Concept of Dance in India (Natya Shastra, Margi/Desi)
Art & Culture › Dance Forms · Topic 5.1
Dance in India, called nritya or natya, is an art of movement, music, expression and storytelling that is described in the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (about 200 BCE to 200 CE), the oldest surviving treatise on performing arts. The text divides dance into nritta (pure movement), nritya (expression of feeling) and natya (drama), and groups all dance as Margi (classical, codified) or Desi (regional, folk). Dance has two moods, Tandava (vigorous, linked with Shiva) and Lasya (graceful, linked with Parvati). Examples are the Nataraja image of the Chola period in Tamil Nadu and the 108 karanas shown at the Chidambaram temple. The Natya Shastra is also called the fifth Veda.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Dance Forms
At a Glance
- Chief text Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni
- Three aspects Nritta, nritya, natya
- Four abhinayas Angika, vachika, aharya, sattvika
- Two moods Tandava and Lasya
- Two streams Margi and Desi
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Dance Forms
Where Does It Fit?
This is the first topic of the macro on dance. It sets out the theory words that every later topic on rasa, mudras and classical forms uses. Previous topic: Folk Music (Baul, Lavani, Bhangra). Next topic: Concept of Ashta Nayika.
What Are the Elements of Dance in the Natya Shastra?
| Term | Meaning | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| Nritta | Pure dance of rhythmic movements with no meaning or story | Alarippu in Bharatanatyam, tatkar and chakkar in Kathak |
| Nritya | Dance that expresses feeling and meaning through gesture and face, usually to a song | Padam and varnam |
| Natya | Dance drama with dialogue, story and character | Kathakali plays, Kuchipudi dance dramas |
| Angika abhinaya | Expression by body, limbs and face | Hand gestures (mudras), head and neck movements |
| Vachika abhinaya | Expression by speech, song and verse | Songs and reciting verse |
| Aharya abhinaya | Expression by dress, makeup, ornaments and stage | Kathakali face painting |
| Sattvika abhinaya | Expression of inner emotion through involuntary signs such as tears and trembling | Eight sattvika bhavas |
| Tandava | Vigorous, masculine dance | Nataraja form of Shiva |
| Lasya | Soft, graceful, feminine dance | Associated with Parvati |
| Karana | Combination of foot and hand movement, 108 listed | Carved at the Chidambaram and Brihadeeswara temples in Tamil Nadu |
What Is the Difference Between Margi and Desi Dance?
| Feature | Margi | Desi |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The path, the formal, codified tradition | Local or regional, of the people |
| Basis | Rules in the Natya Shastra and later texts | Local custom, taste and community life |
| Training | Long, with a guru | Informal, learned by community |
| Examples | The eight classical dances | Folk and tribal dances such as Bihu and Garba |
| Link | Classical forms grew from earlier Desi traditions over time | Regional dance gave themes and steps to classical forms |
What Else Should You Remember?
- Bharata Muni: the sage author of the Natya Shastra, which has about 36 chapters and covers drama, dance, music, make-up, stage and theatre building
- Divine origin: the Natya Shastra says Brahma took pathya from the Rigveda, music from the Samaveda, abhinaya from the Yajurveda and rasa from the Atharvaveda to make Natya Veda
- Other texts: the Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikeshvara covers gesture, and the Sangita Ratnakara of Sharngadeva has a chapter on dance
- Nataraja: the Cosmic Dancer form of Shiva, shown in Chola bronzes, with the cycle of creation and destruction
- Earliest evidence: the bronze Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro, cave paintings at Bhimbetka, and rock-cut sculptures show early dance
- Tamil epic: the Silappadikaram describes dance, and the heroine Madhavi is a dancer
- Temple link: dance was part of temple worship, performed by devadasis in the south, maharis in Odisha and others
- Court link: dance was patronised by courts, such as the Mughal courts for Kathak and the Thanjavur court for Bharatanatyam
- Colonial period: the anti-nautch movement of the late 19th century saw temple dance as immoral, and devadasi dancing was banned in the Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act of 1947
- Revival: in the 20th century Rukmini Devi Arundale, Uday Shankar and Rabindranath Tagore helped restore respect for Indian dance
- Alternate names: nritya is also written as nrtya, natya as natyam, and Bharata Muni is sometimes spelt Bharat Muni. Abhinaya is also called expression or acting in English writing
- Folk roots: village dances of harvest, hunting and festivals are the oldest layer of Desi tradition, and classical forms later absorbed many of their steps and rhythms
- Sculpture evidence: dancers appear on Buddhist stupas at Sanchi and Bharhut, in the Ajanta paintings, and on temple walls such as Konark in Odisha and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh
- Official recognition: the Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dance forms, as in Eight Classical Dance Forms (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Sattriya)
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Texts: Natya Shastra, Bharata Muni and Abhinaya Darpana
- Terms: nritta, nritya and natya, and four types of abhinaya
- Pairs: Tandava with Shiva and Lasya with Parvati; Margi with Desi
- Sculpture: karanas at Chidambaram and Brihadeeswara
- Common errors: treating nritta as expression of meaning, or saying that Natya Shastra was written by Nandikeshvara
As an analytical point, the Natya Shastra gives Indian dance a shared grammar that explains why different regional forms share terms like mudra and rasa. The Margi and Desi pairing shows continuity between elite and popular art.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Theory Natya Shastra and terms
- Pairs Margi and Desi
- Texts Abhinaya Darpana
What Came Next?
The next topic is the Concept of Ashta Nayika, the eight heroines of Indian dance and drama. Next topic: Concept of Ashta Nayika.
Key People and Terms
- Nritta Pure movement
- Nritya Expressive dance
- Natya Dance drama
- Abhinaya Expression
- Karana Dance unit
- Mudra Hand gesture
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Author: Bharata Muni.
- Three types: nritta, nritya, natya.
- Four abhinayas: angika, vachika, aharya, sattvika.
- Karanas: 108.
- Gesture text: Abhinaya Darpana.
Do Not Confuse With
- Nritta and nritya Pure movement versus expressive dance
- Margi and Desi Codified versus regional
- Tandava and Lasya Vigorous versus graceful
Memory Hook
Nritta moves, nritya feels, natya tells; Tandava thunders, Lasya glides.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the cultural meaning of dance and its revival. These points give a frame.
- Continuity Ancient theory to modern stage
- Decline Loss of temple patronage
- Revival Reformers and institutions
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss how Indian dance moved from temple and court to the modern stage while keeping its theoretical base.”
How to Answer
- Base Natya Shastra grammar.
- Past Temple and court patronage.
- Change Reform and revival.
- Way Support gurus and archives.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Natya Shastra?
The Natya Shastra is the oldest surviving Sanskrit treatise on performing arts, attributed to Bharata Muni and dated roughly between 200 BCE and 200 CE. It covers drama, dance, music, make-up, stage design and rasa theory, and is often called the fifth Veda.
What is the difference between nritta, nritya and natya?
Nritta is pure dance made of rhythmic movements without meaning. Nritya is dance that expresses feelings and the meaning of a song through gesture and facial expression. Natya is dance drama that tells a story with characters and dialogue. Most classical items mix these three.
What is the difference between Margi and Desi dance?
Margi dance is the classical, codified tradition based on rules from the Natya Shastra and taught through gurus. Desi dance is the regional, folk and popular tradition shaped by local custom. Over time many Desi elements entered the classical forms.
What are the four types of abhinaya?
The four types of abhinaya in Indian dance are angika (body and gesture), vachika (speech and song), aharya (costume, makeup and ornaments) and sattvika (inner emotion shown through involuntary signs such as tears or trembling). They are described in the Natya Shastra.
What are Tandava and Lasya?
Tandava is the vigorous and energetic style of dance, linked with Shiva and shown in the Nataraja image. Lasya is the soft, graceful and gentle style, linked with Parvati. Both styles are described in Indian dance texts, and many classical dances mix them.
Why is the concept of dance important for UPSC?
It is important because Prelims asks about the Natya Shastra, Bharata Muni, abhinaya types and Margi versus Desi, and Mains asks about continuity and revival of dance forms. It is the base for all other topics on classical and folk dance in GS Paper 1.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Natya Shastra is attributed to Bharata Muni.
It is the oldest treatise on performing arts.
2 Nritta is dance that expresses a story through gesture.
Nritta is pure rhythmic movement.
3 Tandava is associated with Shiva.
Lasya is associated with Parvati.
4 The Abhinaya Darpana was written by Bharata Muni.
It is attributed to Nandikeshvara.
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