The Evolving Prospects of Bharatanatyam: An Enquiry on Changing Religious Landscape

As cultural boundaries expand, symbols of cultural identity, like dance forms, evolve in terms of content and practice. Bharatanatyam, originally a temple dance, originated in the Hindu culture and had long been considered a religious art. However, the art form has gradually expanded its scope beyond its religious context. Contemporary evidence suggests that artists increasingly engage in performances addressing themes that are secular and even compositions based on other religious beliefs, but not without challenges. This article brings to light the evolving religious aspects of Bharatanatyam and investigates novel elements being introduced by cross-religious practices, such as thematic innovations, choreographic patterns and symbolic representations. By analysing data from in-depth interviews with twenty artists from diverse religious backgrounds, the authors argue that religious conservatism in society hinders the evolution of art forms such as Bharatanatyam that have the potential to adapt across and beyond religions