Natyanjali

Bharatanatyam — A Living Temple Art

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms of India, born in the temples of Tamil Nadu and offered originally as devotion to the divine. Traditionally performed by devadasis within temple precincts, it later moved to the concert stage while keeping its devotional core intact. The word "Natya" refers to dramatic art, and a Bharatanatyam performance weaves together rhythm, melody and storytelling into a single, disciplined form of expression.

Nritta & Abhinaya — The Two Halves of the Art

A Bharatanatyam performance is traditionally built from two complementary elements:

1. Nritta (Pure Dance) — precise, rhythmic movement built on adavus (basic units of footwork), performed in harmony with the beats of the mridangam and the syllables recited by the nattuvanar.
2. Abhinaya (Expression) — the art of storytelling through facial expression, hand gestures (hastas or mudras), and body language, used to convey the emotions and narratives of a piece.

A typical margam (performance sequence) moves through invocatory pieces, pure dance items, and expressive pieces that narrate stories from Hindu mythology and devotional literature, closing with a rhythmic finale.

Costumes & Adornment

Dancers traditionally wear a Bharatanatyam sari — often woven in Kanjivaram silk — pleated and stitched to fan out during footwork and spins. This is paired with temple jewellery in gold-toned metal: a distinctive headpiece, a nose ring, layered necklaces, armlets, bangles, and ankle bells (ghungroo) that sound with every step. A bindi and traditional eye make-up complete the presentation, all chosen to make the dancer's gestures and expressions clearly visible even from a distance.

Accompanying Music

Bharatanatyam is performed to live Carnatic music. The core ensemble typically includes:

• Nattuvangam (cymbals) — kept by the nattuvanar, who also recites the rhythmic syllables
• Mridangam — the primary percussion instrument
• Vocal — carrying the melody and the lyrics of each piece
• Violin and/or Veena — providing melodic accompaniment
• Flute — used in many contemporary ensembles

Learning the Art

Training follows the guru-shishya tradition — a student learns directly under a guru, building technique gradually over years of consistent practice. Students begin with basic adavus and posture, progress to short compositions, and eventually work toward a full margam, often marked by an Arangetram, a student's formal solo debut performance.