Dance forms of Tamil Nadu

Dance forms of Tamil Nadu elaborates the various dance forms originated and practiced in the Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of the India. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages with archaeological evidence pointing to the Tamilakam region being inhabited for more than 400 millennia and more than 5,500 years of continuous cultural history. Hence, culture have seen multiple influences over the years and have developed diversely. With its diverse culture, many forms of individual and group dances have their origins in the region and are practiced.

Background and history
Historically, the region had been inhabited for more than 400 millennia ago and has more than 5,500 years of continuous cultural history. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages. The Tamilakam region has been ruled over by many kingdoms, major of which are the Sangam era (300 BC–AD 300) rulers of the Chera, Chola, and Pandya clans, the Pallava dynasty (3rd–9th century), and the later Vijayanagara Empire (14th–17th century). The region was under European colonization for two centuries before the Indian Independence in 1947. Hence, culture have seen multiple influences over the years and have developed diversely. In the Sangam era, art forms were classified into: iyal (poetry), isai (music) and nadakam (drama). With its diverse culture, many forms of individual and group dances have their origins in the region and are practiced.

Bharatanatyam


Bharatanatyam is a major genre of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest classical dance forms of India and is one of the classical dance forms recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The name of the dance is a combination of the Tamil word Bharatam, a backronym with bha standing for bhavam (feelings, emotions), ra for ragam (melody, framework for musical notes), tam for talam (rhythm) and Natyam, a Sanskrit word for "dance". A description of the dance is found in the 2nd century CE Sangam literature of Silappatikaram, while temple sculptures from the early middle ages of 6th to 9th century CE project the dance form. The theoretical foundations of the dance are found in Kootha Nool in Tamil and in Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit text of performance arts. According to some Indologists, the dance is linked to the Devadasi culture prevalent in Hindu temples.



Traditionally, Bharatanatyam was a solo dance that was performed exclusively by women. The dancer may be accompanied by musicians and one or more singers. In modern adaptations, Bharatanatyam dance troupes may involve multiple dancers who play specific characters in a story, creatively choreographed to ease the interpretation and expand the experience by the audience. The dancer known as ekaharya, is usually dressed in a colorful silk sari with golden or silver zari embroidery on the borders, adorned with various jewelry with the sari, designed and draped in a specific way for the dance. All dancers wear leather anklets on each foot, which are called salangai, made up of small bells. A Bharatanatyam arangetram (literally "ascending the stage") is a solo debut performance that signifies the completion of initial formal training of a young dancer Arangetram translates to. This performance is typically done ten to twelve years after a dancer begins learning Bharatanatyam.

A traditional Bharatanatyam dance performance follows a seven to eight-part order of presentation called Margams. The dance is characterized by the fixed upper torso with bent legs or flexed out knees combined with various footwork and a number of gestures known as abhinaya using various hand mudras, expressions using the eyes and other face muscles. The dance might be accompanied by music and a singer and typically a guru is present as the director and conductor of the performance and art. The dance has traditionally been a form of an interpretive narration of mythical legends, religious and spiritual ideas from the Hindu texts. The repertoire of the dance has developed into nrita (pure dance), nritya (solo expressive dance) and natya (group dramatic dance). The accompanying music to Bharatanatyam is in the Carnatic style of South India, as is the recitation and chanting.

Bommalattam
Bommalattam is a type of puppetry using inanimate objects, that originated in the region. While the origin of the art is uncertain, it has existed as an art form for years. It uses various doll marionettes which are 1-3 ft tall and may weigh up to 10 kg. The puppets are manipulated by rods and strings attached to the heads, back, arms and legs. The puppets are made of light weight wood and are dressed in crafted costumes bulked up by paper stuffings to give a more rounded appearance. The puppets are carefully crafted with prominent jewellery so that the edges are visible in the shadows.

Puppeteers stand overhead in an area 4 ft high and 11 ft wide and operate the puppets by using movements from hands and arms to control devices the rods or strings. The puppet staging area is created by stretching a black cloth over a bench and the puppets are operated behind a white screen illuminated by a lantern or oil lamps. The audience are seated in front of the screen with the screen literally separating the performers and audience, who are able to view the shadows of the puppets which are operated by the puppeteers.

The puppeteers wear bells which are sounded along with the movements with background music played by traditional instruments such as cymbals, harmonium and mridangam. The puppeteer might engage in narration of the stories while dancing the puppets. The themes are drawn from various Hindu scriptures such as the Puranas and epics and/with local folklore. The puppet shows are held during festivals and fairs and as a part of rituals to ward of evil forces, prevent epidemics, end drought by invoking rain. Bommalattam is usually followed as a family tradition with all members of the family engaged in making the puppets, maintaining them and performing. Pava Koothu is a variation of puppetry which uses handheld glove puppets.

Bhagavatha nadanam
The dance form narrates the life and stories of the avatars of Hindu god Vishnu. It is usually performed during Navrathri or festivals like Gokulashtami.

Chakkaiattam
Chakkaiaattam is a form of folk dance practiced majorly in South Central parts of the state. It is a social dance performed by a group of men or women with no specific theme. The dance may be accompanied by music and songs and are performed usually as an invocation to Tamil gods such as Murugan or Mariamman. The dancers hold wooden sticks measuring about 7 inch long and strung in a thread between the fingers which are used to produce different sounds.

Devaraattam
Devarattam is a folk dance form. Deverattam means "Dance of the Gods" in Tamil. The act is performed generally by males who wear costumes, make-up and may wear different face masks suiting the theme enacted. Even female characters are played by males. Devarattam is an abstract dance with no words used and the dancers use various expressions to express various themes, that is derived from the aspects of nature, animals and birds. It is performed at weddings, festivals and ritual occasions.

Kai silambattam
Silambu is a hollow anklet made up of a metal such as copper and filled with iron or silver beads that produce noise when the wearer moves or dances. Silambu forms the basis of the Tamil Sangam epic Silappathikaram. It is generally worn by women on the leg, termed as kālchilambu in Tamil in contrast to kāichilambu held in the hand. For the dance, the dancers wear anklets and hold a silambu in their hands to make noises while dancing. The dance is performed in temples during Amman festivals or Navaratri festival especially to praise female deities like Durga or Kali.

Karakattam


Karakattam is a folk dance involving dancers balancing clay or metal pot(s) on the head while making movements with the body. The pot may be empty or sometimes filled with water. The pot is decorated with colorful flowers and leaves mostly neem, which is of medicinal and religious importance to the Tamils. The performer may sometimes carry multiple pots layered on top of the other. This dance is usually associated with the worship of Amman. The art form was traditionally practiced by women who wore saris and men may join them, posing with different make-up as a part of the story line and played in festivals and fairs. In the 21st century, the dance has sometimes obtained a reputation for vulgarity as it has been subjected to significant changes, with women wearing short skirts, showing of their midriff and bright make-up.

Kavadiattam
Kavadiattam is a often a ceremonial act of sacrifice and offering to Hindu gods especially Murugan. Kavadi (meaning "burden" in Tamil) itself is a physical burden emphasizing debt bondage and by bearing the kavadi, the dancer implores the gods for assistance, usually on behalf of a loved one who is in need of healing, or as a means of balancing a spiritual debt. A simple kavadi is a wooden stick balanced on the shoulders with weights on both the ends, usually pots of cow milk known as pal kavadi. A traditional kavadi consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are bent and attached to a cross structure that can be balanced on the shoulders of the carrier and weigh upto 30 kg. It is often decorated with flowers and peacock feathers as an act of reverence to Murugan, among other things.

The dancers may also do a form of mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with skewers. The dance is accompanied by drumming and chanting of verses help them enter a state of trance and Vibuthi, a type of holy ash is spread across the body. The dancers often prepare for the rituals by keeping clean, doing regular prayers, following a vegetarian diet and fasting while remaining celibate. They carry the kavadi and dance with bare feet usually en route to a pilgrimage.



Kolattam
Kolattam is an ancient folk dance usually performed by women with Kol meaning "stick" in Tamil The dance uses two small sticks, one in each hand. The dancers generally stand in a circular formation and beat the sticks to make specific rhythms while singing songs. The dancers may beat the sticks in their own hands or with the sticks held by other dancers. The dancers may form multiple circles with dancers changing pairs with the members of adjacent circles to make the beats. The dance is usually dedicated to gods or goddesses. The dance is performed during the harvest season and for a fortnight in the Karthigai month of Tamil calendar. There are different variants such as pinnal kolattam and chakke kolattam. Pinnal kolattam uses ropes instead of sticks.

Kummiattam
Kummiattam is a folk dance similar to Kolattam, with the difference being that hands are used to make sounds while dancing in kummiattam instead of sticks used in the later. The dancers form a rhythm by clapping the hands in different postures. The dance is performed during religious ceremonies, functions and festivals such as Pongal, generally by women. There are various types of the dance depending on the occasion or objects used such as poonthotti kummi, deepa kummi, kadir kummi and mulaipuri kummi.

Kuravanji
Kuravanji attam was a dance form originated from the Kuravar people with six to eight women dance to different tunes in the form of a folk ballet. The kuravanji originated as a form of Shaivism, dancing as a tribute to god Shiva though Kuravanjis for Vishnu also exist. The earliest known kuravanji is the Thirukutrala kuravanji, dated to 1600-1700 CE. The dance has become a blend of classic and folk dances performed by Devadasis in temples. In the recent years, Kuravanji dancers are men who dress up as women, often as consorts of Shiva or Vishnu and try to out dance each other.



Mayilattam
Mayilattam is a folk dance wherein dancers dressed as peacocks with peacock feathers, glittering head-dresses and beak perform to various folk songs and tunes. It literally translates to "peacock dance". The dance is usually dedicated to god Murugan and performed in Murugan temples as a tradition during festivals. The performers usually seat themselves upon a wooden peacock replica. The peacock symbolizes the vahana or mount of the deity Murugan, who rides a peacock known as Paravani. The dancers often stand on tall wooden pieces and the beaks can be opened. The dancers make movements emulating a peacock and operate the feathers similar to the bird using a thread or rope.

There are other similar dances where the dancers dress up in animal costumes including Kaalaiattam where dancers dress up like a bull and Karadiattam where dancers dress up like a bear.

Oyilattam


Oyilattam is a folk dance with origins from southern Tamil Nadu and practiced in southern and western Kongu Nadu regions. Oyilattam literally means "dance of beauty". It was traditionally a war dance where few men wearing ankle bells would stand in a line with pieces of colored cloth perform rhythmic steps to the accompanying music. The dance is often performed to narrate the story of lord Murugan. In the recent years, women have also started performing the dance. Oyil Kummi is a fusion of oyilattam with kummi.

Paampattam
Paampattam (literally meaning "snake dance") is performed by young girls, who wear specifically designed costumes emulating a snake skin. Snakes are worshiped in many parts of the state and the dance is considered a tribute to the same. The dancers often lie-down on their back and move along the ground, writhing, creeping and making quick biting movements, trying to emulate the movements of a snake and also use their hands to mimic the hood of a cobra snake and intimidate the viewers.



Paraiattam
Paraiattam is a traditional dance that involves dancing while playing the parai, an ancient percussion instrument. The instrument was one of the ancient native music instruments developed and used by the Tamil people and mentioned in Sangam literature such as Kuṟuntokai and Tirumurai. In paraiattam, the player of the instrument is also the dancer. The parai is slung by a cloth strap called Nadai over one shoulder vertically and is held between the other hand and the performer's body. Two wooden sticks are used for beating the drum, one longer made of bamboo, called as Sundu Kuchi and another shorter, thicker stick of any wood, called as Adi Kucchi, to produce different beats while dancing.

According to Hindu mythology and folk stories, it is believed that the notes for the dance originated from gods Shiva and Parvati. It is used in the worship of traditional Tamil deities like Muneeswarar. The dance was performed during festivals and in auspicious occasions. In the last century, the dance had become increasingly associated with funerals rather than auspicious occasions and confined to Dalit communities. Thappattam was a tribal dance played using a similar percussion instrument called Thappu, practiced along with other dances like Puliyattam. Since the later middle ages, thappattam and pariattam were started to be used interchangeably. The dance might be accompanied by other instruments such as Tharai in Tamil festivals and folk arts. <

Puliyattam


Puliyattam is a folk dance usually performed by males. The dancers paint themselves in yellow and black using limonite and charcoal respectively to resemble a tiger's stripes. They also wear masks, fuzzy ears, paws, fangs and a tail to imitate a tiger. The dancers then try to imitate a tiger's movements displaying ferocity. They may perform movements similar to a tiger stalking a prey. Sometimes, the dance is performed as a group with each dancer trying to show off who imitates the tiger to the best. The dancers keep lemon wedges in the lips, so that the mouth does not dry while making purring noises imitating a tiger. The dance is usually performed during Navrathri and other temple festivals.



Puraviattam
Poikkaal Kuthirai literally means "false foot horse" in Tamil and the dance uses a dummy horse. Puraviattam or Poikkal kuthiraiattam is a folk dance form where the dancers get into a wooden frame designed like the body of a horse on his/her hips. The dummy horse is made of jute, cardboard or paper and richly decorated with glass pieces. The dance is performed by both men and women. The dancer enacts movements as if he/she is riding on a horse back. The art was popularized in the early Chola period and finds mention in the Tamil epic Silappadikaram as "marakkal attam", a dance with wooden legs. Wooden legs are used by the performers to look taller like a horse and sound like the hooves of a horse. The dancers may sometimes brandish a sword or a whip and the dance is accompanied by folk music.

Sevaiattam
Sevaiattam is a dance form devoted to lord Vishnu. Historically, the dance was performed by the nataka community and was performed at the rear of a chariot procession either of a deity or a king.

Urumiattam
Urumiattam (also called as Urumi komaliattam) is a dance associated with the playing of urumi, a two-faced drum. It is a temple art practiced in few regions of the state and usually performed in Amman temples during the month of Adi.

Koothu
Koothu refers to a play performance which consists of dance along with music, narration and singing. The performers are usually males, who wear elaborate wooden headgear, special costumes with swirling skirts, ornaments such as heavy anklets along with prominent face painting and make-up. The art is a form of street theater, performed during festivals in open public places such as temples or village squares. It is usually dedicated to goddesses such as Mariamman or Draupadi. The stories are drawn from Hindu epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, mythology and folklore. The dance is accompanied by music played from traditional instruments and a kattiyakaran narrates the story during the performance.

Koothu generally means a performance and is used as a part of other performances such as Ottan koothu, a tribal dance form originated from Ottas, a tribal group in the state. The ritual dance is performed by both men and women in a small group during festive occasions and depict episodes from Hindu epics and other ancient stories.

Nondi natakam
Nondi natakam is a folk dance from the seventeenth century which is accompanied by simple narration and music. The dancer dances on a single leg, portraying a one-legged man, his experience of love and achieving salvation.

Silambattam
Silambattam is a martial dance using a silambam. There are mentions of the art form in Tamil Sangam literature. Silambam is a long staff of about 168 cm in length, often made of wood such as bamboo. It was used for self-defense and to ward off animals and later evolved into a martial art and dance form.