Maha Sivaratri, celebrated across Bharatavarsha, with special worship and Natya Anjali at major holy Saivite shrines of the South, evokes unique fervour particularly among dancers.
“Sangeeta Vaadya Vinoda Taandava Jaata bahutara bheda Chodyam” goes ‘Ananda Natana Prakaasam.’ Roughly it would translate thus: “Through His wondrous vibrant (Tandava) dance accompanied by music and instrument, He induces varied well-known nuances,” sings Muthuswami Dikshitar on ‘Panchakrutya Paramananda Taandava’ of Lord Siva — Nataraja, the Supreme Dancer enshrined at Chidambaram.
The “Dahara” or the “Dabhra” denotes the vacuum or the empty space of the universe (the Aakasa), as also the inner space (Chid+ambaram) of the individual’s heart, which is a Lotus, where the Lord resides forever.
While at Chitsabhaa, Nataraja’s blissful dance symbolises the different stages of the individual soul entering through the process of Creation, and sustenance, the magnificent form of the Lord — the King of Sacrifice, Sri Tyagesa at Tiruvarur — embodies the inhalation and exhalation of the breath that sustains the life of the entire living beings. “Avanandri Or anuvum asayaadu!” Thus the soul is kept fully awakened with “Sivatva” (auspiciousness) residing in the Self, constantly worshipping the deity from the inner realms of the heart.
“Yogi viditaaajapaa natana ranga (Tyagaraja Paalayaasu Maam - Dikshitar) — “the sages and the Saint — singers, who visualised the Eternal dancer and His dance,” offered Aatma puja, extending their salutations to the all-pervasive “Sivatva,” dancing inside their intellectual hall (Chit Sabha) of their minds.
The dance of Siva signifies the doctrine of Advaita — Tat-Tvam-Asi (That Thou Art), denoting the Ultimate mingling of the Jeevaatma and the Paramaatma.
Seven Siva thandavas
Among the the seven types of Tandava associated with Siva — Ananda, Sandhya, Uma, Gaure, Kalika, Tripura and Samhara — the dance of joy, the pre-dominant Ananda Tandava symbolises the Five divine deeds of the Supreme Force — Srishti (Creation), Sthiti (Stability), Samhara (Destruction), Tirodana (Illusion) and Anugraha (Blessing).
The unique, mesmerising dance of Siva as “Ajapaa natana murti” elevates the ardent devotee to an altogether higher plane of spiritual ecstasy, as the resounding chants of “Aarooraa!Tyagesa! reverberates in every heart throb (the unmeditated chant — A+Japaa) of the Tyaga Bhakta following the enchanting ‘Ajapaa natana’ of Tyagesa during the Special festive occasions in Tiru Aaroor.
The seven Vitanka (un-chiselled) Murtis of Sri Tyagaraja depict seven types of dances — the Ajapaa (dance Unmeditated - Veethi Vitanka - Tiruvarur), Unmatta (dance of Madness - Naga Vitanka - Tirunallaar), Paaraavaarataranga (dance of the the Surging waves - Sundara Vitanka - Nagapattinam), Kukkuta (dance of the Cock - Aadi Vitanka - Tirukkaaraayil), Bhrunga (dance of the bee - Avani Vitanka - Tirukkuvalai), Kamala (dance of the Lotus - Neela Vitanka - Tiruvoimur), and Hamsa paada (dance of the Swan - Bhuvani Vitanka - Vedaranyam).
The long search for the original practice mode of each of these dances has not yielded any results due to the paucity of old informants, who could recall the traditional dancing (moving) pattern of the foot steps of the practitioners as they carried the deity in the procession. Yet these symbolic movements are an integral part of our invaluable divine dance heritage and remind us time and again that our dance forms are meant for higher realisation rather than for mundane considerations.
Published - February 28, 2019 03:37 pm IST
