Bharatanatyam

For decades, this dance was seen as disreputable. Today it is Tamil Nadu’s official state dance form. This article covers Bharatanatyam: its ancient roots, its temple tradition, and its 20th-century revival.

From Temple Sanctum to World Stage

ArtnCulture0084

c. 200 CE

Natya Shastra

Bharata Muni’s treatise lays the dance’s theoretical foundation

6th-9th c.

Temple Tradition Matures

Devadasis perform Sadir in Tamil Nadu’s temples

1932

Renamed Bharatanatyam

A reform movement renames Sadir and reshapes the dance

1936

Kalakshetra Founded

Rukmini Devi Arundale founds her academy in Adyar, Chennai

The long arc: Bharatanatyam’s ancient theoretical roots and its temple practice both survived intact. What changed, in the 20th century, was who was allowed to perform it, and where.

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Timeline

• c. 200 BCE-200 CE: The Natya Shastra, attributed to Bharata Muni, lays out the dance’s theoretical foundation.
• 6th-9th century CE: Temple sculptures show dance had become a refined performance art in Tamil Nadu, performed by Devadasis.
• 1932: A reform movement, led by E. Krishna Iyer, renames the dance from Sadir to Bharatanatyam.
• 1936: Rukmini Devi Arundale founds Kalakshetra, an academy for the dance, in Adyar, Chennai.

Must Know

• Bharatanatyam originated in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu. It is one of India’s oldest surviving classical dance forms.
• Its theoretical foundation comes from the Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit text attributed to Bharata Muni.
• The name combines “Bharata,” a mnemonic for bhava (emotion), raga (melody), and tala (rhythm), with “natyam” (dance).
• The dance was originally called Sadir, or Sadiraattam. It was performed by Devadasis, women dedicated to temple service.
• Bharatanatyam is today the official state dance form of Tamil Nadu.

Good to Know

• By the early 20th century, Sadir carried social stigma, tied to the declining Devadasi system. This exposed it to real risk of dying out.
• Rukmini Devi Arundale, born in Madurai in 1904, led its revival. She removed elements seen as vulgar and reframed the dance around spiritual beauty.
• Rukmini Devi and reformer E. Krishna Iyer popularised the new name “Bharatanatyam” in 1932, asserting its classical pedigree.
• Rukmini Devi founded Kalakshetra in 1936, an academy built on the ancient Gurukul system, which helped bring the dance to global audiences.
• The dance follows three modes from the Natya Shastra: nritta (pure dance), nritya (expressive dance using mudras and abhinaya), and natya (dramatic, narrative dance).

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. Which ancient Sanskrit text, attributed to Bharata Muni, forms the theoretical foundation of Bharatanatyam?

Natya Shastra

Abhinaya Darpana

Sangita Ratnakara

Silappatikaram

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Great to Know

• The 1932 renaming was not just cosmetic. It reframed a stigmatised temple practice as a direct heir to the Natya Shastra’s classical tradition.
• A complete performance follows the margam, a structured sequence of 7-8 pieces. It represents a spiritual journey, moving from pure technique toward devotional narrative.
• Bharatanatyam’s revival mirrors a wider pattern in Indian classical arts. Reformers often had to separate a tradition from a stigmatised social context, without discarding the tradition itself.

Bharatanatyam is one of eight classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. See ArtnCulture0006 — Classical and Folk Dances of India for the full list. Two related forms covered on this site are Odissi, Odisha‘s own temple tradition, and Kathak, the North Indian storytelling tradition shaped by Mughal courts.