Religious Dancing

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that many dance traditions have originated in India and Indonesia, such as the Bharata Natyam from South India, which had an important historical and cultural influence on the history of India. The author points out that important elements of Hinduism, particularly the figure Nataraja, a form of Shiva, are expressed in Bharata Natyam. The paper relates that this dance, as well as many other religious dances, demonstrate the integral relationship between religious dances and the religious themes that inspire them.

From the Paper:

"Many dance traditions have originated in India and Indonesia, such as the Bharata Natyam from South India, which had an important historical and cultural influence on the history of India. Important elements of Hinduism, particularly the figure Nataraja, a form of Shiva, are expressed in Bharata Natyam. This dance, as well as many other religious dances, demonstrates the integral relationship between religious dances and the religious themes that inspire them. In terms of specific details of Bharata Natyam, it emerged in southern India and developed over the centuries as a living tradition as generation after generation handed it down from parents to children, and gained ascendancy when the Devadasi system emerged in India."

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