Headgear for use in Bharatnatyam

A method of putting on a dancer's Bharatnatyam headgear, the method comprising:

• providing a Bharatnatyam headgear comprising:
• a wearable hair net having a substantially hemispherical shape with a peripheral edge defining a first opening, the hair net having a front end and a rear end located opposite the front end, wherein a centerline extending from a midpoint of the front end to a midpoint of the rear end and divides the hair net into a left side located on a first side of the centerline and a right side located on a second side of the centerline, the hair net being pliable and expandable such that during use, the first opening is expanded over and covers a dancer's scalp, wherein the wearable hair net matches a color of the dancer's hair;
• an elongated forehead piece affixed to a central portion of the peripheral edge at the front end of the hair net, the forehead piece extending along the peripheral edge in a horizontal direction, and configured to be positioned to coincide with a frontal portion of a hairline of the dancer, the elongated forehead piece having a left terminal end and a right terminal end which are configured to extend at least beyond the dancer's left and right eyebrows, respectively;
• an elongated vertical piece affixed to the hair net along the centerline, the elongated vertical piece having a front end and a back end, wherein the front end extends from a midpoint of the forehead piece, such that the elongated vertical piece extends transversely from the forehead piece;
• a circular piece affixed to the front end of the elongated vertical piece, and extending below the peripheral edge and the forehead piece, such that the circular piece is configured to be positioned in a middle of a forehead of the dancer;
• a moon piece affixed to the left side of the hair net proximate the back end of the vertical piece and substantially in the shaped of a half moon;
• a sun piece affixed to the right side of the hair net proximate the back end of the vertical piece when facing the dancer, the sun piece being circular in shape;
• a leftside piece having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section is affixed to the left side of the hair net extending from below the moon piece to the peripheral edge such that the leftside piece is spaced apart from the left terminal edge of the forehead piece, and the lower section hangs below the peripheral edge and terminates in a left earring piece, wherein during use the lower section hangs over a left ear of the dancer and the left earring piece is affixed to the dancer's left ear;
• a rightside piece having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section is affixed to the right side of the hair net extending from below the sun piece to the peripheral edge such that the rightside piece is spaced apart from the right terminal edge of the forehead piece, and the lower section hangs below the peripheral edge and terminates in a right earring piece, wherein during use the lower section hangs over a right ear of the dancer and the right earring piece is affixed to the dancer's right ear;
• a plurality of hairpins affixed to the hair net, the plurality of hairpins being positioned along the peripheral edge for securing the hair net firmly with the dancer's hair;
• a second opening positioned at a central portion of the rear end of the hair net, such that the centerline extends through the second opening, the second opening facilitating a braid to pass through during use;
• creating a hair partition in a middle of the dancer's hair;
• braiding the dancer's hair into a hairbraid;
• passing the hairbraid through the second opening of the Bharatnatyam headgear;
• positioning the first opening of the Bharatnatyam headgear over the dancer's scalp and expanding the hair net to cover the dancer's scalp such that the peripheral edge extends proximate to the dancer's natural hairline;
• positioning the circular piece in the middle of the forehead at a front end of the hair partition;
• positioning the forehead piece to coincide with the dancer's hairline adjacent the forehead in a left and right directions;
• positioning the vertical piece to cover the hair partition;
• positioning the leftside piece such that the lower portion of the left side piece hangs over the dancer's left ear and attaching the left earring piece to the left ear;
• positioning the rightside piece such that the lower portion of the right side piece hangs over the dancer's right ear and attaching the right earring piece to the right ear;
• attaching the plurality of hairpins to natural hair of the dancer to secure the hair net firmly with the dancer's natural hair.