Bharatanatyam is a classical dance from Southern India. It was initially known as 'Sadir' and was an offering to the Hindu Gods as part of the daily temple rituals. Later, in the 20th century, it was renamed as 'Bharatanatyam' and moved from the temples to the proscenium stage. The dance also has references in the 2nd century Tamil epic Silappadikaram and is considered the oldest classical dance tradition of India.