Meet Udumalai Senthil, who performs the Pradosha Tandavam at temples across Tamil Nadu

Udumalai Senthil during one of his Pradosha Tandava performances.
| Photo Credit: Courtesy: Udumalail Senthil

Far from the urban arclights, Udumalai Senthil is fulfilling his dream. His offering to Lord Shiva is the Pradosha Tandava in temples. For close to 23 years, he has performed it uninterruptedly — 548 times and counting. His 549th performance on July 1, being Sani Pradosham, is at Sri Putreeswarar Temple, Kurumpirai village, Chingleput. ‘We have gained so much from Nataraja, the very art itself. What do we do for him?, he asks

But what is Pradosha Tandava? It is a dance Shiva and Parvathi performed in Mount Kailash or in between the horns of Nandi according to some, after having drunk the deadly Halahala poison and freed the devas. The auspicious time, during the auspicious period of 90 minutes before and after sunset, occurs twice a month.

Udumalai Senthil presenting his Pradosha Tandava at one of the Siva temples.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Udumalai Senthil

Passion for dance

Senthil had always been interested in dance. He learnt from Muthu Bhagavathar and Pazhani Muthusami Pillai, the latter’s style more like Kuchipudi than Bharatanatyam, he declares frankly. After doing his graduation in Commerce, he taught dance in a school — he would improvise film songs with classical steps and some folk steps he had learnt from the tribals around Udumalai. He found Swami Dayananda Saraswati, who encouraged him to read and learn. He was sent to Nrithyodaya (Padma Subrahmanyam’s dance institution) in Chennai, where he did gurukula vasa. 

Entertaining the god

For Senthil, the Pradosha Tandava happened by chance. He had taken Lakshmi Swaminathan, a close acquaintance, to the Thudiyalur temple in Coimbatore. He was waiting outside for her, when he saw the utsava moorthy or the pradosha nayakan on the Rishabha vahanam, left alone after the procession around the temple. Feeling bad to see no one around the deity, he asked Lakshmi to sing and he danced the Natesa Navakam, ‘Sadancita mudancita,’ and the Anaikatti ashram song. By which time, the resident saxophone player joined in and played ‘Aadikkondaar anda vedikkai’. This impromptu performance was much appreciated.

Udumalai Senthil during one of his Pradosha Tandava performances.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Udumalai Senthil

On the way home he thought, ‘Why not plan a short performance during Pradoshams?’ Venkatachalapati of Avinashi Lingeshwarar temple near Tiruppur was supportive and that is how it began. “It was a big hit. Many offered money, but I did not take. I still do not accept money for the Pradosha Tandavam.”

However, Senthil was full of doubts. Was he on the right path? There were no precedents to learn from. He consulted the Tiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, who approved of his Pradosha Tandavam, gave him his first books on dance and shared the manuscripts available in their Saraswathi Mahal library. He pointed him towards the 108 Tandava paintings in the Tiruvidaimarudur temple as well. V. Ganapati Sthapati was another inspiration and guide. He taught him how to observe sculptures and look for a reference to the sthala puranam in some corner of the temple. He also told him to refer to Thevarams and Thiruvasagams.

Knowing about the temple

Udumalai Senthil during one of his performances for Pradosham.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Udumalai Senthil

The experience at every temple is different. Senthil reaches before the pradosham time to talk to the people there — priests, flower vendors, regular visitors — to learn about the temple, the sthala puranam, and the stories associated with it. If any books are available, he references them. He will study the sculptures and try to incorporate a few freizes and the sthala puranam in the dance that evening; he educates the public simultaneously about their temple.

The Pradosha Tandavam lasts about 15 minutes. It is performed after the abhishekam, during the alankaram. It is performed in front of the Nandi or behind, depending upon the space. He performs a Pushpanjali, a rhythmic interlude of the Tandava (Ghatam Karthick’s recording) and the story of the Pradosham inside the temple. The Navasandhi Nadanam is performed outside as the Utsavar is taken on a procession around the temple. The songs, which are usually on Shiva, are chosen according to the place where the temple is located.

The Mallari in the purappad is played by the resident nagaswara artistes according to their custom, followed by the thavil interlude, when Senthil portrays the sthala puranam narrating the story, if necessary.

Quoting from a book he was given in Nagarcoil he says, there existed male devadasars too. And refers to himself as a ‘sevak’ of Shiva. Should we need to discuss the grammar of his dance, or just applaud the solemnity of the practice?