Harappan Culture
- The art of dancing may be traced back to Harappan culture.
- The discovery of the bronze statue of a dancing girl in tribanga posture testifies to the fact that some women in Harappa performed dances.
Rig Veda
- The Rig Veda mentions dance (nrti) and danseuse (nrtu) and compares the brilliant dawn (usas) to a brightly attrived danseuse.
- In the Brahmanas, Jaiminiya and Kausitaki dance and music are mentioned together.
- Natya Shastra composed by Bharat Muni in the 1st century CE is considered by many as the Fifth Veda.
Chola Period
- The figure of Lord Shiva as Nataraja represents the creation and destruction of the cosmic cycle.
- The popular image of Shiva in the form of Nataraja clearly shows the popularity of the dance form among the Indian people.
