In Keezhkattur stands another extraordinary Chola-period Nataraja

Among the priceless bronzes kept in a locker at the Pasupathiswarar Temple in Pandanainthanallur, known as Pandanallur, near Kumbakonam stands a Nataraja statue. It is an exquisite embodiment of the “manifestation of primal rhythmic energy”, as Indologist Ananda Coomaraswamy describes in his essay The Dance of Shiva. Standing beside him is Sivakami, and both statues belong to the Vajrathampeswarar Temple in Keezhkattur, a neighbouring village.

“In my opinion, it fulfils every aspect of the Shilpa Shastra, and the proportions resemble those of a living human body with flesh and blood. The fingers, the toes, the nails, the face… It is like the Nataraja of Chidambaram,” said D. Srikanta Sthapathy of Swamimalai. “The idol is solely made of copper and lead, giving it a natural human colour.”

Normally, Nataraja’s jadamudi (matted) hair is designed as virisadai—flowing sideways. But in Keezhkattur, the Nataraja has a downward flowing matted hair.

“The hairstyle clearly shows that the idol belongs to an early period. The idols follow to the core the description of Nataraja in Thevaram hymns. He wears in his head Oomatham and Nerunji flowers. The Ganges flows from his head and there were depictions of kudamuzhavu (a percussion instrument) and talam. His dance has incorporated both Angika and Aharya Abinayas,” said historian R. Kalaikovan.

Anyone who has the opportunity to see these idols will agree with Austrian-born American author Fritjof Capra’s observation that the dance of Shiva symbolises the dance of the universe—the ceaseless flow of energy through an infinite variety of patterns that merge and dissolve into one another.

Mr. Sthapathy, who created the 28-foot Nataraja statue that stands in front of the G20 conference venue in Delhi, said it was his life’s ambition to craft such a Nataraja and Sivakami pair. “I am confident that I will achieve it one day. When I made a Sivakami statue some time ago, I incorporated features of the Sivakami of Keezhkattur,” he said.

He said K. Raja, one of the temple’s patrons, invited him to view the bronzes, and he was stunned by the beauty and detail of the idols. The statues were discovered buried in the backyard of a house near the Keezhkattur temple over a hundred years ago. Mr. Raja said a secure locker was being constructed at the Keezhkattur temple and that the idols would soon be moved there from Pandanallur.

Mr. Sthapathy remarked that the Nataraja of Keezhkattur rivals the beauty of the world-famous Rishaba Devar displayed in the Thanjavur exhibition. “The beauty of the Nataraja and Sivakami remains largely unknown as they are housed within the temple and under daily worship,” he said.

Their magnificence even attracted the attention of the Dikshitars of Chidambaram. G. Parmeswara Dikshitar, a Vedic scholar and priest of the temple, visited Keezhkattur and performed abhisheka. “My late father used to visit the temple and conduct poojas. We are unable to do so now as the idols have been moved to Pandanallur for safety reasons,” said Sabapathy Dikshitar.