Description
Nataraja (Sanskrit: नटराज, romanized: Naṭarāja Tamil: நடராஜர், romanized: Naṭarājar), also known as Adalvallan (Tamil: ஆடல்வல்லான், romanized: Ā dalvallāṉ), is a depiction of Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called the tandava. The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts, such as the Tevaram and Thiruvasagam in Tamil, and the Amshumadagama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and the Grantha texts. The dancing murti is found in all major Hindu temples of Shaivism, is a well-known sculptural symbol in India, and is popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture, being one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art. This form is also called Kuththan (Tamil: கூத்தன், romanized: Kūththaṉ), Sabesan (Tamil: சபேசன், romanized: Sabēsaṉ), and Ambalavanan (Tamil: அம்பலவாணன், romanized: Ambalavāṇaṉ) in various Tamil texts. The word Nataraja is a Sanskrit term, from नट Nata, meaning "act, drama, dance," and राज Raja, meaning "king, lord"; it can be roughly translated as Lord of the Dance or King of the Dance. According to Ananda Coomaraswamy, the name relates to Shiva's fame as the "Lord of Dancers" or "King of Actors." The form is known as Nataraja in Tamil Nadu and as Narteśvara (also written Nateshwar) or Nṛityeśvara in North India, with all three terms meaning "Lord of the Dance." Narteśvara derives from Nṛtta, the same as Nata, meaning "act, drama, dance," and Ishvara, meaning "lord." Natesa (IAST: Naṭeśa) is another alternative equivalent term for Nataraja found in sculptures and archaeological sites from the first millennium in the Indian subcontinent.
