The dance known as Kuchipudi derives its name from a village near Maulipatam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The roots of this dance form can be traced back to the Yakshagana plays of the Brahmins and the secular court of the Raja Nartakis. During the time of the Vijayanagar Empire, Brahmins were the preservers of this dance form. But after the decline of this empire, many of them shifted to Tanjore, which could be an explanation for some similarities in style to Bharatanatyam.