. The word
Bharata also encompasses Bhava (Bha), Raga (Ra), Tala (Ta) thus
leading many proponents to believe that Bharatamuni was more a
concept than a person, though conclusive proof exists otherwise.
Bharatanatyam was thus born as a divine form meant for auspicious
celebration of divinity through dance and music. Unless all three
ingredients – shastra / िास्त्त्र (literature), sangeeta / संगीत (music) and
sahitya / सादित्य (poetry) came together dance could not be
performed that would be understood.

The foundation for present day Bharatanatyam was laid when Tulaja
II / तऱ
ु जा || (1763 – 1787) invited Mahadeva Nattuvanar / मिादे ि
नट्टूिनार, a guru from Tirunelveli, to the Thanjavur court. He came
with two dancers Vanajakshi / िनजाक्षी and Muthumannar / मथ
ु म
ु न्नार
who presented the varnam ‘Ghosala Tulaja Rajendra Raja / घोंसऱा
तऱ
ु जा राजेन्द्र राजा ’ dedicated to the king. The dance was at this time
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called Sadir / सदीर or Dasi Attam / दासीआट्टम, Bharatanatyam being a
later appellation. During Tulaja’s time lived the epoch making
Carnatic musical trinity – Thyagaraja / त्यागराज (1761 – 1847),
Muthuswami Dikshitar / मुथुस्त्िामी ददक्षीतार (1775 – 1834) and Shyama
Sastry / श्यामा िास्त्त्री (1762 – 1827). Their compositions still form a
major part of Carnatic music.5

The two nattuvans / नट्टूिन, as the dance gurus were called,

Gangaimuthu / गंगईमुथु and Subbaraya Oduvar / सुब्बराया ओिुिर , also
arrived at Thanjavur and were allotted a building opposite the main
temple known as Nattuvan Chavadi / नट्टूिन चािड़ी. After Tulaja came
Amarasinghe / अमरशसंघे (1787 -1789) who shifted his headquarters to
Thiruvidaimarudur / थथरुवििैमारुदर, another famous centre for dancers
and musicians like Ghanam Krishna Iyer / घनम क्रिष्ण आयर and
Gopalakrishna Bharati / गोऩाऱक्रिष्ण िारती . Their compositions still
form the musical / textual base for Bharatanatyam. Defying the ban
on court dancing imposed by the now powerful East India Company,
the court patronized sadir performances. Subbaraya Oduvar
produced four great sons, Ponniah / ऩोंनैया, Chinniah / थचन्नैया,
Sivanandam / शििानन्द and Vadivelu / ििीिेऱु who became the
legendary quartet (Naalwar / नाऱिर) that designed the entire format
of present day Bharatanatyam. The Quartet’s concert format of
alarippu, jatiswaram, sabdam, varnam, padam, javali and tillana is
still followed though the jatiswaram and sabdam have become less
common.6

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Serfoji II / सरफ़ोजी २ was the Maratha ruler of Thanjavur from 1798 to
1832. He was a great patron of Bharatanatyam and himself wrote
many Nirupanams / नीरूऩण for dance in the Marathi language but in
Carnatic ragas. In his time, there were eighteen items in a
Bharatanatyam performance and these were Jayastuti / जयस्त्तत
ु ी,
Sharanu Sharanu / िरणु िरणु , Alaru / अऱारू (This was perhaps
Alarippu), Sollu / सोल्ऱु, Shabdam / िब्दम, Varnam / िणपम, Padam /
ऩदम,् Swarajati / स्त्िरजती, Abhinaya Padam / अशिनय ऩदम ् , Tillana /
नतल्ऱाना, Jakkini Padam / जक्कीनन, Geetham / गीथं, Prabandham /
प्रबन्धम, Triputa / त्रत्रऩुट, Shloka Varnam / श्ऱोक िणपम , Kavuthuvam /
कौथि
ू म, Mangale / मंगऱे. Serfoji patronized the Tanjore Quartet, who
reduced the eighteen items to eight and introduced the margam /
मागपम which is now in force.
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Many of the principal compositions that make up a margam, the

complete suite of dances in a concert program were first composed
specifically for dance in the early 19th century by Ponnaiah Pillai
(born 1804) one of the Tanjore Quartet, who was both a musician
and dance master. The repertoire in modern Bharatanatyam can be
said to date from that period, their repertoire being regarded as the
most traditional. The full classical Bharatanatyam recital is divided
into 6 or more discrete pieces, each of which belongs to a well
defined category on the basis of its music, and the content of the
dance. The name of each dance piece usually identifies the musical
form to which it is set. For example, varnam, jatisvaram, sabdam,
padam, javali and tillana are the names of the musical forms and
also of the dances choreographed to that music. These pieces are
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identified on the basis of their musical content and the
choreographic conventions to which dances are set. All these are
generic terms; for example, there are many jatiswarams, varnams
etc. While the dances have the same name the choreography for
each of them varies. There are numerous options, but dance steps
must be structured to conform to the established general patterns.
Within each category, the musical compositions can have a different
tala (rhythmic structure), raga (musical structure) and sahitya (lyrics,
where they are present). The songs are generally in Telugu, Sanskrit,
Tamil or Kannada. Recently songs in various regional languages such
as Marathi, Hindi and Bengali have been set to dance. Naturally,
audiences are more appreciative if the songs are in languages that
they understand.8

The margam carefully prepares the dancer and audience for a

gradual increase in tempo, emotion and exaltation, creating a
wonderfully complete and symmetrical art. Traditionally performed
solo, the dancer leads the audience through an entire spectrum of
experience, creating an intimate conversation between the observer
and the observed. Each element of the margam can be viewed from
the most mundane and relative orientation-mere details of day-to-
day life-to the most profound and absolute expressions of the
dancer’s love and longing for undifferentiated communion with
divinity.9

The alarippu, which marks the dancer’s entrance, is a crisp

introduction to the basic grammar of movement in Bharatanatyam.
Rendered to a recitation of rhythmic syllables, it has kinetic
symmetry; movements fan out from and converge on to the centre
of the body, with the weight balanced on both feet. It is a warming
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up process, like the worshipper entering the temple gateway with
the mind uncluttered by the mundane concerns of life. The
jatiswaram introduces melody and abstract rhythms get an
extension, the patterns being dictated by the solfa music
arrangements. This is like moving on to the agramandapa / अग्रमंड़ऩ
(fore hall). Then comes the mandapa / मंिऩ entry, which is
symbolized in the sabdam, where the interpretative part appears
along with music and rhythm. When one enters the ardhamandapa /
अधपमंड़ऩ and the sanctum, one is in the presence of the deity. The
varnam, the central part of the recital, in which both interpretative
and rhythmic dance attains full flowering, marks this moment. This is
the acid test for the dancer, testing her stamina, skill and proficiency.
After the varnam’s climax, the dancer is in intimate communion with
god, the quietude of the moment signified by the padam, which is
purely word based interpretation without rhythmic flashes. The
padam and javali are conceived in shringar mode. Finally comes the
thillana, a blaze of rhythmic aplomb.10

Balasaraswati compared the structure of the performance to that of

the journey a devotee takes through a temple. “The Bharatanatyam
recital is structured like a great temple: we enter through the
Gopuram / गोऩुरम (outer hall) of alarippu, cross the Ardhamandapam
(half-way hall) of jatiswaram, then the Mandapam (great hall) of
shabdam and enter the holy precinct of the deity in the varnam. In
dancing to padams, one experiences the containment and the simple
and solemn chanting of sacred verses in the closeness of God. The
tillana breaks into movement like the final burning of camphor

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accompanied by a measure of din and bustle.”

While the dance form is 2000 years old, the codified margam
structure is just about 200 years old. Thus we see that the Thanjavur
Quartet, musicians under royal patronage and platform, set the
format where a presentation began with alarippu and ended with a
tillana. In between, set course of compositions (items) could be
performed to show both nritta (technique) and nritya (expressional
aspect) of dance. Each served a purpose of warming up, energizing
various chakras from head to toe and activating energy cells, thereby
leading to culmination or joyous release through the divine art of
dance. Bharatanatyam thus was not mere dance but yoga set to
music.

Thus, over centuries of evolution, Bharatanatyam hailing from the

Tamil region (which encompassed modern day Andhra-Telangana
and Mysore regions) has become India’s most known classical dance
form. Many gurus shaped this form and many nattuvunars
(conductors) and musicians shaped its content. Thus were born
various banis or schools, each ascribed to different provenance,
where each hailed from.

The Pandanallur / ऩंिनल्ऱुर style of Bharatanatyam is mainly

attributed to Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai / गुरु मीनाक्षी सुन्दरम
वऩल्ऱई (1869–1954), who lived in the village of Pandanallur in
the Thanjavur district in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. After
him, his son-in-law Chokkalingam Pillai / चोकशऱंगम वऩल्ऱई (1893–
1968) became the guru of the Pandanallur style followed by his son
Subbaraya Pillai (1914–2008) who has trained dancers Alarmel
Valli, Meenakshi Chitharanjan and others.
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- The Thanjavur style stems from the Thanjavur Quartet who worked
in the early 19th century Thanjavur royal court as musicians and
dance composers.
- The Vazhuvoor / िज्िुिूर style was evolved by Ramaiah Pillai / रामैया
वऩल्ऱाई (1910-1994) who studied abhinaya from devadasi
Madhurantakam Jagadambal / मधुरंताकम जगदमबाऱ , and trained in
dance under Manika Nattuvanar / माणणक नट्टूिनार , the son of Samu /
सामू Nattuvanar.
- In the erstwhile state of Mysore there was a resurgence of all art
forms under the Wodeyar Dynasty. Bharatanatyam in Karnataka
reached its peak during this period. During Krishnaraja Wodeyar's /
कृष्णराजा िोिेयार reign (1811-1868) a distinct style to emerge came to
be known as Mysore Bharatanatyam style. It is similar to the
Pandanallur, Tanjore, Vazhuvoor styles and is based on the art of
rajadasis / राजदासी and is exoteric in nature. Dr. K.
Venkatalakshamma / के.िें कटऱक्षम्मा was a fine proponent of the
Mysore style of Bharatanatyam.
Smt. Rukmini Devi initiated the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam
from her training under Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and
Muthukumara Pillai, adding aesthetically pleasing elements.
- Balasaraswati trained in dance under Guru Kandappa / गुरु कंिपऩा
Pillai of the Thanjavur lineage and evolved a signature style.
Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, who was originally trained in
the Vazhuvoor style, did research on karanas in early sixties, and
labeled her style of Bharatanatyam as Bharatanrityam / िरतनित्यम.

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Historically, Bharatanatyam is the dance form christened as such by
the Music Academy of Madras in the early nineteen thirties. It was
known earlier as Dasiattam, Sadir or Karnatakam. It thrived in the
south of India. Then it spread to other parts of the country. Now it is
a world art and heritage, flourishing particularly in the Indian
diaspora. Its grammar and aesthetics are today traced by many to
Natya Shastra and to later works like Abhinaya Darpana. However,
while we do not properly know what the dance was like before early
nineteenth century, what we know today as Bharatanatyam has
developed from the shape it was given by the Thanjavur Quartet.
And this legacy was preserved in practice mostly by the gurus and
performers belonging to the Isai Vellalar / इसाई िेल्ऱाऱर community
of Tamil Nadu.11

Bharatanatyam today is the most learnt classical style within India

and abroad, wherever Indian dance is learnt and taught. It has many
adherents and exponents. It has a vast repertoire that has resulted in
mass appeal. It has come to be performed on all occasions, and on
all types of stages, indoors or outdoors. It has been used extensively
in films, in fashion and in foreign branding. Bharatanatyam has come
to be recognized as India’s most popular and practiced classical
dance form and this is why it is the dance of Bharata, India.

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