Andhra Natyam may get classical dance status

NEW DELHI: One positive outcome of the bitter bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh could be that the traditional temple dance form, Andhra Natyam, may get the status of a classical dance, just like the more popular Kuchipudi.

Several artists and political leaders from Andhra Pradesh, including Union minister Venkaiah Naidu, have approached the Centre to add Andhra Natyam to the list of major classical dance forms of the country. The move is triggered by the fact that the new state, Telangana, can equally claim ownership of Kuchipudi, which originated in the Krishna district of the erstwhile undivided state.

The culture ministry has already granted in-principle approval to the proposal and a special committee will soon be set up to examine the intricacies of the dance form to warrant the special status, people aware of the development said. The Sangeet Natak Akademi, however, is not so convinced, they said.


Culture minister Mahesh Sharma confirmed to ET that a proposal on Andhra Natyam — currently considered a traditional folk dance form — is under consideration. The culture ministry will soon set up a special committee with reputed artists and representatives of Sangeet Natak Akademi on board to consider special status for Andhra Natyam.

The Akademi has argued that it already does recognise the dance form and has instituted awards on it, hence there may not be a strong enough case for a ‘classical’ dance form status to it. Those supporting the status change say such a move opens global avenues for any art form and its proponents, besides options for scholarship.

Last month, Naidu wrote a letter to the culture minister, urging him to examine possibility of recognising Andhra Natyam as a distinct art form and assign it an identification code so that students can avail scholarships to study the dance and help preserve it. Naidu had detailed how Andhra Natyam comes with “centuries old heritage and is well known for its grace (lasya) and intense expression of navarasas”.

He argued in his communication that while it is an elegant blend of traditional ‘Devadasi’ dance, ‘Darbor’ dance, and ‘Bhama Kalapam’, and that it is not getting its due recognition because of “lack of support from government and the public”.