Did You Know … Bharatanatyam is Just a 100-Year-Old Name For an Indian Classical Dance?

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Most people (including me) assume Bharatanatyam has always been called Bharatanatyam. Surprisingly, the name itself is only about a century old.

Before the 20th century, this dance tradition was known by different names across different periods of Tamil history:

Viraliyar Aattam

Viraliyar, the dancer-poets who traveled across kingdoms performing expressive dances.

They were mentioned in Sangam literature: Tolkappiyam, Purananuru & Akananuru (300 BCE and 300CE).

Silapatikaram (2nd century CE) covers dance techniques, music, rhythm, and stage arrangement.

Devaradiyar Aattam

It was performed by the Devaradiyars, who served in temples during the Chola period (9th–13th century CE). Temple inscriptions and Periyapuranam mention these dancers.

Dasi Aattam

A name commonly used because many performers belonged to the Devadasi tradition. It is mentioned in literature and court documents from the Nayak period (1532–1674) and the Maratha period (1674–1855) .

Sadir Aattam

By the late Maratha period, Sadir had become the most widely used name for the dance. It remained in use until the 1930s and appears in dance manuals and court records.

During the revival of the dance form in the 1930s, Sadir gradually came to be known as Bharatanatyam. Along with the new name came changes in stage presentation, costume, and public perception, while much of the core dance technique continued from the older tradition.

So, while the dance itself is centuries old, the name Bharatanatyam is relatively new.

Bonus: Aattam (pronounced “AAH-tum”) means dance in Tamil. Its Sanskrit equivalent is Natya.

Sources:

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[embed]Dance and Drama of Ancient Tamils: Part 1 Koothu, Chadir Attam and Bharatanatyam Koothu, Vettuva Vari, Veriyattu, Aaichiyar Kuravai, Kundrakkuravai, Thunangai koothu, Rock Murals, Inscription…know-your-heritage.blogspot.com

[embed]Bharatanatyam - Wikipedia Bharatanatyam is an Indian classical dance form that comes from Tamil Nadu, India. It is a classical dance form…en.wikipedia.org

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