Question

Which state is related to Bharatanatyam dance?
A. Kerala
B. Tamil Nadu
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Karnataka

Answer 1

Hint: Arguably considered to be the earliest of all dance forms in India, Bharatnatyam is a delightful combination of traditional Sadir punched up with the expression, beat, music and dance. The traditional Bharatanatyam performance follows a seven-part order of presentation, namely the Alarippu, Shabnam, Jatiswaram, Padam, Tillana, Varnam, and Slokas or Mangalam.

Complete Answer:
Bharatanatyam, originally known as Dashiattam or Sadiraattam, is an Indian classical dance form that found its inception in the Tanjore district in Tamil Nadu in Southern India. More direct historical references of Bharatanatyam are found in the Tamil epic Silappadikaram (circa 2nd century CE) and Manimekalai (circa 6th century CE). Theoretically, the mention of Bharatanatyam is found in the Natya Shastra which is much more than an oriental version of Poetics. Natya Shastra is attributed to the ancient scholar Bharata Muni, and its first complete compilation is dated between 200 BCE and 200 CE. The most studied version of the text consists of nearly 6000 verses divided into 36 chapters. The text describes the Taṇḍava dance of Lord Shiva, the theory of rasa, bhava, gestures, facial expressions, acting techniques, standing postures- all of which are essential parts of Indian classical dance forms. More direct references of Bharatanatyam are found in the Tamil epic Silappadikaram (circa 2nd century CE) and Manimekalai (circa 6th century CE).
So, the correct answer is Option B.

Note: The dance form Bharatanatyam emerged in South India. A famous instance of an illustrative sculpture of the same is in the southern gateway of the Chidambaram temple (12th century) dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, where one hundred and eight poses of the Bharatnatyam are carved in stone. Many of the ancient Shiva sculptures in temples resemble the Bharatanatyam dance postures.