The Aandaal Project continues a millennium-old tradition of cultural patronage, transforming ancient systems of support into modern sustainable models through our Community Interest Company structure and ANDAL Coin ecosystem.
Historical Patronage Systems
Traditional support for dancers flowed through:
- Temple endowments - Land grants for devadasi communities
- Royal courts - Maharajas maintaining dance gharanas
- Village ecosystems - Community-supported ritual performers
- Guru-shishya parampara - Disciples supporting masters
The Patronage Timeline
Key transitions in supporting dance heritage:
From ancient temple inscriptions to blockchain-secured ANDAL Coin rewards
🏛️ Temple Era (300-1200 CE)
"The Chola kings endowed entire villages to support 400 temple dancers at Brihadeeswarar - the equivalent of $20M today."
- Inscribed copper plates detailing dancer provisions
- Granaries funding artistic communities
- Dance as sacred duty rather than profession
👑 Courtly Patronage (1600-1900)
"The Tanjore Quartet composed thousands of pieces under Serfoji II's patronage - creating the Bharatanatyam repertoire we know today."
- Royal salaries for dance masters
- Performance spaces in palace complexes
- Codification of dance styles
💻 Digital CIC Model (2020+)
"ANDAL Coin creates micro-patronage opportunities where anyone can support heritage, continuing the spirit of ancient systems."
- Community Interest Company structure
- Blockchain-secured cultural contributions
- Global participation in local preservation
The Modern CIC Advantage
Why Community Interest Companies?
Democratic
Community-led priorities
Sustainable
Asset-locked preservation
Global
Diaspora participation
CICs combine the best of traditional patronage with modern governance and technology.
ANDAL Coin: Digital Patronage
- Micro-Patronage: Small contributions fund specific artists
- Transparent Tracking: Blockchain records all cultural investments
- Skill Rewards: Dancers earn coins for preservation work
- Global Access: Anyone can support heritage remotely
"The temple endowments of the past showed us that culture thrives when supported by entire ecosystems. Our CIC structure recreates this for the digital age through decentralized participation."
- The Aandaal Project Governance Board