Mayilattam is an artistic and religious form of dance performed in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in reverence to Murugan, a regional form of the Hindu deity Kartikeya. Literally translating as the "peacock dance", [1] the performers seat themselves upon a peacock replica, which is the mount of the deity. [2]
Mayilattam performers wear costumes from head to toe with headdresses and peacock feathers, [3] that can be opened and closed using a thread, and perform specific dances. The performers dance on a tall piece of wood attached at the end of their feet. This dance is performed in all Murugan temples as a tradition during festivals. The number of Mayilattam performers is decreasing due to financial reasons. The Mayil Attam dance is thought to have originated in Tamil Nadu, where ladies used to perform it to honor Lord Subrahmanya, also known as Kartikeya or Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati.This dance is typically performed by females dressed in the most stunning peacock forms. This art needs a lot of practice and training. During festivals, this dance is performed in all Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya) temples as a custom. Mayilattam dance isn't complete without the appropriate attire. Along with the show, the dress code adds to the allure. Imitating the movement and style of a peacock is part of the dance movement. The dancer demonstrates how the bird cleans its feathers with its beak and legs, with meticulous planning and execution. The melody is then followed by close steps going at a slow rhythmic speed. As the time and rhythm speed, each movement follows a circular pattern. Finally, when the music reaches its height, the circular pattern's order is shattered. However, because of difficulty in practising and lower pay for dancers, the number of Mayilattam performers is dwindling. [4]
Thaipusam or Thaipoosam is a Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai coinciding with Pusam star. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Hindu god Murugan over the demon Surapadman. During the battle, Murugan is believed to have wielded a vel, a divine spear granted by his mother, Parvati.
The Arulmigu Subramanya Swami Temple, Tiruchendur is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Murugan (Kartikeya). It is second among six abodes of Murugan situated in Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in the eastern end of the town Tiruchendur in the district of Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is 40 km from Thoothukudi, 60 km south-east of Tirunelveli and 75 km north-east of Kanyakumari. The temple complex is on the shores of Bay of Bengal.
The Vayalur Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Muruga, son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, located in the village of Kumaravayalur in Tiruchirapalli district, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is believed to have been initiated during the period of Medieval Cholas during the 9th century. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Though the presiding deity is Shiva, the temple is known for the Murugan shrine. The temple is associated with Hindu savant, Kirupanandha Variyar.
Vel is a divine spear associated with Kartikeya, the Hindu god of war.
Arulmigu Murugan Temple, Thiruparankundram is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Murugan at Thiruparankundram, Tamilnadu, India. It is regarded as one of the "First Houses of Murugan". The temple uses rock-cut architecture and is believed to have been built by the Pandyas during the 6th century. According to legend, Murugan slayed the demon Surapadman and married his consort Devasena at the temple. Murugan is also said to have worshipped his father Shiva at the site as Parangirinathar.
The Swaminatha Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Murugan. It is located in Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam, on the banks of a tributary of river Kaveri in Thanjavur District, 290 km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is fourth abode of Murugan among six (Arupadaiveedugal). The shrine of the presiding deity, Swaminathaswamy is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvati) and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram, three precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.
Tamil mythology refers to the folklore and traditions that are a part of the wider Dravidian pantheon, originating from the Tamil people. This body of mythology is a fusion of elements from Dravidian culture and the parent Indus Valley culture, both of which have been syncretised with mainstream Hinduism.
Various dance forms are practiced in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages in India. With archaeological evidence pointing to the Tamilakam region being inhabited for more than 3,800 years, Tamil culture has seen multiple influences over the years and has developed diversely. With its diverse culture, many forms of individual and group dances have their origins in the region.
Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple is a Hindu temple located at Perunna neighbourhood in Changanacherry. The deity of the temple is Subrahmanya Swami (Kartikeya), one of the three sons of Lord Shiva. Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, Lord Ayyappan, Mahaganapathi, Sarpa Deva, Rakshasa are other deities in this temple. This temple is famous for its 'Pallivetta' utsav.
Kataragama temple in Kataragama, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people. For most of the past millennia, it was a jungle shrine very difficult to access; today it is accessible by an all-weather road. The shrines and the nearby Kiri Vehera are managed by Buddhists, the shrines dedicated to Teyvāṉai and Shiva are managed by Hindus and the mosque by Muslims.
Devasena is the Hindu goddess of aspiration, and the consort of the war god Kartikeya (Murugan). She is also known as Devayanai, Deivanai, and Deivayanai in Tamil texts. Her name is also spelled as Teyvanai or Tevayanai.
Kaumaram is a Hindu denomination that primarily venerates the Hindu deity of war, Kartikeya, also known as Kumaran, Murugan, Arumugan, and Subrahmanyan. Devotees of Kumaran, called Kaumaras, also revere members of his family: Parvati, Shiva, and Ganesha, as well his consorts, Devasena and Sundaravalli, the daughters of Vishnu in Tamil tradition. The important theological texts relating to Kumara are a part of the Shaiva agama canon. This sub-tradition is found among the Tamils, Kannadigas, and the Vedda, in South India, Sri Lanka, and among the Tamil diaspora worldwide. The love story of Kumara/Murugan and his wife Valli, a girl from a local tribe, is popular in Tamil Nadu, where Kumara acquired the status of a national god.
Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha and Murugan, is the Hindu god of war. He is generally described as the son of the deities Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha.
Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, more popularly known as Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the Thirunallar village of the Karaikal district, in the Union territory of Puducherry, Southeastern India.
Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu is governed by the Shaiva Agamas (IAST:Āgama) that revere the ultimate reality as the Hindu deity, Shiva. Āgama in the Hindu religious context means a traditional doctrine or system which commands faith. Temple worship according to Āgamic rules can be said to have started during the Pallava dynasty in South India, but they were fully under establishment during the Chola dynasty The temples during the Chola period expanded to Sri Lanka and islands in South East Asia. The temple complex was expanding with niches for various deities on the stipulated sides of the sanctum. Lingam was universalised and prakarams (precincts) with subsequent deities came up. The temple parivara expanded considerably during the Chola period. The niches of following Āgamic rules for building Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state continues even in the modern era. Some of the prime images like that of lingam, Vinayagar and Parvati are present in all the Shiva temples. Almost all the temples follow the same custom during festivals and worship methods with minor exceptions. Most of the Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka are built in Dravidian architecture.
Hinduism in Tamil Nadu finds its earliest literary mention in the Sangam literature dated to the 5th century BCE. The total number of Tamil Hindus as per 2011 Indian census is 63,188,168 which forms 87.58% of the total population of Tamil Nadu. Hinduism is the largest religion in Tamil Nadu.
The Kumara kottam Temple is a Hindu temple in Kānchipuram, Tamil Nādu, India. It is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Hindu war god and the son of the gods Shiva and his mother Pārvathi. The temple is also known as the Subramaniya Swāmi temple. The ancient temple was rebuilt in its present form in 1915 CE. The temple is one of the 21 major temples in Kānchipuram and is an important pilgrimage centre. Saint Aruna giri nādhar has sung hymns in praise of the Murugan icon of this temple.
Pachaimalai Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Temple, also known as the Pachaimalai Balamurugan Temple, is one of the two major hill temples located in Gobichettipalayam, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to the Lord Murugan. The temple is constructed in the Tamil style of architecture and is located on top of a small hillock in the outskirts of the town of Gobichettipalayam near Pudupalayam, Tamil Nadu. Here, Kartikeya is venerated as Balamurugan or Subramanya Swamy.
The peacock dance or peafowl dance is a traditional Asian folk dance that describes the beauty and the movement of peacocks. There are several peacock dance traditions developed in Asia, including the peacock dances of Myanmar, of the western and northern parts of Cambodia, of West Java in Indonesia, and of the Indian subcontinent in Southern India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Thirumuruganatheeswarar Temple in Thirumuruganpoondi, a panchayat town in Tiruppur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the present structure of the temple is believed to have been built during the Kongu Cholas period in the 10th century. Shiva is worshipped as Thirumuruganatheeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Avudainayagi.
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