UPSC GS Paper I Art Culture Indian Classical Dance Forms Bharatanatyam Kathak Odissi

Must‑Know

• Bharatanatyam originated in Tamil Nadu, primarily associated with temples of Chidambaram, Madurai, and Thanjavur; revived in the 20th century by Rukmini Devi Arundale and E. Krishna Iyer after colonial suppression.
• Kathak evolved in North India, with roots in storytelling by kathakars in temples; later patronized by Mughal courts, leading to incorporation of Persian elements and thumri, tappa, and ghazal.
• Odissi originates from the temples of Odisha, especially Jagannath Temple in Puri; sculptures at Konark Sun Temple and Udayagiri caves provide earliest evidence of its dance postures (tribhanga, lalita).
• Bharatanatyam was systematized under the Sadir tradition by devadasis; post-independence, it was renamed and formalized to remove stigma associated with temple dancers.
• Kathak has three distinct gharanas: Lucknow (emphasizes abhinaya), Jaipur (emphasizes tukras and parans), and Banaras (emphasizes fast footwork and spins).
• Odissi’s signature posture is tribhanga – a three-bend stance at neck, waist, and knee; distinct from Bharatanatyam’s aramandi (half-seated position).
• The margam in Bharatanatyam follows a structured sequence: Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam, Tillana, Mangalam.
• Kathak performances often include thaat, amad, tukra, paran, gat, and tarana; tarana uses Persian-derived syllables and fast rhythmic patterns.
• Odissi music uses Odissi raga and tala systems, distinct from Carnatic and Hindustani; compositions by 5th-century poet Jayadeva in Gita Govinda form core repertoire.
• Bharatanatyam uses nritta (pure dance), nritya (expressive dance), and natya (dramatic storytelling); based on Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (200 BCE–200 CE).
• Kathak’s abhinaya (expression) was refined by Birju Maharaj (1938–2022), belonging to the Lucknow gharana; his full name was Brijmohan Nath Mishra.
• Odissi was reconstructed in the 1950s by a committee including Kelucharan Mohapatra, Pankaj Charan Das, and Debaprasad Das; Kelucharan later became a leading guru.
• Bharatanatyam’s adavus (basic steps) are codified into groups like tatta, natta, kutta, teitta, each with specific foot and hand movements.
• Kathak’s chakkars (spins) are numerous and sustained, often ending with precise thais (rhythmic endings); differs from Bharatanatyam’s controlled turns.
• The mudras (hand gestures) in Bharatanatyam follow Hastha Lakshana Deepika and Abhinaya Darpana; Odissi modifies these with fluid transitions (hasta in motion).
• Odissi costumes use Sambalpuri or Bomkai sarees with elaborate silver jewelry (atpatra, raakhri, keesa); Bharatanatyam uses silk sarees with pleated fan.
• Kathak costumes for women: long ghaghra-choli with dupatta; men wear kurta-churidar; influenced by Mughal court attire.
• Bharatanatyam’s nattuvangam (cymbals and recitation) is performed by the nattuvanar, traditionally male; Rukmini Devi institutionalized female-led performances.
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognizes eight classical dance forms; Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi are among the first three officially recognized (1950s).
• Bharatanatyam was declared a classical dance form in 1954 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi; Odissi in 1958; Kathak earlier, in 1951.
• Temple inscriptions at Kanchipuram and Chidambaram refer to 108 karanas (dance postures) from Natya Shastra, fully depicted in Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.
• The gotipua tradition in Odisha, where young boys dress as females and perform Gita Govinda, was a precursor to modern Odissi.
• Birju Maharaj received the Padma Vibhushan (2005), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1964), and Kalidas Samman (1987); composed dance dramas like Ghalib.
• Kelucharan Mohapatra received the Padma Vibhushan (2000), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1970), and was guru to Sonal Mansingh and Protima Gauri Bedi.
• Rukmini Devi Arundale founded Kalakshetra Foundation in 1936 in Chennai; instrumental in Bharatanatyam’s revival and global recognition.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – requires precise knowledge of origins, gharanas, technical terms, and revival history; often tested through matching or statement-based MCQs.

Common UPSC Traps

Trap: Bharatanatyam and Odissi both use tribhanga posture – Fact: Only Odissi uses tribhanga as a defining stance; Bharatanatyam uses aramandi (half-sit), per Abhinaya Darpana and temple sculpture evidence.
Trap: Kathak developed solely under Mughal patronage – Fact: Kathak originated in temple storytelling in North India (e.g., Mathura, Vrindavan); Mughal era added rhythmic complexity and courtly themes, per Sangeet Natak Akademi records.
Trap: Odissi is derived from Bharatanatyam – Fact: Odissi evolved independently from temple rituals in Odisha; sculptures at Udayagiri (5th century CE) predate formal Bharatanatyam codification.
Trap: All classical dances use Carnatic music – Fact: Kathak uses Hindustani music; Odissi uses a distinct Odissi music tradition; only Bharatanatyam is primarily Carnatic.

Practice MCQs

Question: Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?
1. Birju Maharaj – Kathak – Lucknow Gharana
2. Kelucharan Mohapatra – Odissi – Gotipua tradition
3. Rukmini Devi Arundale – Bharatanatyam – Kalakshetra
A) 1 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation: All three are correct: Birju Maharaj belonged to Lucknow gharana; Kelucharan trained in gotipua and revived Odissi; Rukmini Devi founded Kalakshetra.
Why others fail: Option B excludes 2, but Kelucharan Mohapatra was trained in gotipua and instrumental in reconstructing Odissi from that tradition.

Question: The dance form that prominently features the tribhanga posture and is based on the Gita Govinda is:
A) Bharatanatyam
B) Kathak
C) Odissi
D) Kuchipudi
Answer: C
Explanation: Tribhanga and Gita Govinda are central to Odissi; sculptures at Jagannath Temple and revival by Kelucharan Mohapatra confirm this.
Why others fail: Bharatanatyam uses aramandi and nritta focus; Kathak emphasizes footwork and spins, not tribhanga.

Question: Which of the following statements about Indian classical dance forms is correct?
A) Kathak was primarily developed in Tamil Nadu under Chola patronage
B) Bharatanatyam was originally performed by male dancers in temples
C) Odissi was officially recognized as a classical dance form after Bharatanatyam
D) The nattuvanar in Bharatanatyam recites syllables and plays cymbals
Answer: D
Explanation: The nattuvanar conducts the performance using nattuvangam (cymbals) and recitation; role documented in Abhinaya Darpana.
Why others fail: Option C is tempting; Odissi was recognized in 1958, Bharatanatyam in 1954, so C is factually correct, but D is more directly verifiable and specific.

Question: The margam in Bharatanatyam includes the item Varnam, which is:
A) A devotional song in praise of Shiva
B) The concluding piece with rhythmic syllables
C) The longest and most complex item combining nritta and abhinaya
D) A pure rhythmic dance without expression
Answer: C
Explanation: Varnam is the central piece in Bharatanatyam margam, combining complex footwork and expressive storytelling, often lasting 30–45 minutes.
Why others fail: Tillana (option B) is the concluding rhythmic piece; Varnam is not purely devotional or rhythmic.

Question: Which of the following dance forms uses thumri and tarana as key musical components?
A) Bharatanatyam
B) Kathak
C) Odissi
D) Manipuri
Answer: B
Explanation: Thumri and tarana are Hindustani vocal forms used in Kathak, especially in Lucknow and Banaras gharanas, to enhance abhinaya and rhythm.
Why others fail: Bharatanatyam uses kirtanas and varnams in Carnatic music; Odissi uses chhanda and raga from Odissi tradition.

Last‑Minute Revision

• Bharatanatyam – Tamil Nadu – 1954 recognition ⚠️
• Kathak – three gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras ⚠️
• Odissi – tribhanga – Puri Jagannath Temple – 1958 recognition
• Rukmini Devi – Kalakshetra – 1936 – Bharatanatyam revival
• Birju Maharaj – Lucknow gharana – Padma Vibhushan 2005
• Kelucharan Mohapatra – Odissi – Padma Vibhushan 2000
• Nattuvangam – used in Bharatanatyam by nattuvanar
• Gotipua – Odisha – boys performing as females – precursor to Odissi
• Gita Govinda – Jayadeva – 12th century – core of Odissi repertoire
• Margam – Bharatanatyam sequence – starts with Alarippu, ends with Mangalam
• Chakkars – spins – characteristic of Kathak
• Aramandi – half-seated posture – Bharatanatyam
• Sangeet Natak Akademi – established 1953 – recognizes 8 classical dances
• Natya Shastra – Bharata Muni – 108 karanas – depicted in Chidambaram temple
• Abhinaya Darpana – Nandikeshvara – source for mudras in Bharatanatyam
• Konark Sun Temple – Odissi sculptures – 13th century
• Udayagiri Caves – Khandagiri – early Odissi postures – 1st century BCE
• Devadasi system – associated with Bharatanatyam – reformed post-independence
• Thillana – concluding piece in Bharatanatyam – rhythmic
• Tarana – Kathak – Persian-derived syllables – fast tempo
• Thaat – opening pose in Kathak
• Amad – entry piece in Kathak – from Persian aamad (arrival)
• Pankaj Charan Das – Odissi – one of the trinity of revival
• Debaprasad Das – Odissi – emphasized folk roots
• E. Krishna Iyer – lawyer – arrested for promoting Bharatanatyam – 1930s
• Verify from standard source: exact year of Sangeet Natak Akademi’s classical dance recognition list