Bharat-natyam, a dynamic classical dancing style with precise and varied moves, is the most popular style in India and the most famous one abroad
Bharat-natyam, a dynamic classical dancing style with precise and varied moves, is the most popular style in India and the most famous one abroad. This style is one of the most ancient ones, it is considered to be created by Brahma, the god who called dances the Fifth Veda. By order of Brahma a sage, called Bharata, brought dances to the people. The god who protects this kind of art is considered to be Shiva. Bharat-natyam started to develop approximately in X century AD in Tamil Nadu State which is situated on the south of India. Its modern shapes it reached in the beginning of the XIX century. Varied poses of this style were graven at the walls of Southern Hindu temples.
At first Bharat-natyam was performed only by temple dancers and had solely a sacral meaning. It was a part of an everyday ritual, and in the days of any holiday a dancer played a role equal to a priest’s. In her dances she spoke about the god to whom was dedicated a temple, described his feats in fights against demons and evil spirits. It was believed that the events shown in the dance were repeating in reality again, and in order a god could conquer his foe the dancer had to perform her dance impeccably.
Later there were founded different schools, which put accents on various aspects of the pure dance, and while some of them marked its finesse others developed complicated rhythmic constructions.