Maarg Manthan · Topic 5.4

Eight Classical Dance Forms (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Sattriya)

Art & Culture › Dance Forms · Topic 5.4

India has eight classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi: Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (Uttar Pradesh), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala) and Sattriya (Assam), the last added in 2000. All follow the Natya Shastra, use mudras, rasa and a fixed training system, and are linked with temples, courts or monasteries. Bharatanatyam is the oldest and most widely taught, Kathak is the one that took Persian-influenced Mughal court style, and Odissi has the oldest archaeological evidence at the Udayagiri caves in Odisha.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Dance Forms

At a Glance

Total 8 recognised by Sangeet Natak Akademi
Latest added Sattriya, 2000
Two from Kerala Kathakali and Mohiniyattam
Only male-led Kathakali
Oldest evidence Odissi at Udayagiri caves
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Dance Forms

Where Does It Fit?

This is the core topic of the dance macro. It applies the Natya Shastra, rasa and mudra theory that came before to each recognised form, and is the most asked topic of the macro. Previous topic: Rasa and Bhava Theory. Next topic: Mudras and Hand Gestures.

Which State, Origin, Costume and Exponents Belong to Each Classical Dance?

Dance	State and origin	Costume and look	Famous exponents
Bharatanatyam (also Sadir, Dasiattam)	Tamil Nadu. Temple dance of the devadasis. Revived in the 20th century by E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale. The Tanjore Quartet systematised it in the 19th century	Pleated silk sari with fan, temple jewellery, flowers in hair and red paint on hands and feet	Rukmini Devi Arundale, T. Balasaraswati, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam, Mallika Sarabhai
Kathak	Uttar Pradesh and North India. Storytellers (kathakars) of temples. Mughal courts added Persian style. Gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow, Banaras and Raigarh (Chhattisgarh)	Lehenga or anarkali for women, kurta and dhoti or churidar for men, and ghungroo bells	Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Kumudini Lakhia, Shovana Narayan, Pt Durga Das
Kathakali	Kerala. 17th century. Evolved from Ramanattam and Krishnanattam; temple and folk traditions like Kutiyattam	Huge skirt, tall headgear, elaborate face makeup in green, red and black; mostly male performers	Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Kalamandalam Gopi, Guru Gopinath, Kottakkal Sivaraman
Kuchipudi	Andhra Pradesh. From Kuchipudi village in Krishna district; traditionally credited to Siddhendra Yogi (dated variously from the 14th to the 17th century)	Pleated sari similar to Bharatanatyam, with lighter jewellery; Brahmin male troupes in origin	Vempati Chinna Satyam, Radha and Raja Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Swapna Sundari
Odissi (also Orissi)	Odisha. Maharis (temple dancers of Jagannath) and Gotipuas (boys). Evidence at Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves and the Konark Sun Temple	Sambalpuri or Pattu sari, silver filigree jewellery, a tiara (mukut) of tahiya	Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, Madhavi Mudgal, Protima Gauri Bedi
Manipuri	Manipur. Ras Lila of Vaishnavism, Lai Haraoba; patronage of Raja Bhagyachandra in the 18th century	Stiff barrel-shaped skirt (kumil) for Radha, a thin veil, and a dhoti for Krishna	Jhaveri sisters, Guru Bipin Singh, Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Darshana Jhaveri
Mohiniyattam	Kerala. Dance of the enchantress Mohini. Developed in Travancore under Swati Tirunal, revived by poet Vallathol	White or cream sari with gold border (kasavu), hair bun on the side with jasmine	Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Bharati Shivaji, Sunanda Nair, Kanak Rele
Sattriya	Assam. Created by Srimanta Sankardev in the 15th century in sattras (Vaishnava monasteries) of Majuli. Recognised as classical in 2000	Assamese silk Paat or Muga with mekhela chador and traditional jewellery	Indira P. P. Bora, Jatin Goswami, Ghanakanta Bora, Anita Sharma

What Are the Signature Features of Each Form?

Dance	Signature features	Music, instruments and items
Bharatanatyam	Fixed standing posture araimandi (half-sitting), geometrical lines, strong rhythmic footwork and eye movement	Carnatic music, mridangam, nattuvangam. Items are alarippu, jatiswaram, shabdam, varnam, padam, tillana
Kathak	Fast spins (chakkar), foot patterns (tatkar), more nritta, and play between dancer and tabla	Hindustani music, tabla, sarangi. Items are thaat, amad, tukra, paran and gat bhava
Kathakali	Dance drama telling Ramayana and Mahabharata stories, with 24 key mudras and the nine rasas shown by face; eyes and eyebrows	Sopana sangeetham, chenda and maddalam. Face types are pacha (green, noble), kathi (knife, villains), thadi (beard) and minukku (saintly)
Kuchipudi	Dance drama with speech, quick movement, and the tarangam (dancing on a brass plate with pot on head)	Carnatic music, items such as Bhamakalapam, Krishna Shabdam and Dasavatara
Odissi	Tribhangi (three bends) posture, chauka (square) stance, sculpture-like poses, and the Gita Govinda themes	Odissi music, pakhawaj, flute, sitar. Items are mangalacharan, batu nritya, pallavi, abhinaya and moksha
Manipuri	Soft flowing, curved movements with no foot stamping, with Chollom and Pung (drum) dance, Lai Haraoba	Pung, kartal, flute, with devotional songs. Ras Lila for Radha and Krishna
Mohiniyattam	Lasya style, swaying of hips, slow smooth steps, and gentle expressions	Carnatic music, with Malayalam-Sanskrit songs, veena, maddalam, idakka
Sattriya	Bhakti-based, with Ojapali, Apsara nritya, Krishna themes and ankiya nat	Khol, taal, flute, and Borgeet devotional songs by Sankardev and Madhavdev

What Else Should You Remember?

Recognition: the Sangeet Natak Akademi listed Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya (2000). Chhau and other forms are recognised as traditional, not classical
Alternate names: Bharatanatyam is spelt Bharatnatyam or Bharata Natyam, Odissi as Orissi, and Sattriya as Sattriya Nritya or Sattriya Nach
Kathakali meaning: katha is story and kali is play, so Kathakali is story-play
Kerala Kalamandalam: set up in 1930 at Cheruthuruthy near Thrissur by Vallathol Narayana Menon and Mukunda Raja, as the main centre for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Kutiyattam
Kalakshetra: founded in 1936 at Chennai by Rukmini Devi Arundale for Bharatanatyam
Kutiyattam: a Sanskrit theatre of Kerala, UNESCO listed in 2008, close to Kathakali in origin
Kathak gharanas: Jaipur gharana stresses footwork and laya, Lucknow stresses grace and expression, Banaras and Raigarh give variety
Manipur: the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy was founded in 1954 at Imphal
Gita Govinda: the Sanskrit poem of Jayadeva of Odisha is basic to Odissi, Manipuri and Sattriya themes
Pioneering women: Rukmini Devi (Bharatanatyam), Balasaraswati (Bharatanatyam), Sanjukta Panigrahi (Odissi) and Sitara Devi (Kathak)
Official note: the eight forms are recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the list as of November 2026 stands at eight, though demands for further additions exist
Related theory: see Concept of Dance in India (Natya Shastra, Margi/Desi), Rasa and Bhava Theory and Mudras and Hand Gestures

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Match the list: dance with state and exponent
Features: araimandi, tribhangi, chakkar, tarangam, kumil costume
Institutions: Kalakshetra, Kerala Kalamandalam, Kathak Kendra
Latest: Sattriya was recognised in 2000
Common errors: saying Kuchipudi is from Kerala, or giving Odissi to West Bengal, or placing Sattriya before 2000

As an analytical point, the eight classical dances show regional diversity within one aesthetic grammar. Their survival depends on gurukul training, festival support and scholarships rather than on temples or courts, which have declined.

Why Is This Topic Important?

State match Highest-yield facts
Features Posture and costume
Exponents Names asked

What Came Next?

The next topic is Mudras and Hand Gestures, the language common to all eight forms. Next topic: Mudras and Hand Gestures.

Key People and Terms

Araimandi Half-sitting posture
Tribhangi Three-bend pose
Chakkar Spin in Kathak
Tarangam Brass plate dance
Kumil Manipuri skirt
Ojapali Assam chorus form

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Eight dances; Sattriya added 2000.
Kathakali and Mohiniyattam: Kerala.
Kuchipudi founder: Siddhendra Yogi.
Sattriya founder: Srimanta Sankardev.
Odissi posture: tribhangi.

Do Not Confuse With

Kuchipudi and Kathakali Andhra versus Kerala
Mohiniyattam and Kathakali Female lasya versus male-led vigorous drama
Odissi and Manipuri Sculpted poses versus soft flowing curves

Memory Hook

Tamil Bharata, Kathak Uttar, Kathakali Kerala, Kuchipudi Andhra, Odissi Odisha, Manipur, Mohini, Sattriya Assam.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about preserving classical dance in a changing society. These points give a frame.

Past Temple and court roots
Present Schools, festivals, TV
Challenge Funding and gurukul decline

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Classical dances of India express regional identity while sharing a common aesthetic base. Discuss.”

How to Answer

Base Natya Shastra and rasa.
Diversity State-wise forms.
Challenge Patronage shift.
Way Support gurus and festivals.

GS Relevance

Prelims: state, origin, features, costume, exponents, texts and recognition of each classical dance. GS Paper 1: Indian heritage and culture, salient aspects of art forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many classical dances are there in India?

There are eight classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya. Sattriya of Assam was the last to be added, in the year 2000. The Ministry of Culture also lists several other traditional dances.

Which state does each classical dance belong to?

Bharatanatyam belongs to Tamil Nadu, Kathak to Uttar Pradesh and North India, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam to Kerala, Kuchipudi to Andhra Pradesh, Odissi to Odisha, Manipuri to Manipur and Sattriya to Assam. Each form is also tied to a founder, a costume style and a set of well-known exponents.

Who are the famous exponents of Bharatanatyam and Kathak?

Famous Bharatanatyam exponents include Rukmini Devi Arundale, T. Balasaraswati, Yamini Krishnamurthy and Padma Subrahmanyam. Famous Kathak exponents include Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Kumudini Lakhia and Shovana Narayan, who represent the Lucknow, Banaras, Jaipur and other gharanas.

What is the difference between Kathakali and Mohiniyattam?

Kathakali is a vigorous, male-led dance drama of Kerala with heavy makeup, huge costumes and epic stories. Mohiniyattam is a graceful, female solo dance of Kerala in the lasya style, with white and gold costume, swaying movement and gentle expression. Both use Malayalam songs and mudras.

Which classical dance was added most recently?

Sattriya of Assam, founded by Srimanta Sankardev in the 15th century and performed in the sattras of Majuli, was recognised as a classical dance by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2000. It is the most recent addition to the list of eight.

Why are the eight classical dances important for UPSC?

They are important because Prelims regularly asks to match dance with state, exponent, costume or founder, and Mains asks about revival and patronage. This is the single largest topic in the dance section of GS Paper 1 Indian heritage and culture.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Kuchipudi originated in Andhra Pradesh.

True

Siddhendra Yogi is credited as its founder.

2 Sattriya dance belongs to Manipur.

False

It belongs to Assam. Manipuri belongs to Manipur.

3 Kathak is linked with both Hindu temples and the Mughal court.