On aspects of Bharatanatyam

Preface:
It is one thing to be impressed by the elaborate costumes, exquisite expressions, the fluid movements set to melodious music, vocal or instrumental, but entirely another to comprehend the drama as it unfolds with and understanding of its history, significance and place in the rich cutural map of the world that we live in.

It is not unusual for friends, their kids, and my own girls and their class-fellows to ask me in passing about what Bharatanatyam is.

Bharatanatyam is a popular classical dance form that originated in the Southern state of Tamilnadu in India.

A popular interpretation of the name 'Bharatanatyam' is BHAva (Expression) + RAga (Musical mode) + TAla (Rhythm) + NATYAM (Dance) = BHARATANATYAM

The dramatic art of storytelling via Bharatanatyam is highly stylized to include rhythmic movements of the body with emotions and sentiments displayed through facial expressions .set traditionally to melodious classical (Carnatic) music. It is considered to be the fire-dance, depicting the mystic presence of the element of Fire in the human body. The visual appeal lies in the dancer depicting the movements of a dancing flame. The costumes worn by the dancers are charmingly beautiful in exquisite colors, complimented by elaborate jewelry including the resounding bells on anklets.

It is believed that Bharatanatyam started in the temples and courts of Kings where groups of dancers performed this dance style as a form of worship as well as entertainment.. The 'devadasis', women that were dedicated to performing this divine dance form and their gurus, the 'Nattuvannars' carried this tradition into the 20th century. The Tanjore foursome (Quartet from the city of Tanjore) is credited with editing and recoding the various aspects of the dance to evolve into its present, popular form. Through the decades, the passion of gurus and inspired students has not only kept the dance form alive, but thriving to reach new heights in innovative, semi-classical adaptations transcending age-old barriers of culture, language and space.
Of the many aspects of Indian art experience, the audience plays an important role. Each person in the audience (the people that come to watch the performers), is expected to be 'Rasika' i.e. a one who can appreciate the arts and also a 'Sahridaya', a person who has come with an intention of appreciating, learning and savoring (enjoying) the richness of the art. Appreciation as 'Rasika' can also be attained through learning the dance form itself where the pupil or the 'Sishya' learns from the teacher or the 'Guru' over years of hardwork and dedication before reaching the ultimate state where the dancer loses himself/herself in the performing experience. Traditionally, a student is titled stage-ready after their debutante performance called 'Arangetram' where he/she takes center-stage for an evening of solo performances set to live orchestra.

Today, many universities across India and other countries offer Graduate and Post Graduate degrees in Bharatanatyam for those aspiring to go beyond the realms of appreciation. To bring the dance form to appeal to the younger, technology-savvy population, dance institutions and teachers have brought their knowledge, experience and the true beauty of this art form to the World Wide Web. Interested 'Rasikas' can not only learn about but learn Bharatanatyam over the internet. While the new trend is nowhere near surpassing the 'Guru-Sishya' tradition of growing together in this cultural experience, it surely has been successful in providing for audiences across the globe, an opportunity to learn about the sheer richness of a dance form that has proudly held its own in the ever transient world of socio-cultural dynamics.