India has perhaps the richest culture in the world. Ancient India was an advanced and highly prosperous civilization. The rulers of the region heavily patronized various forms of art, dance, music, craft, and other creative activities. Thus, under their patronage, various dance forms flourished and evolved in the temples and courts across the nation. Information on these dance forms can be found in the Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit Hindu text on the performing arts. Today, various sources enlist the Indian classical dance forms but the lists differ from one source to the other. According to the Sangeet Natak Akademi, there are eight classical Indian dance forms which have been mentioned below:
Mohiniyattam From Kerala
This classical Indian dance form originated in Kerala. The name of the dance form is derived from Mohini, a mythical, enchantress avatar of Lord Vishnu, a Hindu God. According to mythology, the avatar was meant to ensure the win of good over evil using feminine powers. The dance is a feminine dance form which is eros-filled and delicate in nature. This dance is mostly performed solo. Carnatic music accompanies the dance. Usually, a play is acted out through the dance and the recitation is done either by the dancer or a vocalist. Dancers receive extensive training to become experts in Mohiniyattam. The earliest textual mention of this dance form dates to the 16th century but it is believed to have more ancient roots. During British rule, the Mohiniyattam dance form was ridiculed as a Devadasi prostitution system. Several laws were enacted to ban the dance form. However, the ban was later lifted. The dance form became popular once again, especially in Kerala. The poet Vallathol Narayana Menon played an important role in its revival.
Watch a Mohiniyattam performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_avP6toESU
Manipuri Dance From Manipur
This dance form also called the Jagoi, traces its roots to Manipur, a north-east Indian state from which it derives its name. The dance form is most well-known for its performances displaying the love between Radha-Krishna or the Raslila. The dance is primarily based on the Hindu Vaishnavism themes but occasionally also involves performances based on Shaivism, Shaktism, and other local religious beliefs. Although believed to have older roots, the most reliable texts describing this performance art form dates to the 18th century. The religious art of Manipuri dance is performed by a team of dancers with traditional musical instruments like cymbals and mrdanga used to produce devotional music.
Watch a Manipuri performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQI0T5Kjw9E
Sattriya From Assam
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This dance form is also from North-east India. It traces its origins to the state of Assam. The art form is based on themes of Vaishnavism and developed in the Vaishnav monasteries of Assam. Srimanta Sankardev, a 15th-century scholar of the Bhakti movement is believed to have popularised this dance form. The Sattriya performances are one-act plays which tell the story of Krishna and Radha or other Vishnu avatars. The community halls present in the monastery temples serve as the venue of such performances.
Watch a Sattriya performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZF5MJ5kqcs
Odissi From Odisha
Odissi is one of the most popular classical Indian dances. This performing art form traces its origin to the Odisha state of India. The dances are mainly themed on Vaishnavism but other Hindu traditions are also represented via this dance form. Odissi traces its origins to antiquity. Although it was suppressed during the Islamic and the British rule in the country, the will of the people helped revive it following the independence of India. The dance performances are usually based on a mythical story, devotional poem or spirituality.
Watch a Odissi performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wX5yHh6DHc
Kuchipudi From Andhra Pradesh And Telangana
The dance form of Kuchipudi originated in the village of the same name in Andhra Pradesh. It is a form of Hindu religious art that was associated with spiritualism, temples, and traveling bards in the ancient times. The older forms of Kuchipudi are mentioned in inscriptions dating back to the 10th century and religious texts of the 15th century. Like most other classical dance forms, Kuchipudi also developed as a Vaishnavism tradition. The dance-drama performance is accompanied with vocal and instrumental Carnatic music.
Watch a Kuchipudi performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1bcjenN6Uc
Kathakali From Kerala
Kathakali is also one of the eight major classical dance forms of India. This dance form is easily distinguished by the use of elaborate and dramatic make-up, facemasks, and costumes. The art has its roots and Kerala and has traditionally been performed by men. Although it incorporates the basic elements of other Indian classical dance forms like dance, music, songs, and hand and facial gestures, it also includes athletic traditions and martial arts of ancient India. Unlike the other dance forms that evolved in the temples of India, Kathakali developed in the courts and theaters of Hindu kingdoms.
Watch a Kathakali performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl3UKV1z9lM
Kathak From Northern And Western India
Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘katha’ meaning story, the dance form of Kathak traces its roots to the performances of the traveling bards of ancient Northern India. Kathak dances use their hand and feet movements and facial expressions to tell different stories. The dance form evolved during the Bhakti movement and also in the courts of the kings of northern India. There are three distinct forms or ‘gharanas’ of this dance named after the cities where they evolved. These are Lucknow, Varanasi, and Jaipur.
Watch a Kathak performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZmCmQjoehw
Bharatanatyam From Tamil Nadu
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This dance form originated in Tamil Nadu and is regarded as the oldest classical dance tradition of the nation. Traditionally, Bharatanatyam was performed as a solo dance by only women. It is based on religious and spiritual themes with special emphasis on Shaivism. This ancient dance form existed as far back as the 2nd century CE. The dance remained exclusively confined to the Hindu temples for centuries but was banned by the British in 1910. The Hindu community protested against this ban and it soon expanded outside the temples with performances taking place in other venues as well.
Watch a Bharatanatyam performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWhA3ldZcyY
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