NATARAJA - Tiruvalangadu

Acc. No. 236 Ht.115 & Br. 90 cm

Tiruvalangadu, Tiruttani Taluk, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu 11 th Century A.D.

The Nataraja dances on the apasmara on an oval shaped Lotus pedestal.
Nataraja has a head-dress made of feathers. A Skull appears in the middle of the lower part of the headdress. A snake on the right side of the head-dress among the feathers and a crescent moon on the left side are seen. A Datura flower is seen on the right side of the head-dress and another flower near the crescent. The upper right hand holds the drum, and the left hand holds Agni, the lower right hand is in abhaya while the lower left hand is in Kari hasta mudra. Nataraja is wearing a makara kundala in his left ear and a patra kundala in his right ear. He also wears shoulder tassels Keyuras, kankanas, udharabandha, Bhringipada is not found in this Nataraja.

The expression of the demon is striking, his head is finished well. He has a band across his head from ear to ear where the hair meets the forehead. He is seen holding a snake in his left hand. Though the Aureole is missing, its stumps on the pedestal shows that it did exist. There is a three tongued flame on the right side of the pedestal. This Nataraja was admired in the 1920’s by the world famous sculptor, Rodin, the image is remarkable for its grace, its vigour, its perfect modelling, its rhythmic movement and its majestic expression.