Indian Classical Dance and their Origin

DANCES OF
I N D I A
AND THEIR ORIGIN

Hindu musical theatre genres that have their roots in Indian classical dance, also known as
Shastriya Devesh, are a group of performance arts whose theory and practise may be traced
back to the Sanskrit work Natya Shastra.
The majority of classical dance styles have their roots in temples. The major objective was to
worship. The roots of all dance styles are the same, despite the fact that they originated in
various places. The Sanskrit text "Natya Shastra" can be used to identify the origins.
Depending on the source and scholar, there are seven to more classical dances. The
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, and Manipuri are the seven
styles that the Sangeet Natak Academy recognises.

BHARATANATYAM
TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu in southern India is known for its Bharatanatyam dance.
It has its roots in the Natyashastra, a prehistoric manual on theatre authored by the
legendary priest Bharata.
Bharatanatyam, which was originally a dance performed by women in temples, is
frequently utilized to convey Hindu religious tales and devotions.
It wasn't until the 20th century that it became frequently seen on a public stage.
Legs are bent during dance moves, and feet maintain rhythm.
A succession of mudras, or metaphorical hand gestures, can be made with the hands to
convey a narrative.

KATHAK
UTTAR PRADESH
Kathak, a dance from northern India, is frequently a dance of
love.
Men and women both carry it out.
Intricate footwork emphasized by bells worn around the ankles
and stylised gestures taken from everyday body language are
among the movements.
It’s creators were Kathakas, skilled storytellers who combined
dance, music, and drama.
Like other Indian dances, it was originally performed in temples
but quickly spread to royal courts.

KUCHIPUDI
ANDRA PRADESH
Kuchipudi, in contrast to the other forms described, calls for both dancing and
vocal talent.
This dance from the state of Andhra Pradesh in southeast India is quite ritualized.
It begins with a formal song and dance, holy water is sprinkled, incense is burned,
and deities are invoked.
Even the female roles in the dance were traditionally performed by men, though
women currently make up the majority of the dancers.

ODISSI
ODISHA
Native to Orissa in eastern India, Odissi.
With poses modelled after those in temple
sculptures, it is primarily a dance for women.
Odissi is thought to be the oldest Indian classical
dance still in existence, according to
archaeological discoveries.
Over fifty mudras (symbolic hand motions), which
WWW.REALLYGREATSITE.COM
are frequently utilized in Odissi, make it an
extremely intricate and expressive dance.

KATHAKALI
KERALA
Kerala is the region of southwest India
where kathakali originated.
The dance kathakali is a form of religion,
like Bharatanatyam.
The Ramayana and tales from Shaiva
traditions serve as its primary sources of
inspiration.
Even for feminine parts, boys and men
typically perform kathakali.
The extravagant makeup and costumes
feature huge headdresses and faces
that resemble painted masks.

SATTRIYA
ASSAM
A significant form of Indian classical dance is called
Sattriya or Sattriya Nritya.
The scholar and saint Mahapurush Srimanta
Sankardev, a member of the Bhakti movement, is
credited with creating this dance-drama performance
art, which has its roots in the Assamese Vaishnavism
monasteries that are centred on Krishna.
A ballad, a dance, and a play blend the aesthetic and
the theological in Sattriya's one-act dramas known as
Ankiya Nat.
The plays are typically presented in the monastic
temples' dance communal halls (namghar) (sattras).

MANIPURI
MANIPUR
Manipuri originates in northeastern
India's Manipur.
Its origins can be found in the local
customs and rituals of that region, and it
frequently features episodes from the
life of the Hindu god Krishna.
Manipuri is distinguished by its smooth
and delicate motions, in contrast to
some of the other, more rhythmic
dances.
Male roles typically have more muscular
movements, whereas female characters
are particularly fluid with their hands
and arms.

RELATED ARTICLES
https://kafqa.com/blog/why-are-ghungroo-indispensable-in-indianclassical-dance
https://kafqa.com/blog/learn-vazhuvoor-online-one-of-the-originalstyles-of-bharatanatyam
https://kafqa.com/blog/kathak-dance-academy-a-brief-overview-ofindian-classical-dance-form
https://kafqa.com/blog/kathak-the-story-of-this-beautiful-indiandance-form

THANK YOU!