The word Bharatanatyam emerged from a backronym created in 1932 by E Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale at the Madras Music Academy. They proposed renaming Sadiraattam to give the dance form respect, combining bha for bhavam feelings, ra for ragam melody, and tam for talam rhythm.
Ancient texts like the Natya Shastra date between 500 BCE and 500 CE provide theoretical foundations for these movements. The text contains about 6000 verses structured into 36 chapters describing Tāndava dance theory and rasa expression.
In 1910, the Madras Presidency of the British Empire banned temple dancing, effectively ending the classical tradition within Hindu temples. Christian missionaries and British officials presented devadasis of south India as evidence of harlots and debased erotic culture while anti-dance movement launched in 1892 accused the dance form as a front for prostitution.
A traditional Bharatanatyam performance follows a seven-part order called Margam that lasts approximately two hours without interruption. The sequence begins with Pushpanjali translating to offering of flowers where performers offer salutations to deities and audience.
Bharatanatyam uses expressive gestures called Hasta or mudras presented in three types: asamyuta hastas single hand gestures, samyuta hastas two hand gestures, and nrtta hastas dance hand gestures. At least 20 asanas found in modern yoga appear including Dhanurasana bow back-arch and Chakrasana wheel standing back-arch.