Which Dance Form Is The Oldest In The World?
Dance has been a part of human culture since ancient times, initially used for communication, celebration, and spiritual rituals. Among countless styles across history, Bharatanatyam stands out as the oldest known classical dance form in the world. Its foundation is documented in the Natya Shastra , an ancient Indian treatise on performing arts composed between 200 BCE and 200 CE.
Origins and History
Originally known as Sadir Attam , Bharatanatyam was performed by Devadasis, temple dancers dedicated to deities. The Chidambaram temple carvings from the 10th century depict 108 karanas, the fundamental movements of this dance. Over centuries, it evolved while maintaining its spiritual and artistic essence.
During the colonial era, the dance almost vanished due to bans, but it was revived in the 1930s by visionaries like E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale, who moved it from temples to public stages and renamed it Bharatanatyam (Bha = Bhava/Emotion, Ra = Raga/Melody, Ta = Tala/Rhythm).
Origins and History
Originally known as Sadir Attam , Bharatanatyam was performed by Devadasis, temple dancers dedicated to deities. The Chidambaram temple carvings from the 10th century depict 108 karanas, the fundamental movements of this dance. Over centuries, it evolved while maintaining its spiritual and artistic essence. During the colonial era, the dance almost vanished due to bans, but it was revived in the 1930s by visionaries like E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale, who moved it from temples to public stages and renamed it Bharatanatyam (Bha = Bhava/Emotion, Ra = Raga/Melody, Ta = Tala/Rhythm).
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