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Natesha or Nataraja Kautukam

I have here worked on the Natesha Kautukam. This was the Kautukam that I learnt probably when I was 8 or 9. The steps are same almost in every style. I like the the Kalakriya series music for this Kautukam. Hence the demonstration is a blend of what I had learnt and Mrs Priyadarshiniji’s choreography.  This Kautukam is in Ragam Varali and Adi Talam. (Composer: Gangai Muttu Nattuvanar)

Please see the lyrics and the meaning below:

Thatavana Muni Jana Sakala Asura-sura
One who is worshipped by the rishis of tadavana(dense forest) and the Demons and Gods alike.

Sannutha Paada Kinkini Jhum Jhum
I bow to him who adorns the anklets that make the sound jham jham.

Jhana Jhana Jhana Jhana Noopura laya gati
His Bells produce the sound jhana while he performs his cosmic dance

Ghana ghana ghana ghana Viti Hari Sevita
Bhrahma and vishnu also worship him.

Thaanda Vidambara
the one who performs the tandava

Vyaghrama Shankara
the one who is worshiped by vyagrahas

(If it was “Vygra charma Dhara“, then it would mean “one who wears the Tiger’s Skin”. This interpretation is also used in some songs. The hastas used would change. Check this link by Durga Swaminathan , between 2.33 to 2.42  to see what I meant.)

Trishula Dhara
One who holds the Trishula

Nandi Vaha,  Nada yoga priya
One who rides the Nandi, and one who loves dance and music.

Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Shashi ravi Bhoshana
Salutations to one who adorns the sun and the moon

Roopa Bhayankara
One who has an awesome personality .

(The word Bhayankara could also mean Fearful. But how can the lord be fearful? May be  his raudra Avatara sounds scary.)

Damaruka hasta
One who holds a Damru (handy percussion drum) in his hands.

Tritiya sahastra Dikshita Natha
One who is lord of Three thousand Dikshitas of Chidambaram

Please add your valuable comments and inputs to make this post a better reference material.

43 Comments

  1. sisira chaminda

    weldone, my best wishes for this, do more like this we can learn more historical thing, and i also love this kauthvam….. great, god bless

  2. Padmini Vasudevan

    Love the way you have portrayed the meaning of each and every line. This is really helpful !!!

  3. Srujana Seethamraju

    Madam,
    I have been your online student for the past one and half year and your classes were of tremendous help. I have enjoyed practicing Natesha Kauthuvam more than any item as of now. It will be helpful though if you can either provide or direct us towards the audio of this piece.

  4. shalini

    I really enjoyed the demonstrations. It has motivated me to start my dance practice after almost 25 years!!! I am in Phoenix AZ. Please let me know when you visit. My email is [email protected]

    Thanks

    Shalini Acharya Iyer

  5. Antje

    I am really enjoying practicing the Kautuvam according to your video, but I noticed that the last line of the song is missing in your written explanation. Can you provide the line and the translation? Thank you and many greetings from Antje

  6. pavani

    I learnt Bharatanatyam when I was young and did not get chance to continue with it because of education. Now, I am in North Carolina and I enjoy each and every demonstrations from you and wanna start dancing asap. Loving Bharatanatyam .. Thanq so Much 4 all the uploads with awsome explainations.

  7. Naveen

    Actually ,,i dont want say this as as comment,,i would like to ask where Sounds of Bharatanatyam cd/cassete purchased or where could i purchase baratanatyam good quality audio cds,other than,kalakendra.com and kalakriya.com.can you please suggest me….

  8. Vaishnavi

    Mam it was amazing and inspired me to start practising after 8 years. Can I please Please get the audio for this??

  9. Vaishnavi

    Please can i get the audio of this song? I would like to perform it for my college cultural meet. Please 🙁

  10. archana

    Wonderful teaching madam. I have been following you for past 1.5 years. Dancing just for 10 mins makes me more energetic and the credit now goes to you. Thanks a ton. Just a suggestion, when you give the ragam and thalam, please let us know the composer also.

  11. Jaya

    Hi Anjali
    I love your website and the Natesha Kautuvam is beautiful. Thank you so much for posting all this information. Can you please let me know where I can buy the song for Natesha Kautuvam?
    Thank you!
    Jaya

  12. Srividhya

    Hello Anjali,

    I am a dancer too but was not in touch for 10 years until I started getting into it recently. You have a very impressive background and you are doing an amazing job in sharing your knowledge with other dance lovers through your site, hats off to you! I just wanted to find out if you know of any site where I can get the meaning of some songs to choreograph items, like i am in need of the meaning of ‘pranavakaram’ in arabhi raagam presently but still no luck online, please do respond back if you get any leads. Thanks for your time!

  13. bindya

    nritta is o.k, but emphasis is not given to teaching of abhinaya, it would have been more good if abhinaya is been focussed in closeup with a voice over.

  14. Anu

    Dear Anjali ,

    Excellent explanaions ..Is there anywhere that i could get the Audio of this – Thank you .

  15. Sunidhi

    The video is really good. The only doubt I got was in starting Jati in which Nataraja is shown for dhimitha dhimitha . The hand gestures of Nataraja is exchange while doing left and right sides respectively. Is that correct? Are we allowed to show Abhaya Hasta in left? Please clarify my doubt.

  16. Pratheeba

    Beautiful and thank you for providing the lyrics & the meaning. Where will I be able to get the audio for this?

    Thank you

  17. Joy

    I’m living in the California Bay Area, recently switched dance schools, and am now learning the Thanjavur style. The steps and dances shown in your videos are very similar to what I’m now learning. The videos have been very helpful. I would not have been able to progress nearly as fast without them. Thanks much!

    rūpa . bhayaṅkara
    ([one whose] form . inspires fear)

    ghana ghana ghana ghana . Viti . Hari . sevita
    (the destroyer [who] . Bhrahma . Vishnu . serve)

    The translation is from http://spokensanskrit.de/

    I encourage you to make more videos and start charging a small fee for them.

  18. sowmiya

    Great job Anjali!! am one of those who have inspired by ur work..
    it would be so great if you can send me the audio of this kautukam via mail.

    I have learnt bhartanatyam for 6 years..and now after seeing your video am inspired to dance.. please help me..

  19. sowmiya

    Great job Anjali!! am one of those who have inspired by ur work..
    it would be so great if you can send me the audio of this kautukam via mail.

    I have learnt bharatanatyam for 6 years..and now after seeing your video am inspired to dance..

  20. Anushka

    Hi Anjali,
    thank you for this video, it’s very helpful. Me and my friend would like to do this dance for an upcoming event but don’t have this music. Do you know how we could find this music or, if possible would you be able to send us it?
    Thank you

  21. Pramila Bhamode

    Dear Anjali,

    Thanks for posting this Video on Natesh Kautuvam, I am so glad I happen to visit your website. You are doing such a great job and I can imagine the kind of dedication and hard work it takes to impart something without any expectations. I am grateful to you and keep up the good job. I wish I could perform like you. Very graceful and smoothly the dance is narrated/demonstrated. the way of putting it into categories is really helpful. I hope to perform half as better as you did…thanks again for the wonderful piece.

    all the best, please add me to your friends list. Regards

  22. Swathy

    Hi Anjali,

    Thank you .You have done a marvelous job by creating this website . I appreciate your dedication and love towards Bharatanatyam,The illustrations are perfect and simple. I have been trained in Bharatnatyam since I was 10 yrs, But couldn’t continue dancing due to education and Career. 3 months back I came across your website and I have been Practicing bhartanatyam with ease and joy, Thank you once again .

  23. Wg Cdr M Yagnaraman

    Ms Anjali…

    A great service indeed…

    Will You be requiring some new compositions for Your performances (mArgam confined)

    May be we may discuss, sometimes…

    Thanks.

    Musically Yours,
    ~Yagna
    (PrAMaYaS)
    Carnatic Vocal, Flute, Mandolin, Morsing, Composing, Research and Production, Compering, Artists outsourcing, Event Management and many more….

    Cell : +91 98736 49468 (Whatsapp)

    FB : Yagnaraman Iyer

  24. Dimpy

    Awesome Your dancing is very beautiful. Natesha dancing poses (Mudra’s) are so clear Anjali you are a excellent Teacher

  25. Sandhya

    Hi Anjali,

    This is beautiful and really well explained. Thank you so much.. with your explanation I was able to learn this dance.

    I was looking for the same music that you were showing us. It would be of great help if you could let me know where can look for this music in stores or name of the CD for purchase…

    Thank you again,
    Sandhya

  26. Nupoor dadsena

    Very useful it helped me alot . The word to word explanation helped me to understand the words correctly and thereby understand the expression .It saved alot of time .And helped me to atleast perform better in my practical as I didnt know the song properly. Thanku very much.

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