The oldest among the contemporary classical dance forms of India, Bharatanatyam's history goes back several centuries, its raw beginnings traced to dance mentioned in the Sangam era literature between 3 and 5 centuries A.D., the Tamil Epic Silappadikaram full of details about the dancer and her art. Dance then was referred to as 'Kootu' or 'Attam', the name Bharatanatyam being a post 20 century christening. Sculptural evidence from 10 century ...
