A sculpture from the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram
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Bharatha Natyam is a form of classical dance from Tamil Nadu. The age of Bharatha Natyam can be judged from sculptures on ancient temple walls such as this:
The dance itself is sometimes so vibrant that only youth can do it justice. Again, it is mostly Hindu devotional in nature, but it can be understood by anyone as one of its major components is a set of simple facial expressions. However, these expressions combine with stylised choreography to create a complex art whose nuances only connoiseurs can fathom.
This dance was till a century ago the exclusive metier of the Devadasis, but it took a courageous woman, Rukmani Devi Arundale, to bring it to the general public. The school that she set up in Madras, Kalakshetra, is today the dance form's Mecca, and people from all parts of the world flock there to learn.
To learn more about Bharathanatyam, check out these pages:
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