Topic started by Renuka Kumarasamy (@ on-tor-blr-a58-02-525.look.ca) on Fri Oct 24 00:40:45 .
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An art of any form must have roots in a language, a culture and a people. From those roots it must carry their thoughts, their joys and sorrows and tell the story of their civilization. The soul and roots of Bharatha Natyam can be found in the Tamil people, their culture and language. But in recent years, in countless articles and Arangetrams, the origin of Bharatha Natyam has been attributed to Bharatha Muni and his work in Sanskrit called the ‘Natya Sastra.’ Is this assertion based on factual evidence or is it a myth perpetuated with no historical backing?
When one traces the historical roots of modern Bharatha Natyam, it becomes clear that this assertion is more a myth than a historical fact. Bharatha Natyam is a new name given to this ancient art form. Until sixty years back, this dance form went by the name Sathir. The late Dr.V.P.K.Sundaram has done a remarkable job tracing the roots of Bharatha Natyam across Tamil Literature and History and categorically disproving the myth that Bharatha Natyam originated with Bharatha Muni.
http://www.sangam.org/articles/view/?id=22
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