Bharatanatyam is the classical dance form of which state?

The correct answer is Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam is the classical dance of Tamil Nadu, and it is one of the oldest and most widely practised classical dance forms of India. It developed in the temples and royal courts of Tamil Nadu over many centuries.

Bharatanatyam has its roots in the Natyashastra of Bharata Muni and the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeshvara, and its history can be traced in the sculptures of South Indian temples, especially the 108 karanas carved on the gopurams of the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and in the Brihadeeswara temple at Thanjavur. In the past, the dance was known as Sadir or Dasiattam, and it was performed by devadasis, women dedicated to the service of the temples. In the early 19th century, the Tanjore Quartet (the brothers Chinnaiah, Ponnaiah, Sivanandam and Vadivelu) organised the structure of the recital, called the margam, which includes items such as Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam and Tillana. In the 1930s, E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale revived the dance, gave it the name Bharatanatyam and brought it to the public stage. Rukmini Devi founded Kalakshetra in Chennai in 1936. Bharatanatyam is known for its fixed upper torso, bent legs (in the aramandi posture), complex footwork, sculptural poses and expressive hand gestures and facial expressions. It is accompanied by Carnatic music.

Famous Bharatanatyam dancers include Balasaraswati, Rukmini Devi Arundale, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Alarmel Valli, Malavika Sarukkai and Leela Samson.

About the other options:

• Kerala's classical dances are Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
• Karnataka does not have a separate classical dance recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, although Bharatanatyam is widely practised there, in its own Mysore style.
• Andhra Pradesh's classical dance is Kuchipudi.