bharata natya
noun
bhar·a·ta na·tya
¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyə
variants or bharata natyam
¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyəm
: a traditional Indian dance formerly exclusively performed by devadasis compare kathak, kathakali, manipuri
Word History
Etymology
Sanskrit bharatanāṭya, literally, Bharata's dancing, from Bharata, a sage reputed to be the author of the Natyashastra, a manual of dramatic art + -nāṭya dramatic art, dancing
First Known Use
1944, in the meaning defined above