Bharatnatyam The Legacy Bharatnatyam, as we know today, evolved from the ancient dance forms of India. Sculptures from the fifth century AD show styles and techniques similar to Bharatnatyam and it is believed that the basic techniques and style had been established around 10th century. However this dance form flourished and developed mainly in South India and specifically in Tamil Nadu, where it received royal patronage under the Chola and Pallava dynasties. During the 18th century when the Bhakti movement was at its peak, the dance form's style and rules were crystallized. The dance form at this point of time was known as Dasiattam as it was performed by the devadasis in the temple. Subsequently in the 19th century four brothers popularly known as the Tanjore Quartet; Chinnaiah (1802), Ponniah (1804), Sivanandam(1808), and Vadivelu(1810) contributed in revitalizing the dance form, in the definition of the Bharatanatyam repertoire, and the format of the dance as we know it today. Later in the British era the Madras Presidency banned temple dance. This came as a major blow to the dance. However 1930s brought in a fresh wave of interest in the dance form. This lead to the revitalization and transformation of the dance form and it came to be known as Bharatnatyam. Aashirvaad and Bharatnatyam - Abhinaya Women play an integral part in carrying priceless traditions to the next generation. The contest 'Abhinaya' was conceived by Aashirvaad to recognize these efforts and reaffirm its commitment to enrich the quality of life of every Indian. The contest focussed on promoting Bharatnatyam and was held in Tamil Nadu. 'Abhinaya' was open to school children with their mothers. The contest was divided into Group I: Class IV - VIII and Group II: Class IX - XII. The 3-phased competition included: Phase I - Nomination Phase II - Screening Phase III - Grand Finale Schools were contacted and application forms were distributed. Contestants were then Short-listed based on the expertise in the dance form. The selected contestants were then asked to present a 10 minutes performance with their mothers. A panel of eminent experts of Bharatnatyam chose the teams for the Grand Finale In the Grand Finale, the teams were judged on the basis of their performance and their abhinaya skills. As part of this the children had to perform abhinayas given by the panel of judges and their mothers had to identify the theme. This was to judge the teamwork of the participants. Judges Brindha Das - renowned classical dancer and TV serial actress. Radhika Surjith - director for the dance show - Takadhinita on Jaya TV. Ms. Meenakshi - a renowned dancer, and teacher of Bharatnatyam in Coimbatore The winners in each group were awarded a computer and Rs. 10,000, while the runners up were given a cash prize of Rs. 10,000.