Nataraja: The Cosmic Dancer

The worship of Linga form of Lord Shiva in association with the five elements ie; Earth or Prithvi, Water or Jal, Fire or Agni, Wind or Vayu and Ether or Akasha is peculiar to culture and sacred places sanctified by such association exists in South India.
One such place peculiar is Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu), the seat of the King of all 'Natas', Lord Nataraja noted for the worship of Lord Shiva in the Akasha आकाश form. The supreme bliss which the so called Cosmic Dance that Nataraja evokes is much described as Paramaananda or height of joy. The supreme Lord dances within the souls of his devotees hence-by not limiting himself only to Akaasha. Its the combination of Chit (mind) and Ambaram (sky) which lead to the derivation of Chidambaram.
Nataraja, The Cosmic Dancer is a unique integrated gift of Indian thoughts to the world culture. Its a vivid visualization of  the cosmic cycle in the unending rhythm of evolution, devolution, creation and destruction that is the perpetual movements which symbolizes the very rhythm of aatma  or soul and hence indiacating the primal energy under laying all the phenomenal appearances and activities. Even more striking is the visualization of  the very basic concept of life itself. For example, in Raasa Leela of Sri Krishna, its not possible to visualise different poses and movements and their significance. Nataraja's cosmic dance has well determined strict pattern of movements and even more particularly well structured rhythmic pattern which is the very central rhythm of the ever expanding universe or the Supreme-Being's creation.
Ananda-Tandavam  is the dance that is believed to have been performed by Lord Nataraja in the 'Golden Hall' Kanaka Sabha of Chidambaram and is hence known as KanakaSabhesan  the king of the Golden Hall.
The legend behind the dance centers around the forest of  Daruka, where Shiva as a handsome naked Bhikshatakan (wandering beggar) accompanied by Vishnu as Mohini (Vishnu's form of an extremely beautiful lady) with Adi Shesha, arrive to confute certain Rishis (sages). The prime idea was to test the fidelity of wives of those certain Rishis who were proud of their chastity. Mohini tempted the Rishis and to get her the Rishis conspired to destroy Shiva by their mythical powers. From their Homa kundam or the sacrificial fire they created Vyaghra, a fierce tiger and rushed it upon the Lord. With a smile, Shiva seized the tiger and using his fingernails ripped off its skin and wore the skin around himself. Undeterred by their failure, the rishis now created a serpent which Shiva made a garland nad wore it around his neck. Again the rishis sent upon Shiva a monster dwarf or Apasmara-Purusha. The Lord stepped upon the crouching monster breaking his back and making him wither with pain. Now with all there seizures Nataraja performed the Ananda Tandavam wich was witnessed by all Gods and Rishis.

Nataraja is interpreted as a Brahman ब्रह्मन्न  with four arms and two  legs. In the right upper hand he holds the Damru, the hour-glass shaped drum, which represents the rhythm of creation. The drum stretches from its center to both ends in an expanding nature symbolizing the ever expanding universe. The expanding nature of the universe was  proved by the scientists in mid nineteenth century with the Red shift in the color-spectrum. Cosmological Red shift is seen due to the expansion of the universe, and sufficiently distant light sources (generally more than a few million light years away) show a redshift corresponding to the rate of increase of their distance from Earth. The Damru if interpreted on a two dimensional plane will show two triangles with their vertex touching each other. This signifies both the genders of life ie. male and female. This symbolism is also seen in Pagan culture.
In the left upper hand Lord holds a tongue of fire. This Samhaara Agni or destructive fire is a sign of destruction of the Lord's entire creation. According to Hindu mythology, the very end or Pralayam  would take place with fire as the element of destruction. The right lower hand is in Abhaya Hasta Mudra meaning fearlessness. The creation is under the Lord's protection. He creates, protects and destroys. The right foot is on the spine of the Apasmara Purusha symbolizing the suppression of darkness of ignorance. Left leg is in a raised position and is in air representing the attainment of Moksha  that is the detachment and liberation of Aatma soul from the constant cycle of life and death. The lower left hand of Nataraja is below the right hand and is facing downwards to the raised left leg. This states the upliftment of dharma and souls of his creation. A serpent swirling around his waist represents the Kundalini Shakti  or the divine power which rests within all his creations. Nataraja dances in an aureole of fire which represents the manifest universe and the radiation of cosmic energy. It also represents the sufferings a soul had to go through during its cycle of life and death before attaining salvation or Moksha. Nataraja has a static facial expression symbolizing the balance between creation (the damru) and destruction (the tongue of fire). Lastly, the place of the dance, Chidambaram, which is portrayed as the center of the universe, is actually within the heart.