Bharatanatyam Costume and Jewellery: A Complete Guide

A Bharatanatyam costume is a stitched silk outfit with a pleated front fan, made in saree style or pyjama style. It is worn with temple jewellery, a long decorated braid, strong eye make-up, red alta on the hands and feet, and salangai, the ankle bells. Each element makes the dance's lines, expressions and rhythms easier to see.

Saree style and pyjama style

Although it is called a saree, the performance costume is almost always stitched in separate pieces so that it stays in place through jumps, turns and deep sitting positions. The two main styles are:

• Saree style. It looks like a draped saree, with a long pleated fan falling in front from the waist to near the ankles and a pallu, the decorated end of a saree, across the shoulder.
• Pyjama style. Trousers are stitched with a pleated fan between the legs. When the dancer sits in araimandi, the half-seated stance, the fan opens out like a peacock's tail and shows off the stance.

Both styles have a fitted blouse and a decorated waist panel, and a separate piece forms the pallu or drape over the shoulder. The teacher usually decides which style suits the dancer and the item.

The pleated fan

The fan is the most recognisable part of the costume. Its pleats are stitched so that they stay closed while the dancer stands and open evenly when the knees bend outwards. In araimandi, a well-made fan spreads into a clean semicircle and makes the geometry of the stance visible to the audience. A poorly stitched fan hangs unevenly and hides the line, so it is worth checking carefully at the fitting.

Why silk?

Traditional costumes are made from silk saree fabric, often Kanchipuram-style silk with a contrasting zari border. Zari is metallic thread woven into the border. Silk holds pleats well, catches stage light and keeps its colour. Contrasting borders outline the arms and legs and help the audience follow the movement. Lighter art silk is sometimes used for children's or group costumes.

Temple jewellery: the pieces and their names

Bharatanatyam jewellery is called temple jewellery because its designs echo the ornaments on temple sculptures and deities. Traditionally it was gold set with red and green stones. Most dancers today use gold-plated pieces made especially for dance, since they are lighter and more practical.

Many families use clip-on or screw-on nose ornaments for children rather than piercing. Ask the teacher what is expected.

Hair: jadai, kunjalam and flowers

The hair is gathered into a bun at the back and a long braid. Since few dancers have hair long enough, an artificial braid called a jadai is attached. It is covered with jadai billai, a row of ornaments running down its length, and finished with a kunjalam, decorative tassels at the end. Fresh jasmine is wound around the bun and sometimes along the braid. Orange kanakambaram flowers are also used.

Make-up and alta

Stage make-up for Bharatanatyam is strong because faces have to read from the back of a hall. The eyes are outlined boldly with kajal, extended outwards to show the eye movements of abhinaya. A bindi marks the forehead and the lips are coloured red.

Alta is a red dye applied to the fingertips, a circle on the palm and the edges and soles of the feet. It is traditional and auspicious, and it also has a practical use. The red outline makes every mudra and every strike of the foot clear from a distance. Our guide to mudras shows why the hands matter so much.

Salangai: the ankle bells

Salangai (called gejje in Kannada) are small brass bells strung on a cord or sewn onto a pad and tied around the ankles. They make the footwork audible, so any unevenness in a tattadavu is heard at once. Many students receive their first salangai at a salangai pooja and treat them with great respect, never placing them on the floor carelessly or stepping over them.

Practice saree versus performance costume

In class, students do not wear the stitched costume. They practise in a cotton practice saree or a comfortable salwar, with a dupatta or cloth tied firmly around the waist so that the teacher can see the line of the hips and knees. Cotton absorbs sweat and allows full movement. The silk costume and jewellery are kept for performances and dress rehearsals. If your child is just starting, our article on your first Bharatanatyam class explains what to wear.

Practical tips for parents preparing for a first performance

1. Ask the teacher first. For group items the teacher usually decides colours and style so that the dancers match.
2. Use a tailor who specialises in dance costumes. Measurements for the fan and the waist are specific, and an ordinary tailor may not know them.
3. Order early. Leave time for at least one fitting and alterations.
4. Do a full trial. Before the day, have your child wear the complete costume and jewellery and dance in araimandi, jump and turn. Check that nothing pinches, slips or hangs loose.
5. Consider renting or borrowing jewellery for a first performance, as children outgrow costumes quickly.
6. Pack a kit with safety pins, hairpins, thread, spare flowers, alta and make-up remover.
7. Care after the show. Air the costume before folding it, have it dry-cleaned rather than washed at home, and store it wrapped in cotton cloth. Wipe the jewellery, let it dry, and keep pieces in separate pouches to avoid scratches.

Costume and jewellery become more elaborate at an arangetram, but the same principles apply. If your child would like to start learning, our Bharatanatyam classes for kids at Mayura Natyalaya take beginners from age five.