Nataraja

Form of the god Shiva as the “Lord of
the Dance.” The most famous Nataraja
image is in the temple-town of
Chidambaram in the state of
Tamil Nadu. The temple was erected
during the reign of Vira Raja (927–997
C.E.), with Nataraja as its primary deity.
However, the image of Nataraja is well
known, particularly from the southern
Indian bronzes of the Chola dynasty
(9th–13th c).
As a divinity, one of Shiva’s most
important characteristics is that he transcends all duality; the Nataraja image
symbolizes this concept. Shiva dances
within a circle of fire, symbolizing birth
and death, but remains untouched by
these forces. As Shiva dances, his matted
locks swing wildly, showing the force of
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his activity, yet his face stays impassive
and unmoved. One of his four hands
holds the drum that beats the rhythm of
creation, while a second hand holds the
fire of destruction. His third hand is held
palm upward in a gesture meaning “fear
not.” The fourth points to his upraised
foot, the symbol of refuge and divine
mercy for the devotee (bhakta). His
other foot crushes a demon, displaying
his power to destroy the wicked. The
image is a well-developed theological
statement, able to be “read” by those
who can interpret it.
In Nataraja’s charter myth, Shiva and
Kali, the goddess, decide to settle their
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Nataraja
The god Shiva, in the form of Nataraja (the “Lord of the Dance”),
dances within a circle of fire that symbolizes the cycle of birth and death.
competition with a dance contest. Shiva
finally bests Kali by manifesting as
Nataraja and doing an athletic
(tandava) dance style that Kali’s feminine modesty prevents her from copying. Mythic roots aside, the Nataraja
temple at Chidambaram has been an
important center for classical Indian
dance for well over a thousand years.
The temple’s eastern wall bears relief
carvings of the 108 basic dance positions (karanas). These positions are
central to classical Indian dance, particularly in the Bharatanatyam school,
which is the major dance tradition in
Tamil Nadu.