The first lilts of music creep in, and the curtains are drawn back. The audience is treated to a view of a theatre stage, with a sole spotlight shining right on the middle of the wooden floor, to illuminate a woman standing with her back to the audience.
She is dressed in a silk saree, tied like a dance costume. Her hair is up in a bun wrapped with flowers. Her hands are held at her waist, her fingers facing backwards and bent at the wrist.
The music deepens and stretches, it's beautiful sound slowly burying itself into the hearts of the audience, to stay there for a long time; it's haunting melody to be hummed on a reminiscent day.
The dancer whirls around as the music reaches a crescendo, her profile visible to the audience at last. Her hands are painted with a red design, as she does the traditional namaskaram, seeking blessings from mother earth and offering flowers to her. On her head glitter an elaborate headpiece and two brooches of Surya and Chandra, set in temple jewellery.
She slowly gets up and hits her right foot in the aramandi position, offering a view of her bejewelled ears, kohl-lined dark eyes and a ring that hangs from her nose, moving to every beat of the her feet.
nagendraharaya trilochanaya
bhasmangaragaya mahesvaraya
nityaya suddhaya digambaraya
tasmai na karaya namah shivaya
She dances in ecstasy, her limbs swirling gracefully, her hands depicting the beauty of Lord Shiva, her features showing the awe that she holds for Him, and her eyes emoting from the depths of her soul.
mandakini salila chandana charchitaya
nandisvara pramathanatha mahesvaraya
mandara pushpa bahupushpa supujitaya
tasmai ma karaya namah shivaya
So immersed she is in that divinity flowing through her, that it is like she is a vessel for the Almighty, her faith showing through her graceful twirls and high leaps, her mudras precise and held taut.
shivaya gauri vadanabja brnda
suryaya dakshadhvara nashakaya
sri nilakanthaya Vrshabhadhvajaya
tasmai shi karaya namah shivaya
She reaches out to the audience, as if tugging their heartstrings, in her every turn and posture, and she is as beautiful as the sunset itself, the golden light illuminating her every move and giving her an otherworldly glow.
vashistha kumbhodbhava gautamarya
munindra devarchita shekharaya
chandrarka vaishvanara lochanaya
tasmai va karaya namah shivaya
She jumps, showing Shiva's flowing locks, his rigid yet lithe postures, the ash smeared on his body, and the fury when his third eye opens.
yagna svarupaya jatadharaya
pinaka hastaya sanatanaya
divyaya devaya digambaraya
tasmai ya karaya namah shivaya
The picturesque sight that forms when she takes the Nataraja posture is worth all the pictures in the world, and an artist's delight to paint.
She sways in a trance, before finally coming to a halt; a breath held and released; and maybe a tear or two. At that moment, the joy that floods her soul is exuberant, and she bows and walks behind the curtains, an ethereal creature who is dreamlike and omnipresent.
As she walks away, all that remains is the tinkling of her Ghungroos, the gentle sound that echoes off the walls and offers a sense of peace.
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The hymn is Shiva Panchakshara Stuti. Please listen to the audio version by O.S. Arun; it sounds beautiful in his voice.
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When Ghungroos Tinkle
NonfiksiDance has always been to me something beautiful; somewhat a stress-buster, a re-energiser and something that makes me feel graceful. And, so sitting in my dance class one week, surrounded by the healthy environment of learning, was I struck with an...
