Bharata
Natyam
Traditional dance
forms of a country, say the pundits and gurus, are entwined with the
hoary roots of a particular country's culture. In this month of the
Feast of Thaipongal held to offer thanks to the God of Sun for bountiful
harvests, a feast sacred to the Hindus of our country and Hindus all
over the world, it is fitting to examine this topic of Bharatha Natyam
rather expansively especially since the association between religion and
dance is very strong in Hinduism. In fact, ancient Hindu texts list the
offerings to be made to the Supreme Being as incense, water, lamps or
light, flowers, music and dance.
If one were to go by
the encyclopedic information on dance forms in vogue in India the
list includes Bharatha Natyam, Chakiar-koothu Kathak, Kath-akali
Krishnanattam, Kuchipudi, Manupuri Mohiniattam, Odissi, Ottanthullal and
Yaksha-gana. This list excludes the myriad dance forms indigenous to
various territorial enclaves in the vast sub-continent of Bharatha Desha
or India.
