Bharatanatyam
பரதநாட்டியம்TamilSay it: pa · ra · dha · naaṭ · ṭi · yam
- ṭ ḍ — t and d with the tongue tip curled back
- bh, dh, gh… — the consonant with a breath of air after it
- aa ee oo ē ō — long vowels: hold them twice as long
The classical dance of Tamil Nadu
ConceptBharatanatyam
Meaning
Bharatanatyam is the classical dance of Tamil Nadu, grown from the temple and court dance once called sadir and renamed in the 1930s. It joins crisp geometric footwork in aramandi with detailed abhinaya, and its recital order, the margam, was shaped by the Tanjore Quartet.
Also written: bharatnatyam, bharata natyam, bharathanatyam, bharathanatiyam