SAPTHA THANDAVAM

1.AnandaThandavam

2.SandhyaThandavam

3.KaligaThandavam

4.VijayaThandavam

5.OordhavaThandavam

8.UmaThandavam

9.SamharaThandavam

ANANDA THANDAVA.

Ananda Thandavam is an awesome dance of bliss that Lord siva is belived to perform as Nataraja , the king of dance in Chidambaram.  The dancing deity is depicted with four hands  - one holding the drum , other the fire, the right hand showing the Abhaya Hastha and the left hand in Danda Hastha showeing boons.  His left leg is held a loft in Kunchita pada and the right leg rests on Muyalagan, the demon . This Thandavam is also referred to as Sada Thandavam.  Like various other aspects of Bharatanatyam, the origin of Ananda Thandavam can be traced back to the Hindu mythology.

 In the dense jungles of Daruvana, there was a group of sages who were meticulous in performing all theritulas but had no respect or love for Lord Siva.  Irked by their nonchalance, the lord ordered Vishnu to assume the form of a bewitching courtesan and make amorous advances at the sages .  Disguishing himself as a young and virileascetic, he caused a flutter in the minds of the wives of those sages who were bowled over by his charm.

The sages, furious that their turpitude was exposed by none other than Lord Siva, wanted to kill the Lord. They created a huge tiger out of the sacrificial fire and unleashed it on the Lord. Unfazed, the Lord killed the animal and wrapped its skin around the waist. Then emanated a trident from the sacrificial fire which was flung at the lord.  But he grasped it in his hand to make it his permanent weapon and an anteiope was let loose against him. Siva took it into his left hand.

And then venomous snakes, skull and a host of awesome demons were released. The Lord  took the reptiles into his locks as slithering ornaments; the skull was accommodated in his crown;  the demons were tamed and were inducted into his entourage.

The undeterred sages hurled the damaroo -  the little drum at the Lord. He caught it and held it firmly in his hand.   Finally the demonic dwarf,  Muyalagan or Apasmara-Purusha emerged out of the fire and advanced menacingly towards   Siva.  After taking the fire out of his body and holding it in his hand , the Lord stepped on the back of the drawf and broke his neck.

He then began his frenzied dance , the thandava that made the universe tremble and also cured the sages of their arrogance. Repenting their deeds, they fell at the feet of the Lord and sought his forgiveness. With his anger receding, the Lord pardoned them and returned to Mount Kailas.

Having learnt of this episode from Vishnu , Adisesha, the gaint snake who coils himself for Vishnu to sleep on him, requested Lord Siva to perform the Ananda Thandavam. The Lord asks him to come to the golden hall of Chidambaram to witness it. Adisesha takes a chimerical form-a—snake body with ahuman head, and becomes sage patanjali who was regaled by Lord Nataraja with Ananda Thandavam.

SANDHYA  THANDAVAM

Sandhya Thandavam is the captivating twilight dance that Lord performs at the time daylight is facing and the worid slowly sides into the embrace of darkness. Also referred to as Bhujanga  Lalitham or pradosha Thandavam, it is belived to be witnessed by Siva`s entourage and a celestial audience comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Indra.

In this pose, the Lord wears a snake as waistband and is seen with eight hands.  On the right side, one finds the little drum in one hand while the other is held in Abhaya Hastha. On the left , one hand is held in Vismaya Mudra and the other in Gaja Hastha.

KALIGA  THANDAVAM

Kaliga Thandavam is performed by Lord Siva and Kali his consort which represents creation, one of the five deeds – Pancha Krithyam – of the Lord it shows Shaktyhi and Sivam are two inseparable but mutually complementary forces responsible for creation.

In this pose, the Lord is seen with his eight hands and locks flying about; the right leg is raised high while the slightly bent left leg rests on Apasmaran , the demon .  His hands on the right side show the Abhaya hastha, wield the Trishool, the little drum – damaroo and `pasa` the noose.  On the left, one finds him holding the skull, the bell and the agni paatram.

VIJAYA  THANDAVAM

Vijaya Thandavam is the dance of trimph that celebrates the victory of Lord Siva over evil represented by the three demons Tarakaksha, Kaamalaksha and Vidyunmaali. It is also referred to as Tripura T handavam in some texts. Depictions of this Thandavam show Siva with 16arms embracing Gowry Devi on the left and having Lord Murugan – his younger son, on his right.

His right hands is in Anjali Hastha and carries in the other arms an assortment of objects that include the little drum , the noose, chisel, snake etc. On the right side the main hand is extended while the other hands carry the agni paatram [the vessel of fire], the book, the shield, the skull and such objects.

OORDHAVA THANDAVAM

Oordhava Thandavam is the dance performed by Lord Siva in Chidambaram when challenged into a dance contest by Kali, his consort Siva lifted his right foot skyward in such a way that the big toe Touched his forehead -  a -posture that the Kali, prevented by female modesty, could not copy and thus was defeated.

Ooardhava Thandavam depicts the four –armed Siva resting his left foot on Muyalagan with the right foot lifted skyward; one of the hands on the left is gracefully held above the head in an arc and other holds agni, the fire. Similarly,a hand on the right side has shows the Abhaya  Hastha. Variations of this Thandavam – in terms of the number of arms, objects held by them and also the Mudras they show - - can be found in temples.

UMA THANDAVAM

Uma Thandavam shows an interesting variation wherein the Lord rests his left foot on the demon and lifts the right foot.  The co-dancer here is Uma, his companion. Sri Tatva Nidhi is the only book that speaks about this Thandavam and threr is little or no information on it. There are conficting opinions with regard to the number of hands and the objects held by them.

SAMHARA THANDAVAM

Samhara Thandavam is the dance of decimation that delivers  the good from the evil. Siva is said to have performed this dance when Sati burnt herself into ashes. The angry Lord danced with such ferocity that the celestial world trembled in fright Brahma and Vishnu fervently appealed to the Lord to resume his calm and   compassionate disposition.  Samhara, is an important facet in the eternal cycle of birth, growth, decay and death. After Samhara, the decks are cleared for the process of creation to begin. The evolutionary cycle is reset.