Nataraja the king of dancer

NATARAJA, THE KING OF DANCER

Dancing Siva is the form of Hindu god Siva best known in the west, and indeed seems to be most popular visual representation of Hinduism for the modern world. Although there is a wide variety of dancing Siva,dating at least back to fifth century AD, what has become so familiar to us in one particular form, known as Nataraja "King of dancers".

This image achieved canonical form in cola bronzes.of the tenth century AD and then continued to be the present.

The cola nataraja is often said to be the supreme statement of Hindu art.

Nataraja dances, his rights for supported by a crouching figure, his left foot elegantly raised. off his four arms, one swings downwards, pointing to be raised foot, another with palms held up signals "do not fear!"in his other hands he holds alofit a dreams and flame.

The river Ganga sits in his hair. a cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm, and the crescent moon and a skull are on his crest.

He dances within an arch of flames. The dance is called the dance of Bliss ( ananadatandava)

This dance is said to have been first performed in chidambaram, 244km south of madras, on to east coast of India.

Historically, chidamabaram has been a center of the worship of dance of bliss sins its origination 300 years later.