“Bharatha Natyam is a form of artistic yoga that involves the graceful and beautiful movement of body parts.”
Bharatanatyam, a premier Indian classical dance form, not only originates many other classical styles in India but also stands as perhaps the country’s oldest classical dance tradition.
The prehistoric Sanskrit “Natya Shastra,” which explains performing arts, underpins this genre.The Nrita, Nritya, and Natya dancers had strong footwork and gestures.They are examples of educational tales about Hindu religious topics and spiritual ideas.
Hindu mythology says “Bharatanatyam” comes from “Bharata” and “Natyam,” where “Natyam” means “dance” in Sanskrit and “Bharata” is a mnemonic for “bha” for “bhava” (passion and sentiments), “ra” for “raga” (melody), and “ta” for “tala” (rhythm).This naming signifies the dance style’s expression of emotion, melody, and rhythm.
A Tamil Hindu bride will dress similarly to a Bharatanatyam dancer. The dancer wears a stunning, custom-made sari with pleated fabric that falls in front from the waist and extends up like a hand fan as she performs extraordinary footwork, such as bending or stretching her knees.
While photographing Bharatanatyam dancers, I find myself speechless in the face of their captivating hand gestures and facial expressions. These stunning images have been added to my book.
Natyam: Mudra shows Lotus and strong wind
Classical: The dance of expressions
Copyrights:
All the photos and text in this post are copyright of Paladugu Rajasekhar, Guntur , Andhra Pradesh Creative Hut Institute of Photography .Their reproduction, full or part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
