Natyanjali dance festival is a special dance festival that is dedicated to Lord Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated for 5 days following Mahashivaratri, the holy day dedicated to Lord Shiva. In the year 2010 Natyanjali dance festival is scheduled from 12th February to 16th February.

The Event: Natyanjali dance festival is organized every year in ‘Nataraja Temple’ located in the holy city of Chidambaram. The city Chidambaram is about 75 kms south of Pondicherry, along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu organizes the event in association with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Natyanjali Trust, Chidambaram.

Lord Nataraja: Hindu scriptures describe Lord Shiva as a cosmic dancer and calls him as the Lord of dances. It is said that Lord Shiva performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe. There are two forms of Shiva’s dance: Lasya and Tandava. Lasya is the gentle form of dance and Tandava is the violent and dangerous dance that is done for destruction. The dances represent two aspects of Shiva’s nature where he destroys in order to create and tears down to build again.

This form of Lord Shiva is seen in sculpture as dancing in an aureole of flames, putting his right foot on a demon apasmara (who symbolizes ignorance) and the left leg lifted up. This is a well known sculptural symbol in India and used many times as a symbol of Indian culture.

Celebrations: This event gives opportunity for all dancers to perform their skills of dance. In this way they pay tribute to Lord Nataraja. This festival brings all the prominent dancers of India on a same platform and give them the feel of belongingness. As this is opened on the auspicious occasion of Mahasivaratri, the festival instills devotion to Lord Shiva. On this day dancers from all over India come and dance on the ‘Prakara’ of the temple. This dances fill the air with intense bliss and devotion and the dancers offer their dances as offering to the great divinity, Lord Nataraja. The event is recorded and telecast.