Sadhana: The Realisation of Life

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/tagore/sadh/index.htm
http://archive.org/details/sadhana_0907_librivox

Why Fear When Iam here

Dravida Art Influenced Nataraja Temple Architecture
https://tamilthathuvarasigan.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/mannathi-mannan-achcham-enbadhu-madamaiyadaa/

Samudra manthanam. Sculpture at Souvarnaphom Airport, Bangkok, Thailand.

SSBT

http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/ashadi2010report.html

Vahana - Vehicles

Natarajar at Chidambaram

1. First Day: Dwaja Arohanam (Flag Hoisting),In the night Pancha murthy procession in Manjam
2. Second day: Silver ChandraPrabha Vahana
3. Third day: Gold Surya Prabha Vahana
4. Fourth day: Silver Bhutavahana
5. Fifth Day: Silver Rishaba Vahana
6. Sixth day: Silver Elephant Gaja Vahana
7. Seventh day: Gold Kailash Vahana
8. Eighth day: Bhikshadanar in Gold Chariot
9. Ninth Day: Rathothsavam (Ratham= Big Chariot)
10. Tenth day: Maha Abhishekam
11. Eleventh day: Muthu Pallakku ( Pearl Palanquin)

Sati at Madurai

1^st day:Dwara Arohanam;
2^nd day-Bhutha Vahanam, Anna Vahanam;
3^rd day-Golden Palnquin;
4^th day- Kuthirai/horse vahana,
5^th day-Vrshaba Vahana;
6^th day-Nandhikeswara and Yali Vahana;
7^th day: Silver Simhasana/Lion Throne;
8^th day-Indra Vimanam;
9^th day- Gaja/Yanai Vahanam,Pushpa Pallaku;
10^th day-Ther/Chariot,
11^th day-Rishaba Vahana

With Contempory Dance

http://www.youtube.com/user/vyjuom/videos?flow=grid&view=0

Meditation

http://www.meditation24-7.com/page54/page54.html

Kids

http://www.chinmayakids.org/hellogod/Shiva/shiva_nataraja.asp

Clip of Dj

http://clip.dj/shiva-nataraja-lord-of-the-dance-ancient-art-podcast-31-download-mp3-mp4-LiybTdkW2rs

Siva Samoa / Travel / Playlists

http://www.samoa.co.uk/dance.html
http://www.samoa.travel/default.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL22C86FE37C942AE5
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF7B940BB6048AFC7

Lord of the Dance

http://www.asia.si.edu/explore/indianart/default.asp

Muslim Contribution

The origin of Natyanjali at Chidambaram was originally initiated at a very simple level by a Muslim
(Mr.Moideen Bai).

He used to teach dance to the young ones from Dheekshidar and families for free of cost. He used to conduct dance programmes in festive days with concepts like "Valli thirumanam" etc. The songs of his own composition were mixed with the famous kirthanas.

The Muslim veteran did it as a service without seeking any renumeration therefor and led a very simple life and stood as a pillar for religious integrity. Sri Thirumuruga Krubananda Wariar had many times appreciated the Muslim sadhu. Even I had read an article about him in the HINDU daily during 1982 or 1983. 

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

If they want me to believe in their god, they'll have to sing me better songs..... I could only believe in a god who dances. --

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) German Philosopher

Dance in mythology and religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_mythology_and_religion
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Dance-in-mythology-and-religion

Symbolism / Pictures

http://www.giirvaani.net/giirvaani/nataraja_symbolism/nataraja_symbolism.html
http://www.sanskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani/giirvaani/nataraja_symbolism/nataraja_symbolism.html

Five Actions

"O my Lord,

1.    Thy hand holding the sacred drum has made and ordered the heavens and earth and other worlds and innumerable souls.

2.  Thy lifted hand protects both the conscious and unconscious order of thy creation.

3.  All these worlds are transformed by Thy hand bearing fire.

4.  Thy sacred foot, planted on the ground, gives an abode to the tired soul struggling in the toils of causality.

5.  It is Thy lifted foot that grants eternal bliss to those that approach Thee.

These Five-Actions are indeed Thy Handiwork."

~ Chidambara Mummani Kovai 

The dance of Shiva represents His five divine activites, or panchakriya – 

1. Shrishti (creation, evolution, symbolized by the drum)
2. Sthiti (preservation, support, by the "fear not" hand gesture of abhaya)
3. Samhara (destruction, evolution, by the fire)
4. Tirobhava (illusion, by the foot planted on the ground)
5. Anugraha (release, emancipation, grace, by the foot held aloft).

It is a dual statement of stillness and motion, the static sculpture representing the intense activity of Lord Shiva. The stoic face of Lord Shiva represents his composure and neutrality, unaffected and above all forces.

Huxley Poem

O you the creator, you the destroyer, you who sustain and make an end,
Who in sunlight dance among the birds and the children at play,
Who at midnight dance among the corpses in the burning grounds,
You, Shiva, you dark and terrible Bhairava,
You Suchness and Illusion, the Void and All Things,
You are the lord of life, and therefore I have brought you flowers;
You are the lord of death, and therefore I have brought you my heart—
This heart that is now your burning ground.
Ignorance there and self shall be consumed with fire.
That you may dance, Bhairava, among the ashes.
That you may dance, Lord Shiva, in a place of flowers,
And I dance with you.

(Huxley, 167)

Aani Thirumanjanam / Video

The word "Thirumanjanam" means Holy bath. Aani Thirumanjanam ( Tamil month spanning June- July) is a special day ( Uthram Nakshtram) when an Abhishekam is performed for Lord Nataraja . It is believed that Lord Nataraja gives darshan to his devotees in the months Aani and Margazhi. The Lord's form demonstrates his five-fold functions:

1. The rattle (udukkai) in his right hand represents creation;
2. his raised right arm with the open palm (abhaya hastam) protection;
3. his left hand holding fire destruction;
4. his firmly placed foot concealment; and
5. his other, slightly lifted, leg salvation.

Lord Nataraja is given six abhishekams in a year. Earth takes 365 days to complete one full circle around the sun. That duration is divided into six seasons -

1. Marghazhi-Thai: early winter;
2. Maasi-Panguni: late winter;
3. Chittirai-Vaikasi: early summer;
4. Aani-Aadi: high summer;
5. Avani-Purattasi: autumn;
6. Aippasi-Karthikai: rainy season.

This six-season year of humans is said to be one day for the immortals. A day has six periods:

1. dawn,
2. morning,
3. noon,
4. afternoon,
5. evening, and
6. night.

These are when the six daily poojas ( Kaala Pooja) in temples are performed. During each of these six parts, an Abhishekam has been ordained for Lord Nataraja. One of these is Ani Thirumanjanam, the pradosha abhishekam on the evening of the day of Uthiram star in the Tamil month of Aani (June-July). This is the best time for worshipping Lord Shiva.

vaTuka mahAbhairava / Festival / Namavali / Dance

http://controlleroftime.blogspot.com/2012/03/vatuka-mahabhairava.html

Worlds Largest Nataraja Deity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neyveli#Religion
http://natarajarkoilneyveli.blogspot.in/

zbrushcentral

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?52369-My-Z-canvas/page4

Kali Tandav / Video / Audio

http://www.stutimandal.com/new/poemgen.php?id=51
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=vid&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=610&q=kali+tandav
http://www.in.com/music/search.php?search_data=kali+tandav

Sculptures

http://shop.lotussculpture.com/nav/God-Nataraja

Diety / Links

http://www.himalayanart.org/pages/dance/index.html

Sapta Vitanka Shrines

http://knowledgefruit.blogspot.com/search/label/Somaskanda

Stuti / Architecture / Photos

http://www.google.com/search?q=Shiva+Natraj+Stuti&tbo=p&tbm=vid&source=vgc&aq=f
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/chidambaram/nataraja.php
http://travel.sulekha.com/nataraja-temple-pictures.htm

Natya Veda - Origin of Dance Drama Music

The Gods & Godesses pleaded Lord Brahma to create another veda which would be simple for the common man to understand. Lord Brahma then inspired by Shiva Parvathi created the Panchamaveda, Fifth veda, Natyaveda, an essence of the other four vedas. he took

1. Pathya (words) form the Rigveda,
2. Abhinaya (gesture) from the Yajurveda,
3. Geet (music and chant) from Samaveda and
4. Rasa (sentiment and emotional element) from Atharvaveda to form the fifth veda, Natyaveda.

The Dance performed by Lord Shiva is known as Tandava, which depicts his violent nature as the destructor of the universe. The tandava performed with joy is called Ananda Tandava and performed in violent mood is called Rudra Tandava. There are 7 types of Tandava. Namely

1. Ananda Tandava,
2. Tripura Tandava,
3. Sandhya Tandava,
4. Samara Tandava,
5. Kaali tandava,
6. Uma Tandava and
7. Gauri Tandava.

Tandava has vigourous, brisk movements .The dance performed by Goddess Parvathi is known as Lasya, in which the movements are gentle, graceful and sometimes erotic also. scholars call Lasya as the feminine version of Tandava. Lasya has 2 kinds. Jarita Lasya and Yauvaka Lasya. Godess Parvathi tought Lasya dance form to Usha, daughter of Banasura, a demon. Usha taught the same to the Gopikas of the city of Dwaraka, Lord Krishna's birth place.

After creating this natyaveda, Lord Brahma gave the same to sage Bharata and asked him to popularise this veda on earth. Following the words of Lord Brahma, sage Bharata wrote Natyashastra or the Science of Dramaturgy, a great, comprehensive work on the science and technique of drama, dance and music.

Nataraja / About / Videos / Geneva

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nataraja
http://hinduism.about.com/od/lordshiva/p/nataraj.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=nataraja&tbo=p&tbs=vid:1&source=vgc&aq=f

http://www.fritjofcapra.net/shiva.html