Which dance style was kept alive by the Devadasis? 

The correct answer is BharatnatyamKey Points

• The Devadasis, a community of dancers in South India, are credited with originating the popular dance form of Bharatanatyam.
• Devadasis were women who dedicated their lives to temples, learning classical Indian dances, and performing at temple rituals
• They were also known by various local terms, such as Basivi in Karnataka, Matangi in Maharashtra, and Kalavantin in Goa and Damaon.
• Bharatanatyam was originally known as Sadir or Dasi Attam.
• It was the first traditional Indian dance to be adapted for theater and performed widely both in India and abroad

Additional Information

• Kuchipudi:
  • It basically performed by a group of actors going from village to village, known as Kusselavas, Kuchipudi derives its name from the Andhra.
  •  Siddhendra Yogi in the 17th century formalized and systematized the tradition.
  • The advent of Vaishnavism, the dance form became a monopoly of the male Brahmins and began to be performed at temples.
• Kathakali:
  • Kathakali in the temples of Kerala, two forms of dance-drama.
  • The folk drama traditions later became the source of Kathakali, which derived its name from the words ‘Katha’ meaning story and ‘Kali’ meaning drama.
  • It is closely related to Koodiyattam (Sanskrit drama tradition) and other ancient martial-arts performances also.
  • It is a wonderful combination of music, dance, and drama.
• Odissi
  • ​Odissi, also referred to as Orissi in old literature,
  • It is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India