Nataraja

Nataraja  also known as Adalvallaan is a depiction of the Hindu God Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called Tandava. The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the Tecarama, Thiruvasagam in Tamil and Anshumadbhed agama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and Grantha texts, the dance murti featured in all major Hindu Temples of Shaivaism, and is a well-known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture, in particular as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art. He is commonly referred as Koothan(ta: கூத்தன், romanized: Kūththaṉ), Sabesan(ta: சபேசன், romanized: Sabēsaṉ) and Ambalavanan (ta: அம்பலவாணன், romanized: Ambalavāṇaṉ) in various Tamil texts.

The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts, with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts. Tamil Devotional texts such as Tirumurai (The twelve books of Southern Shaivism) speaks that Nataraja is the form of Shiva in which he does Creation, destruction, Preserving, Maya and Blessing. Thus Nataraja is considered one of the highest forms of Shiva in Tamil Nadu, and thus sculpture or Brass idol of Nataraja is kept and worshiped in almost all Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu. It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the natya Shastra poses, holding various symbols which vary with historic period and region, trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf who symbolizes spiritual ignorance.

The classical form of the depiction appears in a pillar of rock cut temple at Seeyamangalam – Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple constructed by a Pallava King Mahendravarman in 6th century CE, which is known by Archeological Survey of India and Archeological Survey of Tamil Nadu as the oldest known Nataraja sculpture in India. The stone reliefs at the Ellora Caves and the badami caves, by around the 6th century, are also among the oldest Nataraja sculptures in India. Ancient Tamil songs during Bhakti MOvement written by the four Shaivite saints of Thirugnanasambandhar, Appar, Manikkavasagar, and Sundharar, popularly known as “Naalvar” (The four great) speaks about Nataraja and describes Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram as the home of Nataraja as the main deity, dating Nataraja worship way before the 7th century CE. Around the 8th to 10th century, statues emerged in Tamil Nadu in its mature and best-known expression in Chola Bronzes, of various heights typically less than four feet, some ove Nataraja reliefs are found in historic settings in many parts of South East Asia such as Angkor Vat and in bali, Cambodia, and central Asia.

Nataraja

Care Instructions:

Wipe & Clean with Dry Cloth, do not use steel wool or wire mesh and any harsh chemicals for cleaning it.

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