History of Bharathanatyam
Literary, sculptural, and historical evidence support Bharathanatyam’s antiquity. Along with its origins in the Natya Shashtra, dance traditions and some of the dance styles used in South India are also responsible for its development and expansion. The outward knee posture, or Aramaṇdi, was a distinguishing characteristic of classical dance styles dating back to the fifth century, according to sculptural evidence.
It is commonly known that dancing has a close relationship with religion and is used in rituals and as a form of devotion in temples. The dēvadāsi institution, whose job it was to dance at temples, helped to perpetuate and preserve the art. The religious literature known as the Śaivāgamās, which specifies the manner of devotion, refers to the dedication of dancing girls to the service of the gods. The dancing styles popular in Tamil Nadu seem to have been the source of modern-day Bharatha natyam. Two significant pieces of Tamiḻ literature from the Sangam era, Cilappatikāram, and Manimēkalei, discuss dance. Cilappatikāram commentary is significant because it clarifies a few key elements of dance as an art form.
In Tamiḻ literature, the dance is referred to as Koothu. The common version seems to be Vinodha Koothu, but Santhi Koothu looks to be the classical form. Later, the former was known as Bharatam, which is an abbreviation of the terms bhava (emotions), rāga (melody), and tāla (rhythm). It is likely that these concepts are where the name Bharathanatyam in Tamiḻ Nadu came from. However, it is likely that throughout time, the traditions of Natya Shashtra and the one mentioned in Cilappatikāram affected one another. Classical art forms like Bharathanatyam reflect the peaceful blending of the Aryan and Dravidian cultures.
The Nāṭyaśāstra’s Karana tradition may not be popular right now, but the Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur’s sculptural depiction of it shows that the Nāṭyaśāstra had a significant impact for many centuries. Five temples in Tamiḻ Nadu, located in Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Chidambaram, Tiruvannamalai, and Vriddhachalam, include a systematic record of Nāṭyaśāstra karanā sculptures. Pure dance moves and some of the aḍavus used in modern BN have been proven to have the influence of the Karnās’ method.
Sadhir, Nautch became the name for the dēvadāsis dance during the Marata era. Sadhir, which means to present in Marati. It indicates that the word Sadhir and the nomenclature Sadhir Nautch gained popularity in the court at the time the dancer was shown to the King. Dāsi Attam was another name for it. Four renowned royal musicians and dancers who were the offspring of Nattuvanār Subbarāyan, the court musician of Tulaja, helped to shape the BN performance during the reign of Raja Sarfoji II (1798–1832). They were Vaḍivelu, Śivānandam, Ponniah, and Chinnaiah. The Tanjore Quartette became their historical name. They could have given beauty to Margam or classical dance performances by introducing certain aesthetic improvements and adjustments to an already-existing tradition.
Sangētasāramrita, a significant Sanskrit treatise by King Tulāja (1728–1736 AD), describes sixteen groupings of aḍavus, the fundamental dance units. Sanskrit, Tamiḻ, and Telugu names of the aḍavus are given together with a description and the appropriate sollukattus, or rhythmic syllables.
It is paradoxical that a small number of Westerners and dancers’ interest has led to the modern rebirth of traditional dances. During her dancing tours in India, the famed and eternal Russian dancer Anna Pavlova, who had met the great Udaya Shankar in London, was interested in learning about the dēvadāsi dances. As a former member of Pavlova’s company, Udaya Shankar once performed alongside her. At the Covent Garden Theatre in London in the year 1924, he performed as Krishna and her as Radha. She did, however, advise Udaya Shankar to learn more about his own national dance legacy, which nearly altered the direction of his life and served as a significant turning point in the history of India’s resurgence of dance. Later, Pavlova advised Rukmini Devi to study classical Indian dances rather than ballet.
The poet Rabindranath Tagore first brought Manipuri dances to his renowned institution, Śantinikētan, in 1917 after witnessing them and being greatly moved. The Kathakali dance dramas were revived in Kerala by another renowned poet, Vellathol Narayana Menon, who also succeeded in creating the Kerala Kaḷāmaṇdalam in 1930. International awards were given out to Madam Mēnaka, a pioneer of Kathak, at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. As a result, there was a widespread awakening concerning arts and culture among the populace. Those were the years that were spent looking for the ancient gurus, who were practicing their craft in isolated communities, and learning about the history of dance.
Bharathanatyam, which originated in Tamiḻ Nadu, was on the verge of extinction. Dēvadāsis were despised as prostitutes, and their art, which had descended to a very low level, was despised. The development of this art was impeded by reformists, influential figures in other fields, and educators. Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy spearheaded a measure in the assembly to end the practice of using devadasis in temples due to its connection to the class of women. The dedication of dēvadāsis had already been discontinued in 1910 in the erstwhile princely state of Mysore, and in 1930 in Travancore. The dēvadāsi bill becoming law dealt a serious damage to the BN art form.
E. Krishna Iyer, a supporter and independence warrior, entered the dancing world during this time, E. Krishna Iyer, a practicing attorney, was raised in a traditional brahmin home. He gained notoriety as a freedom fighter in 1926 when he traveled throughout South India performing Subramanya Bharathi’s patriotic songs and disseminating political propaganda. Histrionic skills and a deep voice were among his many qualities. For Saguna Vilāsa Sabhā, one of the cultural institutions supporting fine arts in Chennai, he used to portray feminine parts while wearing female clothes. (Then Madras.) He had taken instruction in the classical music of Karnataka. Later, in 1925, he studied BN under Mellattur Natesh Iyer, a master instructor, and Bhagavata Mela Nataka tradition exponent.
E. Krishna Iyer was predestined to have a significant impact on the resurgence of BN. To dispel the stigma associated with the art, he frequently performed in public while dressed as a female BN dancer. He has dedicated his life to preserving and advancing this form of expression. But he had to contend with fierce criticism from several sources. He fought with the anti-Nautch Movement’s leaders for about seven years. One Miss Tenant, who originated in London, instigated a backlash against the BN tradition. She ardently campaigned to band dancing, gathering the signatures of influential people in society. It should come as no surprise that she also had the backing of social reformers.
During the Indian National Congress session in the southern city of Madras in 1927, E. Krishna Iyer hosted the first all-India music conference. It was a major success, and the music academy was established in 1928 because of the conference. E. Krishna Iyer served as one of its secretaries for ten years.
A dēvadāsi performed Bharathanatyam for the Raja of Bobbili, the Chief Minister of Madras, on a memorable occasion in December 1932. Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy wrote articles in the newspapers criticizing it and attacking those participating in the initiative. It led to a verbal conflict between the two sectors, and articles that appeared in daily newspapers like the Hindu and the Mail serve as significant records of the recent history of BN.
E. Krishna Iyer recreated the Kalyani daughters’ performance on the Music Academy in 1933. The debate caused it to have an exceptional level of success. This art gained a new and respectable position once the Music Academy approved of it. Leading dancers now compete with one another to perform on its August stage as a sign of respect, and it has since become a permanent fixture of its annual conference.
The first person outside the dēvadāsi class to learn BN was a Mudaliar family member named Kumari Bharathi. She performed a few times and had rigorous training, but she didn’t carry on for very long. Kumari Kalanidi, the daughter of renowned engineer Shri Ganapathi Iyer of Mylapore, was another candidate. In Conjeevaram, she studied under Kannappa Nattuvanar, and in September 1935, she performed her first performance in front of an audience. Of course, it surprised the Brahmins and caused excitement.
Rukmini Devi’s entrance onto the dance stage marked the beginning of a brand-new era in the development of Bharathanatyam. Even though she had seen a BN performance in 1932, Rukmini devi didn’t decide to pursue a career in dance until she saw the famed Pandanallur Sabharanjitam and Nagarathnam, two of Meenakshisundaram Pillai’s pupils, in 1935 at the Music Academy. Mylapore Gawri Amma, a devadasi, and afterwards Pandanallur Meenakshisundaram Pillai were her teachers. In March 1936, she presented her pivotal public performance, after which BN underwent a substantial change in direction. With Rukmini Devi’s contribution, the art gained more respect. She made several positive changes in the presentation.
By dazzling the people of India with their chaste performances, artists like Ram Gopal and the members of his company, Mrinalini Sarabai, and countless other dancers popularized. The most well-known dance style now is BN since many people rode the wave of revivalism.