Nataraja (The Lord (or King) of Dance) ,Tamil: கூத்தன் [Kooththan] is the dancing posture of the Hindu god Shiva, who performs his divine dance as a part of his activities of creation and destruction. Nataraja is most often depicted through a statue. The sculpture is usually made in bronze, with Shiva dancing in a aureole of flames, lifting his left leg (and in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing over a demon or dwarf (Apasmara) who symbolizes ignorance. It is a well known scultptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture[1]. The form is present in most Shiva temples in South India, and is the main deity in the famous temple at Chidambaram.
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Properties of the Nataraja form
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Nataraja, Lord Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer representing the rhythmic movement of the entire cosmos.
  • The upper right hand holds a small drum shaped like an hourglass that is called a ḍamaru in Sanskrit.[2][3][4] It is called Udukkai in Tamil .A specific hand gesture (mudra) called ḍamaru-hasta (Sanskrit for "ḍamaru-hand") is used to hold the drum.[5] It symbolizes sound originating Creation.
  • The upper left hand contains Agni or fire, which signifies destruction. The opposing concepts in the upper hands show the counterpoise of creation and destruction.
  • The second right hand shows the Abhaya mudra (meaning fearlessness in Sanskrit), bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those who follow the righteousness of dharma.
  • The second left hand points towards the raised foot which signifies upliftment and salvation.
  • The dwarf on which Nataraja dances is the demon Apasmara, which symbolises Shiva's victory over ignorance.
  • As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and resolved. Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a knot, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies, knocking them off course or destroying them utterly.
  • The surrounding flames represent the manifest Universe.
  • The snake swirling around his waist is kundalini, the Shakti or divine force thought to reside within everything.
  • The stoic face of Shiva represents his neutrality, thus being in balance.

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Shiva Nataraja