Dance of Viṣṇu: the spectacle of Tamil Āvārs

Extract

Is Viṣṇu Naṭarāja? yes, according to the (Vaiṣṇava saints of the Tamil country) Viṣṇu is Naṭaraja. The pan-Indian tradition associates two important forms of Viṣṇu with dance. They are Kāliyamardana and rāśaknḍa, merry making sports of Kṣīs. According to the Cilappatikāram (Kaṭalāṭukātai 11. 37–63) Viṣṇu presents mal while fighting with a demon, alliyam (a group dance) at the time rendition of KaṆsa, kuṭam as Trivikrama, pēṆi as the eunuch Kāmadeva, an aspect of Viṣṇu, and pāvai is performed by Tiru, Śrīdevī, consort of Viṣṇu. This seems to be an ancient tradition (c. 5th century A. D.), reiterated by the . The are Vaiṣṇava mystics of the Tamil bhakti age, in total twelve in number. They have contributed enormously to literature, grouped under the heading, Nālāyiratiwiyapirapantam “4000 Melodious Hymns” (cf. Hardy 1983: 247–50; Settar 1993: 223–40; Kalidos 1993: 181–88). The twelve are authors of 24 literary pieces, dated during the 5th–9th centuries A.D. The are grouped under three chronological heads as follows: