classical dance of india essay

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Essay on “Dances of India” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Dances of India

Essay No.01

Dance is a series of movements and steps that match the speed and rhythm of music. It is an artistic accompanied by gestures and expressions which explain the theme contained in the music. One can dance alone or with a partner or in a group. Rhythm and movements are basic to dance.

India has rich cultural tradition. Dance is a part of our rich cultural heritage. It is as varied as the land itself. it has an underlying unity which binds the people of the country to gather. The dances of India are an expression of an ancient civilization.

Dance in India has an unbroken tradition of over 2000 years. Its themes are derived from mythology legends and classical literature. There are two main forms of dances in India. These are folk dance and classical dance. They are not simply them movement of legs and arms but of the whole body.

Most of the classical dances were first conceived and nurtured in the temples. They attained their full stature there. Classical dance forms are based on ancient dance discipline. They have rigid rules of presentation.

Indian classical dances follow the principles and rules laid down by Bharat  Muni n his Natyashastra many ages ago. There are 180 styles of Indian temples. Music dance and drama have been an integral part of Indian religious and secular life.

Of the classical dances of India five are famous all over the world. These are Bharat Natyam, Kathakali , Manipuri, Kathak and Moiniattam of Kerala. The concept of rasa holds the central place in dance. While dancing rasa is conveyed through bhava and abhinaya.

Bharat Natyam has derived its roots from Tamil Nandu. It has developed into an all India form. This dance is associated with lord shiva. Kathakali is a dance form of Kerala. The theme for the dance is drawn either from the Ramayana the Mahabharata the Puranas or the Vedas. Manipuri is a delicate lyrical style of dance of Manipur. It is based on the romance of the divine Krishna and Radha. Kathak is a major classical dance form of North India. This forks dance is revitalized as a result of Mughal influence on Indian culture. Orissa a dance form of Orissa was once practiced as a temple dances. Only dedanses could perform this dance in front of lord jagannath. Today It has developed into an all Indian form.

Folk dance is a traditional dance of the common people of a region. Indian folk dances have relatively greater free play expression of feelings emotions and sentiments than classical forms. The theme is connected with the performer life daily activities and the environment. The theme is also derived from nature in its various moods and seasons. Folk dances imbibe new influence and at the same maintain tradition and continuity.

The classical dances of India are usually spiritual in content whereas the main force behind the folk  dances of India is the celebratory mood. Dances are a form of coherent expression of human feelings .these dances are not only the exclusive art of a particular community but an asset to India cultural heritage.

Both classical and folk dances owe their present popularity to institutions like sangeet natak academy and other training institutes and cultural organizations. Sangeet natak akademi gives financial assistance o f culture institutions. It also aware fellowships to scholars performers a teachers. This is to promotes advanced study an training in different forms of dances and music.

Some western dance forms are also in vogue in India. The young generation has their bent of mind towards these forms. For young people dance is only a bodily expression of joy and happiness. Weston dance forms are very popular in many late night clubs dance bars and pubs which have been opened in cities. However such dance forms cannot claim to be a part of Indian art or culture.

Dance is a highly developed art which needs immense Discipline and years of training. Many people have adopted various forms of dance as their profession and have earned great fame in their chosen field. many dance troupes exhibit this skill in India and abroad and win laurels. We should consider dance as an art and a part of our cultural heritage.

Essay No. 02

Indian Dances

When man’s soul urges and inner drives are expressed in rhythmic body movements, it is called dance. Man is destined to dance his way to higher and still higher levels of consciousness and evolution. The aesthetic foundations of Indian dances are laid on the rock foundations of spiritual sadhana. Lord Shiva, the Natraj, is said to be originator of dance. He is also the Supreme Dancer. His cosmic dance is very famous. His Tandava reflects his violent nature as a stern judge and upholder of justice and righteousness. He dances, both in sorrow and joy, as the god of rhythm and movement. He performs his Cosmic Tandava dance at the termination of the age.

Indian dances are famous all over the world. They have changed little through all these centuries and the dancers perform their dance recitals according to the traditional precepts enshrined in Bharata’s Natyashasta a There are said to be 180 styles of dancing, and 101 of these are described in the Natyashastra. Many of these dance styles can be seen depicted on the walls and pillars of some of the famous Indian Temples. Music, dance and drama have been an integral part of Indian religion and secular life. Indian dances are not simply a things of legs and limbs but of the whole body and soul. They are highly developed and stylised and so have changed little in technique. They strictly adhere to the principles and rules laid down by Bharat Muni’ s Natyashastra, they along with variegated folk forms, present a panoramic and spectacular view of splendid and continuous dance tradition in India. Their history, sprawling from the pre-historic antiquity down to our own days, makes a fascinating reading. Indian dances, a proud and magnificent heritage of India, are a phenomenon to be enjoyed, seen and to be participated.

Of the classical Indian dances the five are very famous. They are Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri and Odissi. In the subtle Bharata Natyam, popular in the south India, feeling (bhava), raga (melody) and rhythm (tala) play the most vital role. It is the oldest dance style and is associated with Lord Shiva. It is a solo dance and most complicated to be understood fully by a lay man. Preserved in its prestine glory and unalloyed purity in Tamil Nadu, it enjoys today a very wide currency and popularity. For centuries in medieval India it was performed by Devadasis or handmaids of gods in the exquisite temples of South India.

Bharat Natyarn’s three components—movement, music and mime contribute equally in its performance. Basically it is a solo lasya, that is, tender and erotic dance, generally per-formed by a danseuse and occasionally by a danseur. No doubt it is based on the theme of love, but it is invariably devotional in essence and never sensual. During its performance it evolves like a bud into a blossom gradually through many stages. The final stage is very fine example of pure and abstract dance full of fascinating movements and rhythms accompanied and governed by the scintillating music. It presents a complex pattern of pure dance. The dancer conjures up intricate images of dance and footwork with statusque poses. It concludes with the chanting of a Sloka. In short, no other dance form can surpass Bharata Natyam and a few can equal it in its delicacy, grace, consummation and richness.

Kathakali is fundamentally of epic dimensions. Its universal appeal and popularity is an established fact. Its epic dimensions finally merge into cosmic ones, It is performed in an open air in a temple compound or a village courtyard. The only lighting used is a tall and massive brass lamp fed with coconut oil and set in front of the actors at the centre of the stage. It is accompanied by continuous thundering of the drums. It begins with the invocation of gods and lowering of a curtain held by two men. The themes of the dance are generally from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas or the Vedas. This dance-play continue all through the night. The facial vocabulary plays a very significant role in the portrayal of the subtlest passions with such perfection as transport the spectators to the magic world of myths, legends and fairies. Traditionally, young boys perform female roles. Kathakali costumes are traditional, gorgeous, spectacular, varied, ostentatious, and ornamental.

Kathak is a major classical dance form of North India dance both by men and women. It is well known for its spontaneity, freedom from uniformity and a lot of room for innovations and improvisations. It enjoys a fair amount of individuality and autonomy. A kathak dancer can change his or her sequence of stages to suit individual style and aptitude. Kathak makes a great use of a number of Hindustani musical compositions like Dhrupad, Hori, Dhama, Pad, Bhajan, Thumari, Ghazal, Dadra, etc. It also begins with invocation to gods. There is a rich variety in its repertoire as far as expression of feelings and passions is concerned. In an expressional dance the performer combines mime with music and dance and interprets the song to the accompaniment of soft music of the sarangi or a sitar. The song either in Braj, Hindi or Hindustani may be sacred, secular, devotional or erotic.

Manipur, bordering Burma, is a picturesque Indian state. Its famous dance form is called Manipuri. Rasa-dance which is full of devotional favour, and is performed to the singing of songs and kirtans and to the accompaniment of such musical instruments as khol or mridange (drum), manjira (cymbals) and a bamboo flute. Its liquid beauty, lyrical quality, re-strained but rhythmic swaying, swinging and spinning, coupled with soft vocal and instrumental devotional music, defies description. The text or songs accompanying Manipuri dance are from great saint, lyricists like Jayadeva, Vidyapati, Chandidas or the Bhagavatapuran. The costume of the Manipur dancers is always rich, ornamented and extremely captivating. Odissi, the dance form of Orissa, is the highly inspired, impassioned, ecstatic and sensuous. In medieval times this dance was performed by the Devadasis called Maharis in the temples. Rooted deeply in traditions and rituals, the dance is very old though its name is new. It commences with invocation to gods to the accompaniment of rhythmic vocal syllables blended into drum beats. The chant of the musician, the beat of the drum and the lilting and measured feet movements of the danseuse are so harmonized and produce a fine balance between the danseuse and the dancer, and the spectators are ushered into a fascinating world of mime, music and motifs reflecting sculpture stances. It represents a fine synthesis of Lasya and Tandava styles of Indian classical dances. It is an idiom which transcends all the limits of communication leading to rich aesthetic and spiritual experience.

Indian folk and tribal dances are fine examples of creative creations. They lack stylisation, refinement and artificiality. Folk and tribal dance forms cover various styles and forms originated, developed and maintained by the villagers, farmers, peasants, fishermen, and shepherds, nomads and tribals. These are out and out for pleasure and enjoyment. They are characterized most by their spontaneity, collective impulse and participation, simplicity, freshness and lack of restraint. Their richness, multiplicity diversity and variety is a thing of great wonder and no less admiration. They are at once thoroughly social, religious, ceremonial, seasonal, martial and ritual, always inspired by mythology, legends, religion and primitive instincts.

Essay No. 03

Man’s spiritual urge and inner drive manifested in rhythmic body movement constitute an art form called dance. Thus, rhythm and movements are basic to dance, creation and existence. Men, birds, beasts, plants, and the earth, all are engaged in a ceaseless cosmic dance-recital. Rhythm and movement is life, and its cessation stagnation, decay and death. Dance symbolizes both evolution and involution. Recent researches have revealed that distant galaxies are dancing away from us at an immense speed, some of them at the rate of about 144,000 km per second. Man is destined to dance his way to higher levels of consciousness and evolution till he achieves fullness, fulfillment and perfection.

It is in this background that Indian dances can be best appreciated and understood. The aesthetic foundations of the Indian dances and other art-forms are laid on the rocks of spiritual sadhana and rigorous mental and physical discipline leading to liberation, however, fleeting and momentary in the beginning. In essence, Indian dances are deeply religious in their origin. They do not simply involve legs and limbs, but the whole body and soul.

Indian classical dances are highly developed and stylised and have changed little in their technique, and yet they are innovative. By and large, they strictly adhere to the principles and rules laid down by Bharat Muni in his Natyashastra many ages ago. They, along with no less fascinating and variegated folk-forms, present a panoramic and spectacular view of splendid and continuous dance tradition of the country. Their history, spanning from the prehistoric times to the present, makes a fascinating study and reading. Indian dances, particularly the classical dances, are famous all over the world. There are said to be 180 styles of Indian dancing, and 101 of these are described in the Natyashastra. Most of these dance-styles can be seen depicted on the walls and pillars of some of the famous Indian temples. Music; dance and drama have been integral parts of Indian religion and life.

Of the classical dances, the five very famous ones are:

(i) Bharat Natyam

(ii) Kathakali

(iii) Manipuri

(iv) Kathak

Bharat Natyam is popular in south India. Feeling, raga and rhythm play a most crucial role in this dance form. It is the oldest dance-form and is associated with Lord Shiva. It is a solo dance, and most complicated and subtle to be understood and appreciated by a layman. Preserved in its pristine glory and unalloyed purity in Tamil Nadu, it enjoys very wide currency and popularity in India. For centuries in medieval India, it was performed by Devadasis or handmaids of gods in the exquisite temples of south India. The Devadasis were then held in high esteem as repositories of culture and performing arts.

Bharat Natyam’s three components—movement, mime and music—contribute equally in performance and recital. It is also a tender and erotic dance, generally performed by a female dancer and sometimes by a male dancer as well. No doubt it is based on the theme of love, romance and heroism but it is invariably devotional in essence and never sensual. It is equally and evenly divided into nritta (abstract dance) and nritya (expressive dance). It is presented in such a way that it upholds itself in a sequence of stages like a bud bursting into a blossom of unmatched beauty, colour, fascination and splendor. The artist performing Bharat Natyam wears a costume which is both traditional as well as functional. A wide variety of beautiful ornaments are also used.

Kathakali, the traditional story-play of kaleidoscopic Kerala, was evolved and nurtured in temples, just like Bharat Natyam. It is also known as Attakatha (dance-play) and is fundamentally of epic dimensions. Its journey from temples to courts and then to streets, courtyards and public places in Kerala tell its ever-increasing universal appeal and popularity. Kathakali is performed in open air, on a square stage with a tall and massive brass lamp, fed with coconut oil, set in front of the dancers at the centre of the stage. This is the only lighting used. The continuous thundering of the drum called chenda heralds the performance of the Kathakali dance-drama. The theme to be enacted and danced may either be from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, or the Vedas. It continues all through the night, to the accompaniment of singing, drumming and playing on the large bronze cymbals. Traditionally, young boys perform female roles, but now girls and women also perform female roles. The prospective Kathakali dancers are caught young and initiated ritually in the art at the tender age of 10-12 and made to undergo a rigorous and intensive training and discipline under a skilled guru or master. The costumes are traditional, gorgeous, spectacular, varied, ostentatious, ornamental and yet functional. Eyes play an exceptional role in this style of dance.

Manipuri dances are based on the romance of divine Krishna and Radha. It was Maharaja Jai Singh, also known as Bhagy Chandra, who helped to develop and patronise this dance form. His daughter Princess Bimba-manjari was a dancer par excellence of. this style. It was subsequently formalised, codified and stylised on classical lines by great gurus of the art. The Rasa-dances are always related to Krishna legends and the movements of the neck, the breasts and hips are not allowed in this dance as they are considered vulgar and below the dignity and grandeur of these devotional forms of dance. The text of the accompanying songs is always from great saint-poets like Jayadeva, Vidyapati, Chandidas or from the Bhaguat Purana. The costume is always rich, ornamental and captivating. Rich in emotional content and sentiment of love, Manipuri dances require arduous training and discipline of the artist from a very tender age under the guidance of expert gurus. Truly classical, devotional and religious in spirit, these are performed to the singing of songs and kirtans and to the accompaniment of khol, niridanga, manjira and bamboo flutes. Their liquid beauty, lyrical quality, restrained and rhythmic swaying, swinging and spinning, with hands close to the body, coupled with soft music, lend the performance a uniqueness and divinity which defy description.

Kathak, a major classical dance form of north India, is performed both by men and women. It is well-known for its spontaneity, freedom from uniformity, and has a lot of room for innovation and improvisation. It enjoys a fair amount of individuality and autonomy. A kathak dancer can change his or her sequence of stages to suit individual style and aptitude. Kathak makes a great use of a number of Hindustani musical compositions like Dhrupad, Hori, Dhamal, Pad, Bhajan, Thumri, Ghazal, and Dadra, etc. It may also begin with an invocation of gods. There is a rich variety in repertoire as far as expression of feelings and passions are concerned. In an expressional dance, the artist combines mime with music and dance and interprets the song to the accompaniment of soft music of the sarangi or a sitar. The songs, either in Hindi, Braj or Hindustani, may be sacred, secular, devotional or erotic.

Odissi, the classical dance form of Orissa is highly inspired, impassioned, ecstatic and sensuous. In medieval days, this dance was performed by the Devadasis, called Maharis, in the temples. Rooted deeply in traditions and rituals, the dance is very old though its name is new. It commences with an invocation of gods to the accompaniment of rhythmic vocal syllables blended into drum-beats. The chant of the musician, the beat of the drum and the lilting and measured foot movements of the danseuse are so harmonised as to produce a delicate balance between the danseuse and the dance. The audience is ushered into a fascinating world of mime, music and motifs, reflecting sculpture stances. It represents a fine synthesis of Lasya and Tandaua styles of Indian classical dances. It has an idiom that transcends all the limits of communication, leading to a rich, aesthetic and spiritual experience.

Indian folk dances have relatively far greater free play, expression of feelings, emotions and sentiments than classical forms. The folk people are born dancers. Their gait, movements and various activities, especially those of women, betray their rhythmic tempo and sculpturesque poses and postures. Folk dance-forms are intimately connected with the performer’s life, daily activities, environment and other physical surroundings and nature in its various moods and season. Indian folk dances are ever fresh, fragrant and imbued with a wonderful capacity to renew and to imbibe new influences and yet to maintain tradition and continuity. Indian folk dances are part and parcel of the country’s rich cultural heritage and immense artistic wealth. Their staggering variety and richness inspires wonder and admiration. They are at once thoroughly religious, social, ceremonial, seasonal, material, ritual, romantic and erotic and always inspired by mythology, legends. scriptures, folk tales and, above all, by the most primitive instinct to express pain and pleasure through linear and statuesque stances and rhythmic movements.

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Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Kathak — Types Of Classical Dances In India

Types of Classical Dances in India

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How Classical Is Indian Classical Dance?

By Jennifer Homans

Every artist confronts her past, and, in the case of the Indian dancer Bijayini Satpathy, that past is both a country and a colonial legacy. Satpathy performs Odissi, a dance style from the eastern state of Odisha which is one of India’s eight classical dance forms. Although Indian classical dance is commonly assumed to be ancient and reverential—and there is a documented history of devotional dancing extending back more than two millennia—all eight of these designated classical styles are modern, post-colonial inventions.

Even before the British formally departed the country, in 1947, Indian authorities had set out to give their emerging nation its own indigenous theatrical arts, and gurus and dancers from various regions began assembling standardized forms out of a dizzying variety of local practices and traditions. By 1952, four of these freshly codified dance styles—bharatanatyam, kathak, kathakali, and manipuri—had been formally recognized by the government, and given an élite Western stamp, “classical,” a word that, as Anurima Banerji points out in her book “ Dancing Odissi ,” had no true equivalent in Indian languages until British rule. Exponents of Odissi pushed for inclusion and exhibited the form at a landmark meeting in New Delhi in 1958, with Nehru himself presiding over a celebratory reception. Odissi gained official recognition two years later and has since been joined by other newly defined forms.

The dances these gurus came up with mostly privileged Hindu traditions and texts, even though, historically, dance across India was shaped by many religious and philosophical contexts. (Odissi, for instance, also has Jain, Buddhist, Muslim, animist, and secular theatrical roots.) Everything was tightly regulated. There were rules for postures, steps, and musical structures; for textual and sculptural sources; for performance, including what order particular pieces should be performed in. The new national dances were also cleaned up, following the lead of purity-minded British social reformers who had stigmatized temple dancers as prostitutes and tried in some cases to ban them. Others tried to strip the dances of overt sexuality—a fool’s errand, as one glance at the erotic S-curved body in Odissi proves. Caste played a role, too. In some traditions, such as bharatanatyam, from Tamil Nadu, temple dancers were typically of low caste, but, in the remade, classicized version of the form, bharatanatyam became largely the province of bourgeois Brahmin women. Today, a few lower-caste dancers, such as Nrithya Pillai, are trying to take back their art. Meanwhile, some Hindu nationalists have made moves to link Odissi to their cause, in disregard of Muslim and other historical influences on the art form. In 2018, Narendra Modi’s government even nominated the Odissi dancer Sonal Mansingh to the parliament.

Satpathy, who is fifty, is no stranger to the ironies of her art. She began dancing as a child and later studied in the style of Kelucharan Mohapatra, one of the male gurus who codified Odissi, in the fifties. Among the techniques she absorbed was the virtuosic “gotipua” style, which emerged during the Mughal Empire and was traditionally danced by young boys cross-dressing to perform female roles. In 1993, she joined Nrityagram, a female troupe based in Bangalore. At Nrityagram, which means “dance village” in Sanskrit, dancers and students live, breathe, eat, and sleep Odissi in ways that recall the immersion of past devotional and temple practices, except that here the devotion is aesthetic, not religious. (Satpathy is agnostic.) In a further spirit of independence, Nrityagram avoids having male gurus; instead, the women are their own collective guru, and, over the years, their art has drawn on a variety of sources outside of those prescribed by the official Odissi form.

Satpathy herself has never been orthodox in her approach. As the director of education and a lead performer at Nrityagram, she supplemented established Odissi exercises with yoga, martial arts, ballet, Pilates, and jogging, and even made up her own exercises to stretch the capacities of her dancers and the limits of her art. A day with Satpathy might begin with a run and then move to Odissi’s codified isolations of the eyes, neck, torso, palms, fingers, ankles, toes, heels—each body part moving alone and in opposition to other body parts. (There are dozens of exercises for the eyes alone.) She also worked closely with Nrityagram’s artistic director, Surupa Sen, to bring a variety of ancient texts to bear on new dances. Yet, for all the innovations Nrityagram introduced, the troupe’s performances maintained a traditional Odissi look and feel, and in 2018, after twenty-five years, Satpathy left this village home to choreograph and perform her own dances.

Satpathy’s much anticipated first piece of solo choreography, “ ABHIPSAA —a seeking” ( abhipsaa is Sanskrit for “seeking”), was delayed by the pandemic, but finally had its New York première at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, where I saw it this fall. It will go on tour to various U.S. cities in the spring. (Full disclosure: Satpathy and Banerji have been in residence at N.Y.U.’s Center for Ballet and the Arts, which I founded and direct.) The work is made up of four dances, with original compositions by a team of musicians, including the extraordinary singer and composer Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy, who is trained in both Hindustani and Carnatic music. The four dances unfold with a clear trajectory, moving from youth to death, from form to formlessness. The first is a narrative dance inspired by an ode attributed to the eighth-century philosopher and poet Shri Adi Shankaracharaya, which Satpathy interprets as being about the “oneness” of male and female sexual organs and the presence in a young girl’s body of both masculine and feminine, human and divine. We continue with two movements that reveal the “seeking” of the title (“Vibhanga—broken and rebuilt” and “Virahi—in longing”) and conclude with “Vimukthi—the final dance.”

The performance begins in semidarkness, and we see Satpathy planted in a deep lunge, low to the floor, hands and arms undulating, as if searching the air around her. Bindhumalini’s aching, chantlike voice seems to move through jagged halftones in veering exploration of rhythm and tone. Satpathy is calm and clad in Odissi dress—elegant silks in deep mauve and bright blue, with wrist and ankle bracelets, hair pinned back, heavy makeup, and a large red bindi on her forehead. She deepens the lunge and eventually moves into a standard Odissi position, on one leg, the spine curved in that distinctive erotic S shape. She’s been standing here for decades and her body seems totally resolved, but—and this is where her seeking takes her—she doesn’t stay. Even when Satpathy is rooted, something in her body—arms, fingers, back, shoulders, neck, eyes, eyebrows—is always moving. When she turns and stands to show us her back, for example, her stillness is disrupted by waves of movement travelling up, down, sideways, through muscle and bone.

I kept trying to pinpoint the motor or source of her movement, which seems to come from everywhere at once, and to circulate through her body like blood. Her abdominal core—a common motor in dance—is hidden in folds of fabric and in the extreme Odissi arch of the spine, which throws her pelvis back and chest forward. She later told me that the motor is the foot. Not the muscles but the way the foot hits the ground, which sends energy up through the body and out through the head, limbs, and eyes. This is physical but also a matter of mind—the movement ends only when the intention driving it has exited the eyes and reaches us. The journey can be slow or fast, even instantaneous: this constant cycling of energy through the body is why her movement never appears static or doll-like, as Odissi can. Her lyricism even has a familiar Western modern-dance flow, which seems surprisingly natural in her Odissi body.

There are Hindu stories in these dances, but they are hard to follow unless you are versed in the meanings assigned to each pose. Dancers memorize these meanings in their training, but part of what Satpathy is up to, I think, is abstracting feelings of jealousy and love so that we feel them without any narrative or religious grounding. It is enough to watch her body and being slide between male and female, object and subject, to become fully absorbed in the dance. Ruptures in tradition and additions to it are interwoven, as if form were not set or rule-bound but malleable and absorptive. The second dance in “ ABHIPSAA ,” for example, uses a Carnatic musical genre, the thillana, that is common in bharatanatyam but not in Odissi. Moving to it, she breaks further from Odissi’s formal poses: a hand loses its shape and falls to the floor; a Pilates-style reclining position is held insistently long.

The final dance is based on a poem by the medieval North Indian mystic Kabir about death freeing the soul from the confines of life. It is another quiet Satpathy acknowledgment of the varied non-Hindu sources of her art. We don’t know much about Kabir’s life, but we do know that there is a lot of Islamic thought in Kabir’s work and a lot of Kabir’s thought in Islamic writings. His poems, claimed by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs alike, turn a pointed wit on worldly hierarchies of caste, gender, and religion. They belong to an oral and sung tradition that, like dance, is passed on by those who perform them, from Kabir’s day to ours.

In this spirit, Satpathy’s dance takes full flight, spiralling along Odissi curves and diagonals of space, body, and time, until, in a sharp movement, she breaks the fourth wall and we find her momentarily flung before us, arms and eyes open, as if to say, “Here I am!” She is pulled back into her dance, only to be thrown forward again, this time on her knees, as the music ends and the lights go out. She has arrived at the liberation that death brings—and also, perhaps, at her newly conceived Odissi life.

The ending, I venture, is also political. Under cover of a felt devotion, Satpathy has given the final gesture in this performance of an invented classical Hindu form to a poet whose work cannot be separated from Islam. ♦

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Classical Dances of India: Everything you need to know about

Last updated on November 9, 2023 by ClearIAS Team

Table of Contents

Origin of classical dances

Most of the classical dance forms originated in temples. Worshipping was the main aim. Although every dance form evolved from different regions, their roots are the same. The roots can be traced from the Sanskrit text – ‘Natya Shastra’ . The first compilation of Natya Shastra is dated between 200BCE and 200CE.

As time passed, artists improvised many classical dances which resulted in the present day forms. Today, Indian classical dances are very popular dance all over the world.

Rasanubhuti: The 8 Rasas

The Rasanubhuti is the ultimate aim of these dance forms. Natya Shastra speaks of Eight Rasas . They are as following:

• Shringar: Love
• Hasya: Humorous
• Karuna: Sorrow
• Raudra: Anger
• Veer: Heroism
• Bhayanak: Fear
• Bibhats: Disgust
• Adbhoot: Wonder

Note: Later  Abhinav Gupta added a ninth one to it, Shanta: Peace.

What are classical dances?

Unlike folk dances, classical dances are all about technicalities and strict rules. Acharya Nandikeshawara’s ‘Abhinaya Darpan’ and Sharangdev’s ‘Sangeeth Ratnakar’ (Nartanadhyaya), along with the Natya Shastra forms the foundation of technicalities of all the classical dance forms (which includes their body movements, rasa, bhava etc).

There are Nine Classical Dances as recognized by Ministry of Culture, Government of India . Let’s have a look at these classical dances – one by one.

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Bharatnatyam

A dance that encompasses Bhav, Rag, Ras and Taal is ‘Bharatanatyam’. Also called as ‘Sadir’ , it was conventionally performed by Devadasis (girls offered to God in the temple) in Hindu Temples of South India. Thus, also known as ‘Dasiattam’ . Developed in the Tanjore and other regions of South India prominently Tamil Nadu, this could possibly be the Oldest Classical Dance form of India (around 2000 years old). It follows the convention of Natya Shastra in true spirit. Abhinaya Darpan and Sangeet Ratnakar guide the technique and grammar of body movements.

The word meaning of  Bharatnatyam

• Bha: Bhava which means emotions
• Ra: Rag meaning musical notes.
• Ta: Taal meaning the Rhythm.
• Natyam: The Sanskrit word for Drama .

The evidence of Bharatanatyam

• Silappatikaram (where its existence was mentioned in this ancient Tamil epic).
• Brihaddeshwara temple was a major center for Bharatnatyam since 1000CE.
• The Gopurams of Chidambaram display the poses of Bharatnatyam, chaaris, and Karanas that are carved in the stones.

The makeup used for Bharatanatyam

• Immense and charismatic makeup (hair as a single bun is tied just before the plaits).
• The eye-catching costume (bright colored Sari- today the costume comes in 7 pieces that are worn simply, for men – dhoti).
• Glowing ornaments.

The repertoire of Bharatanatyam

• Alarippu – Invocation
• Jatiswaram – Nritta part
• Shabdam – Short compositions with word
• Varnam – a story, that includes both Nritta and Nritya
• Padam – Religious prayer, Bhajan, Keertanam.
• Thillana – Origin in the Tarana of Hindustani Music
• Ends with Mangalam.

The music and instruments used for the Bharatanatyam

• Carnatic Style, Vocalists Called – Nattuvanar (normally Guru).
• Verses are usually in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit.
• Mridangam, Nadaswaram, Nattuvangam, Flute, Violin veena etc.

The revival of Bharatanatyam from ancient to modern day platform

• Rukmini Devi Arundale created a Renaissance. Before her, this art was almost dead. She raised this art form to a Puritan form.
• Also, T.Balasaraswati ‘s efforts helped to uplift this art form to the form known today.
• Rukmini Devi founded the Kalakshetra in Adyar and thus gave a new hope to the promotion of this Dance form.
• The famous Bharatanatyam dancers are Yamini Krishnamurthy, Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, Saroja Vaidyanathan, Janaki Rangarajan Etc.

The graceful dance of North India origin ‘ Kathaa’ ‘Kahe’ so ‘Kathak’ ‘Kahave’ , the one who tells stories is Kathakaar or Kathak .  Also known as ‘Natwari Nrutya’.  Kathak is one of the most charming dance forms of India. The themes of Kathak revolve around Stories of Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Krishna.  Apart from this,  Kathak encompasses presentations on manifold subjects.  Raslila of Braj is quite akin to Kathak.  A Solo Dance form but group compositions on themes with perfect synchronization steals the heart.

The specialties of Kathak

• Kathak is world famous for its spectacular footwork, amazing spins, Nazakat and Padhant (Chanting of bols, toda, tukdas by dancer himself and then performing). This is the distinctive feature of Kathak.
• It creates a nexus between the dancer and audience.
• The body movements are quite straight as compared to Bend movements of South Indian Dances.
• The heavy ghunghroos are worn by the Dancers – 100/200/250 on one leg.
• There is a wide variety of sounds are hidden in these ghunghroos like running train, heavy rains, Sound of Horse riding,( Ghode ki chaal) and much more. This adds more beauty to the performance.

The four main Gharanas, or schools of kathak dance    

• These are the Jaipur, Lucknow, Raigarh and the Benares gharanas.
• These schools are named according to the geographical area in which they developed.
• Each has a slight difference in interpretation and repertoire and can be recognized from their presentations.

The Sequence of Kathak dance    

• Starts with Vandana ( Worshipping God).
• Aamad (sequence of That Aamad Uthaan may be different in different gharanas).
• Toda Tukdas.
• Gatbhaav (Story)
• Ladi-Tatkaar(Footwork)
• End with a Bhajan, Thumri, Tarana or Ashtapadi, Kajri, Chaiti, Chaturang etc.

The costume, makeup, and ornaments used for Kathak

• Traditionally, Sari, Ghagra-Choli, Chudidar Frock – Jacket, Dupatta for women and men can wear Chudidar Kurta and Dupatta tied at the waist.
• This dance-drama may have costumes as per the character.
• Makeup is not much heavy but is quite sharp and Fine to reflect the expressions. A bun or long plaits with garland looks beautiful.
• Mostly white—yellow pearl ornaments are used.

The music and instruments used for Kathak dance form

• Hindustani Music: Lyrics may be in Hindi, Brij, Sanskrit or any other regional language.
• Instruments like Pakhawaj, Tabla, Sarangi, Sitar, Harmonium, Flute, Sarod, etc. are used.

The revival of Kathak dance forms

• The value of this dance form diminished during the Moghul period but still, there were certain good technical changes like inclusion of Thumri in Kathak.
• The period of Nawab Wajidali Shah was a golden age for Kathak. He himself was a great artist and extensively promoted Kathak.
• The King of Raigarh Raja Chakradhar  Singh who himself was a Kathak dancer gave birth to Raigarh Gharana of Kathak—greatest contribution to Kathak.
• Achhan Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj, Gopi Krishna, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pandit Rajendra Ganagani ji, Sitara Devi, Rohini Bhate, Maya Rao, Mandvi Singh, Shama Bhate, Shovana Narayana and many more artists gave their priceless contribution in Kathak .
• Kathak Kendra Delhi, a constituent Body of Sangeet Natak Akademi and many other governments and private institutes all over the world strive hard continuously for the training and promotion of Kathak.

The long-established dance form in the serene surroundings of Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha is famous as ‘Odissi’ . It has its mention in the oldest Sanskrit Text – Natya Shastra as Audramagdhi . In ancient days this dance form filled with Bhakti ras was a part of worship to God at Jagannath temples . Thus we find many sculptures in dance position inside the temple.

It has a combination of Lasya and Tandav. Graceful and mesmerizing, it appears like waves of the ocean. Odissi is famous for its presentations on poet Jayadev’s fabulous work.

Two styles of traditional Odissi

• Maharis (Devadasis or Temple Girls).
• Gotipua ( Performed by Boys).

The sequence

• Managalacharan (Worshipping Lord Jagannath or other gods, goddesses).
• This will be followed by Pushpanjali (Offering of flowers) and salutation to mother earth. This also includes Trikhandi Pranam- Devas, Gurus, and Rasikas.
• The next comes the Batu Nrutya—Fast dance pure dance which we call it as Nritta which is then followed by Nritya which include, Abhinay- Expressions on some devotional poems or songs.
• The verses may be in Sanskrit or Odia language. Ashtapadis—Dashavtar, Ardhanari etc. Are quite famous.
• Then comes the Dance Drama in sequence. The themes generally relate to the Hindu gods and goddesses. Modern day expressive theme presentations go beyond the horizon.

The costumes used for the Odissi dance forms

• It is made up of traditional material (Dhoti for men- Sari for women) from Odisha. Today fully stitched costume is available.
• A crown is worn by female dancers which are prepared in Jagannathpuri.
• White colored flowers are adorned on the bun.
• Like every other dance form, jewelry remains the same but is of silver colored. Ghunghroos too form part of this dance.                                                               

The music and instruments used

• The South Indian, as well as North Indian Music, is employed for the dance.
•  The Pakhavaj, Tabla, Swarmandal, Harmonium, Sitar, Flute, Violin, and Cymbals.

The revival of Odissi dance forms

• Kelucharan Mahapatra, Gangadhar Pradhan, Pankaj Charan Das etc.revived this dance form in the late forties and early fifties.
• Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, Kumkum Mohanty, Anita Babu, Sujata Mohapatra etc. contributed to the upliftment and popularization of Odissi.
• Recently, the Odissi has now been included in the syllabus of IIT Bhubaneshwar’s B.Tech syllabus since 2015. It became the first national technical institute to introduce any Indian Classical Dance form in their syllabus.  

The Kuchipudi was originated from the place named ‘Kuchipudi’ in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh around 3 rd century BCE, Kuchipudi Dance form is a long-established dance-drama style.

Tirtha Narayana Yati and his disciple Siddhendra Yogi organized and founded the modern version of Kuchipudi which we see today. Kuchipudi gradually developed as a solo dance form and today we can see both male and female performing it. Kuchipudi are themes related to Vaishnavism, Lord Krishna, Rukmini, Satyabhama and other myths. Kuchipudi also holds certain specialties of Bharatnatyam and Odissi as well.

Kuchipudi vs Bharatanatyam

• Bharatnatyam costume has three fans of dissimilar lengths. While Kuchipudi dress has only one frill/fan lengthier than the lengthiest fan in the former.
• In Bharatnatyam, there is no side Pallu but in Kuchipudi separate pallu is stitched seen on the left side.
• Two buns are used in Kuchipudi while only one in Bharatnatyam.

The repertoire of Kuchipudi

• The repertoire of Kuchipudi is similar to that of Bharatanatyam:
• Kuchipudi has a specialty called- ‘ Tarangam ’ in which the dancer performs on the top of the brass plates.
• And sometimes balances some pot on the head. This makes the dance form extremely unique.

The costume and makeup of  Kuchipudi

• The makeup is similar to that of Bharatnatnatyam.
•  A dancer in a female role would wear a  Sari  with light makeup. Today the stitched costume is available.
• The traditional Kuchipudi was performed by all males and their attire was quite simple ‘Angivastra’ also known as Bagalbandi and a  dhoti .

The music and instruments used for the Kuchipudi dance

• Based on Carnatic music the language is usually Telugu.
• Mridangam, cymbals, veena, flute and Tambura.

The famous dancers in Kuchipudi

• Raja-Radha Reddy.
• Yamini Reddy.
• Vaijayanti Kashi.
• Uma Rama Rao etc.

Dazzling classical dance of Kerala is Kathakali. ‘Katha’= Story or tale, ‘Kali’= Performance and Art.   Its roots are in ancient ‘Kutiyattam’ (Classical Sanskrit Dance Drama) and ‘Krishnattam’ (Dance-Drama depicting Stories of Hindu God Krishna). Movements in Kathakali are influenced by ancient martial arts and athletic tradition. It is basically a Dance-Drama.  Kathakali was traditionally a male-dominated dance and now females are too welcomed in this dance form. Kathakali is also famous for its huge elaborate costumes, amazing make-up style, face masks, and ornaments.

Unlike other Classical Dances, Kathakali art form developed in the courts and theaters of Hindu principalities. The traditional performances were used to be as long from Dusk to dawn. Modern day presentations are short as per the time limit of the program. The Kerala Kalamandalam is the main center for Kathakali Artists. Kathakali has similarities with other dance forms like that of the Japanese ‘ Noh’ and ‘Kabuki’ dance forms have similarities with Kathakali.

The main themes used in Kathakali

• Mythological themes include Ramayan, Mahabharat, Bhagvat Purana, etc.
• Also modern day Kathakali dancers present stories and plays of Shakespeare.

The makeup for Kathakali

• According to the role of the dancer, his face is colored/painted.
• The colors are made in rice paste with vegetable colors and applied on the face.
• The Green for Noble characters.
• Tati (Red) for evil like Ravana.
• Kari (black) for hunters and monsters.
• Yellow for women etc.

The famous artists of Kathakali

• Kalamandalam Krishna Prasad.
• Kalamandalam Kesavan Namboodiri.
• Kalamandalam Gopi etc.

Mohiniattam

Another graceful Classical Dance of Kerala, Mohiniattam is Lasya inspired dance with soft, calm and gentle movements. Characterized as  Feminine, usually done by women. The word  ‘Mohini’ is related to the charming women avatar of Lord Vishnu – to end the evil powers. Mohiniattam also connotes, beautiful dancing women. The graceful and most beautiful, Mohiniattam is mesmerizing. The text ‘Hastha Lakshanadeepika’ is followed (for hand gestures and facial expressions) that has an elaborate description of mudras.

The costumes for Mohiniyatam

• Mohiniyattam has a unique White/Off-White Costume.
• the prominent one-sided hairstyle (bun) also called as ‘Kuduma’.
• Adorable ornaments make it unique.

The sequence of Mohiniyattam

• Invocation.
• Jatiswaram.

The revival of Mohiniyattam

• In 1930, Nationalist Malayalam poet Vallathol Narayan Menon helped to repeal the ban on temple dancing in Kerala as well as established the Kerala Kalmandalam dance school and gave encouragement for its training and practice.
• Mukundraj, Krishna Panicker, Thankamony as well as Guru and Dancer Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma gave their heroic contribution in reviving the traditional art form.

The Manipuri dance form named after its region of origin, ‘Manipur’ is also known as ‘Jogai’ . It was traditionally performed as a dance – drama on devotional songs, Manipuri showcases the love between Radha- Krishna through Raaslila. Manipuri is a combination of two culture- Indian and South-East Asian. The Manipuri dance form is categorized as Tandav or Lasya.

The beautifully soft and graceful dance form, Manipuri has significant movements of hands and upper body. A curvy body structure with a pleasant smile, decorative, shiny costumes, and ornaments, Manipuri is indeed a mesmerizing dance form. Another uniqueness of this dance form is that, while Ghunghroos (Bells)  glorify the classical dances of India, they are not worn in Manipuri.

The themes used in Manipuri dance forms

• Mostly influenced by Hindu Vaishnavism themes.
• It also includes themes related to Shaivism and Shaktism and regional deities.
• Tandav Manipuri depicts themes of Shiv, Shakti or Krishna as warrior.
•  Lasya theme includes Love inspired stories of Radha-Krishna.

The Manipuri Raslila: Three styles

• Tal Rasak:  It is accompanied by clapping.
• Danda Rasak: The synchronous beat of two sticks where dancers position creates geometric patterns.
• Mandal Rasak: The Gopis make a circle while Krishna attains the center.

Different types of Manipuri Dance Styles

• Nata-Sankirtan.
• Pung Cholam.
• Dhola Cholam.
• Kartal Cholam.
• Thang ta ( a Martial art of Manipuri) etc.

The Music and instruments used in Manipuri dance

• The expressions used in Manipuri are from the poetry of  Jayadev, Vidyapti, Chandidas, Govindadas and Gyandas that may be in Sanskrit, Maithili, Brij or any other language.
• Pung ( A barrel Drum ) and small kartals (Cymbals) are employed in dance as well and not restricted to accompaniment alone.
• Other instruments include Sembong, Harmonium, Pena (String Instrument), Flute(Wind Instrument), Esraj and Shankh (conch).

The costumes of Manipuri dance

• The female dancers wear decorative barrel-shaped drum like long stiff skirt till bottom with decorative embellishments. Dark colored velvet blouse covers the upper part of the body and a traditional veil is worn over hair that falls gracefully over the face.
• The male dancers adorn themselves with dhoti kurta white turban, a folded shawl over the left shoulder and the drum strap over the right shoulder.
• The costume for the character of Lord Krishna is Yellow dhoti, dark velvet jacket, and crown of peacock feathers.

The revival and recent developments of Manipuri dance

• There are several private institutes as well as few Government aided centers that provide training in Manipuri Dance.
• The prominent among them is, Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy, Imphal which is the constituent body of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi.

Manipuri dancers

• Guru Bipin Sinha.
• Nirmala Mehta.
• Savita Mehta.
• Yumlembam Gambhini Devi.
• Darshana Jhaveri and many others.

Sattriya is the traditional dance –drama of Assam. Sattriya was recognized in 2000 as Classical Dance by Sangeet Natak Akademi. It is influenced by Vaishnavism and the modern form of Sattriya is attributed to the 15 th century Bhakti Movement Scholar and Saint Srimanta Sankaradev . Since 15 th Century, Sattriya grew as a part of Vaishnav Bhakti Movemen t in Hindu Monasteries called ‘Sattra’ . Sattras are the dance community halls (namghar) of monastery temples. Today it is popular worldwide.

The themes and styles used in Sattriya

• The themes performed are mostly on Radha-Krishna and other myths.
• Dramas written by Sankardev are typically presented.
• Sattriya performance integrated two styles: One Masculine (Paurashik Bhangi — energetic and with jumps) and Feminine (Stri Bhangi—Lasya or delicate).
• Both male and female perform this beautiful, expressive dance openly on the modern platform.    

The costumes used for Sattriya

• Male—Dhoti, chadar, paguri (turban).
• Female—Ghuri, chadar, Kanchi (waist cloth) made up of materials manufactured in Assam.
• The play and Character specific costumes are also seen in Sattriya.
• Masks are used for special characters (like demons) sometimes.
• Traditional Assamese jewelry is employed.

The music and instruments used for Sattriya

• Borgeet of Sankardev and Madhavdev.
• Khol (two faced asymmetrical drum).
• Cymbals- Manjira Bhortal.
• Flute, Violin, Harmonium etc.

The revival of Sattriya dance

• Conventionally, it was only performed by ‘Bhokots’/ ‘ Monks’ as a part of their daily rituals not before the idol but before the copy of Bhagvat Purana placed in the eastern corner of dance community hall (namghar).
• After the second half of the 20 th century, this dance form moved from the den of Assam’s Monasteries to the modern day stage.
• Sattriya received patronage outside Assam and Outside India too.
• Sattriya Kendra Guwahati is a constituent body of Sangeet Natak Akademi established for preserving, promoting and providing training to young aspirants of Sattriya.
• Today Sattriya performances are a part of Major Dance Festivals in India and Abroad.

The famous Artists of Sattriya

• Guru Indira P.P Bora.
• Late Pradip Chaliha.
• Jatin Goswami.
• Anita Sarma etc.

Chhau Dance

The Chhau is a blend of folk, tribal and martial arts. ‘Chhau’ – is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Chaaya’, meaning Shadow, image or mask. Also, Chhau is defined by Sitakanta Mahapatra to be derived from Chhauni ( Military Camp) in Odia language. Traditionally performed by Males – Male troupes.

The Chhau has three different types originating from three different regions. Every type has its own unique feature, pattern, and style of performing and ornamentation as well.

Types of Chhau Dances

The themes in chhau.

• Vaishnavism.

The costumes used in Chhau

• Bright colored costumes.
• Huge ornamental headgears.
• Masks depend upon the role you play in the story.

The music and instruments used for Chhau

• The music is based on folk melodies.
• Mohuri, Shehnai, Dhol, Dhumsa, Kharka or Chadchadi are few instruments employed to create the music.

The revival, recognition and recent developments of Chhau

• In 2010, Chhau was listed in the UNESCO’S Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• The Government has established Government Chhau Centre in Seraikella in 1960 and Myurbhanj Chhau Nritya Pratishthan at Baripada in 1962.
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi established a National Centre for Chhau Dance at Baripada, Odisha.

Efforts from the government of India to revive Indian Classical Dances

• The government of India puts continuous efforts in preserving, promoting the Indian classical dances in India and abroad as well.
• The establishment of Sangeet Natak Akademi , Delhi and its allied centers and constituent bodies boosted the development of these classical dances.
• The grand Classical dance festivals like Khajuraho, Konark, Dhauli Kalinga, Kalidas, Mukteshwar, Soorya, Ellora, Nishagandhi etc., displays the beautiful representation of Indian Classical Dances.
• The classical dances flourished and developed further with the establishment of Music and Dance Universities like Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya , Khairagarh, Raja Mansingh Tomar University, Gwalior etc.  and the various Institutions like Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Prayag Sangeet Samiti. They not only added to the development of it but also helped the classical dance forms to reach till common people.

Related articles: 

• Indian musical instruments
• Folk dances of India
• Classical music
• Folk music of India

Article by: Ruhi Masodkar. The author is a Kathak dancer from Nagpur.

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June 29, 2017 at 1:30 pm

Is chhau dance a classical dance?? It is not yet recognized by sangeet natya academy as classical i think…

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November 4, 2017 at 12:47 pm

Namaskaram,

I would like to give one suggestion in kuchipudi category. Apart from the names given in masters section–mention of names such as –Padmabhushan Dr.Vempati China Satyam, Padmasri Dr.Vedantam Satyanarayana Sharma, Padmasri Dr. Shobhanaidu should find their place as their contribution is also undefinable and inexplicable.

November 28, 2017 at 7:22 am

there r only eigth classiCal dance

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February 15, 2018 at 4:38 pm

the ornaments that Kuchipudi dancers wear are made of a special light weight wood called “Boorugu”

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May 29, 2018 at 4:25 pm

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June 1, 2018 at 6:34 pm

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July 9, 2018 at 6:35 pm

there are still 8 classical dances and you have mentioned 9. Chhau is a folk dance please correct.

July 9, 2018 at 6:36 pm

though very usefull

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give more notes for study

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August 18, 2020 at 8:51 am

Very informative article unless they do updated after examination.

April 9, 2021 at 7:30 pm

Diversity in classical Indian dance forms https://thecreativepost.co.in/classical-indian-dance-forms/

September 1, 2021 at 11:17 am

Wonderful Post. Very useful information.

September 5, 2021 at 2:03 pm

Hi, very informative. I like reading such articles. Just a small doubt, you have mentioned that probably Bharatnatyam is the oldest classical dance but in your article description Odissa was shown by the search engine. Could you put your thoughts on “which form is the oldest classical dance form?”

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• Indian Classical Dances - Facts for UPSC Art & Culture

Indian Classical Dances - Facts for UPSC Art & Culture

Bharat Muni’s book Natya Shastra is the first famous source to mention dance. India has various forms of dances including classical dances and folk dances. Knowing about Indian Classical Dances is important for the IAS Exam , as it holds importance for the Art & Culture syllabus of GS-I.

This article will briefly provide you with relevant facts about classical dance from the UPSC Exam perspective.

What are the 8 Classical Dances of India?

The table below mentions the eight classical dances of India:

What are the aspects of Classical Dance?

The facts about related to the aspects of Classical Dance are mentioned in the table below:

9 Rasa of Classical Dance

There nine rasas of the classical dances are:

Indian Classical Dance – Chhau

Sangeet Natak Academy (India’s National Academy) recognizes only eight classical dances of India, however, the Ministry of Culture also considers Chhau Dance as a classical dance of India, making the total number of classical dances in India as nine.

A few important points on Chhau Dance are as mentioned:

• The word ‘Chaya’ gives meaning to Chhau Dance. Chaya means shadow.
• As a mask dance, Chhau dance is denoted.
• Energetic martial art movements are basic feature of Chhau Dance
• Serpent Dance, Peacock Dance are a few narrations used in Chhau Dance
• Saraikella – This Chhau Dance is famous in Jharkhand
• Mayurbhanj – This Chhau Dance is famous in Odisha
• Purulia – This Chhau Dance is famous in West Bengal
• Mayurbhanj Chhau Dance does not use masks.
• Chhau Dance was inscribed in the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Indian Classical Dances – UPSC Notes:- Download PDF Here

Candidates preparing for UPSC 2024  can also read a few other important Art & Culture related topics from the links given in the table below:

Frequently Asked Questions on Indian Classical Dance Forms

Q 1. bharatnatyam is an indian classical dance form of which state, q 2. which is the principal classical dance form of northern india.

UPSC Preparation Links:

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Classical Dance in the Project of India’s National Identity

2020, Il Novissimo Ramusio, ISMEO

The present article (in English, summarised in Italian) begins with an overview of the ancient art of dance in India in its manifold aspects, moving onto its transformation – through the agency of international contacts – into new dance forms, in the period that preceded and followed India’s independence. The core of the essay then investigates how the new dance styles (although an intercultural product), came to be representative of Indian traditional cultural-artistic heritage, becoming a key aspect in making Independent India’s identity. IN :VOICES OF FREEDOM. SOCIETY, CULTURE AND IDEAS IN THE 70TH YEAR OF INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE http://www.scienzeelettere.it/book/50179.html

Related Papers

Kalakshetra Journal issue 8

Tiziana Lorenzetti

The article focuses on the ancient multivalent connections between dance and sculpture, in India

Dancing Architecture: The parallel evolution of Bharatanatyam and South Indian Architecture

Tracey Eve Winton

In her book, "Indian Classical dance", Kapila Vatsyayan describes dance as the highest order of spiritual discipline, the enactment of which is symbolic of a ritual sacrifice of one's being to a transcendental order. The Natya-Shashtra, a treatise on drama and dance, reveals the status of the performing arts as equal to prayer and sacrificial rites in the pursuit of moksha, the release form cycles of rebirth. Both dance and dancer function as a vehicle for divine invocation and are mirrored in the architectural surroundings. To investigate this connection between dance and place, it is imperative to understand the mythical origins of architecture and temple dance. the Hindu philosophy of the cosmic man and its religious relationship with the Dravidian architecture of Tamil Nadu is the starting point of the discussion of a south Indian aesthetic. The Vastu-purusha mandala is a philosophical diagram that provides a foundation for Hindu aesthetics, linking physical distance, religious position and universal scale in both time and space. Used as an architectural diagram, it becomes a mediator between the human body and the cosmos. The temple, as a setting for dance performances, and constructed based on the mandala, shares this quality of immersing its participants into a multi-sensory spatial experience. However, while the link between architecture and dance culture was explicit up to the 18th century, it is less compelling in the context of modern south Indian architecture. With an increasingly unstable political landscape during the 20th century, architectural growth in south India during this period is almost stagnant. Unfortunately, this creates a break in the continuity and comparative evolution of dance and architecture, leading to the fragmentation and abstraction of dance in its modern form. South Indian dance has since transformed into a prominent cultural symbol and various incarnations of the dancer have become the isolated yet important link, between tradition and modernity. As an evolving living embodiment of contemporary culture and identity, her transformation from Devadasi, to an icon of nationalism, to a choreographer of 'high art' provides the foundation for the reintegration of architecture in the cultural fabric. The culmination of this research aims to reinstate the importance of architecture as a cultural nexus in order to restring a fragmented dance, community and cultural identity.

Asia and Europe — Interconnected

Elisa Ganser

Anne-Marie Gaston

Riabuel Babol

Melita Ivanovska

Among Islamic-Macedonian women, in regions of Dolna Reka and Azot, widely spread and preserved is the use of a musical instrument “harmonica “as an accompany during the wedding ceremony dancing as a heritage from the begging of XX century. The instrument is played only by women, which out stands as an extraordinary cultural characteristic. Belonging to a population, Miyazi, Islamic Macedonians which have inherited an instrument called “harmonica” in their traditional wedding celebrations. Within the Miyazi population, the Christian Orthodox religion was followed by the majority, which have not adopted the western-inherited harmonica in their culture. This part of traditional Macedonian culture is an important characteristic in the rituals of wedding celebrations among women.

Journal of the Indian Musicological Society

Margaret E Walker

A careful search through historical sources for either a dance called kathak or people called Kathaks, with a goal of understanding the roots of the 20th-century dance called kathak.

Marie-Josée Blanchard

This paper seeks to problematize the current state of Indian classical dance and its relation to religion in the Canada-based Indian diaspora, with a special focus on Toronto and Montreal. Using data from the early stages of my PhD ethnographic research, this essay contrasts text and practice to demonstrate that the current state of dance in the diaspora has evolved: while the “classical” norms of aesthetics and ideas about religion/spirituality that have been mobilized in the discourse about and practice of Bharatanātyam since the late 19th century still have some salience to this day, a new discourse and approach are emerging from this “ideal” state of dance, allowing performers not only to redefine their own practice in their changing socio-cultural environment, but also to decide for themselves whether their practice is spiritual/religious or not.

Alessandra B . Lopez y Royo

The Stanford website 'humanitieslab' is out of order but copies can be retrieved using the Wayback Machine internet archive at this url http://web.archive.org/web/20151002235517/http://humanitieslab.stanford.edu:80/117/Home I have also uploaded a .pdf of the book which can be viewed with your browser to navigate the links. This was never meant to be a print book, I chose to publish it as an online resource because of the videos and links. However, it can be rather difficult when websites are closed down, so I am glad there is a .pdf record of it (added 29/05/2017)

Shastric Traditions in Indian Arts , University off Heidelberg

Sharon Lowen

Dance is a movement art, transmitted as an oral, or rather aural-visual, tradition. What then is the relationship of shastric texts on dance to the actual performance practice, with particular reference to Odissi dance? Shastric texts have become a major reference point and validating factor of “classical” dance in India since the 1930’s, in Orissa since the 1950’s, and are increasingly used in the training of today’s educated students of the dance. Did these texts play a central role in the development of the Odissi dance tradition as we know it today, or have they been used after the fact in a quest to capture and codify a tradition? What are the consequences of using textual codification as a starting point in classical training? To what extent has Odissi dance gelled into a distinctive form as it passed through generations of dancers up to the present and how much latitude still remains for innovation within the tradition? What texts play a role in Odissi dance and what is that role? To what extent do contemporary practitioners of Odissi base their work on shastric tradition? What are the problems of textual representation of a three-dimensional art form functioning in time and space translated to two dimensional paper and word symbolization? What are the difficulties of taking a fluid tradition in art and categorizing its elements in narrowing definitions, definitions which can intrinsically exclude nuance and variation, and lose its channeled logic in tangents? Does the quest for codification threaten the fluidity of tradition, tying teaching to text in future? And finally, what role has shastric text played in bestowing legitimacy of recognition to Odissi dance as a classical tradition?

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Essay on kathak: a classical dance forms of india.

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Essay on Kathak : A Classical Dance Forms of India!

Born in the land of Uttar Pradesh, Kathak most probably had its origin in the Raasleela of Brajbhoomi. Influenced by Vaishnavism, with the central concept of Krishna as the divine dancer and Radha as his partner, the dance was originally associated with temples, and accompanied by keertans.

It derived its name from kathika or story-tellers who recited verses from the epics with gestures, and music. Gradually, it assumed an elaborate style involving nritta and nritya. Under the Mughal rulers, it was influenced by Persian costumes and styles of dancing; Kathak thus branched off into the courtly stream.

The dance form, however, degenerated into lascivious styles and became what is derogatively known as ‘nautch’. The revival of the classical style came in the twentieth century through the efforts of Lady Leela Sokhey (Menaka).

Any discussion of Kathak would be incomplete without mentioning the gharanas—the most famous being Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi and Raigarh. Kathak achieved a peak in the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Khan in Lucknow who learnt the dance himself from Thakur Prasad. Thakur Prasad’s sons, Bindadin Maharaj and Kalka Prasad, greatly enriched the form, both in the abinaya and the nritta aspects.

The sons of Kalka Prasad, Achchan Maharaj, Lachchu Prasad and Shambhu Maharaj did much to popularise the dance. The Jaipur Gharana, launched by Bhanuji, emphasises fluency, speed and long rhythmic patterns. The Lucknow Gharana pays more attention to expressiveness and grace. The gharana of Varanasi is said to have evolved in Rajasthan, and it developed a style of its own characterised by moderate tempo, grace and precision.

The Raigarh Gharana, not so well-known, is said to have developed under the patronage of Raja Chakradhar Singh who authored the books Ragaratna Manjusha and Martan Sarwaswa.

The typical characteristics of Kathak are its intricate footwork and pirouttes. It may be noted that the knees are not bent or flexed. Both Indian and Persian costumes are used. The themes range from dhrupads to taranas, thumris and ghazals.

A solo recital begins with Ganesh Vandana or a Salaami (Mughal style). Anand is the item through which a dancer enters upon the stage; then comes that comprising soft and varied movements. Items of pure rhythmic beauty—todas, tukdas—follow. Gat-nikaas give brief outlines of mythological episodes.

An interesting aspect of Kathak is the mime performed to the accompaniment of musical compositions in which just a single line is interpreted in a variety of ways through subtle variations in facial expressions and hastas.

A special feature of Kathak is padhant—in which the dancer recites complicated bols and demonstrates them. The concluding item is kramalya or takar which concentrates on intricate and fast footwork. Solo items apart, several ballets are being choreographed in the Kathak style by artistes like Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj.

Related Articles:

• Manipuri: A Classical Dance Forms of India!
• Kartik Ram and Kalyan Das: Famous Kathak Dancers of India

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