Araimandi and Safe Practice: A Home Routine for Bharatanatyam Students

Araimandi, the half-seated stance of Bharatanatyam, is held with heels together, toes turned out and knees bent outwards so that each knee sits directly over its toes. The turnout comes from the hips, the spine stays upright and the weight is centred. Practising it safely at home needs a warm-up, short focused sets and a cool-down.

What is araimandi?

In Tamil, arai means half and mandi refers to the bent-knee, seated position, so araimandi is the half-sitting posture on which most adavus are built. Seen from the front, the legs form a diamond: heels touching, knees open to the sides. It sits between samapadam, standing straight with the feet together, and muzhumandi, the full-seated position. The Pandanallur style, which Mayura Natyalaya teaches, is known for a deep araimandi and very clean lines, so the stance gets a great deal of attention in class. Read more in Understanding the Pandanallur Style.

Correct araimandi alignment

• Feet: heels together, toes turned out to a comfortable angle. The whole foot, including the big toe and the outer edge, stays in contact with the floor.
• Knees: bent outwards so each knee points over the middle toes. Look down: you should see your knee directly above your foot, not in front of it or falling inside it.
• Hips: the turnout comes from rotating the thighs in the hip joints. The hips stay level and do not tilt forward.
• Spine: upright and long, with the tailbone pointing down. The lower back should not arch so that the seat sticks out behind.
• Chest and shoulders: chest open, shoulders down and relaxed, neck long.
• Arms: in the basic position the hands rest at the waist or extend to the sides, at shoulder height, as the teacher shows.

Depth comes with time. A slightly higher araimandi with correct alignment is far better than a deep one with the knees collapsing inwards.

Common faults and why they matter

Warm-up and cool-down

Warm-up (about 5 minutes)

• March or walk briskly on the spot for a minute or two.
• Ankle circles and rises onto the toes and back down.
• Gentle hip circles and knee bends in samapadam.
• Shoulder rolls, neck turns and wrist circles, which also prepare the hands for hastas.

Cool-down (about 5 minutes)

• Walk slowly until your breathing settles.
• Hold gentle stretches for the calves, thighs and hips, without bouncing.
• Sit with the soles of the feet together and let the knees relax outwards, without pushing them down.
• Finish with namaskaram, the salutation to the earth that begins and ends every Bharatanatyam session.

A 25-minute home practice routine

This is a general routine for beginner and intermediate students between classes. Your teacher may adjust it to what you are learning.

1. Namaskaram and warm-up (5 minutes). As above.
2. Stance holds (3 minutes). Hold araimandi for 20 to 30 seconds, rise to samapadam and rest, and repeat three or four times. Check the knees over the toes each time.
3. Adavus in first kalam (6 minutes). Two or three adavu families your teacher has taught, slowly, saying the sollukattu aloud.
4. Adavus in second and third kalam (4 minutes). The same adavus, faster, only if the slow version is clean.
5. Hastas and eyes (3 minutes). Recite the hasta shloka while showing each hand, then a few eye and neck exercises. Our article on mudras lists the single-hand hastas.
6. Cool-down and namaskaram (4 minutes).

If you only have ten minutes, keep the warm-up and cool-down and shorten the middle. For more on the families of steps, see Adavus: The Building Blocks of Bharatanatyam.

Floor surface and footwear

Bharatanatyam is danced barefoot, so the floor matters. A wooden floor, or a raised wooden platform over concrete, is kindest to the joints. Many Chennai homes have tile, marble or mosaic floors, which are hard and can be slippery; on these, keep the floor clean and dry, keep stamping moderate and limit jumps such as kuditta mettu. Avoid practising on thick carpet or a soft yoga mat, which can catch the foot during turns and slides. Socks slip easily on smooth floors and are best avoided. Practise the salangai, the ankle bells, only once your teacher has introduced them.

Rest, hydration and sensible habits

• Drink water before and after practice, especially in Chennai's heat.
• Avoid practising heavy footwork straight after a large meal.
• Give your legs a lighter day after an intense class, focusing on hastas or abhinaya instead.
• Sleep well; tired muscles are more likely to lose alignment.
• Increase how long you hold araimandi gradually over weeks, not in a single session.

When to see a doctor or physiotherapist

Muscle tiredness after a new adavu is normal. Pain is different. Stop and seek advice from a doctor or physiotherapist if you notice sharp pain in the knee, hip, ankle or back; pain that is still there after a few days of rest; swelling; a joint that locks or gives way; or numbness or tingling. If you have an existing joint condition, are pregnant, or are returning after surgery or injury, check with your doctor before starting or resuming practice, and tell your teacher so the training can be adapted.

Adults often worry that araimandi will be too hard to start later in life. With patient, gradual training it is very achievable, as discussed in Learning Bharatanatyam as an Adult. The general fitness, posture and coordination gains are covered in Benefits of Learning Bharatanatyam. Our Bharatanatyam classes for adults in Porur and online include working professionals' batches.