Debdasi
Indian Classical Dance forms were nurtured with a purpose in the sacred premises of temples. Since ancient times, in Hindu thought dance was one of the most beautiful expressions of the divine, the eternal rhythms of the universe, powerfully and exquisitely
symbolised in the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva.Once sustained and nurtured in temples as part of a rich and vibrant temple tradition, classical dance in India has remained over centuries a dynamic, living tradition that is continuously renewed.Dance in India was a highly evolved and complex art. It was an integral part of ancient Indian theatre as established by the Natya Shastra, the oldest and exhaustive treatise on theatre and dramaturgy. Dance dramas were performed in temple precincts. Dance movements were crystallised in stone as karanas in temple sculpture. Following the Bhakti movement in the 6th century, dance and music became powerful vehicles of veneration.